How to Leverage Micro-Influencers at Your Next Brand Event

When it comes to planning effective brand events, micro-influencers are the next big thing. Not quite sure what a micro-influencer is? According to Yuyu Chen of Digiday, micro-influencers are smaller-scale social media users, typically (but not always) on Instagram. These “power middle influencers” might have as few as 10,000 followers, but because their work as an influencer is often a secondary pursuit or side-hustle, their voice tends to be more authentic.

What does this mean for your brand? A micro-influencer who comes across as more authentic can help with conversions. In fact, Chen explains that micro-influencers often have double the engagement of larger-scale influencers. Putting your marketing dollars with a micro-influencer could, therefore, mean far greater conversions for your brand.

If you’re planning a brand event, consider putting the power of micro-influencers to work for you. Here are some reasons leveraging micro-influencers might be a great choice for your next event.

1. Micro-influencers help to promote brand awareness

The world is huge, but social media isn’t such a big place. Your target audience likely already interacts with certain influencers based on their interests. Involving smaller influencers in your brand’s marketing can help to put your company in front of thousands of active, engaged followers every day. Best of all, micro-influencers may not add a tremendous expense to your marketing plan. Some are even happy with free product in exchange for sharing reviews or promoting your brand, as it helps to enhance their credibility.

For instance, Sperry ran a campaign using the hashtag #OdysseysAwait, and Instagram user Slava Daniliuk followed suit with high-quality photos of his own Sperry boat shoes. Sperry decided to repost several of Daniliuk’s images (with his permission), generating tremendous exposure for Daniliuk and Sperry alike.

2. Micro-influencers are less expensive than macro-influencers

Shane Barker of Forbes.com explains that micro-influencers with followings of anywhere from 2,000 to 100,000 might charge an average of $137 to $258 per sponsored post. That fee is far lower than those charged by larger social personalities of over a million followers, who might charge $1,400 for a post. Imagine taking the $1,400 your brand might spend to engage one macro-influencer and spreading it out across ten micro-influencer accounts at their average rate. This could mean huge results and greater conversions.

3. Micro-influencers inspire loyalty

Followers of micro-influencers don’t stay tuned because the account belongs to a big name. Instead, they engage with posts because they like something about the influencer–their style, photographs, sense of humor, or genuine voice. If an influencer is consistent over time with the sort of content they post, they tend to inspire loyalty in their followers. If a micro-influencer falls in love with your product and starts talking about it in their posts, your brand is exposed to a sort of captive audience who already trusts the salesperson. This can mean great conversions and engagement for your company.

4. Micro-influencers already share what they like

In many cases, smaller-scale influencers already talk about products and services they like on their social channels. Search whatever social media platform you’d like to target and look to find micro-influencers who have mentioned liking or trying your product. Those are wonderful jumping-off points for micro-influencer marketing, because future sponsored posts will come across as genuine and believable. Followers are more likely to purchase if they feel they aren’t being sold to. Barker’s Forbes.com article cites a study indicating that 56% of respondents are more likely to purchase a product after seeing it in a relatable or positive photo by another customer–in this case, your micro-influencer.

The recent upsurge in popularity of flavored water beverage LaCroix, for instance, is in large part thanks to the appeal of the brand’s colorful packaging in social media posts. LaCroix saw its 5,000 Instagram followers grow to 120,000 followers thanks to reposts and sponsored posts by micro-influencers. Many of these Instagram users have posted multiple photos of their LaCroix beverages, lending legitimacy to their posts.

Partnering with micro-influencers in the lead-up to your brand’s next event can be a great step towards enhanced engagement and, ultimately, heightened conversions. Invite some of your top micro-influencers to attend the event and live-post their way throughout, further encouraging engagement by their followers in an authentic way. From the perspective of building genuine, devoted followers, working with micro-influencers can’t be beat! Talk to the Savvy team today about strategies for involving micro-influencers from the beginning of the planning process to ensure maximum results!

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