INTRODUCTION:

 

In recent years, influencer marketing has positioned itself among the most important digital levers for companies and brands. Namely, for optimizing visibility and promoting sales to consumers, through opinion leaders (Influencers and Micro-influencers).

 

There is a common misconception that influencer marketing only involves promotion through very popular people, celebrities. But this statement is entirely false. Several types of people can be an “influencer,” from Kylie Jenner with her millions of followers to a consumer who tests and evaluates everyday products.

 

Today, brands are increasingly interested in micro-influencers and trust them more.

 

In this article, we will detail the term Micro-influencers, look at the advantages and disadvantages of using them, and give our own opinion on this.

I- What is a Micro-Influencer?

 

Celebrity marketing was an essential way for big brands to build their image and expand their network. Endorsement by celebrities has always been a fundamental goal for brands, eager to leverage an already established fan base by these celebrities.

 

However, this trend is slowing down more and more, and brands are now turning to internet users with far fewer followers, the micro-influencers. A micro-influencer is a person who has between 2,000 and about 50,000 (the figures vary) followers on a given social network.

 

The sense of belonging to a community and the phenomenon of identification are even more relevant with micro-influencers, as consumers can see themselves through them.

 

Thus, they stand out for their authenticity. They are spokespersons on a topic that interests them and can directly or indirectly touch your brand. Their engagement rate is generally very high and can easily exceed that of the biggest prescribers thanks to this proximity.

 

In general, micro-influencers are considered “budget-friendly” partners, yes they certainly need to be paid. By soliciting them for a campaign and setting conditions to be respected, you enter into a contractual relationship with them.

What are the criteria for setting the remuneration of Micro-influencers?

 

1- Size and engagement of the follower base:

The amount is primarily determined by the influencer’s power on the networks: their number of followers, number of views, their engagement rate.

 

The larger their community on social networks, the higher their rates.

 

2- The category of the product sold:

Rates vary according to the category to which the campaign led by the influencer belongs: whether it’s beauty, gaming, fashion, etc.

3- Scope of the device:

Depending on all the specifics requested by the advertiser as part of the partnership, the requested rate will be quickly impacted.

 

Is it about content creation or just sharing?

 

It should be noted that creating content requires higher budgets since it requires greater involvement from the influencer.

 

4- The geographical area of the Micro-influencers’ community:

The cost of an investment in an influencer campaign depends first and foremost on the market price, which can be different depending on the country. Compensation in France and America, for example, are not at all the same.

 

Indeed, micro-influencers can be a real opportunity for promoting your brand, at a lower cost and with maximum efficiency. But let’s see the other side of the coin, what disadvantages do they pose in collaborating with micro-influencers?

II- More work for brands:

 

Obviously, the more people a company has to work with, the more effort it requires in selecting influencers and then in management and control, especially in terms of content and payment. Influence platforms and agencies help in this process if a company chooses to use them. On the other hand, for a company with a small budget, all this work of searching for influencers and establishing relationships with them internally must be ensured by the brand itself, which is not obvious given the lack of human, financial, and material resources for management.

Choosing the wrong influencer can be costly:

If you want to promote a new cosmetic product, it is best to call on an influencer who communicates mainly about beauty products. But a food blogger suddenly praising a new line of jewelry is not very credible. Followers do not like misleading, counterfeit, or irrelevant advertisements. The consequence can be very costly. You lose money and all credibility.

 

Keep in mind that you will associate your name and your brand with the influencer, hence the choice of the latter must be carefully made. Their behavior affects your image in the eyes of your consumers, whether current or potential. Moreover, many influencers have already caused a scandal due to unfortunate statements or controversial acts. Unfortunately, your brand does not emerge unscathed. So, make sure you agree from the start.

 

In conclusion, it is crucial to understand that in the era of digitalization, influencer marketing offers endless opportunities, but also a significant margin of risk. Influencers can be the secret weapon for successful online marketing campaigns. They can reach the target group in a very subtle way. Therefore, before allocating your resources to collaborate with influencers, you must carefully compare the pros and cons that can be brought to you, and remember that influencer marketing thrives on the credibility of a cooperation between two partners.

 

CONCLUSION:

 

Poorly placed content will have no positive effect on your positioning but will certainly cause damage that can be difficult to correct. Therefore, you must choose your collaborators with caution and make sure to also consider other essential key performance indicators.

 

Feel free to consult our latest article on UX design trends here.