The new trend in social media influencer marketing makes consumer outreach online much more attainable. Micro-influencers are social media users, typically with less than 30,000 followers, who frequently post on their social channels about their interests. This trend is particularly popular on Instagram since it is the most visual platform and the easiest to post promotional content. Unlike celebrities or public figures, micro-influencers can deliver great results and have quite a few benefits compared to traditional influencer marketing.

More Affordable

‍Not every company can afford to pay a social influencer like Chrissy Teagan to promote their business or product, which can cost upwards of $75,000 for a single post. Micro-influencers are more affordable than high-profile social media public figures. 96 percent of micro-influencers charged less than $100 per branded tweet and Instagram post, and 97 percent charged less than $500 for a branded post.

‍More Targeted

‍Finding the right micro-influencer for your company will lead to a more targeted audience than larger celebrity endorsers. For example, if you follow an athlete on social media, you might not care about their celebrity endorsement of non-sport related products. Being able to pinpoint a micro-influencer who has a niche interest that aligns with your business will be much more valuable to your company.

‍Higher Engagement

‍Micro-influencers tend to have greater engagement rates on their posts than larger social media influencers. According to a recent study, influencers with 10 million followers have a “like” rate per post of 1.6 percent, while micro-influencers with 1,000 followers see a far higher rate of 8 percent. These micro-influencers feel more authentic and real to their followers, which also leads to higher engagements.

‍More Trusted

‍Micro-influencers are not celebrities. They are real people who appear as knowledgeable and passionate. Most importantly, followers trust them more than traditional social media influencers and are more likely to take their recommendations. Experticity found that 82 percent of customers say they are highly likely to follow recommendations made by a micro-influencer.With the distrust in influencer culture on the rise, the use of micro-influencers is going to continue to gain popularity over the next year. Additionally, programs such as Hello Society and influenster are making it easier than ever to find the right influencers for your influencer-marketing program.Has a micro-influencer ever convinced you to make a purchase? Let us know in the comments below!