Influencer Marketing: The dynamic digital market landscape has experienced a tremendous evolution in influencer marketing. Are Influencers: Long-Obsolescent celebrities and mega-influencers who boast followings in the millions so yesterday, is social-marketing’s new beau the micro-influencer? Micro-influencers, generally ranging from 1k to 100K followers, greatly impact the marketing space. So, what exactly are micro-influencers, and how do they stand to disrupt the world of influencer marketing?
The Authentic Appeal of Micro-Influencers
Their authenticity is also highly appealing to people, which is one of the main reasons why micro-influencers are doing so well now. Mega-influencers, on the other hand, typically have hundreds of thousands if not millions of followers; while they may reach a more general audience than micro-influencers and therefore prove to be less engaged with their content. This is especially true since these people are usually viewed as very authentic and personable, which makes the ads more believable. People are becoming weary of slick; over-produced commercials and the raw authenticity resonates well with audiences.
Higher Engagement Rates
Engagement Rates – This is the most important metric of them all in influencer marketing, and micro-influencers consistently beat out their larger counterparts on this front. According to research by Markedly, as the number of followers grows – so does engagement rate (likes and comments. Micro-influencers frequently offer better engagement with their smaller and more committed following. This means that they are more likely to engage with their posts, and thus targeting campaigns can be even better.
Cost-Effectiveness
Especially when it comes to brands, the more affordable option is often utilizing micro-influencers. If you are frightfully scared that with this technique it will be expensive to use the posts of mega-influencers and celebrities, which is a costly affair for most businesses. While micro-influencers are usually more cost-effective and demonstrate stronger return on investment (ROI). This additionally facilitates brands to team up with numerous micro-influencers, enhancing reach and effect.
Targeted Reach
As niche players, micro-influencers are great for brands addressing particular demographics or interests. Whether it is Beauty, Fitness, Travel, or Tech — there are micro-influencers in almost every sector who have created a fan base around their niche.
The Power of Word-of-Mouth
Word-of-mouth marketing has been hard-core for ages and micro-influencers are the best in that. These people of course have a huge influence, and their word in the digital world often means as much or more than if it was one of your friends telling you something to do. Micro-influencers are more authentic, due to which their followers tend to have faith in them and follow what they promote; hence yielding a better conversion rate for brands.
Long Term Relationships
Collaboration with micro-influencers can also offer an extended partnership over time. With mega-influences, their brand partnerships come and go like the tides whereas micro-influencers are in it for long-term projects, providing regular promotion that is both authentic and sustainable over a longer duration of time. This approach lends itself more to loyalty and establishing a deeper connection with the audience over time.
A Missing Puzzle: Micro-Influencers in Creating Content
Besides their reach and engagement, micro-influencers content creators are skilled at producing intelligent advertising! They typically create engaging, creative work that reflects well on their brand. This is a talent that brands can use to improve their content strategies. This way, brands get to use different creatives for their marketing campaigns & perhaps more interestingly; take on a perspective from outside the company.
Challenges and Considerations
With the growth of micro-influencers also comes obstacles. Since the micro-influencers will be representing a brand, it is important to do thorough research to find those that share its values and objectives. Also, juggling various micro-influencer deals can be a hustle and they have to handle it cautiously on terms of consistency and effective planning.
The Future of Influencer Marketing
Micro-influencers are the heroes of this change in influencer marketing funnel. And as consumers look for trust and genuine interactions, the demand for micro-influencers is bound to increase in 2018. Those brands who recognize this shift and adapt will be better placed to speak directly, and authentically with far greater impact.
Conclusion
The golden age of influencer marketing is over, the era of micro-influencers is in. However, given their authenticity, higher engagement rates, and cost-effectiveness leading to a more targeted reach- both in the short-term sense of selling products as well as long-term influence – again invaluable for brands. With the changing digital landscape, using micro-influencers can help marketers make better and more authentic connections with their target audiences.
With the rise of digital marketing, micro-influencers can help create real and relevant ties with audiences as well. In this new world, it could be less about the follower count and more about the true relationship between influencer and follower. Micro-influencers are changing the game and paving the way for influencer marketing 2.0 by prioritizing authenticity in engagement and trust-building.
