Influencers have changed the way we use social media and how brands try to market their products. Instead of spending money on ads or celebrities, they reach out to bloggers and YouTubers instead. Why? Because they have more reach to their audience and can execute content that is more effective.
Sure, companies are tapping influencers but more and more are veering away from macro-influencers and are working with micro-influencers instead. These are the accounts that have 10,000 to 500,000 followers. The reason for this, according to Forbes, is because brands are starting look at engagement more than followers. “Engagement if the key factor in an influencer’s ultimate success when it comes to commercial viability.” So, companies are paying more attention to the interaction in the form of likes and comments.
Unlike people who have millions of followers, the micro-influencers’ audience is more niche and targeted. They are followed by people who have specific interests, hobbies, etc. This makes it easier for brands to pinpoint who the best people are to work with.
According to Medium, there are statistics that show micro-influencers have 60 percent higher engagement, 22.2 percent more conversations weekly, and are more cost-efficient. Yes, because they have less followers, they also don’t charge as much per post.
Despite these pros, there are also some cons. Medium reports that there aren’t many micro-influencers, so brands really have to search hard for ones who fit their advocacy. “Looking through multiple accounts with a required audience size demands an enormous amount of time.”
Another downside is that companies have to tap more than one micro-influencer per campaign instead of working with just one macro-influencer. “For instance, working with ten micro-influencers is ten times more time and effort-consuming that working with one macro-influencer.”
With brands changing up their strategies, is there still room for macro-influencers? I guess it all depends on what their end goals are. Each type of influencer can deliver different kinds of outcome. They just have to find the right fit.
Art by Marian Hukom
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