Whether it be on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, or even Facebook, social media is a primary marketing tool for businesses to connect and reach potential customers.
A marketing strategy will typically include working with a digital marketing company or collaborating with an array of celebrities and ‘big names’ to influence target markets and draw in larger volumes of traffic to the company website. However, with higher costs come increased risks — risks such as the potential for a negative backlash from the celebrity or company.
This can be especially true if your brand is small or new, just looking for a way to make its mark. Also, branding has undergone significant changes in recent years. In the online era, consumers are looking to connect more with brands that reflect their own ethos and values. That’s where micro-influencers come in.
Who are these micro-influencers?
Micro-influencers are influencers with modest but dedicated followings, and they can be used to bolster any branding campaign in social media by focusing on targeted audiences and allowing for more budget-friendly campaigns.
Micro-influencers have different levels of influence based on how they are building up their reputation. They can be distinguished by three levels: micro-celebrities, micro-personalities, and micro-journeymen.
These influencers tend to have significant social media followings that include many other micro-influencers and celebrities. Micro-personalities are ordinary people who have gained popularity based on a video or viral social media post. Finally, micro-journeymen are building their reputation through consistent engagement with their audience.
Micro-influencers can be any size business, from sole proprietorships to small businesses and corporations. They range in size from a plumber working out of his van to an entire marketing team. Micro-influencers are the people closest to your target audience who share their interests and can vouch for your brand.
Here’s how micro-influencers can help leverage your branding initiatives in social media:
Micro-influencer can elevate the reach of your campaigns.
Have you ever wondered why companies hire models or celebrities when they could achieve better results with lesser spending? If you think that high-profile names are a necessity for your brands, then you have to change your mindset.
It is true that hiring celebrities or popular influencers can significantly increase brand awareness, but micro-influencers also play an important role in the marketing campaign. Unlike popular influencers, micro-influencer do not charge a bomb, and they can easily blend in with the community.
Instagram users are interested in micro-influencers because they get to see their everyday lives and relate to them better than influencers. This makes it easier for micro-influencer to share your brands and products on social media without sounding like an ad. Even though they have a smaller audience than influencers, their content easily reaches out to the right target audience, and they are far more likely to receive organic reach.
However, it does not mean that you completely ignore hiring popular brand ambassadors or working with a credible digital marketing company for your branding initiatives. Instead of investing in a high-profile person, you can hire micro-influencers to build trust among potential customers and then promote your brands through a popular name.
Micro-influencers can create shareable content for your brand.
Micro-influencer is like an entry point that brands can use to join the conversation. The more they talk, the more others are interested in following suit.
The best part about micro-influencers is their ability to engage with their followers. Unlike high-profile influencers, micro-influencers are involved in conversations, and they have a personal relationship with their fans. When they mention your brand, it is treated as genuine advice rather than an ad because micro-influencers do not sound promotional when they share content about products or services of their favorite brands.
Because micro-influencers are active on social media, brand ambassadors can rely on them to create interesting and relevant content for their campaigns. This will not only increase the number of followers but also help you to reach potential customers. For instance, a blogger with a small following can be used by a company to talk about a product and then share it with her followers on Instagram.
Micro-influencers can help to save your time and cost.
When you hire micro-influencers, you do not have to worry about meeting a deadline for campaigns or paying a higher price. Unlike popular influencers, micro-influencers are available at any time, and they even charge a lesser fee. It is important to note that not all micro-influencers can be trusted, so it is vital to hire one who has a strong following and genuine viewers.
The best thing about small influencers is that they are easy to work with because you do not need to negotiate on price and deadline. Your campaigns will also stand out because your product or service will be promoted by a virtual celebrity.
Apart from these benefits, micro-influencers tend to be more responsive than popular influencers in terms of communication and updates about the campaign. This makes it easier for them to work with companies around the world because they can communicate effectively in their native language.
Whether you want to increase your brand awareness or enhance sales, hiring micro-influencers can help you achieve better results at a lower cost and in less time. They can create content for social media campaigns, thus saving you the effort of doing it yourself – and this is not even including their ability to reach out to their followers.
Takeaway
When efficient branding goals are concerned, do not just hire popular influencers if you want your brand to be noticed and promoted in social media.
While giant influencers are a beauty in the sense that they can boost your social media reach, you may not be on their radar. Or perhaps they didn’t catch your video or post. You can still achieve better results by hiring micro-influencers who are easy to work with in terms of scheduling, cost, and deadline.
Micro-influencers have a genuine relationship with their followers, so people tend to trust their advice. They also have a small following, so they can quickly respond to product launches and then promote it or create relevant content for your campaign.
