How to Start a Supplements Brand as an Influencer (Beginner’s Playbook)

You’ve built an audience that trusts your recommendations. Now you’re thinking about launching an influencer supplement brand to offer more value and turn your engaged audience into a recurring revenue stream. 

But here’s the thing: unlike selling merch or promoting affiliate products, supplements come with real risks to your reputation and legal liability. 

So if you're wanting to start your own influencer supplements brand but not sure where to start, review this guide to get the essential steps for success. 

Influencers Can Dominate the Supplement Market

Once upon a time, celebrity endorsements held a lot of weight, but the industry is slowly shifting. Audiences are now favoring recommendations and getting inspiration from relatable creators they follow on social media, like you!   

Numbers even back this up: 

• The influencer market stood at nearly $10 billion in 2020, and it’s expected to reach $33 billion in 2025 

• Six studies found that 40% of participants reported discovering new brands through influencers weekly

This data means your viewers are already primed to consider the products you offer and recommend. 

Why Add Supplements to Your Influencer Brand?? 

At the same time that consumers are shifting how they make purchasing decisions, they’re also growing more health-conscious. A study found that the use of dietary supplements over the last 20 years has grown, with 75% of Americans regularly using them. 

Furthermore, the dietary supplements market size was $192.65 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $414.52 billion by 2033. 

This convergence creates a massive opportunity for influencers, as those with engaged audiences are entering a booming market where trust and authenticity drive purchasing decisions. 

Step-by-Step: Starting Your Supplement Line Influencer Brand

Step 1: Choose Your Niche (And Be Specific) 

You want your supplement line to solve a specific problem for your specific audience. And the best part? You likely already have a niche established through your content. The key to introducing supplements is aligning with what your audience already comes to you for.    

So, if you’re a fitness influencer, that might look like offering protein powder, pre-workout, or BCAAs. If you’re already creating wellness content promoting healthy habits, green powders, or probiotics could be a natural fit. In the beauty or skincare realm? You might find success with biotin, collagen, or beauty-from-within supplements. 

Doing this gives you very clear positioning that makes your product immediately relevant to your viewership. Failing to niche down could dilute your brand and make it harder to stand out in a crowded market.

Step 2: Understand the Manufacturing Models

You have two main options for bringing supplements to market. 

Private Label

Pros:

• Faster time to market

• Manageable upfront investment

• Lower risk for first-time supplement brands

• Ability to customize existing formulas (adjust ratios, swap ingredients, change delivery formats)

Cons:

• Limited control over ingredient sourcing

• May not accommodate highly specific formulation goals

• Less product differentiation, as other brands may use similar formulas

Best for: Most influencer brands starting out, as it balances uniqueness with reasonable investment 

Custom Label

Pros:

• Greater brand differentiation

• Ability to meet specific formulation goals

• Complete control over formula creation from scratch

• Truly proprietary product and stronger intellectual property

Cons:

• Longer development timelines

• Requires significant upfront capital

• Higher risk if the product doesn't perform

Best for: Influencers with specific formulation goals that existing products can’t meet  

Step 3: Identify a Manufacturing Partner

A manufacturing partner can make or break an influencer supplement brand. Here’s what to look for: 

• Third-party testing: Assess if they conduct or facilitate third-party testing.. Getting certificates of analysis (COAs) for every batch protects you if someone claims your product caused harm

• GMP certification: Determine if they have a Good Manufacturing Practices certification from the FDA or a third-party certifier. This certification ensures basic safety and quality standards

• Supply chain transparency: Ask where they source raw ingredients 

• Insurance and liability coverage: Confirm they carry product liability insurance. You’ll also want your own coverage

Red Flags to Watch For: 

• No clear process for handling recalls or quality issues 

• Reluctance to provide documentation, certifications, or COAs

• Pressure to launch quickly without adequate testing or compliance review 

Step 4: Label Claims and Marketing Compliance

The way you market your product matters. The FDA regulates what you can and cannot say about dietary supplements. 

Examples of What You Can Say: 

• Structure/functions claims 

  • “Supports immune health”

  • “Promotes healthy digestion”

  • “Helps maintain energy levels”

• Nutritional support claims

  • “Provides antioxidant support”

  • “Source of omega-3 fatty acids” 

Examples of What You Cannot Say: 

• Disease claims

  • “Cures diabetes”

  • “Treats depression”

  • “Prevents cancer”

• Drug claims

  • “Boosts metabolism by 30%”

  • “Clinically proven to reduce anxiety”

  • Any misleading implications that your supplement works like a medication 

Pro tip: Always consult a regulatory attorney or compliance specialist before launching any marketing campaigns. Keep in mind that your social media content, YouTube videos, and Instagram stories all count as marketing. 

Step 5: Set Pricing for Your Influencer Supplement Brand

Pricing is tricky, but here’s a good rule of thumb: aim for a 3-4x markup from your total cost per unit (manufacturing, packaging, and fulfillment). If your all-in cost is $8.00, price it at retail between $24 and $32. This gives you room for: 

• Your profit margin

• Returns and customer service costs 

• Sampling and influencer gifting programs 

• Retailer margins if you expand to wholesale 

Pro tip: When working with an end-to-end vendor like OpenLoop, you have direct access to our experience and processes. 

Step 6: Build Your Go-To-Market Strategy 

You already have what other supplement brands want, which is direct access to your viewership. Now, you just need a strategic, multi-phase launch approach. 

Phase 1: Pre-Launch 

At this phase, your goal is to build anticipation and capture early interest before your product is available. 

Audience Warming Tactics: 

• Build a waitlist with early access incentives 

• Create polls asking what your audience wants in a supplement 

• Tease the problem your supplement solves through educational content 

• Share behind-the-scenes content to build product trust and transparency

Content Strategy: 

• Address common objections or skepticism upfront

• Provide ingredient education and “what to look for” guides

• Share a personal story about why you created this product 

• Create educational posts about the supplement category you’re entering

Phase 2: Launch using Core Marketing Channels

These are examples of content you can produce to promote your new supplements brand. These may differ depending on what you have built or have access too.

Email/SMS (If You Have a List)

• Segment your waitlist by engagement (superfans, casual followers, new subscribers).

• Build simple post-purchase flows with education, usage tips, and personal guidance.

• Send launch-day messages with urgency (limited stock, early-bird pricing, or “founder’s first drop.”)

• Ensure that you have appropriate consents from list members

Social Media (Organic)

• Share UGC from beta testers, friends, or early customers (or react to videos)

• Go live to answer questions, talk through your product story, and show results or routines.

• Post Stories/Reels/TikToks of unboxing, behind-the-scenes, or using the product.

• Publish clear announcement posts across all platforms where you’re active (IG, TikTok, YouTube, etc.).

Paid Advertising (Optional but Powerful)

• Start with small budgets and boost your best-performing Reels/TikToks.

• Use creator-style video ads featuring you explaining why you made the product.

• Target audiences interested in your supplement category or who follow similar creators.

• Run retargeting ads to people who visited your site, joined your waitlist, or engaged with launch content.

Influencer Partnerships (Peer Creator Support)

• Gift products to aligned creators who naturally complement your niche.

• Prioritize creators whose audiences overlap with yours to maximize trust transfer.

• Offer affiliate commissions so creators earn from authentic product mentions.

Content Marketing / SEO (Light, Influencer-Friendly Approach)

• Film comparison-style TikToks or blogs (e.g., “Why I made my own instead of ____”).

• Create evergreen blog posts that answer common audience-supplement questions.

• Publish simple how-to guides that tie to your category

Phase 3: Ongoing Growth (Post-Launch)

Improve Customer Retention: 

• Regular check-ins asking for feedback and results 

• Exclusive member perks or early access to new products 

• Subscription or auto-ship options for recurring revenue 

• Community building through private groups or forums 

Referral and Social Proof: 

• Customer referral programs with incentives 

• Physician or expert endorsements (if applicable and credible) 

• Showcase testimonials and before/after results (where compliant) 

• Partner with gyms, wellness coaches, or complementary businesses 

Scale What Works: 

• Double down on your highest-converting channels

• Test new platforms once core channels are optimized 

• Consider retail partnerships once you’ve proven demand 

• Expand product line based on customer requests and data 

• Consider adding clinical programs (with medical oversight) to pair with supplements

• Track key metrics like cost per acquisition (CPA), customer lifetime value (LTV), and repeat purchase rate to identify your highest-performing supplements and channels

Pair Clinical Programs with Supplements and Launch in a Few Weeks with OpenLoop

Starting your own supplements brand can be a great way to add value and drive more revenue. With OpenLoop, you can do more. Offer clinical programs (like weight loss) paired with supplements all under your brand. We handle all the operations and clinical oversight, you give your audience access to popular treatments with limited, if any, upfront costs. 

We are able to provide a completely turnkey, white-label offering thanks to our vertically integrated clinical infrastructure. You and your audience get access to:

• Your own branded webpage marketing your products

• Limited, if any, implementation costs and high-margin revenue

• 50-State clinical network so your viewers get care wherever they are

• 24/7/365 patient support

• Unlimited visits with a licensed Certified Medical Assistant (CMA)

• Access to treatments like weight loss, HRT, TRT, Longevity and more

Ready to take your brand to the next level? Contact us today.

*This content is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. For guidance on your specific situation, please consult a licensed attorney.