Why Brands Are Prioritising Micro-influencers Over Macro-influencers

One remarkable shift that has taken the marketing world by storm is the growing preference for nano and micro-influencers over their macro counterparts from brands utilising Influencer Marketing.

Let's dive into the various reasons why brands have started to prioritise working with smaller creators.

First things first… what's the difference?

Read our other blog that details all the various archetypes here.

But for now, here is the difference between nano-influencers, micro-influencers, and macro-influencers:

Nano-influencers: 1K – 10K followers

Nano-influencers have strong relationships with their followers, resulting in high engagement rates. Their authentic recommendations and caring attitude also boost trust and loyalty from followers.

Micro-influencers: 10K – 100K followers

Although micro-influencers still have a large following, they're still viewed as relatable to their followers and tend to have an engaged audience. At this level, influencers usually focus on a specific area of interest (a niche). They also tend to have a high level of interaction with their audience, which results in brands finding it easier to collaborate with them.

Working with micro-influencers is better for generating targeted leads as they have a close connection with their followers and have specialised, making their audience more receptive to marketing messages related to that niche.

Macro-influencers: 100K – 1M followers

Macro-influencers have a wider reach than nano and micro-influencers but lower engagement due to their large follower base.

They're effective for raising brand awareness and expanding your audience, as their substantial following can improve your brand's visibility and reputation.

1. Authenticity:

Nano and micro-influencers are known for their authenticity. They share genuine, relatable content that resonates with their niche audience. This authenticity is fresh air in an age of heavily curated content.

Authenticity builds trust, and brands understand that micro-influencers genuine endorsements can lead to more impactful engagement with their target audience.

2. Niche Engagement:

Smaller influencers are experts in cultivating a specific niche.

Whether sustainable fashion, fitness, pet-friendly travel, or cooking, their content is tailored to a well-defined audience with a shared interest. This niche engagement translates to higher interaction and influence within their community.

Brands recognise the potential to connect with these highly engaged audiences more deeply and authentically than with a macro-influencer who may have a more generalised following.

3. Cost-Effective Collaboration:

From a budgetary perspective, micro-influencers are a cost-effective option for brands.

Collaborating with macro-influencers often requires a substantial financial investment. On the other hand, smaller influencers are more likely to be open to partnerships in exchange for products, services, or minor monetary compensation. This allows brands to work with diverse influencers without exhausting their marketing budget.

4. Localised Impact:

In a globalised world, marketing strategies must be tailored to local nuances and cultural sensitivities.

Nano and micro-influencers, often rooted in their local communities, better understand regional trends and cultural norms than macro-influencers, who often produce more generalised content. Brands looking to expand their reach to various markets can leverage these smaller influencers to craft messages that resonate deeply with each specific audience.

5. Relatable Content:

Macro-influencers often lead arguably glamorous lives that can feel distant from the average person's reality, especially during the current economic situation.

In contrast, nano and micro-influencers offer relatable and attainable content. Their authenticity and everyday experiences make them more relatable to their audience, leading to a stronger emotional connection between the influencer and their followers. Brands can tap into this relatability to create more personal and approachable content.

The shift towards prioritising micro-influencers over macro-influencers reflects the changing social and economic landscape. With topics such as mental health and EDI gaining support and issues such as a cost of living crisis, audiences engage with relatable creators and share experiences.

And for brands, these influencers can bring authenticity, niche engagement, cost-effectiveness, and localised impact. In a landscape where users can easily spot ads and quickly become disengaged, it's crucial for brands to recognise the importance of authenticity. This recognition leads brands to allow influencers a certain degree of creative freedom, ensuring that the content they create remains genuine and aligns with the brand's identity. By collaborating with smaller influencers, brands can forge deeper connections with their audience, creating campaigns that resonate and maintain an authentic and relatable appeal in the digital space.

However, this doesn't mean that larger creators may not be the right fit for your brand or Influencer Marketing campaigns.

Click here to chat with a member of our team who can help you.