what is mid-tier influencer marketing?
You’ve probably heard of macro and nano influencers, but mid-tier is often left out of the conversation. Maybe because the name isn’t as flashy? Name aside, this influencer tier is a powerhouse of information and entertainment.
It sits between micro and macro influencers and shares the strengths of both. Should your brand consider working with mid-tier influencers?
Definition of mid-tier influencers
Mid-tier influencers have between 50,000 to 500,000 followers. They typically use their social media platform as their primary source of income. Because of this, they may be working with several brands, engaging in partnerships, and promoting events at a given time.
These influencers are a great at reaching a lot of people while still remaining more authentic than a celebrity endorsement. As long as their content remains consistent on one subject, they're a trusted group among their followers. However, this is the stage when followers begin to lose trust in their recommendations if their content seem inauthentic.
Examples on Instagram
Angie Dusak - Fitness
Kyle Huber - Travel
Sofi Manko - Fitness
How do mid-tier influencers compare to other types?
Mid-tier influencers are a channel worth exploring for a brand that’s looking for a creator who has honed their craft, but is still not necessarily overly producing their content. Many mid-tier influencers have been working to build their following for a period of time and because of that they’ve got a good pulse on their followers, tone, and style.
Mid-tier influencers versus micro influencers
Mid-tier influencers differ from micro influencers primarily because of their potential reach. Micro influencers are sub 50,000 followers and mid-tier influencers having anywhere from 50,000 to 500,000 followers.
With both groups, there is a lot of room to experiment to find the best fit for your brand in terms of influencers who have a lot of reach but also good engagement. Always remember it’s not only about number of followers - some of the best mid-tier influencers are the ones on the lower end of the follower spectrum.
Mid-tier influencers versus macro influencers
Mid-tier influencers are a great alternative to macro influencers for brands trying to reach a larger audience but not at the macro level. (Macro influencer campaigns can get extremely expensive for just a post or two.) Mid-tier influences also tend to higher engagement rates than macro influencers. As follower count goes up, engagement rate often goes down.
Mid-tier influencers also can still tap into a level of authenticity that macro influencers may have trouble doing, as at a certain follower size it feels nearly impossible to stay “connected” to an influencer. There may even be a team running a macro influencer’s social media accounts for them. In this case, it'd easy for followers to feel disconnected from the brand <> creator <> follower relationship.
Mid-tier influencer deal rates
According to Shopify’s 2024 influencer rates report where they surveyed Instagram influencers, mid-tier influencer rates vary between $500–$5,000 per post. This wide range of rates is due to experience, follower count, engagement rate, and types of content (i.e. stories vs. grid).
How to start working with mid-tier influencers
The best way to start working with mid-tier influencers is to identify the exact target demographic and interest area your brand is trying to attract. Then you can start doing research around which influencers have those types of followings. You can do this by searching for specific hashtags on social media, sleuthing online communities and more.
More and more influencers are also getting connected with platforms to help them find brands to work with. If you want to cut down on the time spent searching for influencers, consider utilizing an influencer platform to do some of the heavy lifting for you.
The last option is agencies. There are quite a few influencer agencies who have connections with social media influencers of all sizes. You can also reach out to a digital marketing agency; many offer influencer marketing as one of their services.
