Using Micro-Influencer in Your Marketing & PR Strategy

1. Using Micro-Influencer in Your Marketing & PR Strategy As with many industries, marketing and PR is evolving at a rapid rate. This is due in part to how large a role social media plays in the work of Public Relations Specialist these days. Regardless if a Public Relations Firms are in Miami, Los Angeles, Seattle, New York City or anywhere in between they must stay on top of the latest trends and consumer preferences on social media. Social media is a powerhouse that is spanning not only the nation but, the globe. One of the continuing trends in PR and marketing this year driven by social media is that of the influencer, more specifically the micro-influencer. Influencers in general are creating big advantages for brands and this is evident in how much public relations specialists are willing to invest in them. Business Insider estimated $8 billion was spent in 2019, and that the number will be up to $15 billion by 2022. So, what’s all the fuss about and how can micro-influencers be used to enhance your Public Relations Strategies?

2. Micro-Influencers Defined It is easier to understand micro-influencers if you have a clear understanding of what a social media influencer is first. According to Digital Marketing Institute, a social media influencer is, “a user who has established credibility in a specific industry, has access to a huge audience and can persuade others to act based on their recommendations”. While an influencer has a broad, large audience, the micro-influencer has a small, narrow audience. There is no universally agreed upon number of followers for a micro-influencer but, it can be anywhere between 2,000 to 50,000. What really helps set micro-influencers apart is the engagement of their followers. What a Public Relations Strategies loves about the micro- influencer is that they bring quality over quantity. Their audiences not only listen to their words and recommendations, but they act on them. Another reason micro-influencers are a dream for a public relations specialist is the trust their followers have in them. With micro-influencers, their audiences trust them more, so the lines between what is a pure recommendation – one with no incentive – and one that is sponsored is blurred. Even savvier social media users who understand micro-influences sponsor products believe they only sponsor products they truly believe in. This is because the key to being a successful micro-influence is authenticity and reputation. Strategy There are now micro-influencers in nearly every niche and sub-niche imaginable that the internet has to offer. The best way to incorporate micro-influencers into a brand strategy is to diversify. Consider all the target markets and possible corners of the internet ideal clients could be and then begin your research to find the micro-influencers in those spaces. It is okay to partner with more than one micro-influencer in a specific niche, just do some

3. homework to make sure there isn’t a great deal of overlap between their followers to ensure you get the biggest bang for your buck. A public relations specialist shouldn’t just throw their money at any influencer in the respective niches or target markets though. Part of what makes micro-influencers so valuable is their authenticity and the trust their followers have in them. The most successful and impactful interactions with influencers will be the ones that already align with the brand in terms of their ideals, attitude, and similar factors. Chances are the truly authentic micro-influencer won’t partner with your brand if it doesn’t align with them anyway. Beware of Bots and Fake Followers One final thought when considering deploying micro-influencers; beware of bots and fake followers! The rise in demand for micro-influencers has also spawned unbelievable supply. For example, the President of a notable marketing and Public Relations in Miami said that there has been a 2,600% increase in Miami-based Instagram accounts with at least 10,000 followers. No, that percentage is not a typo. However, upon closer examination, you would quickly find for many of these accounts, most of their followers are fake. Not only can real followers be inexpensively purchased these days, there are also bots which act like real people but, are merely computer programs meant to bolster the number of followers a person or page appears to have. Any Public Relations Specialist will have their work cut out for them trying to discern the real from fake. A couple things to look out for to help make this distinction is the date the page started and how thorough and varied follower engagements are. There are also sites that will now analyze accounts on popular platforms like Twitter and Instagram to give an indication of how many of their followers are real accounts vs. Bots.