The etymological roots of the word influence lie in the Medieval Latin word of ‘influentia’, meaning ‘flowing. It was initially used to describe the flow of heavenly fluid from the stars to the Earth, and its impact on people. Simply put, influence refers to affecting or changing someone in an indirect manner.
It has been estimated that the global social media influencer market is worth over $10 billion. Quite clearly the power of influence is tremendous. Micro influencers are social media influencers who have more than 1,000 and less than 100,000 followers. They are an integral and important part of the market.
What Makes Micro Influencers Unique
Unlike Mega Influencers who have a diverse group of followers, Micro Influencers have a uniform audience. This is because they focus on a niche subject and are considered as something of a specialist in it. Unlike influencers who have more than 100,000 followers, influencers with a smaller following have a stronger rapport with their followers. While they may not be considered as celebrities, their voice and opinion is an important one when it comes to their niche subject area. And this is what makes them valuable in the social media influencer market.
The Value of Influence
When a brand invests in social media marketing, it must consider influencers who focus on interests related to the products the brand sells. So, if a company sells gardening tools, it should look at influencers that focus on this area. Even though these professionals may have a smaller following than others, they have the same target audience as the brand. Furthermore, micro social media influencers have a far better engagement rate than celebrities with millions of followers.
Influencers with a smaller follower group are considered to be more authentic than celebrities with social media managers. And this is what makes them invaluable to brands. Social media networks such as Instagram prioritize authentic content on their platform. And this in turn increases the power of the micro social media influencers.
Smaller and medium sized businesses do not have a large social media budget, and cannot afford celebrities. Working with several micro social media influencers can help them reach out to their target audience, without spending too much. Some influencers may also be happy to receive free products for the brands they endorse.
In the modern world, the scope and extent of influence is enormous and far reaching. With regular engagement with their target audiences through micro influencers, brands can build customer loyalty and strengthen their brand identity.
