An influencer with a smaller audience is usually called a micro-influencer. HelloSociety has found that “micro”-influencers, or accounts with 30,000 or fewer followers, are more beneficial for marketers to work with.
The reason for this is when large influencers are endorsing a product, fewer people tend to trust that they genuinely like and use the product they’re promoting. Maybe this has something to do with the fact that people are getting aware of how much large influencers actually make for one marketing post.
Just recently, Kendall Jenner was reported making $250,000 for a single post on Instagram. Wow.
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Micro-influencer explained
A micro-influencer is an individual who has a relatively small but engaged following on social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Twitter. They typically have a niche audience that is highly interested in a specific topic or niche, and their followers tend to trust their opinions and recommendations.
In contrast to macro influencers, who often have millions of followers, micro-influencers typically have anywhere from a few thousand to a few hundred thousand followers. They often have a more authentic and relatable presence on social media and can be more cost-effective for brands looking to work with influencers. Micro-influencers often charge less than macro-influencers and they can be more effective because they have an engaged audience with a specific focus.
Brands often work with micro-influencers to promote their products or services by sponsoring posts, running giveaways, or creating content together. They are particularly effective at reaching niche audiences, and they can help brands build credibility and trust with their followers.
Micro-influencers are often seen as valuable assets for brands, as they have the ability to create authentic and relatable content that resonates with their followers. They can also help brands build credibility and trust with their followers, as they are seen as experts in their niche. Additionally, micro-influencers can be more cost-effective than working with macro-influencers, as they often charge less for sponsored posts or content collaborations.
They also have an engaged community that can help boost the reach and visibility of a brand’s products or services. Additionally, working with multiple micro-influencers can also increase the reach and visibility of the brand.
It’s also worth noting that micro-influencers are often more relatable to their followers, which can help increase trust and credibility for a brand. They also tend to have a more personal connection with their followers, which can lead to higher engagement and conversion rates.
Overall, micro-influencers are a valuable marketing strategy for brands looking to reach niche audiences, build trust and credibility, and create authentic content that resonates with their target audience.
Where to Find Micro-Influencers
Now to the main question. If you have worked with influencer marketing a bit, you know that finding suitable influencers that tick all your boxes can be difficult. Especially if you want to generate the highest ROI possible.
Finding them can be a full-time job and very, very time-consuming.
Now, however, there’s no need to waste energy and time on finding micro-influencers. The good news is that there are directories and SaaS tools that allow you to filter and search among influencers to find the perfect partner for you.
In various influencer directories, you can filter micro-influencers with 10K followers and up in a matter of seconds. These are generally considered the easiest and most effective ways to find micro-influencers to partner with.
But of course, there are also other methods of finding micro-influencers.
Manual methods of finding micro-influencers
To find micro-influencers in a hard and time-consuming way, you can search through the social media platform you wish to market on.
If you want to market your products on Instagram, a tip is to search the hashtag section and look at “top posts”.
When searching in the hashtag section, a good idea is to search for a keyword relevant to your niche because that brings the highest chance of finding micro-influencers within your niche.
If you’re not familiar with top posts, top posts are the 9 first photos you see in the hashtag list that appear when you search for a particular keyword. These 9 posts are the posts that have included the hashtag you’ve searched for and gotten the most likes/reach.
Micro-influencers often end up on top posts if the competition of the keyword isn’t too hard and if the micro-influencer isn’t too small.
Simply search for some of your keywords and take a look at the profiles in the top post section, with this method, you should be able to find at least a few.
Another way of finding micro-influencers is by visiting your page’s explore page.
You find the explore page by tapping the magnifying glass ( 
)at the bottom of your screen when inside the Instagram app.
Here you’ll find relevant content to your Instagram page and niche. Look it through to see if you find any relevant micro-influencers. If not, simply drag your thumb on the screen up and then down. You have now refreshed the page and hopefully gotten some new influencers you can take a look at.
How to find micro-influencers to work with (best tips)
There are several ways to find micro-influencers:
- Social media platforms: Use social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok to search for potential micro-influencers. Look for accounts with a large following, high engagement rate, and content that is relevant to your brand.
- Influencer marketing platforms: Use influencer marketing platforms like Upfluence, AspireIQ, or Influencer.co to search for micro-influencers by niche, location, and engagement rate. These platforms allow you to filter search results by different criteria to find the right influencers for your brand.
- Hashtags: Search for relevant hashtags on social media platforms to find micro-influencers who are posting content related to your niche.
- Blogger Outreach: Research and find bloggers in your niche and approach them for collaborations.
- Google search: Use Google to search for micro-influencers in your niche. For example, you can search for “beauty micro-influencers” or “travel micro-influencers” to find potential candidates.
- Referral: Ask your existing customers or followers for referrals, they might know some micro-influencers that are relevant to your brand.
Once you have identified potential micro-influencers, it’s important to evaluate their engagement and relevance to your brand before reaching out to them.
How to evaluate micro-influencers
Once you have identified potential micro-influencers, it’s important to evaluate their engagement and relevance to your brand before reaching out to them. Here are some steps to help you find micro-influencers to work with:
- Evaluate their engagement: Look at the engagement rate of their posts, such as likes, comments, and shares. This will give you an idea of how engaged their followers are with their content.
- Check their relevance: Look at the content they post and make sure it is relevant to your brand and your target audience. Micro-influencers with a relevant niche can help you reach a specific target audience more effectively.
- Research their audience demographics: Look at the demographics of their followers, such as age, gender, and location. This will help you determine if their audience aligns with your target audience.
- Check their authenticity: Look at their content and engagement, and make sure they are authentic and not buying followers or using fake engagement.
- Reach out to them: Once you have identified potential micro-influencers, reach out to them and introduce yourself and your brand. Share your goals and objectives and ask if they would be interested in working with you.
- Collaborate on a campaign or project: Once you have established contact, come up with a campaign or project that is relevant and beneficial to both you and the influencer.
- Track the performance: It is important to track the performance of the campaign and how it is impacting your business, as it will help you to measure the ROI and make better decisions for future campaigns.
- Audience demographics: Make sure the influencer’s audience aligns with your target market.
- Engagement rate: Look at the influencer’s engagement rate to see how actively their followers interact with their content. The higher the engagement rate, the more likely it is that their followers are interested in their content.
- Brand fit: Evaluate the influencer’s content and see if it aligns with your brand’s message and values.
- Past collaborations: Research the influencer’s past collaborations to see if they have worked with brands similar to yours and how successful those collaborations were.
Once you have established a relationship with a micro-influencer, it’s important to continue to nurture that relationship by staying in touch and keeping them updated on your brand’s new products, services, and promotions.
You can also consider working with them on different campaigns and projects or even collaborate on a longer-term basis. Building a long-term relationship with a micro-influencer can be beneficial for your brand as they will be more familiar with your products, services, and audience and can create more authentic content for your brand.
It’s also important to keep in mind that micro-influencers may have other brands they work with, so it’s important to be flexible and understanding of their schedules and commitments.
In addition, it’s also good to measure the performance of the campaigns you run with your micro-influencer. This will help you to understand the impact of the campaign on your business and make better decisions for future campaigns.
In summary, finding and working with micro-influencers can be a valuable investment for your brand, but it takes time and effort to build a relationship and track the performance of the campaign, so it’s important to be patient and persistent in your efforts.
Commonly asked questions
What is the difference between macro and micro-influencers?
Macro-influencers and micro-influencers are two different types of influencers, differentiated mainly by their follower count.
Macro-influencers are individuals who have a large following on social media, typically in the tens or hundreds of thousands of followers. They are often well-known in their niche and have a high level of engagement with their audience. They tend to have a broad reach, and their followers come from diverse backgrounds. They are often considered celebrities in their niche
Micro-influencers, on the other hand, have a smaller following, typically in the thousands of followers. They tend to have a niche-specific audience and a higher engagement rate than macro-influencers. They are often considered experts in their specific niche and have a loyal following. They are considered to be more relatable and authentic.
Both macro-influencers and micro-influencers can be effective for different types of marketing campaigns, depending on your goals and budget. Macro-influencers tend to be more expensive to work with and may be better suited for brand awareness campaigns, while micro-influencers tend to be more cost-effective and may be better suited for niche-specific campaigns or driving conversions.
How many followers is a micro-influencer?
A micro-influencer typically has a following of between 1,000 and 100,000 on social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. The exact definition of a micro-influencer can vary depending on the platform and the context. Some sources define micro-influencers as having a following of less than 50,000, while others define them as having a following of less than 100,000.
Are micro-influencers worth it?
Whether or not micro-influencers are worth it depends on the specific goals and objectives of a marketing campaign. Micro-influencers often have a highly engaged and niche audience, which can be valuable for reaching a specific target market. They also typically have a lower cost per engagement than larger influencers, making them a cost-effective option for businesses with limited marketing budgets.
Additionally, Micro-influencers are often seen as more authentic and relatable than larger influencers, which can lead to higher levels of trust and credibility among their followers.
However, it’s also important to note that micro-influencers may not have as large of an audience reach as larger influencers, so they may not be the best option for campaigns that require a wide reach. It’s always important to evaluate the reach, engagement, and audience demographics of any potential influencer to ensure they align with your campaign goals.
