Working with influencers is pivotal in reaching targeted audiences through social media. But it is choosing the right influencer that ensures whether a campaign will be successful or not campaign’s success. Small businesses often find micro-influencers since their budget is low, while larger ones work with macroinfluencers who have wider reach. But who is better? How should one choose the right fit for their campaign? 

This article delves into when to work with micro-influencers and when to work with macro-influencers. We’ve also shared the views of some experts about the same.

What Are Micro-Influencers? 

Before you find micro-influencers or macro-influencers, it’s good to know a bit about them. 

Let’s start with the former. 

A micro-influencer is an influencer with 10K-100K followers. For example, Gal Steinberg is an Instagram-based photography micro-influencer with 42.5 K followers. He posts stunning landscape photographs. 

Usually, businesses find micro-influencers and work with them because they often have higher engagement rates due to their smaller follower base and strong connections with their followers. 

What Are Macro-Influencers? 

A macro-influencer is an influencer with 100K-1000K followers. For example, Kate is a TikTok macro-influencer with 225.5 K followers. She posts about DIYs, home decor, and organizing things on a tight budget.

Macro-influencers have a considerable following, so they can quickly expose your brand to a large audience and create visibility and brand awareness. Their established reputation gives them credibility, which can translate to credibility for your brand if they create authentic content to advocate your brand. 

When to Work with Micro-Influencers 

Find micro-influencers and work with them  if any of these are what you are aiming for: 

1. Niche Markets

If your brand wants to reach a specific audience, you can find micro-influencers to help you reach this niche market. 

For instance, Kimberly, an Instagram influencer with 46.4K followers who talks about curly hair, would be a good choice for a haircare brand that creates products for curly hair. So, the content reach would reach an audience with wavy hair who would be interested in a product they can use for their hair.1.

2. Brand Loyalty and Community Building 

Many micro-influencers build close-knit communities; their followers trust their recommendations. 

Marketers can create the best micro-influencer campaigns when they work with such micro-influencers. The best way to check this is to open the comments under an influencer's posts and see how their followers have reacted to their recommendations.

You can find micro-influencers and work with them when you want to build a community for your brand and convert their followers into loyal customers. When you find such a micro-influencer, you can also opt for affiliate marketing to drive sales as their loyal community can directly lead to sales. 

3. Budget Constraints

Brands with a limited marketing budget can work with micro-influencers on any micro-influencer marketing platform like Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok to run their campaigns. They charge significantly less than macro-influencers but can still help you reach a targeted audience. 

Want to know more about how much working with a micro-influencer would cost? This blog post has detailed information about micro-influencer pricing. 

When to Work with Macro-Influencers 

Consider working with macro-influencers if you aim to do any of the following: 

1. Large-Scale Campaigns

Macro-influencers are ideal for large-scale campaigns that must reach a wide audience. Their large follower base means your content will quickly reach different demographics and regions. 

2. Brand Recognition and Credibility

Macro-influencers are already established and trusted voices in their niches. If you want to work with an influencer who can boost your brand's credibility, they are perfect for you. Working with a macro-influencer could increase trust for your band, especially in competitive industries.

For instance, Dr. Vivian Chen is a doctor who uses her Instagram to discuss several topics, such as healthy eating, food, and how to avoid toxins. If a company selling toxin-free cookware were to collaborate with her, her credibility as someone who knows about these things would be helpful for the brand, and their content could reach her large follower base.  

3. New Product Launches

Working with macro-influencers is ideal if a brand wants to launch a new product. Their extensive reach means they can create massive buzz around the product. Their posts and reviews can create interest and excitement around the product and drive engagement and sales.

Suppose you own a skincare company and want to launch a new serum. Working with a macro-influencer like Carlos Sotelo would be ideal. He has 247K followers and a good engagement rate on his posts.

Micro vs. Macro: Who To Partner With?

Well, the answer is a bit tricky: Whom you should partner with depends on your campaign’s goals and budget.

Micro-influencers are ideal for small businesses or even large businesses with budget constraints. They have smaller yet highly engaged communities that are perfect for targeting niche markets. They often offer higher engagement rates and personalized interactions. So, they’re an excellent choice for brands seeking authentic content and grassroots-level influence. 

On the other hand, macro-influencers bring more significant reach and visibility, ideal for large-scale campaigns, brand recognition, and product launches. They have authority in their niche, bringing instant credibility to the table. They are suitable for when you have bigger budgets and want higher exposure.

Ultimately, your choice will depend on your budget and whether you need targeted influence with deep engagement (micro-influencer) or expansive reach and credibility (macro-influencer).

You can also use a hybrid approach if that’s the right thing for your brand. If you can reach your campaign goals by working with a mix of micro-influencers and macro-influencers, why not consider working with both? 

Expert Views: Working with Micro-Influencers vs Macro-Influencers

We asked a few experts about their experiences of working with micro- and macro-influencers, and here’s what they said:

Ross Kernez, Founder of SEO Meetup, told us about the differences he has noticed while working with micro-influencers and macro-influencers.

Kim Murray, the founder of Virality Boost, told us about why she finds micro-influencers easier to work with: 

We also spoke to Jeannie Assimos, who manages influencer partnerships at Way, a fintech startup. She told us about what she experienced while working with micro-influencers. 

Vukasin Ilic, Co-founder of Linkter, found working with micro-influencers to be more effective in promoting his SEO tool. He told us why he prefers working with micro-influencers due to their working style:  

There’s a difference between what macro- and micro-influencers bring to the table and their working styles, but who you should work with depends on your campaign goals. 

Final Thoughts 

No matter whom you choose, your campaign's success depends on selecting the best influencers for your brand. This is where we can help.

impulze.ai can help you pick Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube influencers based on location, gender, and interests. You can also use impulze.ai's analysis report to find influencers whose followers match your target market.

Use our 14-day free trial to see how you can find micro-influencers or macro-influencers that are perfect for your brand.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to reach out to micro-influencers?  

You can reach out to micro-influencers via direct messages on the social media platform they are most active on, email, or phone call. 

How to find micro-influencers? 

You can find micro-influencers manually using hashtags or work with a local influencer agency. Or use impulze.ai to find micro-influencers. You can choose the influencer's follower size using the filter on the left. 

How do I DM an influencer?

Send a clear, personalized message to an influencer to initiate communication. Make the first line of the message compelling so that the influencer is likely to open the message. If the influencer doesn't respond for a while, you can send a polite follow-up message. 

Who are nano-influencers? 

Nano-influencers are influencers with 1K-10K followers. For instance, Taylor Price is a style nano-influencer. She has an Amazon storefront in her profile, where she promotes products from the fashion category and earns commissions through this.