Types of Influencers: A-Z Guide to finding the right one

 

Influencers - we have all seen them everywhere: Facebook, YouTube, Tiktok, Snapchat, Instagram,...you name it. Looking all perfect, flawless from head to toe with great styles and personalities, I admit more than once in my life I was curious how I can become like them. It would not be exaggerated to say that I am just one of another 2.1 billion Gen Z people - comprises more than 30% of the world population - to be affected by what we see on social media platforms.

In case you don't know what an influencer is...oops, check this video out:

Source: Forbes via YouTube

Like many other influencer followers, whenever I plan to purchase a product (i.e: makeup setting spray), I come looking for what these people review. From what brands are they buying from? What are their opinions of it? Do they like it? Would it look as great on me as it looks on them? Thousands of options to choose from, and I only count on one source of information: what the influencers think.

And it is as clear as day that businesses know this psychology trick undeniably well that they have even categorized these influencers into types that best influence you. Reality has pointed out that many businesses were actually built on influencers, using the right one, like the trending makeup brand Glossier. The brand's strategy to send products to 500 "ambassadors", which are their loyal customers or mass buyers, and repost their feedback on its Instagram account had gained it 2.7 million followers. The company now is valued at more than $1 billion and on its rise rapidly (Ludwig 2019).

So if your business is about to hire an influencer, read this blog carefully.

There can be many ways to categorize influencers into groups: based on follower counts, content, or the industries, but the most common way is still on their number of followers. We are going to dive into each type to understand how they work.

    

Figure 1: Types of Influencers, BlogRelease.com 2016

#1 Micro-Influencers (1K - 100K followers)

Source: @thefitforkfeed via Instagram

Micro-influencers are those with 1K-100K followers. Comparing to other types, they have a much smaller following number (i know, micro). However, these people are considered to be the most relatable type of influencers. Micro-influencers tend to target a specific segment of the audience, focusing on a particular niche market. It is easier for them to build a close relationship with their viewers because of the high level of engagement. Their contents are usually more authentic, and followers are attracted to them because they do not seem overly promotional. Therefore, their followers are more likely to be motivated to make buying decisions. One research has pointed out that over 82% of consumers are more likely to make their buying decision based on a micro-influencer recommendation (Baker 2021).

When to use?

If your brand is trying to reach a specialized group of people who are interested in your product, for example, fashionable handbags, and wanting to generate more focused leads, micro-influencer is a to-go choice. This is actually the type of influencers Glossier focused on using the most.

Where to find?

Micro-influencers are usually just normal people with a higher number of followers, so it is best to look in your list of loyal customers, or those who have been searching for your brand frequently. Another way to find them is through hashtags that are related to your products or brand, as these influencers are niche-focused.

#2 Middle-Influencers (100K - 500K followers)

Having a range of 100K - 500K followers, middle-influencers are less famous than macro-influencers, but a lot more business-organized than micro-influencers. Not forming as close of a relationship with their followers as mico-influencers, middle-influencers actually have a wider range and more diverse type of audience. Because of this, brands using middle influencers can receive a steady level of engagement and conversion rate, ensuring a positive but not exceedingly well ROI. 

Source: @lolo_webb via Instagram

When to use?

If your brand is trying to expand the target audience, but still wanting to keep the fresh and authentic image, middle-influencers are the ones to go. They are easy to work with, easy to spot, with lower partnership costs while still maintain the customer engagement rate.

Where to find?

Similar to micro-influencers, middle-influencers are easy to spot. You can find them on social media platforms through hashtags, highlights, or even their bios. Many of them specify their specialties and contact on their social media biography, so you will even know if they are the suitable one or not!

#3 Macro-Influencers (500K - 1M followers)

Source: @txinh via Instagram

Having a more business-oriented establishment and reaching a much wider range than the 2 types above, macro-influencers have between 500K-1M followers. They usually are internet stars and usually are very active on different kinds of social media platforms. Because of this, they have a wider range of approaches to their followers. Their followers are usually their fans, who are interested in the content they create on social media or their lifestyle, so the sustainability of this type is higher. However, due to a large number of followers, they tend to have a lower engagement rate comparing to micro and middle influencers.

When to use?

These influencers are great for reaching a fresh, young target audience. If your brand wants to create a strong brand awareness impression from the consumers, these people are great options. They can help to boost the reachability of the brand significantly, so if your brand has a strong product with solid revenue and wanting to push stronger the brand's popularity, macro-influencers are the ones to consider.

Where to find?

Marco-influencers are usually KOLs or famous content creators on platforms like YouTube, Instagram, or TikTok. These are usually popular to the youngsters and considered to be their idols to follow. They can be easily spotted on any social media platform as they are usually recommended to users. Search for hashtags that are related to your product or brand, their names usually come up first.

#4 Celebrities (>1M followers)

Source: @kyliejenner via Instagram

As simple as it is, celebrities are celebrities. They are well-known, have an enormous amount of followers and people idolize them for their jobs.

When to use?

These are not recommended to SMEs and startups, but rather big corporates. A brand would need to have a large budget to get these influencers to partner with them, and should only be a choice when your brand is looking for a MAJOR brand awareness boost.

Where to find?

Celebrities are the ones that come up first to our mind, so it is no difficulty finding them. It is best to contact their agencies or manager to offer partnership rather than contacting themselves, as they might miss the offer due to a large volume of messages they receive every day on social media. Although there are plenty, it is important that your brand must have the same values as these celebrities, so that they can best represent your image.

Conclusion

Understanding which type of influencer to use for your marketing campaign is extremely important, because it may drive your business’s image and further marketing strategies to approach the targeted customer. A good influencer marketing strategy can make your brand stand out from the rest, setting a steady base for the brand’s future.

Until the next thoughts, stay safe.

Hang Nguyen

References:

Baker, K 2021, ‘What Will Influencer Marketing Look Like in 2021?’, HubSpot, 4 February, viewed 15 July 2021, < https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/how-to-work-with-influencers?>

Finkelstein, E 2016, Types of Influencers, Press Release, viewed 15 July 2021, <https://www.pressrelease.com/news/blogsrelease-look-at-why-micro-influencers-increase-sales-how-to-find-14225974?>

Ludwig, S 2019, ‘5 Companies Built on Influencer Marketing’, U.S Chamber of Commerce, 30 December, viewed 15 July 2021, < https://www.uschamber.com/co/grow/marketing/influencer-marketing-success-stories>