What Is A Micro Influencer?
Here we define what a micro influencer is and why you should work with them
At Scrunch, we define a micro influencer as someone who has an audience within the follower range of 2,000 followers up until about 50,000 followers on a particular social media channel, usually comprised of a focussed passion, topic or niche market.
If you are a brand reading this, you may be asking yourself why you would want to invest in an influencer with a small
following, but here are four things you need to know about micro influencers, and why you should certainly work with them as part of your influencer marketing strategy.
Micro influencers got the clout! 👏🏻
Micro influencers are often the most informed in their niches. They are experts on a particular topic and typically have a very engaged community of followers who rely on (and trust) content. They are believable and credible, because they are usually everyday people sharing their passion, their personal recommendations, their everyday life and their likes and dislikes.
Authenticity is critical in influencer marketing
Authenticity also plays a vital role in influencer marketing, and in how much influence and influencer actually has. Micro influencers are so successful and drive ROI for brands because they possess a level of authenticity that is often hard for influencers to sustain as they grow. It is the personal and often intimate connections they have with their audience that enables them to build an engaged community that brands can tap into and leverage for influencer marketing success.
Engagement exists, and it’s pretty great
On the topic of engagement, micro influencers often have a high average engagement rate because their community is very engaged with their content. In the industry, an average engagement rate of 1-3% is generally, pretty great, and is what you would typically see for an influencer. However, more often than not, micro-influencers have an average engagement rate that is higher than the industry standard, because their audience is highly engaged in their content, and social media algorithms are not yet working against them.
A social media influencer’s engagement rate refers to the metric used to determine how active their audience is with their content. Being an active follower consists of liking, sharing, and commenting on posts. Engagement rate tends to decline as an influencer grows their following.
Importance is shifting from reach and followers to engagement, so metrics like the average engagement rate are critical to consider when working with influencers, and micro influencers often have a higher average engagement rate. While they often cannot compete with their peers in terms of followers, brands should be more interested in engagement, which is where micro influencers shine.
More bang for buck
Finally, micro influencers are extremely cost-effective, especially for small businesses or brands that are looking to activate ah influencer marketing campaign but cannot invest a big budget up front (or ever). Micro influencers charge as little as $50 per post, and brands regularly see a better ROI for their investment when comparing the results of a micro influencer campaign, and a campaign that engaged a handful of top-tier influencers.
Plus, it’s important to note, that micro influencers are known to go above and beyond to impress a brand they are working with, and are much more flexible and open throughout the brief and negotiation process.
So, are you engaging micro influencers in your influencer marketing strategy?
