This week on Marketing Monday, we’re talking about Influencers. Specifically, micro influencers and nano influencers. What are they, why do you need them, and how do you find them. Plus, a case study showing how one business made micro influencers work for them.
What are Influencers?
Let’s start with the basics, an influencer is an individual who has built up a following, primarily on social media, of engaged, enthusiastic people who pay close attention to their posts. Typically influencers will specialize in a specific industry or market called a niche. Common niches include beauty, motherhood, fitness, and fashion. They can also be as specific as Granfluencers, store-specific influencers, or Mukbang influencers.
Influencers have the power to affect the purchasing decisions of their followers or viewers. They have established authority and knowledge, as well as a personal, trusting relationship they share with their audience.
Influencers are further categorized by the size of their following:
Mega Influencers: over 1 million followers
Macro Influencers: 500,000 – 1 million followers
Mid-Tier Influencers: 50,000 – 500,000 followers
Micro Influencers: 10,000 to 50,000 followers
Nano Influencers: 1,000 to 10,000 followers
While influencers are categorized by follower size, it’s important to remember that follower numbers do not equal quality influencers. Other important factors to consider are the primary audience, consistency, niche, branding, and engagement rate.
Why do you Need Influencers?
It’s important to remember that influencers aren’t just a marketing tool. Working with one isn’t the same as dropping a new Facebook ad or sharing an Instagram post. Working with influencers allows you to access a social relationship, your brand is joining the group chat, and the influencer is your way in. Influencers have built their reputation on knowledge and expertise with their niche audience. Their followers see them as a friend, someone to go to for recommendations on what they should do or buy. This could be anything, buying a shirt, shopping at a store, or visiting a town or hotel. And done right, an influencer campaign can create short-term pop culture event or long term buying trends in their markets.
How do you Find Influencers?
There are two main ways to find micro influencers and nano influencers: searching by hand or using search tools. Searching by hand can mean checking out relevant large hashtags, seeing who tagged your business, looking at who your followers follow, and relying on recommendations from other businesses in your area or niche. Using search tools to find micro influencers and nano influencers will be easier, allowing software to do the hard work for you. These include programs include Upfluence, HypeAuditor, Aspire IQ, and more.
Case Study: Sperry’s #OdysseysAwait Campaign
Micro Influencer Case Study
In late 2015, shoe brand Sperry launched a campaign centered around #OdysseysAwait. The tag built on the brand’s new collection called Odyssey’s Await, as well as an overall refreshed brand identity. The company’s mission was to “ignite the human spirit through the power of sea-based discovery and adventure.” The new campaign and rebrand encouraged a more youthful, global, and digitally-connected group to take part in the brand. Sperry worked with 80 influencers who operated as brand ambassadors sharing their story taking on a new Odyssey in their custom Sperrys. The 80 influencers shared photos on their own feeds which were crossposted on Sperry’s Instagram feed.
This week on Marketing Monday, we’re talking about Influencers. Specifically, micro influencers and nano influencers. What are they, why do you need them, and how do you find them. Plus, a case study showing how one business made micro influencers work for them.
Influencer marketing is one of the best ways to reach your audience in a personal and genuine way. If your business is looking to launch an influencer campaign and not sure where to start, contact us and we can help you build out a social campaign. If you’re an influencer looking to start partnering with businesses, send us an email at Hello@ExplorerMedia.co.