How to find micro-influencers
In the world of social media marketing, micro-influencers are increasingly gaining recognition as a powerful tool for promoting products and services. Unlike celebrity influencers, who often have millions of followers but lower levels of engagement, micro-influencers have smaller followings but highly engaged audiences.
This makes them effective at reaching a highly targeted group of potential customers and generating buzz around a brand. In this article, we'll provide tips and strategies for finding and collaborating with micro-influencers to maximize the impact of your marketing efforts
What is a micro-influencer
A micro-influencer is a person who has a smaller, niche audience on social media but has a high level of engagement with their followers.
They are often seen as more authentic and relatable than larger, more mainstream influencers and are often sought out by brands to promote their products or services to a specific, targeted group of people.
Micro-influencers are typically defined as having between 1,000 and 100,000 followers on social media.
Main reasons to work with micro-influencers
Smaller but targeted audiences
Micro-influencers have a small but targeted audience, it means that their social media following is not as large as that of mainstream influencers, but the people who follow them are highly interested in the specific niche or topic that the micro-influencer focuses on.
This means that the messages and content shared by the micro-influencer are more likely to be seen and engaged with by people who are interested in the topic at hand, making them a valuable asset for brands looking to reach a specific group of consumers.
Looking to jump into the world of influencer marketing? Connect with Social Cat for a complimentary trial or book a demo and learn how to work with micro-influencers to boost your brand.
They have high credibility and authenticity
It means that their followers view them as trustworthy and genuine. Because micro-influencers have smaller, more niche audiences, they are often seen as being more relatable and approachable than larger, mainstream influencers.
This makes them more effective at promoting products and services, as their followers are more likely to trust their recommendations and take action based on them. This high level of credibility and authenticity is one of the reasons that brands often seek out micro-influencers to work with.
It is not that hard to work with them
It is relatively easy for brands to find and collaborate with these individuals. Because micro-influencers have smaller, more niche audiences, they are often more accessible and easier to work with than larger, more mainstream influencers.
This means that brands can typically negotiate deals and agreements with micro-influencers more easily, and can also more easily track the success of their campaigns and measure the return on investment.
This is why working with micro-influencers is an attractive option for many brands.
Higher engagement, good results, and cost-effective
This is because micro-influencers have a high level of credibility and authenticity with their followers, and because their followers are highly interested in the specific niche or topic that the micro-influencer focuses on. Additionally, because micro-influencers have smaller followings, they are typically more affordable to work with than larger, more mainstream influencers, making them a cost-effective option for brands.
Finding influencers manually
Use hashtag #gifted
#gifted is a hashtag that is commonly used on social media to identify posts related to gifted products or collaborations. If you are looking for influencers to work with on gifted collaborations, one way to find them would be to search for the #gifted hashtag on social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
This will bring up a list of posts that include the hashtag, and you can then browse through the posts to find influencers who are interested in gifted collaborations and have an audience that aligns with your brand. You can then reach out to these influencers and see if they would be interested in working with you on a gifted collaboration.
Look at your brand’s list of followers
You can use a social media management platform that offers influencer discovery and outreach capabilities. These platforms typically allow you to upload your list of followers and then use that information to identify and connect with influencers who have similar audiences.
This can be an effective way to find influencers who are likely to be interested in working with you and who have audiences that align with your brand. Some popular social media management platforms that offer influencer discovery and outreach capabilities include Hootsuite, Sprout Social, and BuzzSumo.
Use influencer marketing and search tools
You can use a platform that is specifically designed for influencer discovery and outreach. These platforms typically allow you to search for influencers based on a variety of criteria, including location, audience size, engagement rate, and topic or niche.
You can then use the platform's filtering and sorting tools to identify influencers who are a good fit for your brand and who have audiences that align with your target market. Once you have identified potential influencers, you can use the platform's outreach tools to connect with them and discuss potential collaboration opportunities.
Some popular influencer marketing and search tools include Upfluence, InfluencerDB, and Klear.
Working with an agency
Save time
Working with an agency to find influencers can save you time because the agency will handle all of the legwork involved in identifying and reaching out to potential influencers.
This can be especially useful if you are new to influencer marketing and are not sure how to find and connect with influencers who are a good fit for your brand.
Leverage their expertise and relationships
An agency will have experience and expertise in this area, and will be able to quickly identify and connect with influencers who are likely to be interested in working with you.
This will save you the time and effort of having to research and reach out to influencers on your own, allowing you to focus on other aspects of your influencer marketing campaign.
Find the right agencies
You can search for agencies online, or ask for recommendations from other businesses in your industry who have worked with influencer agencies in the past. Once you have a list of potential agencies to consider, you can reach out to them and ask for more information about their services, pricing, and track record.
It can also be helpful to read reviews and case studies from other businesses that have worked with the agency in the past, to get a better idea of their capabilities and the results they have achieved for their clients.
Finally, you should make sure to thoroughly discuss your goals and objectives with the agency to ensure that they are a good fit for your business and can help you achieve the results you are looking for.
Access consistent reporting
Accessing reports consistently when working with an influencer marketing agency can help you track the success of your influencer campaigns and measure the return on investment.
Most influencer agencies will provide regular reports on the performance of your campaigns, including metrics such as engagement rate, reach, and clicks. By reviewing these reports on a regular basis, you can get a better understanding of how your campaigns are performing and identify any areas that may need improvement. This can help you make more informed decisions about your influencer marketing strategy, and can also help you optimize your campaigns to achieve better results.
Additionally, by consistently accessing reports, you can ensure that you are getting the most value out of your relationship with the influencer agency and that your influencer marketing efforts are delivering the desired results.
Amplify the right content in the right locations to turn engagement into revenue
The agencies do this by carefully selecting the influencers they work with and the platforms they use for their campaigns. They will typically have a deep understanding of their clients' target markets and will carefully research and identify influencers who have audiences that align with those markets. They will then work with those influencers to create engaging, high-quality content that is relevant to the target audience and is likely to drive engagement.
The agency will also carefully select the platforms and channels that are most likely to reach the target audience, and will use their expertise to ensure that the content is placed in front of the right people at the right time.
By carefully curating the content and selecting the right channels for distribution, influencer agencies can help drive engagement and turn that engagement into revenue for their clients.
Use a micro-influencer platform (Social Cat case)
Main reasons to work with a platform
There are several reasons why you might choose to work with an influencer marketing platform. First, an influencer marketing platform can help you save time and effort by providing tools and resources for identifying, researching, and reaching out to potential influencers.
This can be especially useful if you are new to influencer marketing and are not sure how to find and connect with influencers who are a good fit for your brand. Second, an influencer marketing platform can provide valuable insights and data about influencers and their audiences, which can help you make more informed decisions about which influencers to work with and how to tailor your campaigns for maximum impact.
Finally, an influencer marketing platform can help you manage and track the performance of your influencer campaigns, providing regular reports and insights that can help you optimize your strategy and measure the return on investment.
What can go wrong?
If you don’t choose the right influencers, you may hurt your company First, if the influencers you choose do not have audiences that align with your target market, your influencer campaigns are unlikely to be effective and you may not see a good return on your investment.
Second, if the influencers you choose do not have a good reputation or a high level of credibility with their audiences, your campaigns may not be well-received and you may end up damaging your brand's reputation.
Finally, if the influencers you choose do not create high-quality content or do not engage with their audiences effectively, your campaigns may not drive the desired level of engagement or sales, and you may end up wasting your marketing budget without achieving your goals.
Pretty difficult to measure the campaign results Influencer marketing campaigns often have multiple goals and objectives, and it can be challenging to determine which metrics are most relevant for measuring success.
For example, an influencer campaign may aim to increase brand awareness, drive website traffic, or generate sales, and each of these goals may require different metrics for measurement. Additionally, influencer marketing campaigns often involve multiple influencers, platforms, and channels, which can make it difficult to track and attribute the results to specific elements of the campaign.
Finally, influencer marketing often relies on intangible, difficult-to-measure factors such as engagement, trust, and brand sentiment, which can make it challenging to accurately assess the success of a campaign.
Conclusion
In conclusion, finding micro-influencers to work with on your influencer marketing campaigns can be a highly effective way to reach a targeted, engaged audience and achieve your marketing goals.
Micro-influencers are individuals who have a smaller, niche following on social media, but who have a high level of credibility and authenticity with their followers. They are often more affordable and easier to work with than larger, more mainstream influencers, and can be a valuable asset for brands looking to promote their products or services to a specific group of consumers.
There are several ways to find micro-influencers, including using social media search and discovery tools, working with influencer agencies, and looking at the followers of your perspective influencers.
By carefully researching and selecting the right micro-influencers to work with, you can maximize the impact of your influencer marketing campaigns and achieve your desired results.
FAQ
Micro vs. Macro
The main difference between micro-influencers and macro-influencers is the size of their audience. Micro-influencers are individuals who have a smaller, niche following on social media, typically ranging from 1,000 to 100,000 followers.
They are often seen as more authentic and relatable than larger, more mainstream influencers, and are sought out by brands to promote their products or services to a specific, targeted group of people. Macro-influencers, on the other hand, have much larger followings, typically ranging from 100,000 to millions of followers.
They are often celebrities or well-known figures in their field, and are sought out by brands for their ability to reach a wide audience and drive engagement. While both micro- and macro-influencers can be effective for influencer marketing campaigns, the choice of which type of influencer to work with will depend on the goals and objectives of the campaign.
Check out our article Micro influencers vs Macro Influencers
Influencer Marketing Goals
UGC
The goal of UGC is to leverage the credibility and authenticity of customers or fans to promote a brand and its products or services
Brand awareness
Refers to the extent to which consumers are familiar with a brand and its products or services. A high level of brand awareness can be beneficial for a company because it can make it more likely that consumers will think of the brand and its products when making a purchase decision, and can also make the brand more resistant to competition
Sales
This is a common goal for many businesses, as increased sales can lead to higher revenues and profits. Influencer marketing can be an effective way to increase sales because it allows a brand to reach a targeted, engaged audience through the credibility and authenticity of the influencer
Would you like to get started with influencer marketing? Start a free trial with Social Cat and collaborate with micro-influencers to get sales, brand awareness and user-generated content.
Want to learn more before starting a trial? Book a demo.
About Catalin Jian
Jan is a Growth Marketeer specialising in Content & SEO at Social Cat. He's writing our weekly newsletter and leading the Social Cat blog and academy.
