Micro-Influencers Are The Future Of Social Media Marketing
Long gone are the days where companies just look at numbers to pick their next influencer partner. Micro-influencers, individuals that have anywhere between 1,000 and 1 million followers, might be the new wave of social media marketing.
Enter freelance journalist and lifestyle influencer Olivia Muenter. With just over 28K followers, Olivia has amassed a highly engaged community for herself. While it might look like she could never compete with the likes of Kylie Jenner and other celebrity influencers, brands might say otherwise.
To partner with individuals who fit the more traditional term “influencer,” companies are looking at spending upwards of $1,000,000 just for brand recognition. However, micro-influencers like Olivia might have more than just expanding brand awareness to offer companies.
Olivia’s community can only be described as small in number (comparatively) but mighty. Mico-influencers following has a deep level of trust and allegiance because they feel a personal connection to the influencer. Olivia’s accomplished this by taking time to respond to comments, take followers “behind the scenes” of her life as she gears up to get married later this year, and share life updates as simple as a new restaurant she’s found in Philly.
Followers feel like they’re friends with Olivia rather than just another numbered like. So when she partners with a brand, it feels like a recommendation from a friend.
It’s the ultimate form of social proof. People are naturally going to follow what others are doing, acting, or buying. We’re more interested in buying something if we see others do it first.
In the past, Olivia has partnered with size-inclusive brands like Loft. Another organic partnership would be with Girlfriend Collective. The ethically made activewear brand is one, if not the only, size-inclusive sportswear company for women. Their sizing ranges from XXS to 6XL.
One of the biggest appeals about Olivia to her followers is that she looks and acts like a normal woman. Some larger mega-influencers live such an extravagant lifestyle that their followers can only imagine reaching. She’s candid and open to sharing her life, especially when it comes to clothes. While it’s becoming less taboo to talk about sizing, Olivia consistently encourages her followers to dress in what makes them feel great. In the past, she’s shared posts and Instagram stories linked to the clothes she’s wearing and shared her size as a reference. All these small acts make followers buy into whatever Olivia shares.
As a brand, Girlfriend Collective uses its social to share its size inclusivity with user-generated content and partnerships with women of all shapes and sizes. It would feel authentic and make sense for Girlfriend Collective and Olivia to work together.
With a relationally-based community like Olivia’s, the engagement rate on advertisements can be as high as 60 percent. Simply put, followers of small influencers are more likely to be interested in the product they’re selling because followers feel a deep connection with them because of genuine interactions.
While working with Girlfriend Collective, Olivia would drive brand awareness by directing her loyal followers to the brand. Compare to her celebrity influencer counterparts, her followers are more likely to follow through on sales because Olivia has inadvertently connected herself with the brand and therefore showed her followers the brand is worth their purchase.
When it comes to micro-influencers like Olivia the trust they build with their following might be the future of social media marketing.
