The Marketer’s Ultimate Guide to micro-influencers
Influencer marketing remains a powerful tactic in today’s social media media climate. However, to maximize your return on investment (ROI), it’s important to choose the right type of content creator for your influencer marketing strategy.
Micro-influencers have smaller follower counts and (typically) more credibility, which can conserve your budget and engage more people. Below, we’ll dive more into why that matters, how micro-influencers work, and how to leverage their relationships for win-win campaigns.
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What is a micro-influencer?
The term micro-influencer refers to influencers with 10,000 to 50,000 followers. Micro-influencers often build their audiences based on a particular focus area, such as travel, parenting, fitness, or food.
Some micro-influencers have an even narrower niche. For example, they might only post healthy, child-friendly lunch ideas. In other cases, their content may have a more general theme, such as infusing more joy into everyday experiences.
While micro-influencers may not have millions of adoring fans, they often have highly engaged and loyal audiences. For example, travel fashionista Alli Schapel posts captivating images that stay with her followers long after they’ve logged off Instagram.
Micro-influencers don’t have to fit a standard mold. These top micro-influencers have completely different niches and approaches, but they’ve all established loyal fan bases:
Sammie and Pika: This cat-and-dog duo has captured the hearts of around 12,000 pet lovers.
Jade: Stylish and a tad daring, this trendy model shares her favorite looks with her 29,000 followers.
Samantha Myers: Skincare product photos and recommendations take center stage for Samantha’s nearly 38,000 followers.
So regardless of what you’re marketing, you should have no problem finding a micro-influencer to boost brand awareness.
Micro versus nano influencers
Micro-influencers and nano-influencers differ in a few key ways. The most obvious is follower counts: nano-influencers have between 1,000 and 10,000, while micro-influencers have 10,000 to 50,000.
But it’s not just about follower volume — it’s also about audience demographics. Micro-influencers usually garner attention in a certain sphere, while nano-influencers may focus more on particular interests and locations.
Nano-influencers are more likely to have real-world relationships with followers, usually because they see them in person on a regular basis. Region- or city-specific brands especially benefit from the years of built-up trust between nano-influencers and their followers.
There’s also pricing to consider. According to Shopify’s 2024 Instagram influencer rates report, micro-influencers typically charge between $100 and $500 per post, and nano-influencers charge $10–100.
Micro versus mid-tier influencers
Moving from micro- to mid-tier influencers, you’ll see a shift in reach, exposure, and conversions.
While mid-tier influencers have a larger audience at 50,000 to 500,000 followers, the sheer volume makes for less authentic relationships and lower engagement rates. That’s why around 70% of marketers prefer nano- or micro-influencers over their more popular counterparts.
Some brands may still benefit from mid-tier influencers, especially if they thoroughly vet their partners for authenticity and relatability. However, when a mid-tier influencer can charge up to $5,000 for a single Instagram post, not all brands can afford to take the chance.
Micro- vs. macro-influencers
Micro-influencing content is authentic, relatable, and usually far less filtered, while macro-influencer content usually reflects a glossier lifestyle. Macro-influencers may have extensive reach (between 500,000 and 1 million followers), but their content is often so over-produced that it’s easy to dismiss or ignore entirely.
There are also celebrity influencers, usually well-known pop culture personalities, who can add prestige to brands in the right industry. For example, brands targeting an elite demographic may ask a celebrity for an endorsement on product quality. The pricing of macro- and celebrity influencers can cost anywhere from $5,000 and $10,000+.
Micro- vs. local influencers
Local influencers have sway in a specific region and usually have follower counts between 500 and 5,000. Their audiences often start with friends and family and grow to include acquaintances, colleagues, and fellow community members.
Like micro-influencers, they leverage their expertise and experience to establish trust post by post. But unlike micro-influencers, local influencers recommend familiar, nearby brands and establishments to people in their immediate areas.
A micro-influencer can certainly promote the restaurant at the end of her street, but if their audience includes people around the country, it may not have an impact on the business.
Local influencers, on the other hand, are cost-effective and have a genuine passion for their home cities and towns. They often accept products or experiences in lieu of compensation, and they’re excited to promote the people and businesses that drive their local economy.
For example, in Des Moines, Iowa, Royal Flooring participated in a small business celebration where local influencers tagged individual vendors. The flooring company’s reps could then directly interact with supporters and curious locals. Influencers were thrilled to attend the event and accepted goodie bags and comped tickets for their efforts.
Why should you work with micro-influencers?
As a general rule, smaller influencers are better partners than larger influencer types. But compared to other types of influencers, micro-influencers offer a few distinct advantages for brands. Here’s a look at how these benefits can strengthen loyalty from your current supporters and draw new people into your orbit.
Create more authentic and engaging content
Micro-influencers need time to establish their profiles and niches. They might start off with a general interest in shopping or food, but it can take a while for their content and strategy to come together. This gradual build-up allows more time to foster relationships with followers, leading to more trust and higher engagement rates.
If you value authenticity, consider how local influencers, who often run into their followers while out and about, have an advantage over even the most successful micro-influencers. If a local influencer bends the truth or promotes an inferior product or brand, they risk more than just their online reputation.
Grab the attention of niche audiences
A micro-influencer can help you streamline your messaging and connect with new or niche audiences who might otherwise be harder to engage. Micro-influencers also know what their audiences look for, so you don’t have to scrutinize every camera angle or word choice.
For example, let’s say your core target demographic for an all-natural energy drink is university students, but now you’re looking to expand to an older crowd with busy jobs and families. You might partner with a micro-influencer parent who emphasizes how the healthy ingredients help her stay focused without giving her the jitters.
Benefit from greater flexibility
Most micro-influencers are either full-time or close to it, so they tend to be professional, committed, and highly open to brand partnerships. They’re also some of the most creative, knowledgeable people in their subject areas, posting unique content that helps followers rethink common problems and their solutions.
Plus, micro-influencers are usually happy to share professional tips with marketers on how to create more impactful micro-influencer campaigns. After all, they know how hard it can be to stand out on popular platforms.
Brands that work with micro-influencers
Brands that work with micro-influencers value WOM (word of mouth) marketing in their communities. With micro-influencers, you can scale campaigns faster and cast a wider net.
Instead of opting for celebrity or even mid-tier influencers, you can branch out into new audiences while still staying within budget. Let’s look at a few successful brands that leveraged micro-influencer marketing and came out on top.
Adventureland
Built in 1974, Adventureland in Des Moines, Iowa, is a thrill park with roller coasters, shows, and a water park. After completing several major renovations, reps provided influencers with one free pass and a discount code for guests.
The influencers took their loved ones out for a fun-filled day, and their posts generated plenty of excitement and nostalgia. Followers commented on what it was like to visit the park as a kid or work there as a teenager. By tapping into an already nostalgic crowd, Adventureland was able to promote both its past and future.
Waxing the City
Waxing the City is a top-rated waxer with franchises across the country. In Omaha, Nebraska, staff partnered with influencers to highlight their pain-free and affordable services. Whether it was waxing or lamination, the influencers were blown away by the experience.
The influencers’ networks responded with sincere enthusiasm, with several followers commenting they had already booked an appointment. This campaign worked because reps chose trustworthy local influencers to address two pain points that might keep customers away: discomfort and cost.
Lola’s Fine Hot Sauce
Based in Des Moines, Iowa, Lola’s Fine Hot Sauce offers unique hot sauce varieties and bloody mary mixes to flavor lovers all over the world. To boost their midwestern markets, they gave influencers a gift card to try their popular products.
The influencers not only genuinely loved the taste, but they also found fun ways to show off the products and their many applications. The campaign worked because it highlighted the fun of slathering new sauces over your favorite foods or spicing up your party with a fun hot sauce brand.
How to find micro-influencers on Instagram and TikTok
If you've never searched for the right influencers on social media platforms, it's tougher than you'd think! Here’s how to kick off your search for your micro-influencer collaborations.
How to search influencers on Instagram
Here are four ways to search for influencers on Instagram:
Search hashtags: The most common way to search is by using relevant brand and topic hashtags.
Search city/locations: Location searches are useful if your brand has a brick-and-mortar location or targets a specific geographical area.
Broad topic search: Use the app’s accurate search feature to scan captions and hashtags.
Instagram Creator Marketplace: Sign up and filter influencers by age, location, interest, etc.
How to find TikTok influencers
Like Instagram, there are a few ways to find creators in TikTok.
Search hashtags: Try searching your target and related keywords. You can also search #ad to identify influencers currently partnered with brands.
Search keywords: TikTok's search feature is easy to navigate and provides relevant, accurate results.
Use the “For You” page: TikTok logs your topic searches and shows similar results in this helpful tab.
Use a third-party tool: Tools like Promoty and Collabstr help brands search for specific influencers.
Best practices when working with micro-influencers
Establishing relationships with micro-influencers takes work, and it may mean some back-and-forth before you both settle in. To streamline the process, keep these best practices in mind:
Vet influencers: Follower counts, engagement rates, content type, base rates, and specialty areas can all affect your campaign’s ROI. Ensure that the influencer has the capacity and capabilities to meet your brand goals.
Generate excitement: The follower-influencer relationship is symbiotic. If you want the influencer to sell your brand, you have to sell your brand first. Once the influencer is fully on board, it’s easier to tease out the brand facets that appeal most to their audience.
Share resources: Influencers work best when they’re prepared. Sharing brand resources, such as style guides and media kits, helps them formulate an approach that fits your brand, their brand, and their follower’s expectations.
Detailed plans: The rates, content, deadlines, and communication styles should be nailed down before you start the campaign. Influencers should know what’s expected of them, whether that’s how long to make the video or who to contact if plans change.
Work as partners: A micro-influencer is a real person with real needs. It’s important to treat both them and their work with respect and listen to their feedback. They are the experts, after all.
Are there micro-influencer platforms and brands I can work with?
Micro-influencer platforms are workflow tools that help you connect with influencers and manage your campaigns. They can offer anything from automation tools to AI chatbots to detailed metrics. Micro-influencer agencies, on the other hand, are full-service providers that help you develop, launch, monitor, and iterate plans from scratch.
With a platform, you have more control over your campaign and can choose an influencer with the precise demographics and interests that matter to you. But agencies offer more support and expert guidance, and they can match you with a pre-vetted micro-influencer in your niche.
Whether you hire an agency or use a platform, you need to consider your budget and how much time each campaign will take.
Is hiring a micro-influencer marketing agency worth it?
Yes, hiring a micro-influencer agency can definitely be worth the investment. These agencies often have strong networks and relationships with valuable influencers across different spaces. In addition, some influencers will only work through agencies, as opposed to directly with individual brands.
Marketing agencies connect brands with the most relevant professionals and can even pitch in when it comes to contract negotiations. While the right agency will depend on your brand, demographics, and revenue goals, most marketers can find one that works for them.
If you’re interested in working with a local influencer agency for your next campaign, learn how it works here!
