Influencers: The Marketing Game-Changers

The use of influencers within marketing can be beneficial in many ways. Using micro-influencers allows brands to tap into a highly engaged audience. This enables them to ensure a better reach, while also allowing the brand to find influencers whose audiences resonate with the product that they are promoting. It also opens up opportunities for UCG content to be created whether this being from the influencer themselves or from their followers who may have brought the product that was being promoted. Once again, it increases the brand's engagement levels. When tapping into such a highly targeted and engaged audience through an influencer the consumers are more likely to buy the product due to social proof. If the influencer they love and feel a connection with through the content they produce says they enjoy or like a certain product - chances are their audience is going to want it. 50% of Millennials trust product recommendations from influencers. However, this drops to 38% for product recommendations from celebrities. According to HubSpot 

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There are many types of influencers that are available and open to working with businesses. This means brands can further tailor who they work with to ensure they’re strongly aligned with your brand. It's important to touch on metrics that go beyond follower count when looking at and choosing an influencer to work with you need to look into other metrics such as the influencer's niche such as beauty or health & fitness etc. It is also important to look at the quality of engagement with their audience which is arguably the most important factor.

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Before you decide that influencer marketing is right for you, it's crucial to understand the different types of influencers, in order to identify which is best suited to your brand.

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Mega influencers 

A mega influencer is a term used to describe a category of social media influencers who have amassed a vast and highly engaged following on platforms like Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, or other social media channels. These influencers typically have hundreds of thousands or even millions of followers. Their reach and impact are substantial, making them powerful figures in the world of influencer marketing. They have the ability to influence consumer behaviour and purchasing decisions due to their extensive reach and the trust they have built with their followers. Mega influencers are very distinguishable from micro-influencers (who typically have smaller but more niche and engaged followings) and macro-influencers (who have larger followings than micro-influencers but not as massive as mega influencers). The specific number of followers that qualifies an influencer as "mega" can vary, but it typically ranges from hundreds of thousands to several million.

It can be tempting to work with mega influencers but for most brands, the cost of working with these influencers is way over their marketing budget, It is also important to keep in mind if your brand shares the same audience as this influencer you may be interested in working with. 

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Marco influencers 

A macro influencer is a category of social media influencer who has a substantial and relatively large following on social media platforms. While they don't have as many followers as mega influencers, they still possess a significant online presence and reach. The specific number of followers that qualify someone as a macro influencer can vary, but they typically have tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of followers. Macro influencers often focus on a particular niche or industry, and their followers trust their opinions and expertise within that niche.

Similar to mega influencers, macro influencers are often sought after by brands and companies for influencer marketing campaigns. They can promote products, services, and brands to their followers through sponsored content, product endorsements, and collaborations. Macro influencers are positioned between micro-influencers and mega-influencers.

Working with Marco influencers can help brands gain brand awareness while also allowing for a highly targeted audience. But Marco influencers are still likely to charge quite a lot to work with them so it is important to keep this in mind.

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Mirco influencers

A micro-influencer is a social media influencer with a relatively small but highly engaged and dedicated following on social media channels. While the specific number of followers can vary, micro-influencers typically have between 50,000 to 500,000 followers. What sets them apart from macro and mega influencers is their ability to connect with their audience on a more personal level and their niche expertise. Their smaller, more targeted audience allows them to develop strong relationships with their followers, who often trust their recommendations and opinions. The use of micro-influencers in influencer marketing campaigns has been on the rise in the past few years due to their ability to reach highly specific and engaged audiences. Micro-influencers tend to have a higher engagement rate compared to larger influencers, which can lead to more genuine and effective promotion of products or services. Hubspot found that micro-influencers generate up to 60% more engagement than macro-influencers. They are often seen as more authentic and relatable, and therefore their recommendations are perceived as more trustworthy by their followers. As a result, they can be a cost-effective choice for businesses looking to connect with a well-defined audience.

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Nano influencers

A nano influencer is a category of social media influencer with a very small but highly engaged and authentic following. These influencers typically have a follower count of 1,000 to 50,000 or slightly more. What sets them apart is their extremely niche and close-knit community of followers.

Nano influencers are often everyday people who are passionate about specific interests or hobbies, and they share content related to those interests. Brands and companies are increasingly turning to nano influencers for influencer marketing because their audiences are highly targeted and their recommendations are seen as more authentic and trustworthy. Nano influencers are typically seen as relatable as a result, their endorsements or product recommendations can have a significant impact, particularly for niche or local businesses.

Working with nano influencers can be cost-effective, and their engagement rates tend to be high because they have a more personal connection with their followers. While they may not have the broad reach of macro, mega, or even micro-influencers, they can be effective in reaching specific, highly engaged audiences.

Once you have decided on the type of influencer you want to work with, it's important you do research into how to work with influencers and start to consider the social media channels that your audience predominantly uses.

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Why not take a deeper dive into a mega influencer - Molly-Mae 

The "Molly-Mae Effect" refers to the significant influence and impact that Molly-Mae Hague, a popular social media influencer and reality TV star, has on her followers. This effect goes beyond mere popularity and involves her ability to shape the preferences and choices of her audience. When Molly-Mae endorses a product, showcases her outfit, or provides insights into her daily life on her social media platforms, her followers don't just passively watch; they frequently emulate her choices and adopt them as their own. This phenomenon is common among social media influencers who have built a strong and engaged following. They have the power to persuade their audience because of their relatability, authenticity, and the aspirational lifestyle they portray. Molly-Mae's endorsement of a product or her personal style choices can significantly impact the buying decisions and fashion preferences of her followers. This influence is often leveraged by brands and marketers who collaborate with influencers like Molly-Mae to promote their products or services to a targeted and receptive audience.

In essence, the "Molly-Mae Effect" underscores the idea that social media influencers have the ability to shape trends and consumer behaviour by leveraging their personal brand, authenticity, and their ability to connect with their followers on a more personal level.