Each time you open up Instagram, you see a flood of celebrities promoting products to their millions of followers. As a marketer, wanting these mega-influencers to promote your product can be tempting. Unless you have $30,000 to burn, micro-influencers are for you. Keep reading to learn why your business should be partnering with micro-influencers.

A micro-influencer is loosely defined as someone with anywhere between 1,000 and 100,000 followers. Despite their smaller following, micro-influencers have much higher engagement rates than larger influencers.

According to Impact, users with 1,000 followers generated 85% higher engagement than those having 100,000 followers. If you really want more eyes on your brand, micro-influencers are the way to go.

Why Partner with Micro-Influencers?

• Target consumers in niche environments. Micro-influencers tend to be focused on a few topics and have closer connections with their followers. Gaining the trust of their fanbase will give you access to previously off-limits audiences.
• It’s cost effective. According to Curalate, 84% of micro-influencers on Instagram charge less than $250 and 97% charge less than $500. Learn more about how much it costs to partner with micro-influencers here.
• They can provide a competitive edge. Your competition is likely not partnering with micro-influencers. Its easy to underestimate their power. Utilize their influence to edge out the competition.

How to Partner with Micro-Influencers

The hardest part of partnering with micro-influencers is finding them. Depending on your industry there are several places you can look.

To start, look on the blogosphere. Micro-influencers tend to comment on the blogs of larger influencers. You can also connect with influencers at industry conferences to form partnerships in person.

Once you find an influencer you like, check out their social accounts, websites, and blogs. Look at the kind of content they share to see if they would be interested in working with you.

It is important to note that micro-influencers can be more particular about their partnerships than big influencers. They value their reputation and want to remain authentic. Be sure your offer focuses on how the partnership benefits the influencer’s audience.

Ways They Can Promote You

• Social Media. Instagram is most popular with influencers. Get creative by having your brand do a takeover of the influencer’s account.
• Product Reviews. Remember that the influencer will write an honest review, not a positive one. If you are confident in your product, this can be a great way to increase sales.
• Storytelling. Work with the influencer to tell a story. A meaningful story will help audiences actually care about your product.

The Bottom Line

Influencer marketing doesn’t have to break the bank. Partner with micro-influencers to break into new audiences and increase brand awareness.