Size isn’t always important, especially when it comes to working with nano influencers.

Early this year, Partipost and MSW Ventures released the Asia Pacific Insights: Influencer Marketing Report 2023. And according to the report, 60% of the brands here in the Philippines allocate up to 50% of their budget to influencer marketing, working with celebrity endorsers, micro influencers, and also, nano influencers.

This statistic is unsurprising considering the popularity of influencers here in the country. In addition, INSG says that 70% of Filipino online consumers have made a purchase that is based on the recommendation of an influencer.

However, employing influencer marketing isn’t as simple as signing up the largest influencer you can afford. In fact, one of the things you should first be aware of is the concept of influencer tiers—a classification which includes influencers with followings both large and small, or in the case of nano influencers, tiny.

But who are classified as nano influencers and what are the advantages of working with them? Here’s what you need to know.

What Are Nano Influencers?

According to Shopify, nano influencers are influencers with only 1,000 to 10,000 followers, while LinkedIn points out that those with less than 1,000 followers fall under this category. Among all the influencer tiers, nano influencers have the smallest following. 

In contrast, micro influencers, the next tier, have 10,000 to 100,000 followers. Mega or celebrity influencers—the tier with the highest number of followers—have more than one million followers on social media. 

Benefits of Working with Nano Influencers

Many brands have a “the more, the better” mentality when it comes to selecting influencers to work with. However, this is not always the case. Mega influencers can be expensive, mercenary, and inauthentic. Meanwhile working with many nano influencers can help you reach your numbers and reap the benefits of their small but high quality social media following. 

Affordability and Scalability

One of the benefits of working with nano influencers is the low cost. As they are the tier with the least number of followers, they do not charge large sums from brands. In contrast, those with hundreds of thousands or millions of followers will likely charge a premium for a collaboration with their brand. 

Thinking smaller in influencer marketing can be beneficial if you have a limited budget for your marketing campaign. It can also beneficial if you prefer to work with more influencers instead of focusing on one mega or celebrity influencer. 

“Nano influencers are much more common than influencers with higher followings,” Indeed explains. “This means you can easily scale your marketing strategy and digital content by hiring a large number of nano influencers.”

Indeed likewise notes that working with smaller influencers gives you the opportunity to experiment with new markets with less risk. 

High Quality and High Quantity Engagement

Indeed also points out that when it comes to nano influencers, your business get both high-quality and high-quantity engagement. While nano influencers have a smaller number of followers, they tend to have higher levels of engagement, especially when compared to influencers with large followings. 

Nano influencers also come across as more approachable and relatable to their audience as their follower count does not look so daunting. Because of this, people online find it easier to approach them either by commenting on posts or sending private messages to ask their questions about products and services they endorse. 

“As a result, they perceive these public figures as a friend,” LinkedIn says. “Most importantly, they feel heard and understood whenever they reach out to them.” 

Savvy marketers know the power of a friend’s recommendation, and in much the same way, nano influencers can influence higher conversion rates. It’s all about the bottom line. An influencer strategy such as this can be powerful, especially when there is a higher chance that users who visit your website or social media accounts turn into paying customers.

Key Takeaways

Among all the influencer tiers out there, nano influencers can be the most budget-friendly and cost-efficient tier that you can work with. However, despite the low costs, this does not mean that such a marketing strategy is foolproof. 

Without proper research and analysis on your part as the business owner, a marketing campaign involving nano influencers can go wrong, especially if it does not reach your targeted audience. Given this, it is important to understand and identify your target audience before starting any influencer campaign. 

It is also important for you to first identify its goals and objectives for conducting such a campaign. Not having a goal or objective will make the campaign difficult to execute successfully. 

After all, at the end of the day, a successful campaign, whether with mega, micro or nano influencers, relies heavily on careful planning and execution.