Micro Influencer Marketing: What You Need to Know

What Is Influencer Marketing? 

Influencer marketing takes influential individuals in various niches because of their expertise and uses them to help promote a product. This is done through product mentions and endorsement. 

For example, if you were looking at the realm of gaming, say there was an influencer that was popular on YouTube or Twitch for streaming various games. A game developer could approach them and offer them an endorsement to stream their game. 

This works because influencers build trust with their followers on social media. When an influencer recommends a brand, their audience listens. 

Influencers can fall into several categories these categories include: 

• Mega-Influencers
• Macro-Influencers
• Micro-Influencers
• Nano-Influencers

Numbers can vary when you look at the types of influencers and what category they fall in especially depending on the platform. There is no exact science in defining the level of influence an influencer has. Let's take a closer look into each one.

What Is a Mega Influencer?

When you are looking at mega-influencers, think big names. These are going to be your highest-ranking social media influencers. 

They will have more than a million followers. Typically, their influence comes from their fame. They have a wide reach because of their fame, but the level of interaction with their followers is different from what you would see with other influencers. 

When you think of a mega-influencer, think of names like Will Smith or other A or B List celebrities. 

What Is a Macro-Influencer?

Macro-influencers still have a pretty big audience. They typically have upwards of 100,000 followers but less than a million followers. 

An excellent example of a macro-influencer is Nick Pitera. Nick Pitera has around 836K followers on YouTube. He has made his name by producing great content online. 

If you are unfamiliar with Nick Pitera, he takes Disney and broadway songs and sings every role within the song. 

What Is a Micro-Influencer? 

You will notice that as we go down the list, the numbers get lower. However, as the numbers get lower, you see a higher level of influence because the relationship between influencers and followers tends to be different. As you have fewer followers, you are more likely to be more of an opinion leader. 

Micro-influencers are the next level. Your micro-influencers are going to have anywhere from 1,000 to 100,000 followers. These influences tend to have very niche areas that they focus on and are industry experts. 

These are names you are not going to hear as often. While your mega and macro-influencers are going to be relatively well-known, micro-influencers are well known within a smaller community; however, they are highly trusted. 

What Is a Nano-Influencer? 

Nano-Influencers are not as well known as the aforementioned types of influencers. This crew tends to have less than 1,000 followers. However, they often have a significant reach within their community. 

When you utilize nano-influencers, it's about using everyday people that can easily be related as an influence for your brand. This could be the local paster, local government, or other local voices that are well-known. 

What Type of Influencer Should Your Company Use? 

When you look at the list of the types of influencers, is your first thought that you should, of course, steer towards mega-influencers? After all, these influencers have a bigger audience and further reach; shouldn't that be what you want for your company? 

While there is truth to that, there are undeniable benefits to utilizing micro and even nano-influencers. There are also inherent challenges that come with this. 

+The Benefits of Utilizing Nano or Micro-Influencers

Many of the benefits of utilizing nano or micro-influencers are similar. Therefore, we will cover both of these types of influencers together. 

When you use nano or micro-influencers, you are reaching out to their specific audience. Because nano and micro-influencers are very focused on a specific niche, their followers tend to go beyond casual and are more connected to this type of influencer. 

They have very committed and loyal followers. This means that by utilizing smaller influencers, you are likely to get a higher level of engagement. 

Another thing that is important to note is authenticity. When you look at Gen Z and Millenials, 63 percent of Gen Z and 37 percent of Millenials prefer hearing from a "real person" versus a celebrity. 

The authenticity you get from a nano, or a micro-influencer can't be beaten. Another advantage of using a nano or a micro-influencer is the cost. Typically, you are going to spend less when you utilize micro-influencers versus a mega or macro-influencer. 

-The Disadvantages of Utilizing Nano or Micro-Influencers

The most significant difference you will see when it comes to nano or micro-influencers and the disadvantages is the experience level. Micro-influencers have typically been on the scene longer and built up a larger following. 

Beyond that, both styles of influencers have a similar demographic. 

This type of influencer can be difficult to find. You may have to do a lot of research in order to find the right nano or micro-influencer for your product. 

In addition, nano or micro-influencers are going to have a smaller reach. Where your reach will be wide with mega or macro-influencers, you will target a smaller audience when utilizing a nano or micro-influencer. 

+The Benefits of Utilizing a Mega or Macro-Influencers

When you start to dive into social media marketing with mega or macro-influencers, the game changes. Both of these influencers have big audiences. 

This means you are going to get a lot of exposure by utilizing these influencers. In addition, both mega and macro-influencers are used to working with brands. You will get a higher level of professionalism from these influencers that you may not see with less experienced influencers. 

With both of these influencers, you also have the ability to build more brand awareness. With macro-influencers, you can even target your campaign a little more than you can with mega-influencers. However, that is the biggest difference between the two when discussing benefits. 

- What Are the Disadvantages of Utilizing Mega or Macro-Influencers

The most significant difference when it comes to mega and macro-influencers and the disadvantage has to do with a targeted campaign. While you can run a more targeted campaign with macro-influencers, you begin to lose this ability with mega-influencers. 

However, beyond that, these two levels of influencers have very similar disadvantages. The huge disadvantage you will see is the cost. When you utilize a mega or a macro-influencer, you will pay a hefty price. 

Another disadvantage to using this level of influencer is the engagement rate. While nano or micro-influencers tend to have a high engagement rate, you see engagement rate with mega or macro-influencers decrease. 

What's the Answer?

Should you use micro-influencer marketing or shoot for the sky with a mega or macro-influencer? The answer is: it depends. 

At the end of the day, the influencer you choose will be dependent on your goal. Before you choose the level of influencer you want to use, ask yourself the following question: 

Who are you selling your product to? 

For a product with a larger audience, a mega or macro-influencer may be the right level. You need to reach a lot of people, and they can help you accomplish that. 

However, if you want to target a specific niche or group of people, your best bet is utilizing a nano or micro-influencer. These influencers are going to be the ones who are directly speaking to the audience you want to engage and will help get you results within your niche. 

Does Influencer Marketing Replace SEO? 

What about SEO? If you're spending money on influencer marketing, do you need to bother with SEO? 

The answer to this is a very loud YES! Micro-influencer marketing will not replace SEO or brand building; however, it is a great way to build and expand upon on it. 

To better understand influencers and SEO, you need to know the ways that influencer marketing can build on SEO. 

Boost Engagement and Visibility

Utilizing influencers for marketing helps to boost your visibility. While using a mega or macro-influencer has the most potential to increase your visibility, you are still increasing your visibility through nano and micro-influencers; your audiences are simply more targets. 

Nano and micro-influencer have more engaged audiences. Because your influencers have a more engaged audience, you will have the ability to boost your engagement in those circles. 

This allows you to be heard over your competitors within these communities. As you become more visible and engage your audience, you will drive more traffic to your website. 

Once you drive the traffic to your website, it's about keeping them there. Different components of your SEO can help with that. 

Build Inbound Links

Links are king, and with the help of a nano or a micro-influencer, you can build inbound links. Remember, though; younger generations are looking for authenticity. 

Instead of using your influencer to create a "commercial" and push a product, use them to convey a message or discuss an issue. They can utilize your site as a resource with the content you have built there as a part of an SEO campaign. 

This comes down to both of you providing benefits to each other. Your influencer will help you to create new content and get your name out there, but you will also help them get seen as they discuss issues relating to your niche. 

Gain Social Traction

Social media and SEO can go hand in hand when discussing off-page SEO. Utilizing social media can help your company bring in more traffic in various formats. 

Leveraging your relationship with a micro-influencer will help you build your social media following and social traction. When you're utilizing an influencer, you can do this through hashtags that point users in the direction you want them to go. 

Find Micro-Influencers With Ease

How do you find nano or micro-influencers? We mentioned above that this is the toughest type of influencer to find. Because they are not as well-known, you have to do more digging and more research. 

How to Find Nano or Micro-Influencers

There are several ways you can find nano or micro-influencers. One of the first things you can do is find your influencers from your followers. They are already following you and like your brand, which means this is a natural place to look. 

You could also search utilizing hashtags. Many creators will utilize hashtags, and that can help you find the influencers who are creating content in the niche you are shooting for. 

In addition, you can consult previous influencers or check out your recent likes and comments. You can often find some great choices in these places. However, ultimately you are going to need to do a lot of work to vet your potential influencers when you utilize this process. 

The Best Way to Find Nano or Micro-Influencers

If you want to find an influencer but do not want the hassle of doing a deep dive, you can utilize a platform that provides information on influencers.  We at The Influencer List have created a list of over 1,000 nano and micro-influencers. This list is created based on the individual influencers merit and metrics. 

This list will help you find the influencer you want in the niche you want quickly. 

Get Started With Micro-Influencer Marketing

Are you ready to start growing your brand through nano or micro-influencer marketing? This style of marketing comes with unique benefits that will boost your company. 

Find the right influencer for you through our Influencer List today. You can buy it now .