In 2021, the influencer marketing market was worth $13.8 billion – up from $9.7 billion in 2020. New influencers are always entering the market, looking for brands to collaborate with. But not all influencers are made equal. Some have significantly more followers than others, but is “more” better? The answer may surprise you.

In this blog, we discuss the rise of micro-influencers. Here’s what you can expect to learn:

• What is micro-influencer marketing?
• Why micro-influencers are more effective
• 4 benefits of micro-influencers
• How to locate micro-influencers
• How to reach out to micro-influencers

Let’s start with a definition.

What Is Micro-influencer Marketing?

Micro-influencer marketing is when a brand reaches out to individuals with 1,000 to 10,000 social media followers and partners with them to promote products and services relevant to their audience’s interests. It’s the same concept as influencer marketing but on a smaller scale. 

The range of followers that micro-influencers have varies depending on who you ask. Some say accounts with less than 10,000 followers are “nano-influencers,” but we’re not here to get technical. All you need to know is that micro-influencers have less than 100,000 followers and macro-influencers have over 100,000.

Next, we explain why micro-influencers work better than accounts with millions of followers.

Why Micro-influencers Are Better

Micro-influencers usually have a much more relevant and targeted audience than celebrities or macro-influencers. As a result, they boast impressive engagement rates. 

An analysis by Markerly found that as an influencer’s followers increase, the rate of engagement (likes and comments) with followers decreases. The average engagement rate for micro-influencers is 5% compared to influencers with 1 million followers, who only see a 1.2% engagement rate.

When it comes to Instagram influencers, micro-influencers are more effective. 

Micro-influencers are often more inventive than macro-influencers and tend to have better content because they’re more in touch with what their audience wants. Due to their smaller followings, micro-influencers also cost a lot less than working with larger influencer accounts.

One of the primary reasons why micro-influencers are better is their authenticity. According to a Morning Consult study, followers believe that authenticity is the most important trait for influencers. People want to know that influencers genuinely care about their audience and the products they’re promoting.

People are tired of celebrity endorsements and advertisements. In the world of influencer marketing, authenticity is currency. Micro-influencers are pros at organically incorporating your brand into their content, so it doesn’t look like a paid ad. 

4 Benefits of Micro-influencers

There are numerous benefits of micro-influencers, but here are four to consider as you learn more about the rise of micro-influencers.

1. Higher conversion rates

Micro-influencers can affect consumer behavior through relatability and transparency. Many micro-influencers love the brands they endorse and can drive first-time sales due to their endorsement. Brands can track these conversions by giving influencers personalized affiliate links.

3. More visibility

Investing in micro-influencers is a way to build brand awareness and sell your products, helping you generate more traffic and boost your online visibility. Their wealth of user-generated content can also be useful in multi-channel marketing campaigns.

3. Less expensive, more engaged

Micro-influencer marketing is a more affordable approach than working with famous names. It can also be more effective because it connects your brand with a niche but more engaged audience. You can work with a series of micro-influencers for less than the price of one mega-influencer and get a higher ROI.

4. Builds trust

Audiences don’t always trust that macro-influencers use or believe in the products they’re promoting because their recommendations repeatedly look “staged.” But micro-influencers have built an authentic connection with their followers by actively engaging with them. In turn, their audience trusts them like a friend.

How to Locate Micro-influencers

Getting the right micro-influencers for your brand can make a huge difference in your sales.

Micro-influencers are growing quickly, and there is always new talent emerging. This means there’s a need for companies to be more savvy searchers. Whether you're a small business looking for a micro-influencer in Canada or a large corporation that wants a larger-scale partnership, you should know where your ideal influencers hang out.

If you understand your target audience well, it will be easier to find the right micro-influencers in Toronto, Canada, and beyond. Here’s how to locate micro-influencers:

1. Perform a hashtag search relevant to your company on Instagram. 
2. Search for micro-influencers like bloggers on Google.
3. Use a social listening tool to find micro-influencers who are already mentioning your products.
4. Contact a PR agency to start a micro-influencer program.

Looking for Micro-influencers? Canada-based PR Agency Pomp & Circumstance Can Help

If you want to know how to reach out to micro-influencers, get in touch with a PR agency like Pomp & Circumstance that can do it for you. We discover the right influencer(s) for your brand to partner with when launching a campaign. Whether you need to find local micro-influencers in Canada or want to collaborate with a well-known macro-influencer, our team can source the right person for your products.

We activate trusted voices on behalf of brands to earn attention and build authentic relationships that ultimately drive impact and action for our clients. The rise of micro-influencers will only grow in importance, so now is the time to get in on this effective marketing strategy. Contact Pomp & Circumstance to learn more about influencer relations today.