Micro-influencers are a real asset for brand communication. Discover our tips for finding the perfect profiles.
Although micro-influencers have smaller communities than high-profile influencers, they often have higher engagement rates.
Influencer marketing has become an essential strategy for increasing a company's visibility on social networks. This process allows you to highlight your offer through spokespeople who are trustworthy to consumers. While influencers with millions of followers are often very visible, the world of influence is actually much larger and includes tens of thousands of creators in France, with communities of various calibers. However, it can sometimes be difficult to detect these lesser-known creators. If you want to target a micro-influencer to promote your brand, here are some suggestions to consider.
What is a micro-influencer?
A micro-influencer is a creator who has an engaged, but smaller, following than the industry’s big players. While the threshold for micro-influencer status is up for debate, it’s generally estimated to be between 10,000 and 100,000 followers on social platforms. These creators can focus on specific areas and combine their influencer income with a more traditional job.
Collaborating with a micro-influencer has several advantages for brands:
- Attractive prices: Micro-influencers offer much more competitive rates than celebrity influencers. In search of regular income, they are often willing to establish long-term partnerships when collaborations bear fruit.
- Increased engagement: Micro-influencers typically have higher engagement rates than mainstream influencers. This is because their smaller community size fosters a sense of proximity. It’s generally better to go with a creator with a smaller but active audience than with an influencer with a large but less-engaged following.
- Compatibility with your product: As mentioned earlier, micro-influencers tend to specialize in niche topics. This gives you the opportunity to target a creator whose content aligns perfectly with your company’s products or services.
3 techniques for finding a micro-influencer
Explore social networks
Social media platforms offer a variety of search tools that can help you spot influencers. The search bar on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube, for example, lets you search for keywords or hashtags related to your industry. While follower count can give you an indication of the size of an influencer’s community, it’s important to pay attention to other engagement signals like the number of comments or likes they receive before making your choice. Another positive indicator: the creator interacts with their followers, such as by responding to comments or launching polls.
Also, look at your own subscriber list as well as your competitors’. This can help you discover creators who already have an affinity with your brand or the types of products you offer. Finally, keep an eye on the partnerships your competitors are building. This will help you identify potential influencers to collaborate with you while also giving you insight into the sponsored content they’re sharing.
Find a committed micro-influencer via the ARPP
In 2021, the Professional Advertising Regulatory Authority (ARPP) introduced a certificate for responsible influence, ensuring that creators respect their consumers and current standards. To obtain this certification, influencers must complete an awareness course and pass a knowledge test. The full list, which contains more than 1,500 creators, is freely accessible on the ARPP website and includes links to their profiles on different platforms.
Although this search tool has limitations, this list is a valuable resource for identifying committed creators. It includes very popular profiles, such as Léna Situations, Hugo Décrypte or Iris Mittenaere, but also a multitude of lesser-known influencers.
Turn to an influencer marketing platform
If you are considering establishing regular collaborations with influencers, it may be relevant to register on a platform specialized in influencer marketing. These solutions offer access to a vast database of influencers that you can filter according to several criteria, such as age, gender or the evolution of their community.
The richness of the lists, combined with powerful search tools, makes these platforms particularly effective for identifying local influencers. In addition, they allow you to track the performance of your campaigns.