What is a nano influencer?

Discover what nano influencer marketing can do for your business

In the age of social media, you’ve likely come across the term “influencer.” In this article let’s deconstruct the social media influencer hierarchy and uncover how it all fits in with your brand and business. We’ll explain what a nano influencer is and what to expect when working with a nano influencer 

Influencers are people active on social media who can influence others into taking an action such as purchasing a product, subscribing to a service, downloading an app, etc. As a business, you might have several strategies to attract new leads and retain current customers, social media marketing being one of them. 

Have you looked into influencer marketing and what it can do for your brand? Influencer marketing can work wonders for your business because 74% of consumers have made a purchase based on an influencer recommendation. That’s three out of four shoppers! You simply can’t miss out on a slice of that pie. 

Now unless you are a business with hundreds of thousands of marketing dollars, you want something that is affordable and yields results. This is exactly where you need to pick a category of influencer to work with. Not all influencers are built the same and not every type fits your brand and business. Some people find it surprising that there’s more than one type of influencer. In this article, I will try to answer the question: what is a nano influencer? Keep reading to know all about nano influencers. 

More about influencer marketing for your business.

Types of influencers

I know, it may sound daunting that there are all these different types of influencers, but it is important to take a quick look as I attempt to answer the question: what is a nano influencer? 

Although you can categorize influencers by various parameters, in this context, I like to stick to categorizing them by size. There are four categories of influencers based on follower count. They are: nano influencer (1000 to 10,000 followers), micro influencer (10,000 to 100,000 followers), macro influencer (100,000 to 1 million followers), and mega influencer (more than 1 million followers).

What is a nano influencer?

An influencer that has a small following of 1,000 to 10,000 followers on social media is categorized as a nano influencer. It’s possible they have more loyal followers. We’ve all heard the phrase, “small but mighty.” That is exactly what I would use to describe them. 

Yes, they may have a smaller following, but an average nano influencer has an engagement rate of 67% on YouTube and 59% on TikTok. This shows that their content is creating buzz and getting viewers to engage via likes, comments, shares, etc. Despite low follower count, this category of influencers has the highest engagement rate on Instagram. They know their audience well and what kinds of content to post.

Benefits of nano influencer marketing

There are some strong benefits to incorporating nano influencer marketing in your content marketing strategy. Local businesses can benefit from nano influencer marketing as it promotes a community feeling among audiences and it doesn’t cost a whole lot. It helps create brand recognition, build brand reputation, and channel brand loyalty. 

Nano influencers are found to have the highest engagement rate amongst all other influencers. This means, audiences are engaging (likes, comments, shares, etc.) with nano influencer content. Higher engagement could lead to more leads and ultimately, a higher conversion rate. People usually trust smaller influencers as they come across as more relatable and respond favorably to user-generated content.  

Finding the right nano influencer for your business can take some time. The good news though is that 65% of Instagram influencers consist of nano influencers, which means you have a lot of options. When you find a nano influencer with an audience that aligns closely with your own, it’s likely that your brand will be better perceived.

When to use a nano influencer vs micro influencer

Wondering when to use a nano influencer versus using a micro influencer? Let me break it down for you.

When to use a nano influencer for your brand

I recommend using nano influencer marketing for your business when your goals are to:

1. Build trust: Nano influencers are regarded as real and authentic because they usually have a small but extremely engaged audience. This helps put your brand on people’s radar as an impartial recommendation.
2. Create engagement: Nano influencers have the highest engagement rates. If you want audiences to talk about your product, this is the way to go.
3. Seek affordable options: As a small business, you may not have the budget for ridiculously high fees that mega influencers charge. This is where you bank on the affordability of working with a nano influencer to market your product.

A nano influencer is a solid choice when you want content such as product reviews, giveaways, and behind-the-scenes content.

When to use a micro influencer for your brand

I recommend using micro influencer marketing if you want to:

1. Target niche audiences: Most micro influencers have knowledge and some authority over a niche subject such as fashion or fitness or luxury products. As a result, their followers are likely to be enthusiasts in that area. If your brand carries niche products, you want to work with an influencer who has a following of people that would be interested in that product.
2. Establish trust: Followers often regard an influencer to be an expert when it comes to their niche. This helps your brand establish trust and authenticity.
3. Stick to a budget: Smaller brands can use micro influencers as they don’t charge as much as mega or even macro influencers do.
4. Boost engagement: Your product is likely to get more views, likes, shares etc. These actions can lead to more leads and sales.

A micro influencer is best when selling niche products, promoting local businesses, sharing product reviews, and doing social media takeovers when an influencer takes over your socials for a day.

How to get started with nano influencer marketing

Explore this list of steps to get started with nano influencer marketing:

1. Identify the type of nano influencer that fits with your business

Understanding consumer behavior is key to identifying the perfect influencer for your business. For example, if you own an e-commerce brand that sells baby clothes, you need to find a nano influencer that is relatable to people who buy baby clothes. So, find a nano influencer that is a parent and creates family or parenting type content. They already have a following that is mostly made up of parents with kids, and their followers relate to them. Similarly, if you own or manage a plant nursery, you want an influencer that makes plant-related content and is followed by plant lovers and enthusiasts.

2. Make a list of influencers

Make a spreadsheet of influencers that you believe will work best for your brand. Include details such as follower count, location (a local influencer could be easier to work with), engagement (average number of views they get), other brands they work with, and contact information (some influencers have an email listed in their bio while others might prefer a direct message).

3. Do your research

Always remember that the internet is forever and cancel culture, whether we like it or not, is a thing. You want to look up an influencer before working with them. Have they said or done awful things in the past that you wouldn’t want your brand to be associated with? How are they responding to mean comments (let’s face it, social media can be ruthless sometimes)? Do their values align with those of your brand? These are important things to consider before moving forward.

4. Conduct outreach

Once you have a list of influencers you want to work with, the next step is to reach out to them. Just a simple message expressing your interest in working with them should do the job.

5. Request rates and fees quote

When reaching out to nano influencers, make sure to include a request for their fees for various types of content such as a simple post, a video or reel, or a story. Some nano influencers charge a set fee for a post or series of posts while others might want a percentage of sales using affiliate marketing. There are some influencers who will do a shout out for free if you send them products at no cost.

6. Discuss affiliate marketing

When an influencer responds to your messages, and you start communicating, it might be a good idea to touch on affiliate marketing. That is when an influencer promotes your product and asks viewers to shop using a special link. When someone makes a purchase using this link, the influencer makes a small commission.

7. Come to an agreement

Keep in mind that influencers know their audience the best. They may have suggestions that differ from what you’ve envisioned. Go in with a little bit of an open mind. I can’t tell you what terms would be fair and favorable for your business because every business is unique. You’ll need to decide what fits your business model best. The best way to do that is to look at an estimated return on investment. Once you know what you’re comfortable with and your nano influencer agrees to those terms, you’ll need to draft and sign a contract. There are several templates available on the internet that you can customize and use.

8. Maintain relationships

If you’re happy working with an influencer and see results, it is worthwhile to nurture and grow that relationship. You can do this by sending them samples of new products, inviting them to events at your business, sharing their content on your socials, and celebrating their wins.

Connect and grow

The benefits of nano influencer marketing are simply unmatched, and I suggest taking advantage of them. For businesses of all sizes and types, there is an influencer out there that can help you meet and exceed goals. A nano influencer can get you the kind of brand recognition you have been missing this whole time. They can put your brand and products in front of audiences you wouldn’t normally tap into on your own. 

Along with engagement on social media, nano influencer marketing has been known to drive up sales. After all, that is the bottom line. You want people to recognize your brand and buy from you. The next step being, you want them to become repeat customers and refer you to their friends and family so that you can get repeat customers. 

Influencer content is easy to share and that makes it convenient for your customers to refer you. People are likely to recommend products and services to their friends and family. Statistics show that 88% of shoppers trust word of mouth, and they’re 77% likelier to make a purchase if it was recommended by a friend.  

So, what are you waiting for? Get yourself a nano influencer collaboration and when the sales come in, you’re going to need a dependable payment processor for in-person as well as online shopping! Let us help you.