Look at their engagement rate, not just their follower count. High engagement is often worth more than simply having many followers. Id look at content quality and asses their production value. If they create high quality content with a professional feel, their fee might reflect that. If the content is more raw or low budget, there is more room to negotiate. Finally, id express budget over worth. Instead of saying “I can’t afford your fee” or outright criticizing their price, id frame the conversation around budget constraints. This way, it doesn't feel like you’re undervaluing them, just that you're trying to make things work within your limitations

Id look for fresh or Underrated niche, consistency in content, authenticity and personality, and engagement over follower count.

If I had $2000 to create viral content through collaborations, I’d focus on maximizing impact by strategically selecting creators who align with the content’s goal, target audience, and platform dynamics. 

Before selecting creators, I’d clarify: What type of content will go viral, and Who is the target audience (Age, interests, platform habits).

Since $2000 isn’t a huge budget, I’d focus on high impact, high ROI collaborations instead of spending it all on one big creator. A possible breakdown: 3-5 Micro-Influencers, To seed engagement and build organic shares. 1-2 Mid-Tier Creators, To reach a larger audience and drive engagement. This structure ensures multiple touchpoints across audiences while keeping costs manageable.