You can’t go anywhere without the word “influencer” popping up. And if you’re reading this, the concepts of macro influencer and micro influencer might be intriguing. You’re looking for a new approach to marketing. Your clients and prospects make the idea of using an influencer appealing. Could this be your solution?
Still, you’ve seen the numbers. Big brands throw thousands of dollars—millions—to attract big-ticket influencers. You don’t have the budget for that.
Guess what? You don’t need a big budget. With a micro-influencer campaign, you can stretch your marketing dollars and use it to achieve your goals. Then when you’re ready for something bigger, a macro influencer campaign will help you reach a larger audience. Let’s explore the benefits of both.
Understanding the Differences Between Macro and Micro Influencers
Before you start an influencer campaign, you must know your ideal customer well. Who are they? What are they like? What do they enjoy?
The more you know about them, the more you can find them in an influencer.
Micro Influencers
Think of micro influencers as your average Joe, the girl next door. They typically have less than 100,000 followers, but they’ve developed a tight-knit community within those followers. They specialize in niche topics and are often thought of as relatable yet an expert within their community. Micro Influencers offer:
- Authenticity: They have closer, more personable relationships with their followers, which fosters trust. They create content that is genuine and relatable.
- Specific niches: Their smaller audience is usually specific and niched. They are considered knowledgeable in their area of expertise.
- Higher engagement rates: Their smaller audience often builds deeper relationships. A more active follower base makes them more likely to talk about content, interact, comment, and share.
- Cost-effectiveness: With a smaller follower base, their prices will be lower than with macro influencers. They may be more willing to negotiate terms, making them attractive when experimenting with new campaigns.
Macro Influencers
Macro influencers are the biggest names in the business. Think celebrities or the biggest online personalities. While micro influencers are all about intimate connection with their followers, macro influencers are all about visibility. When they showcase a product, it increases brand awareness instantly. They offer:
- Wider reach: With a larger audience comes a broader reach. This pushes brand awareness on a larger scale.
- Diverse audience: With a larger audience, macro influencers are likely to have a diverse audience spanning different demographics, interests, and locations. This is a way to stretch beyond a more local client base and reach people in new markets.
- Established credibility: Macro influencers have built up a rapport with their audience as an industry leader, resulting in positive brand perception with every post they create.
Macro or Micro, Who Is Better for Your Brand?
Macro or micro, there are benefits to both. This isn’t about which strategy is better as much as it is about your specific goals. Both methods can have profound results for a brand on the rise. At its roots, it’s about word-of-mouth marketing. It’s about reaching out to a new audience and showcasing who you are.
If you want to create awareness and drive sales through their followers, an influencer strategy can help. Trust in influencers is growing. Millennials and Gen Zers say their trust in influencers grew from 51 percent to 61 percent in just five years. The more normal it becomes, the bigger this will be in the marketing world.
When you’re ready to start a new campaign, micro influencers are often the first place to look. Because micro-influencer engagement is more authentic, it’s a great way to get in front of their community and build stronger relationships. There’s less chance of posts being filled with fake likes and comments, meaning any engagement is more likely to be authentic.
This means a better chance of reaching your target audience and higher ROI potential. If you’re at the beginning stages of building your marketing funnel, this can be a great way of validating your target audience and your product.
As you grow, brand awareness becomes more influential. This is where macro influencer campaigns help you grow. With a larger reach means getting in front of more people. You have a greater chance of being in someone’s feed, being shared, and being there when someone searches.
While sales are never guaranteed, macro influencers are more likely to get the job done. They are opinion leaders and product validators. What they say works for many of their followers. They see, and they buy.
A Great Place to Start
While there isn’t a right or wrong choice, many brands are comfortable starting with a micro-influencer campaign. They do so for several reasons, including:
- It’s more cost-effective: Micro influencers allow you to get the most from your influencer marketing dollars. With a narrower audience and more authentic collaboration, you’ll keep your up-front costs minimal. Micro-influencer collaborations can offer similar pricing and higher ROI than other digital ads. It’s worth exploring if you have the right product to share.
- They’re easier to work with: Because they’re growing their following too, they are more willing to work with brands that give them the expertise within their own communities. They work with you because they become vested in what you do.
- They offer authentic engagement: Micro influencers don’t talk about things they don’t believe in. They get to know you as a brand so they can speak highly of you to their audience.
No matter which way you decide to go, recruiting and operating macro or micro-influencer campaigns can be a full-time job. It takes consistent outreach, scheduling, and speaking with multiple parties to move through every stage of the campaign.
Macro and micro influencers have a lot riding on the line. Their entire career is at risk with every collaboration. They care deeply about their message. They may negotiate everything along the way, including who has rights to the content.
Do you have the answers? If not, it might be time to partner with someone who does. Influencer marketing is a powerful tactic that can quickly ramp up your sales and profit. The more you know, the more successful you’ll be.
