The word influencer may send shivers down your spine, conjuring caricatures of Instagram models posing with detox teas whilst wearing a waist trainer. Perhaps chewing on a miracle hair growth gummy and #gifted the latest Lululemon gym gear? But I promise, they aren’t all cut from the same cloth.

Influencers can actually be a very useful tool when it comes to social media marketing for your brand, whatever industry you’re in!

Today we’re looking at the reasons why working with an influencer with a smaller following may offer more bang-for-your-buck when it comes to promoting your brand.

So what is a micro-influencer?

According to scrunch.com, an influencer marketing platform, a micro-influencer is ‘someone who has an audience within the follower range of 2,000 followers up until about 50,000 followers on a particular social media channel, usually consisting of a focussed passion, topic or niche market.’

Now that’s quite a big variation in the number of followers, but hopefully clarifies things a little? These influencers are not the Gigi Hadid’s or the Kim Kardashian’s of the world, but they still have a respectable number of people who view their content and will listen to what they have to say.

Probably the best thing about micro-influencers is that they’re likely to offer much more engagement with their followers, responding to comments, and resharing the content created by their audience on their stories. The fact that they can offer a more personal touch to their #ads means that they can answer FAQs individually and shout-out followers who follow their recommendation and purchase your product or service, sharing that all-important user-generated-content.

Another key reason to work with micro-influencers is the fact that they can be perceived by their audience as far more accessible, and trustworthy. An influencer with millions of followers often loses the relatability that they started with, due to their high level of wealth, brand deals, sponsorships, and lavish lifestyle. Although they may seem aspirational, they are not always accessible.

Conversely, an influencer with a smaller following is more likely to live a life that resonates with their audience, making it easier to imagine how that product or service relates to their own lives. These brand collaborations feel more like a friend’s recommendation rather than a billboard ad, therefore the trust factor is high!

Micro-influencers are quite often experts in their field, whether that is fitness, fashion, food, or farming (alliteration FTW), they have a more niche following compared to those mega influencers who reach ‘celebrity’ status. Because of this, their followers are more likely to have shared passions and interests. A micro-influencer with 5k followers who shares content relating to gardening is going to be able to offer genuine value to their audience (who likely follow them for gardening tips) when they post about a really great compost that helps their plants grow quickly. You’ll probably find it much easier to find a micro-influencer who shares your niche than one of the big guns!

It goes without saying that working with micro-influencers is also far more affordable than working with someone with a huge number of followers. According to Tribe, Micro-influencers may charge as little as £50, whilst some may even offer free posts with the only cost being the product or service you provide them with.

Because these micro influencers are working on building their reputation, follower-count and ultimately, earning potential, they will often go above and beyond what you expected from them. They will put tons of effort into creating great content about your product to impress you, other brands, and their audience, which may not be the case with influencers who have already ‘made it.’

In summary, micro influencers offer great value for money when it comes to promoting niche products and services, a budget-friendly, yet effective, addition to your marketing strategy. We hope this article has been helpful in sharing exactly why you should consider working with micro-influencers to promote your business. We would love to hear how they have worked out for you, let us know on social media!

Thank you to our guest Blogger Chantelle Davison – Choice Words By Chantelle