When the term "influencer marketing" comes up, you may immediately think of celebrities. But we're not referring to high-profile creators like the Kardashians. Instead, the upcoming trend in impactful content is being driven by smaller content creators, commonly referred to as micro-influencers.

Micro-influencers are social media promoters who have a smaller following of typically thousands to tens of thousands of followers.

They’re often seen as ordinary people (as opposed to inaccessible celebrities), so tend to earn greater trust from their followers when expressing their viewpoints and offering suggestions.

So what are the reasons for partnering with a micro-influencer despite their small size?

It's worth noting that 77% of brand partnerships are actually with micro-influencers. This is because there are numerous advantages to collaborating with them, such as:
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Engagement

48% of brands prioritise a creator's relationship with their target audience as the key factor for successful influencer engagement. Micro-influencers, who have a smaller audience, excel in one-on-one engagement and currently earn the highest engagement rate of any creator type.
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Trust

Micro-influencers may not have a large number of followers, but their audience views them as authentic, sincere, and reliable. This is reflected in the fact that 70% of teenagers trust content created by micro-influencers more than celebrity endorsements.
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Affordability

Micro-influencers are a cost-effective option as they usually charge less than big-name creators, averaging $100-$500. They offer greater return on investment for a lower budget, and some may even work for products instead of payment.

Brands can partner with multiple micro-influencers at this lower rate to expand their target audience.

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It may be tempting to focus solely on an influencer's number of followers to gauge whether they’re right for your brand, but it's important to keep in mind that genuine influence lies in engagement metrics such as clicks, subscriptions, and purchases.