What are they and what are the benefits of engaging with them for your brand?
Micro Influencers
Everyday consumers who have a significant social media following of anywhere between 1,000 to 100,000. Their audience size might be modest, their influence certainly is not!
Authenticity – just like with a friend, you wouldn’t recommend a place or product unless you loved it. The same goes with micro influencers. They have a niche audience, a tribe that is closely aligned with their passions, interests and will only share content that matches their style.
Personal – they are always interacting with their audience, from responding to comments right through to live Q&As. They constantly check in with their followers for feedback and so are seen as authentic and this will be reflected on the brand collaborations.
Loyal – when it comes it to promoting your brand, micro-influencers can become crucial in an ongoing campaign. Firstly, using micro-influencers is cost-effective; you can engage with a macro influencer who may charge a substantial amount for one post or engage with multiple micro influencers for the same amount who will post multiple times. Secondly, they may do work for contra, just because they like the brand.
Macro Influencers
One word comes to mind, celebrity; known in the entertainment industry and boast hundreds of thousands, even millions, of followers across multiple social media platforms. Think Nicole Warne, Elle Fergusson right through to Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner.
Wide reach – it allows brands to create brand awareness with a broad audience and maximise the visibility of your brand.
Time – choosing an influencer that fits in with the brands ethos takes time and research. When leveraging micro influencers brands must select several influencers to achieve the same total reach as a single macro influencer.
Experience – macro influencers have years of experience working with brands on small and large projects. This can sometimes be a downside as your brand is unlikely to have exclusivity.
Working with both micro or macro influencers has its benefits, ultimately, it’s knowing what’s right for the brand and what the goal is. Consider these questions; what are you trying to achieve? Who is your audience? What do you want your brand to represent?
The biggest difference from a brand perspective – cost. Micro influencers might be happy for contra whereas macro influencers will always need cash and lots of it. You get what you pay for!