Marketing is changing in form. If at first we trusted advertising, today we trust influencers who talk about different types of products. Influencers are increasingly popular these days because people trust them more than traditional marketing on TV or in magazines. They are people just like you, but with a large following on social media.
It is important to remember that an influencer can have a small number of followers yet still be more influential than someone with a huge audience. This is because audiences emphasize finding authentic voices that resonate in specific markets and communities. Authenticity also matters greatly to millennials — the largest market for buying products online — and they are the ones to win over.
Another thing to keep in mind is the engagement rate. According to the Corporate Finance Institute, engagement rate refers to the degree of interaction between user-created content and followers. Engagement can be higher or lower depending on follower count and how much a person interacts with their audience. In fact, businesses looking for influencers must pay attention to follower numbers, because sometimes accounts with massive followings can be converted into fake engagement and brand promotion, while smaller accounts can translate into trust and good engagement.
Micro-influencers have roughly 10,000 to 100,000 followers — mostly fashion blogs, travel blogs, tech reviews and lifestyle blogs. Audiences regard them as experts in a specific field. Suppose you are a technology student wanting to start a channel about the importance of recycling in the tech industry: your audience will be half tech fans and half environmentalists who think it is a great idea. You will get to know your audience and put your creativity into such topics. Knowing both sides is important so you can create targeted content.
Working with micro-influencers is easier because they cost less than celebrities or macro-influencers. Moreover, an influencer creates brand awareness in a specific market or community, and when you use micro-influencers the engagement rate is higher than with macro-influencers — up to 85% — and far cheaper than running a macro-influencer campaign.
Finally, authenticity is everything. The bond between an influencer and their followers is based on trust. If they believe you deserve their trust, they will help you build a fan base. Always maintain authenticity — if you lose it, you lose credibility.
