Bigger is not always better, and this can certainly be true when it comes to influencer marketing.
Micro-influencers have become significant players in brand and retail marketing due to their ability to outperform prominent influencer and general brand campaigns.
With trust being an essential factor in the purchase decision-making process, let's explore how micro-influencers can offer much value in closing the consumer trust gap. But first.
What is a Micro-Influencer?
While the definition varies from article to article, The Room defines micro-influencers as those with a social media following that falls inside the 10k and 100k follower bracket.
82% are highly likely to follow a recommendation from a micro-influencer
In most cases, micro-influencers are everyday members of the public who have a small curated following focused on a specific niche. Because Micro-influencers are at a peer level, they are far more relatable. To the average social media user, micro-influencers look like any other friend they might have, so it’s no wonder they are seen as more trustworthy.
And trust is something that today's consumers are craving more than ever.
In fact, whether consumers trust the company behind the brand or product is the second most important factor (only to price) when purchasing from a new brand.
Examples of Micro-Influencers
Monika Sandhu is an excellent example of a micro-influencer who has built her following from a community of fellow mothers looking for help and guidance. Sometimes referred to as a 'mummy' of 'parent blogger', she has gained the trust of her followers with authentic content about her kids and all other areas of her life. Her audience trusts her as she is relatable and honest, and it is clear that the products and brands she promotes are ones she truly believes in and uses.
Jemma Webster is a micro-influencer who has built a following of cooking enthusiasts. She is a passionate chef who takes pride in presenting her creations through slick photography and video. Jemma shares her recipes with her audience to create a fully immersive experience.
Another perfect example is Alex Thomas-Smith, who is an artist and activist. He has built a following from sharing and educating his audience on important issues relating to racism and homophobia.
How Can Micro-Influencers Close the Consumer Trust Gap?
Influencer marketing has had its fair share of criticism, especially around the inauthenticity of big named celebrity endorsements. There are regular warnings about investment scams 'endorsed by stars', and who can forget the Tom Hanks CBD scandal in 2020? Fake followers and fake endorsements have given brand marketing a bad reputation, and it's understandable why people have doubts.
However, when we look back at our three example micro-influencers, it's easy to see why a product endorsement from Monika, Jemma or Alex could be powerful for the right brand partner. They all post genuine and authentic stories to a highly engaged and loyal following. Any product review would be honest, and that message would drive positive awareness in a well-defined niche.
These micro-influencers have close relationships with their audience as they can establish a genuine connection with them. Similar to how you would with friends and family, they have the time to talk, respond, and bond with their following daily.
They go that one step further than just bonding with their audience, they become a voice of trusted authority. Their close relationship enables the influencer’s viewpoints and any products that they may endorse to be seen as authentic. The more they are viewed as genuine, the greater the consumer trust will be.
Examples of Brands With An Effective Micro-Influencer Strategy
Charlotte Tilbury
In this summer campaign, Charlotte Tilbury partnered with 100 influencers to boost awareness and amplify sales. The majority chosen were micro-influencers who had a highly engaged audience. They created over 300 high-quality content pieces, and engagement was high in their respective followings.
HelloFresh
HelloFresh is a meal kit delivery service that ships weekly boxes of fresh ingredients and recipes to help make mealtime easier for its consumers. In a recent campaign, they worked with micro-influencers to push how convenient it is for busy families to make easy and delicious meals. The followers of these micro-influencers are the perfect target audience for HelloFresh as their lifestyles resonate the most. As a result, the campaign successfully achieved a high number of engagements in the form of likes and comments. Influencers were able to engage and chat with their followers to help instil transparency and trust with their audience.
Size?
To promote their latest student discount, Size? collaborated with 15 fashion micro-influencers to help reach their target audience. They were able to reach a larger, highly engaged audience and generate a high Earned Media Value. Creative and engaging content, in the form of Instagram Stories, Posts and Reels, led to a more dynamic and extremely successful campaign.
Conclusion - Think ‘Micro’ for Superior Insertion of Consumer Trust
The days of selecting influencers based on follower numbers are over. Micro-influencers give brand and marketing managers the chance to tap into highly defined audience groups with authentic endorsement campaigns that deliver higher engagement ratios.
Want an easy way to find and manage UK Micro-Influencers? Take a no-obligation demo of The Room today, and we'll show you how you can quickly source authentic micro-influencers to collaborate with, using our influencer marketing platform.
