Influencer marketing is constantly evolving, and it’s no longer as straightforward as it was a few years ago. When it comes to searching for the right influencer, brands are no longer simply choosing the most popular one. Now, they pay attention to the quality of the audience and whether it can be considered a community that will love their brand and engage with it. Although mega-influencers are still attractive to cooperate with in terms of brand image, micro-influencers show the best results in the community criteria.
The benefits of working with micro-influencers
Micro-influencers are those who have a relatively small but highly engaged and dedicated audience, typically ranging from 10,000 to 50,000 followers. They are very niche and specific to a particular interest, expert field or location. Their content tends to be more authentic and personalized compared to macro- or mega-influencers, who have a larger but often less engaged and less targeted audience. That is why micro-influencers can be a valuable asset to brands and businesses looking to connect with specific audiences, in a specific location, and build authentic relationships with their customers.
Authenticity and engagement
Micro-influencers are often seen as more authentic and trustworthy by their followers compared to larger influencers or celebrities. Their audience trusts their opinions and recommendations, which can lead to higher engagement rates and better conversion rates for sponsored posts.
Micro-influencers can easily fit any customer persona because they behave like real people who can have multiple interests, occupations, and can change their minds. When larger influencers and celebrities act like media personalities, they often can’t afford to change their point of view without approving it with their entire PR teams to avoid facing negative feedback.
Cost-effectiveness and affordability
Sponsored posts on social media by micro-influencers are way more affordable than those by larger influencers. They usually bring more qualified results to brands because of higher engagement and conversion rates. This means that working with micro-influencers can lead to a better return on investment (ROI).
Simply put, it’s often more cost-effective to get several advertisements from micro-influencers than one from a mega-influencer. You’ll get more conversions with the same number of impressions.
Accessibility
Micro-influencers are often more accessible and approachable than creators with a wider audience. They are not spoiled with dozens of offers and may be more willing to collaborate with brands and businesses. They are usually easier to find, contact, and negotiate with, and it’s more realistic to get into a deal with them as soon as possible with less bureaucracy.
Moreover, there are literally millions of micro-influencers in the world, unlike macro- or mega-influencers. This means you have more choices and can find more candidates to work with. It’s usually easier to find common ground with ten micro-influencers simultaneously than with one mega.
Brand loyalty
Smaller creators can help brands build a sense of community and loyalty around their products or services. By building relationships with micro-influencers and their followers, brands can create a more personalized and authentic connection with their target audience. Usually, the majority of their audience follows them since the beginning of their career. They grow and develop together and feel a special connection and trust in these creators.
Good micro-influencers never jeopardize their reputation in front of their audience, so they only recommend products they genuinely like. That’s why they can easily refuse to cooperate with your brand if they genuinely dislike it. But if they eventually agree to make branded content for you, you’re likely to achieve great results with this campaign!
How to find micro-influencers for your campaign?
- Sign in to Companion and go to the Influencers → Discovery tab.
- Choose the platform you would like to work with from Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube.
- Set the followers filter to 10k-50k.
- Select other criteria that are important to you, such as location, category, etc.
- Choose the influencers you like and click the “+” icon to add them to “My Influencers.”
Eventually, you can get extensive demographic reports for each particular influencer you like. Micro-influencers usually have great engagement rates, but pay attention to this metric in the report anyway. You will see the median engagement rate in the report, which will give you an idea of what level is considered good enough for influencers of this size and niche.
This report will show you precise and granular characteristics of the audience and help you find micro-influencers with a community best suited for your goals, according to their brand affinity and interests.
Let us know if you’d like us to show you how to find micro-influencers in a quick demo by emailing [email protected]. You will learn how to use Companion features to the fullest for your campaigns!