Influencer marketing is a fairly new sector of marketing strategy. Because of this, it can be hard to know exactly how to utilize it for your small business. The first question to ask is what level of influencer is right for you when it comes to promoting your brand or mobile app? Read ahead to learn more about the different levels of influencers on the market and how to determine which level you should be working with to maximize your influencer marketing strategy.
Nano Influencers (Small Influencers)
Nano influencers are the smallest tier among the levels of influencers. They are generally defined as influencers with a following of less than 10,000 users. Nano influencers normally make a lot of their money through affiliate links, brand sponsorships, and content creator programs such as Youtube’s Partner Program and the TikTok Creator Fund. They also tend to have a lot of influence in a very specific community or neighborhood based on their niche area of expertise.
Nano influencers can be easily overlooked but it would be a mistake to do so. While nano influencers may not have as much reach as higher level influencers, they have incredibly strong engagement levels. Their audience feels close to them and is very likely to trust them when they promote a product of a brand. Nano influencers can be especially useful if you’re looking to advertise a brand new mobile app or one that has not gotten a lot of attention. This is because with a nano influencer, their platform is more likely to see their recommendations like ones from a friend. This means that people won’t just casually look up your app, they’ll probably download and engage with it too.
Nano influencers are also generally much more affordable than other categories. Pricing varies greatly but depending on the influencer, you can sometimes procure partnerships for as low as $150 on TikTok and $350 on Instagram. While the goal should be to work with an influencer who brings value to your brand, and not simply to grab the cheapest option, budget is a large factor when starting from the ground up. Additionally, it’s important to be realistic about the level of influencer you can afford to work with and not go into your campaign expecting to be able to work with a mega influencer when your budget will only cover a nano influencer.
Micro Influencer
Micro influencers are considered to be influencers with a following of 10,000 to 50,000. They are not quite celebrities but they have built a brand around something that’s elevated them to their influencer status. Because of this, you are likely to find that they have a strong audience centered around a singular interest. This makes micro influencers a great choice to work with if you have a somewhat established mobile app that you want to continue to grow. If your app revolves around luxury travel reviews, you could work with a travel micro influencer. If your app revolves around real estate in a particular market like DC, you could work with a micro influencer in the area that is a licensed broker or realtor.
As with nano influencers, we find micro influencers can also be more cost effective for businesses with smaller ad spending budgets. They give a great return on investment because they don’t charge as much as influencers with larger followings but they also have very strong engagement from their followers. It can be confusing figuring out whether to work with a nano or micro influencer and how to narrow down who is specifically the right fit for your budget and your needs. If this is something that overwhelms you, look into working with an influencer marketing team in order to have expert guidance on how to proceed. If approached correctly, nano influencers can be a sneakily efficient group amongst the levels of influencers available to you.
Macro Influencer
As you might have guessed, a macro influencer is one step below a mega influencer. The widely accepted macro influencer definition is an influencer with at least 50,000 followers and capped at 1 million followers. Macro influencers are also the highest level of influencers that have gotten to where they are by going viral on the internet rather than by already being celebrities. This could be done by vlogging or by producing entertaining content on YouTube or TikTok.
If you’re looking to reach a wider audience within a demographic, then a macro influencer would be the right choice for you. Their followers still trust their endorsements because they don’t see them consistently entertaining sponsorships from a variety of widely different brands for different products. Their audience will turn to them for their thoughts about the particular topics and products that got them to where they are today. If you have the budget for it, a macro influencer can bring a lot of pull to your new mobile app and encourage many new members to install, sign up, and immerse themselves in the user journey of your app.
Mega Influencer
Mega influencers are the top tier of influencers and they are marked by having more than 1 million followers. The difference between mega influencers and the smaller categories is that mega influencers are usually celebrities first and influencers second. Examples of mega influencers include Kim Kardashian, Chrissy Teigan, and Kevin Hart.
While these influencers have a lot of reach and seem exciting to work with, they may not be the best choice for your business’ goals and budget as they stand right now. One reason for this is that they do not often have very high engagement rates. A lot of people follow these known personalities because they’re curious about their lives, but their audience doesn’t necessarily look to them for recommendations or advice. This means that while a lot of people may see the influencer you choose promoting your app, they may not be moved to take action solely based on that fact.
Another factor is cost. Mega influencers are very expensive because they regularly field offers from large brands and businesses such as Neutrogena and Colgate. If you don’t have an ad budget that rivals that of those companies, reaching out to mega influencers can quickly turn into a frustrating hunt. In the event that you are able to find the money to compensate the influencer you choose, you will also be heavily invested in the outcome of their campaign and may be disappointed if it doesn’t yield the exact results you’re looking for. For these reasons, it’s recommended that you steer away from mega influencers while your business is still small and your app is still relatively unknown. When you make it to the level of an app like Candy Crush, you will likely have more resources to afford a mega influencer, that is if influencer campaigns are productive for you at all!
The biggest definitive difference between the five major levels of influencers is the size of their platform. But beyond that surface level difference lies the comparison in how each level of influencer can be helpful to you depending on where you are in your progress towards making your mobile app a household name. Are you looking to launch for the first time tomorrow or are you hoping to grow your list of subscribed users or expand your user base to another country? Be honest about your goals and where you are and you will find an influencer that’s right for you. By staying focused on the value that you want to bring to your audience with your app, you will be less likely to be distracted by large influencers who are less relevant to you, and more likely to see happy and engaged users!