Influencer marketing has evolved so much from its early rise in 2014 when it was just creating a stir in the marketing world. Now in 2023, we know that influencer marketing is much more than collaborating with celebrities so they can endorse your product.
We can safely say that influencer marketing is much more than marketing and is not limited to selling stuff. Brands use influencer marketing to build relationships and communicate with their customers, which benefits them in the long run.
So how did the influencer marketing landscape change so much?
The influencer marketing scene started changing when more and more people started making content and becoming famous in their niches. They formed their community with consistent engagement and deeper connections. Later brands that were early adopters of influencer marketing tapped into their engaged following and saw excellent results.
These micro-influencers with less than 100k followers drove ten times more engagement than mega influencers (more than 1 million followers). After seeing these results, most brands started including these influencers in their influencer marketing mix to achieve high engagement.
But in the meantime, macro influencers with a following between 100k and 1 million also rose to popularity because of their ability to influence a more significant number of followers with a relatively higher engagement rate than mega influencers, 3-5%, but still much lower than micro-influencers.
These events led to the conversation among the marketers about which category of influencer is a better choice to achieve their influencer marketing goals. In this article, we will argue on the same with unique insight so you can strategically choose what is best for your brand.
What are the Benefits of Micro-Influencers?
Despite having minor follower counts than macro-influencers, micro-influencers offer several benefits for brands and marketing campaigns. Here are some of the advantages of working with micro-influencers:
- Authenticity and Trust – Micro-influencers typically have a niche focus and a dedicated following. Their smaller audience allows for more personal connections, fostering trust and credibility. Their recommendations and endorsements often carry more weight as they are seen as relatable and genuine.
- Highly Engaged Audience – Their followers are genuinely interested in their content, so they receive higher engagement rates on their posts. This engagement translates into better visibility and increased chances of conversion for brands.
- Niche Expertise – Micro-influencers often specialize in specific areas or topics, allowing brands to tap into targeted markets. This specificity can be beneficial when promoting niche products or services requiring a particular knowledge or understanding.
- Cost-Effective – Working with micro-influencers is generally more cost-effective than collaborating with macro-influencers. Micro-influencers often have more reasonable rates or may even be open to product exchanges or barter arrangements, making it an affordable option for brands with limited budgets.
- Reach and Impact – Although micro-influencers may have more minor follower counts, they can still reach a significant number of people within their niche. By collaborating with multiple micro-influencers, brands can achieve a cumulative reach.
- Diverse Content Creation – Micro-influencers tend to be creative in their content creation, often experimenting with unique and original ideas. This can bring fresh perspectives to brand collaborations and provide diverse types of content, including reviews, tutorials, storytelling, and behind-the-scenes glimpses.
- Hyper targeting – Micro-influencers are great for hyper targeting because they are often part of the local communities, which they can influence very well. Hyper-targeting through micro-influencers is excellent for brands trying to target hyperlocal audiences.
What are the benefits of Macro-Influencers?
Macro influencers have large followings and widespread recognition, offering several benefits for brands and influencer campaigns. Here are some advantages of working with macro influencers:
- Broad Reach and Exposure – Macro influencers have a substantial following. This extensive reach allows brands to connect with a large and diverse audience. By leveraging the macro influencer’s popularity, brands can gain significant exposure and visibility for their products or services.
- Established Authority and Credibility – Macro influencers have built a solid personal brand and gained authority and credibility within their respective niches. Their status as experts or industry leaders enhances their followers’ trust in their recommendations and endorsements. Associating with a macro influencer can lend credibility and legitimacy to a brand’s offerings.
- Amplified Brand Awareness – Collaborating with macro influencers can increase brand awareness and recognition. The influencer’s endorsement introduces the brand to a vast audience, many of whom may not have been aware of it. This increased exposure can lead to more excellent brand recall.
- Broad Targeting Opportunities – Macro influencers often attract many followers, covering various demographics, interests, and locations. This diversity allows brands to reach a broader target audience, including general and niche markets. Marketers can expand their reach by aligning with a macro influencer whose followers match the brand’s target demographic.
- Influencer Partnerships and Campaign Scale – Macro influencers are likelier to engage in long-term partnerships and multi-faceted brand campaigns. These collaborations can involve sponsored posts, dedicated brand content, event appearances, and more. Working with a macro influencer on an extended campaign allows for consistent exposure and messaging across multiple platforms, enhancing the overall impact and recall of the brand.
- Brand Association and Image Enhancement – Partnering with a macro influencer can positively impact a brand’s image and perception. The influencer’s values, aesthetics, and lifestyle resonate with their followers, and by associating with them, brands can tap into that positive sentiment. It allows for creating aspirational associations, influencing how consumers perceive the brand and its products.
- Cross-Platform Marketing – Macro influencers often have a strong presence across various social media platforms and may even have their blogs or websites. This multi-platform reach enables brands to engage with audiences across different channels, maximizing their exposure and engagement potential.
Which is best for your brand?
Despite all the benefits mentioned above, macro and micro-influencers can be boiled down to two KPIs __ Brand awareness and engagement, respectively.
If your brand is looking for brand awareness and recall value, you should partner with macro influencers, but if you want a high engagement rate, you should go with micro-influencers.
But brand requirements keep changing, and the good news is you can change your influencer preference accordingly.
As a new brand, you can start with a micro-influencer campaign, which is more affordable and then move to a macro-influencer campaign to spread your brand awareness. And again, use micro-influencers in case your brand needs high engagement for upcoming sales or new product launches. You can also switch according to budget or ROI.
Brands like Neutrogena and Swiggy use micro and macro influencers frequently in their marketing mix to achieve different goals.
Conclusion
In conclusion, when considering whether to work with micro-influencers or macro-influencers for your brand, it’s essential to assess your specific goals, target audience, budget, and campaign requirements. Both micro and macro influencers offer unique benefits that can contribute to the success of your influencer marketing efforts.
But managing an influencer campaign, be it micro or macro, is tedious and prone to human error, which can botch the results considerably. Top marketers recommend Qoruz, an influencer marketing platform that lets you leverage comprehensive influencer data, including engagement rates, audience demographics, and brand affinity, to identify the most suitable micro or macro influencers for your campaigns and measure the results with live reports. Qoruz helps you run effective campaigns and become a part of your team seamlessly because of its easy-to-use features.
What do you think of micro and macro influencers? Let us know in the comment below.
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