The term micro-influencer has become a buzzword over past months and for good reason.

According to the big global publications such as Inc., micro-influencers have been named as the industry’s next big ‘thing’ and its importance will continue to grow as we move forward digitally. So, what are micro-influencers and what exactly is all the hype about?

What is a micro-influencer?

Many people have heard of macro-influencers or brand ambassadors such as well-loved celebrities who form part of marketing strategies for large organisations, however micro-influencers are a more personal, loyal and engaging form of influence who can reach out to a dedicated but smaller audience.

A micro-influencer would have a smaller following than that of the larger influencers and they tend to focus on a specific niche in which they have a passion for. Because of that, they have a dedicated influence to the specific audience following that niche and provide inspiration and actions for it. Having a smaller audience, they are also able to communicate better with their followers and tend to build relationships with their target audience.

Using an influencer is a great way for a smaller organisation or business who do not have as much in the marketing budget as larger companies, to still gain the benefits of working with influencers to enhance their brand awareness and grow their business.

A micro influencer pushes forward with authenticity, only promoting products or services that they believe in. They have their own audience following them who also believe in the products or services that the influencer is promoting. They will build relationships which produces trust and accountability, being able to get personal with their audience. This is where they differ from the macro-influencers as they have a vested interest in each and every product that they promote, rather than just being in it for the money!

The great thing about micro-influencers are that they (usually) go above and beyond what is expected of them. They are fun to work with, have a genuine interest in their partners and although some work through a management company as they get bigger and more established, they still have a personal approach to their work which shines through when they are communicating with their audience.

How to get started

The first step is to identify influencers relevant to your target market. This can be a simple exercise of online research throughout your target audiences to see which names are popular, who is being referenced, who has respect from the audience, etc. Once you’ve found them, it’s time to listen to them. This might sound a strange thing to do, but you need to understand what they are doing, saying and the ways that they are communicating. Understanding where they are coming from will give you insight into what your audience is looking for and what they respond to. This will give you valuable insight for your marketing strategy to help deliver effective marketing campaigns.

What’s next?

The next step could be to actually approach the influencers to see whether they would be interested in your product. This could be in the way of offering them a free trial, providing a sample, asking them to participate in a particular discussion or any other creative way to attract them. Remember that they are as passionate about your niche as you are and have made it their mission to represent brands that they love and are passionate about. They will probably have been approached by many other businesses trying to get their attention – so you need to stand out!

Build on from there

If you do your research properly, you should be able to build up a bank of micro-influencers who are willing to invest time in your product. You can now use these to promote your brand and get your name known among the people who really matter – your target audience.

When your audience see their favourite influencer promoting a product – they will want it! Influence is power and the more promotion you can get from a trusted and reputable influence, the better things will get for your business.

Everyone starts somewhere and even the smallest of companies grow to be bigger names in their industry due to their audience being influenced by the big names that they see representing them.

If you look back in time, there has always been a stream of businesses partnered with celebrities or big-name stars. And as time has gone on, the rise of digital media has increased the awareness of this which in turn has sparked the online marketing platforms to be able to use influencers more effectively. Whereas it was mainly big brands that could afford the big names, now the dramatic effect of social media has given way to almost any business being able to reach out to influencers of some kind, whether that be macro, micro or somewhere inbetween!

We have witnessed that working with micro-influencers for our clients has been extremely beneficial, adding value where it wasn’t realised it was needed. If you’re looking to grow your brand awareness or are a small business in the starting up stages, we highly recommend working with micro-influencers. Get your brand noticed, get ahead of the competition and see what an influencer can do to increase your profit margins!

If you’d like to get started with micro-influencers but are unsure of doing it alone, we’d love to help. Take a look at our social media influencer page and get in touch today to start something BIG!