Why Focus on Micro-Influencers for Better Marketing in 2020 | Marketing Maestros | Blogs | ANA

Why Focus on Micro-Influencers for Better Marketing in 2020

February 25, 2020

By Lesley Vos

TarikVision/Shutterstock.com

The ANA's first Influencer Marketing Conference in New York last year brought tons of insights from attendees on what to expect in the niche. The takeaways are many, but this one from Karla Ruiz is worth sharing once again: “Forget about vanity metrics (likes and followers). Trust is still the No. 1 most important quality look for social media influencers."

The problem is that users don't trust celebs or experts with more than 100,000 followers anymore. Only 4 percent trust what influencers say online: People understand they post about a brand because it paid them for this ad. Authenticity and relatability are more important than popularity now. So, if you still want to get the most out of your influencer marketing endeavors, make sure to focus on micro-influencers in 2020.

 

Who Are Micro-Influencers?

A micro-influencer is an individual who has between 10,000 and 50,000 followers on social media. They are known for the particular area of interest and have very high rates of engagement from their audiences. According to the study, engagement gets better with the fewer followers a person has.

Micro-influencers aren't typical celebrities, experts, or public figures. They specialize in a particular vertical and share content about their interests only. Their audiences are hyper-engaged; so, if a brand works with a highly-relevant micro-influencer, it can extend the reach and user engagement significantly.

No surprise: consumers are more likely to buy from someone they know and trust. So if a micro-influencer whom they follow recommends something, they'll trust this recommendation more than a direct ad from a brand. It's where word-of-mouth marketing takes the stage.

 

Why Work With Micro-Influencers for Better Marketing

  • 92 percent of customers trust a micro-influencer more than a traditional ad or an endorsement from celebs.
  • Over 82 percent of consumers are likely to buy something a micro-influencer recommends.
  • Micro-influencers have personal contact with the audience, which makes them perceived as "people like me." They have 22.2 times more Conversations than a typical user because they are passionate about their niche and can choose the most argumentative topics to engage the followers.
  • Their audience is more targeted and dedicated to the influencer's identity, which makes them more attractive to potential sponsors than the big names in the niche. In other words, working with micro-influencers can affect your lead generation by far.
  • Micro-influencers are more affordable than experts or celebs with millions of followers. They charge less for promoting a product, and they agree to collaborate only if the product meets their values and the needs of their audience.

 

How to Work with Micro-Influencers

First and foremost, think of micro-influencers when coming up with a marketing strategy and creating your work plan. And the tactics for working with them is quite similar to that of overall influencer marketing. Here go a few practical tips to follow:

  1. Find the ideal micro-influencer. Marketers look for influencers in four places: Google, social networks, databases, and marketplaces sharing real-time information about influencer performance. But given that micro-influencers may not be in those databases yet, the best place to find them is Google. Choose those fitting your niche most.
  2. Consider their engagement rate. Ensure that a micro-influencer has built a high level of engagement with followers. Check metrics such as comments, shares, likes, questions, etc. The success of your influencer campaign will highly depend on it. Set the desired engagement rate (10 percent is good to start with) and see if a micro-influencer can handle it.
  3. Work with a network of micro-influencers. One loyal influencer is okay to have, but why not maximize your marketing results by working with an army of lookalike influencers who could promote your brand? As a rule, micro-influencers support each other: They leave comments on each other's pages and share each other's posts. So, the work with two or more experts promoting your products will help to build social proof and trust in your brand.
  4. Think of different compensation options. It stands to reason that micro-influencers want compensation for their work. The good news is they are less likely to ask for high prices than their macro- or mega- fellows. You can offer your product or service for free, or mention them in your newsletter with a backlink to their profiles. A referral program might work well too.
  5. Be personal. Think through your outreach campaign. As well as your consumers, micro-influencers don't want to feel like they are your marketing target. So, consider personification, don't sound too salesy, and show that you are concerned about the value of their time. Make them feel like they are a part of your brand's family.

Sure enough, most micro-influencers work with visual products on Instagram. So, if you sell clothes, food, drinks, or something like that, micro-influencer marketing is your cup of tea to try. But this strategy might not be as perfect for brands promoting software or building blocks, for example. And yet, if you can find a micro-influencer who's creative enough to come up with a compelling post about your product — go for it! More engagement, new followers, and potential leads are what you can get.

Lesley Vos is a freelance copyrighter, guest blogger, and content strategist.


The views and opinions expressed in Marketing Maestros are solely those of the contributor and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the ANA or imply endorsement from the ANA.


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