Brands and businesses on Instagram are always looking for new and innovative ways to reach new people, grow their following and convert followers into customers. There are plenty of tactics you can use to do so, from following a thorough hashtag strategy to using paid ads to generate traffic. Another great way to expand your reach is by working with a micro influencer.
Micro influencers have approximately 1,000-10,000 followers or so, sometimes a little higher. They typically have a strong relationship with their followers and can be still in the early stages of growing their following and positioning themselves online. In some cases, they’ve built a more niche and hyper-targeted audience based on a very specific part of an industry. This not only helps them attract the right type of followers, but it also makes them very attractive to brands that are looking to partner with an influencer.
Micro influencers aren’t right for all brands, but they might be perfect for you. Here are three reasons you should strongly consider partnering with a micro influencer if you haven’t already.
1. Micro Influencers Have Higher Engagement
For the majority of influencers, those with smaller followings often have a larger engagement rate. They have real followers on Instagram who want to be following them and often look forward to their content. Because of this, those followers are more likely to engage. Also, the followers that they have are typically more targeted and specific. They’re often part of a particular niche, and they’re very loyal to the micro influencer.
This is a great thing for your brand, because it means the micro influencer has built up a high level of trust with their followers. Because their following is still on the smaller side, they value their reputation highly because they don’t want to lose people. They tend to vet brands carefully before they partner with anyone in order to make sure they’re providing good content and recommendations to their audience. Their trust is key here.
2. Micro Influencers Are Cheaper To Work With
This isn’t a guarantee, but larger influencers can typically charge much more than micro influencers can. Whether you come to an agreement for a flat-rate for a post or if you go the price-per-engagement route, chances are you’ll find a lower price among micro influencers. Influencers with 10,000 followers or so often charge about $100 per post. Bigger influencers with over 100,000 followers can be above $700 per post.
Choosing the cheaper option makes sense financially for your brand, but it’s important to remember that your brand will also be placed in front of a highly targeted, highly engaged audience. In many ways, this can be more valuable than putting it in front of a much bigger audience who’s less likely to try what the influencer suggests. Make sure your goals and outcomes are clearly outlined before you begin your partnership so you can evaluate how well the micro influencer’s promotion worked. This can also help you determine your ROI and indicate whether or not you should continue working with them.
3. Micro Influencers Are More Authentic
As they’re building their community and carving out their space on the Internet, they’re showing their followers the ins and outs of their lives. Bigger influencers can create more curated, pre-planned content, but micro influencers tend to share more of their authentic life and thoughts. This helps build up trust with their audience, which in turn leads to a better relationship that’s more valuable to your brand. People trust smaller influencers because they’re sharing their real life and not constantly selling and posting to try to make a sale.
People are also beginning to understand the need for sponsored posts and brand partnerships more now, so they’re more likely to pay attention to the post a micro influencer publishes about your brand. Because they have so much faith and trust in the influencer, they’ll often extend that trust to your brand and check out your Instagram or your website. The micro influencer has already warmed them up and gotten them ready to hear about your brand.
Putting It All Together
Whether you’re looking to grow your following, expand your brand awareness or make sales, partnering with a micro influencer on Instagram can be a great strategy to implement. Choose your influencer carefully, though. Because they’re often in a very niche market, you want to be sure that your brand is applicable for their audience. The influencer values the trust of their audience more than anything, so they’ll want to be sure this is a good fit before they move forward.
Building a relationship with a micro influencer is a great way to reach a new audience. As the influencer grows their following, you can grow your partnership along with them.
