3 Compelling Reasons Why A Small Business Should Work With An Instagram Micro-Influencer

Have you heard of micro-influencers? These small influencers can have big results for businesses who choose to go that route. And if you’re looking to boost your brand awareness and get more Instagram followers, micro-influencers might be a great option for you. Let’s take a look at why micro-influencer marketing is so beneficial for brands and how you can get started.

What Is Micro-Influencer Marketing?

Micro-influencer marketing is influencer marketing on a smaller scale. You’re probably familiar with the concept of influencer marketing: A company sends an influencer a free product and the influencer promotes the product to his or her followers.

There’s a little more nuance to it than that, but the basic idea is simple — and effective. With many consumers trusting influencers more than typical celebrities, you can bet that your customers are listening to what influencers have to say. 

Working with micro-influencers is a smart idea for small businesses that might not have a big budget for influencer marketing. Micro-influencers provide a cost-effective way to promote your brand.

What’s more, these smaller influencers actually have a better engagement rate than major influencers. On Instagram, the average micro-influencer engagement rate is 3.86%, while the average engagement rate for mega-influencers is 1.21%. That’s quite a difference!

Micro-influencers can be defined as someone who has between 1,000 and 100,000 followers. Most micro-influencers are heavily niched — in other words, they focus in a specific industry or on a specific topic. Their followers regard them as an expert in that area.

For example, Grace Sheidler @graceliveswell posts recipes and thoughts on eating disorder recovery. Her followers are likely more engaged because they followed her specifically to see content in those areas. 

Yes, you would get more eyes on your brand if you worked with a celebrity like an actress Bailee Madison (who has three million followers compared to Grace’s 3,600). But you don’t know how many of Bailee’s followers would happen to be truly interested in your product. They followed Bailee to keep up with her life — not because they wanted to see food-centric content.

It’s a good idea to work with micro-influencers in your niche if you want to feel 100% certain that an influencer’s followers are interested in what they have to say. Think of micro-influencers as quality over quantity. And for a small business, quality is almost always going to be more effective.

3 Reasons Why A Small Business Should Work With an Instagram Micro-Influencer

Here are three reasons why you should work with a micro-influencer on Instagram:

1. Increase Brand Awareness and Get More Followers

Working with a micro-influencer can help a small business increase brand awareness. Micro-influencers don’t have large platforms, but they do have committed ones. If you pick a micro-influencer that’s in line with your brand, their audience is going to truly care about what you’re selling. And when their audience gets a look at you, they’ll rush to tell all of their friends.

If you’ve ever wondered how to get more followers on Instagram, micro-influencers are also a huge part of the secret here. It’s that same word-of-mouth concept that will help your account grow. A well-run micro-influencer campaign is a perfect way to drive more followers back to your brand. 

2. Enjoy A High ROI

Micro-influencer marketing is a low-cost solution that offers a high return on your investment. When you work with macro-influencers, you might have to pay thousands of dollars for a single post. But micro-influencers come at a much more affordable price — and with a higher ROI.

Studies have shown a correlation between the number of followers an Instagram account has and that account’s engagement rate. As the number of followers goes up, engagement tends to go down. So working with micro-influencers who have smaller accounts is in your best interest, as their followers are likely to be highly engaged. 

3. Humanize Your Brand

Micro-influencers are a simple way to humanize your brand and make you seem more trustworthy. This is important because the more your audience trusts you, the more likely they are to become loyal customers long-term. You want your brand to feel relatable and personal so your customers feel comfortable shopping with you. And using micro-influencers is the perfect way to provide that human touch you need. 

How to Work With Micro-Influencers

Now that you know why micro-influencers are so beneficial, use these tips to seek out the best influencers for you and get started with your campaign.

Choosing Micro-Influencers

Remember, most micro-influencers are heavily niched. They focus on a very specific area. That means you’ll want to find an influencer who is as close to your specific niche as possible. You can search for micro-influencers using the Instagram app or using an influencer marketing platform. It might take some digging to find the influencer that’s best for you, but don’t give up! 

Contacting Micro-Influencers

Before you reach out to a micro-influencer directly, give them a follow and genuinely engage with their content. This will make your relationship feel more natural when you’re ready to get in touch. Send your influencer of choice an email or a direct message. Explain why you’re reaching out and ask if they’d be interested in discussing an offer to work together. If they say yes, you can hash out the details together.

Negotiating with Micro-Influencers

Negotiating a collaboration is the next step in a successful brand-influencer relationship. Some businesses pay their influencers cash. Others — especially small and/or newer businesses — start out by simply sending their influencer a free product or two. Whatever you decide to do, make sure to communicate clearly with the influencer you’re working with. Set expectations up front so you’re all on the same page. 

Tracking Campaign Performance

Once you’ve set up your campaign, remember to keep an eye on the analytics so you can see how things are panning out. You’ll want to track different engagement metrics, including likes, comments, shares, and mentions on both your account and the influencer’s.

By doing so, you’ll be able to not only calculate your ROI, but also get a feel for what’s working so you’ll know what kind of content to choose in the future. 

Succeed With Micro-Influencers On Instagram

Working with micro-influencers is a smart idea for small businesses on Instagram. By running an influencer campaign, you can increase brand awareness and sales — and by doing that campaign with a micro-influencer, you’ll be able to see a high ROI and enjoy a campaign size that works for you. Take advantage of the benefits of micro-influencers to help grow your small business and succeed on Instagram!