How Micro-Influencers May Be The Next Wave Of Influencer Marketing
If you regularly use social media, I’m sure you know what influencers are. If you don’t, influencers are essentially internet celebrities with a high follower count and a ton of engagement. Influencers are commonly used in advertising campaigns for various products/services. The goal of an influencer marketing campaign is to match your target audience with an influencer that has an audience very similar or the same to yours. This way, you can directly target the type of consumers that commonly consume your product/service. What if I were to tell you that just because an influencer has a similar audience and a large following, doesn’t mean that their audience will convert at the same rate as a smaller influencer.
This is because some people feel they have developed more of a connection with accounts with smaller followings in comparison to accounts in the millions. Smaller accounts generally have close-knit communities of people that know and interact with each other, and a smaller micro-influencer generally engages with their audience more than bigger accounts. Maybe this smaller micro-influencer reflects a niche hobby you and others are interested in. If you follow this micro-influencer, you may be more likely to engage with them in comparison to a normal influencer because the micro-influencers posts connect with you and your interest more than bigger accounts.
Key Elements of Running A Micro-Influencer Campaign
It’s essential that you do the proper research in choosing a micro-influencer and ensure that their posts and audience accurately reflect your target audience. This is very important because if your micro-influencer audience and post history don’t relate to you or your business then your micro-influencer campaign will perform poorly. Not only this, but you need to review the engagement and analytics of the micro-influencer you wish to collab with. Most micro-influencers have better engagement per follower than larger influencers. This is a general rule though and doesn’t always apply, so ensure the engagement is good on a profile before you decide to collaborate.
Ensuring Brand Safety And Avoiding Controversies
The one fallback of utilising micro-influencers is they don’t usually follow the same brand guidelines as larger influencers and businesses. Micro-Influencers have a higher tendency to engage in more controversial posts/comments than regular influencers. Micro-Influencers can be less afraid about speaking their mind and worrying about follower backlash. This is something to consider when determining whether or not a micro-influencer campaign is a right choice for you and your business. Ensure that you and the micro-influencer of your choice have a clear agreement on how you want your product/service advertised. Develop a good understanding of the micro-influencer and determine the likelihood of them sabotaging their connection with your audience. Use these tips to connect with higher engaging niche audiences to ensure your product/service is being displayed to the right people with the right audience.
