Types of Influencers: Why they’re so important and which influencer would best benefit your brand
Before diving into the different types of influencers, let’s break down exactly what an influencer is and why they are so important.
Influencers are considered the “new normal”. An Influencer is a person who has the ability to influence potential buyers of a product or service by informing followers of new products and developments, and recommending or promoting them on social media platforms. Since social media has become a part of our daily routines, influencers have become a crucial part of digital marketing tactics. The top social media platforms are currently Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Instagram and the new recent star platform: Tik Tok.
Types of Influencers
Learning all the different types of influencers will help you understand how to select the right influencers to partner with to run a successful marketing campaign. This article will walk you through the different tiers of influencers; including their number of followers, the benefits in working with a specific influencer, and the downsides.
According to Websitebuilder, 90% of marketers determine the success of their marketing campaigns based on their engagement rates. So, although influencers are grouped by their amount of following, looking at their engagement can tell a lot about how successful working with specific influencers can be.
Since influencers are so popular, there are a lot of options to choose from. Let’s explore all the influencers and what they have to offer to see which type suits you best.
Nano-Influencers (1K-10K)
If you’re a small company, and working with a tight budget then nano-influencers might be the perfect fit. These influencers have a small community of followers that are typically considered a tight knit community and are highly engaged. This is because they don’t have tons of followers so they seem real and genuine when they recommend a brand or product. Their personal relationship with their followers is a great benefit in working with them. A downside to keep in mind is their low experience. They might be just starting out, or aren’t super experienced but they are easily accessible and perfect for a small budget campaign.
Use this influencer if you’re a small business with a small budget to increase engagement rates.
Micro-Influencers (10K-50K)
Working with these influencers allows you to reach a large audience, in a targeted niche. Micro-influencer viewers are more likely to take brand recommendations than a large influencer that a viewer might not feel as connected to. These influencers may be a part of a clearly defined micro-community. Their followers may have similar interests which drew them into following that influencer to begin with. They have high engagement rates, low cost, and specialize in niche categories. Micro influencers provide limited audience reach and may have limited experience which is a risk in working with them. But, the extra time and effort can be worth it because micro influencers can be highly effective.
Use this influencer if your goal is to increase conversions and subscriptions within a specific niche audience.
Mid-Tier Influencers (50K- 500K)
These influencers have a stronger reach than nano and micro influencers, which means they most likely have more experience working with brands and can secure more sizable sponsportships. Mid-Tier influencers are in the middle, and are a good balance between intimate communities and a giant audience. Depending on their reach and category they can have moderate pricing, but they worked hard to build themselves and the community supporting them, and are experienced in what they are doing. Be sure to invest time in understanding a particular influencer’s audience. They want to keep the connection and bond they have formed with their followers, so they are still very authentic and have worked hard to get there.
Use this influencer if your goal is to reach a targeting niche with a solid audience size and engagement.
Macro-Influencers (500K-1M)
These influencers are well-known, and a high reach influencer tier. They have built up their personal brand. Macro-influencers are a great way to reach a large amount of people without spending all of your budget on a mega-influencer. They reach large, broad and diverse audiences that include a wide variety of niches. Working with these influencers may come across as less authentic because of their broad audience and you may need to reach out to them through a personal agent or manager. The high price you may pay to work with these influencers will be worth it because of the reach.
Use this influencer if your goal is to reach a large, diverse audience and are working with a solid budget.
Mega-Influencers (1M+)
These influencers are reserved for brands with large budgets. They are highly visible on social media because of their “top-tier”, celebrity status that generates a lot of engagement. These influencers are as “mega” and professional as it gets. They can instantly put a brand in the spotlight because of the heavy influence they have on not only their followers, but the general public. This influencer is the best way to reach people globally. Because of how well-known they are, they are very selective on the offers they take so it is important that your brand aligns with theirs. They lack an intimate relationship with their followers, so the public might not trust them as much as a smaller, more “relatable” influencer.
Use this influencer if you want to increase brand awareness and have a big enough budget to work with them.
There are many options to choose from in the influencer community. Take the time to figure out which influencer suits you best. Once you find your targeted influencer group, take the time to make sure the selected influencers have an engaged following that matches your brand. Compare their followers’ verse engagement, quality of comments, and how they react to their followers. Finding the right influencer follower count for your brand and engagement rate may be challenging, but the outcome will be worth it. The right influencer will help your brand reach marketing goals in the most efficient way possible.