Influencer marketing is nothing new. The most successful of influencers can earn millions from their YouTube, Instagram, and blogging careers. It’s no longer just a marketing tactic – it’s a $5-10 billion dollar industry, and 17% of companies in one survey state that they spend at least half of their marketing budget on influencer marketing.
The influencer is a new breed of celebrity; accessible, relatable, and of course, influential. However, it is a misconception that a big number of followers means more effect and impact. For every huge influencer, there are hundreds of ‘nano influencers’. And a word from a nano influencer can often have a much bigger impact.
By nano influencer, we mean someone with a social media following of roughly 1,000 – 10,000 followers. They charge brands less per post, and an industry study by InfluencerDB found that they get 2.4x higher engagement per post compared to influencers with over 10,000 followers. A win-win.
We can look at the ‘groups’ of influencers in the social media and blogging space like this:
You could say that the nano influencer represents what our ‘original’ influencers started out as back in the day before big brands began offering them six-figure deals and they all started buying mansions, sports cars and appearing on reality TV. Our mega influencer’s ‘fame’ has removed them from the ordinary and we can no longer relate. We wouldn’t go as far as to say that they have lost their influence, but their elevation to the dizzy heights of celebrity status has made space for the nano influencer to find their place in the influencer marketing trend.
To their audience, a nano influencer can feel a little more like a friend. The ‘girl/guy next door’. Their accounts and blogs aren’t bursting with high production and polished content – they are simply more relatable. What they lack in follower numbers, they more than make up for in engagement.
As influencer marketing continues to grow, some brands worry that the market is becoming saturated. Larger influencers are becoming more and more out of reach. In reaction to this, many are tapping into smaller, more accessible influencers. Nano influencers.
The beauty of the nano influencer, and a huge draw for brands and marketers, is that they have a close and genuine relationship with their audiences. They are always at the end of their comments and direct messages for one-to-one communication with their followers. They have the luxury of being able to form intimate and personable relationships with those enjoying their content and this translates directly into trust.
When they recommend the latest shampoo or gadget, it feels like genuine advice from a friend. While a brand might like the idea of having a macro or mega influencer on board, such campaigns can now often evoke skepticism within their followers. These days, people understand that these social media stars are paid ££££ for their efforts and that they rely on these pennies to make their living. Nano influencers, however, come across as much more authentic.
Due to this authenticity and these close audience relationships, the engagement rate of a nano influencer is twice as high as that of the other aforementioned influencer groups. The higher the engagement, the further the reach, and the more chance of a sponsored post or promoted product being seen more widely.
And of course, due to the smaller followings, they are cost-effective to use within your marketing strategy. You’ll find that the majority of nano influencers are happy to open a conversation and talk to a brand or digital marketer about the ways in which they can work together, and are happy to be more accommodating with strict budgets.
If you have products that you’re looking to get out into the influencer world, you’ll have more luck working with a nano influencer on a gifting collaboration basis (and without budget) than you would larger influencer groups. They are likely to be much more receptive to creating content for you in exchange for free product, than in exchange for free product and a three+ figure sum. This can be a huge opportunity for start-up companies, those that are new to influencer marketing, and those with tight budgets. It’s a simple way to get your hands on some user-generated content for your own channels too.
A successful nano influencer is only going to grow their following. They are working hard to turn their platform into something bigger – a career perhaps. Create and nurture a relationship with a promising nano influencer now, and you’ll have a micro, mid-tier, macro, or maybe even a mega influencer to work with in the future.
Nano influencers are also in the business of helping other nano influencers grow; be that through Facebook groups or WhatsApp groups. Although this means that a percentage of the comments and likes on their content may be from their fellow blogging/Instagramming peers, it also means that a good working relationship with an influencer may lead to being recommended to more influencers as a good brand, marketer, or PR to work with. Over the years of working with nano influencers, we have had our details passed around the nano influencer community and been sent databases of similar influencers to work with upon the completion of a project – which has only made our job easier.
If you’re looking to start working with nano influencers and you’re not sure where to begin, head to Twitter and start advertising your campaign opportunities using the relevant hashtags (#bloggerswanted, #bloggerjobs etc). Start interacting and building relationships with the people that sit well within your niche and build yourself a database to nurture. Tap into this economical way of influencer marketing, and give your brand a boost.
Need a hand with your influencer marketing? Contact us at ASSISTED. and let’s chat!