Over the past few years, we’ve heard the term “influencer” thrown around more than ever before. Used to categorize a unique population of Internet users that command influence over a significant portion of followers or brand advocates, influencers have become powerful marketing vehicles for brands wishing to directly interact with their target audience.
As you delve deeper in the world of influencing, you’ll find there are both micro and macro influencers, each carrying their own specific marketing benefits. Recognizing that we can’t just generalize all influencers under one title anymore, it’s important to understand the difference between macro and micro influencers, starting with brand persuasion abilities.
Proven to gather similar average engagement rates on sponsored posts, micro and macro influencers are cut from the same stone. The question is: what’s the difference, and are you leveraging both?
What are micro influencers?
Micro influencers rely on the personal nature of their individual accounts. Though these influencers still command a few thousand, up through tens of thousands of followers, across all of their platforms, micro influencers have a more intimate connection to their specific audience. They have focused content on their page that is very specific to their niche, as opposed to macro influencers who are more general in nature. By working with a micro influencer, partnering brands are able to:
• Grow an organic following
• Achieve a certain amount of exposure
• Market at an affordable rate
What are macro influencers?
Macro influencers are at the top of the influencing pyramid. These are individuals who have millions of followers across multiple social media platforms. They can be celebrities, entertainment elite, or famous influencers who got famous through their accounts. By leveraging a macro influencer’s large following, partnering brands are able to:
• Achieve an enormous amount of reach for sponsored content
• Interact with over 1 million active social media users & consumers
• Leverage “celebrity” status
However, access to this kind of audience comes with a hefty price tag.
The Macro AND Micro Combo
The key to successful influencing marketing today is through a delicate combination that draws on the strengths of both micro and macro influencers. For large scale product and service announcements that span a wider demographic, macro influencers will get the message out quickly and efficiently. However, for a product upgrade, or a special add-on to a niche product, micro influencers that specialize in your industry will be able to kick-start an organic following for you. Since word-of-mouth is still one of the most effective ways to start a marketing campaign today, micro influencers will get the conversation started – even if it’s among only a few thousand people.
Don’t be scared of social media influencers. Use them to your advantage in 2018. And remember, we’re here to help. After all, We Do That!
