If you’ve been part of the online commerce industry, the term “influencer” is not foreign to you. While consumers have been interacting with brands online for years with the rise of social media platforms has paved the way for more social-led commerce. Because of the rise in influencers and improvements in technology, companies find it more profitable to be able to sell products and services on social media which then leads to social communities in which consumers can share feedback and influence the purchasing decisions of others.
The good news is that more brands are adopting influencer-driven perceptions, and younger consumers who value real, intentional, and authentic engagement are leading this trend. However, the bad news is that influencer fatigue is setting in among consumers due to the repetitive, cookie-cutter content from celebrity influencers.
To combat this, brands can reengineer their influencer marketing strategy by focusing on smaller consumer tribes united by common passions. This approach aligns with the concept of the smallest viable audience, as explained by entrepreneur and author Seth Godin. Instead of trying to reach everyone, brands should aim to create so much delight and connection with their target audience that they choose to spread the word to like-minded peers.
Enter nano-influencers.
The trend has shifted of influencers has slowly gone from macro-influencers to micro-influencers and now to nano-influencers. By engaging with nano-influencers, who have smaller but highly engaged audiences, brands can create authentic and relatable content that resonates with their target audience. This approach allows brands to build authentic relationships with consumers which then leads to a loyal following that can help drive sales and increase brand awareness.
Why go nano?
Higher engagement rate:
Nano-influencers consistently achieve the highest engagement rate compared to any type of influencer. One of the main benefits of working with nano-influencers is their higher engagement rate. Compared to macro-influencers and mid-tier influencers, nano-influencers consistently achieve the highest engagement rate. In fact, you can get more than double the engagement rate of these other types of influencers by partnering with nano-influencers.
Better marketing ROI
Another benefit of working with nano-influencers is better marketing ROI. Since nano-influencers have a smaller following, they generally charge less per follower than larger influencers. This makes it a lot more cost-effective to work with them especially for smaller businesses with limited marketing budgets.
In addition, consumer preferences are increasingly inclining towards brands that share their values, whether it is B2B, B2C, or B2B2C. This means that companies can leverage their employees as nano-influencers, as they are best positioned to promote the brand values and message. By being able to create a successful employee influencer program, you can help the business gather employees who have existing passion for the brand and who would love to promote it on social media, which in the end will be for your benefit.
Nano Influencer Program 4R’s
Looking to get your employee influencer program up and running? Here are a few tips to take into mind when looking for influencers to partner with:
Review
Start off by reviewing. Take a look with with how the influencers are feeling. Make sure that the people you’re working with will love what they do, there is no point in working with people who are not motivated anyway. Make sure that they are willing and able to participate in the influencer program and understand how it will work.
Recognize
Next step, take some time to recognize employees who are passionate for your brand and who are willing to put in the energy and effort to advertise your brand on their social media platform. These influencer will be your strongest asset in the influencer program. Being able to pick the right people for the job is essential for a successful project.
Reward
Create an incentive program that rewards your partnered influencer for their participation and aligns with your overall influencer marketing goals. This will motivate your employees to stay engaged and invested in your program. Make sure you are not over compensating or under compensating the people you are working with. If an influencer who is helping you generate a lot of engagement feels that they are not receiving enough, they may cancel their partnership with you.
Repeat
Keep the momentum going by continually analyzing your program and making improvements based on the feedback you receive. If you keep doing this, you’ll have a wonderful team to work with who continue to promote your brand in the future. Continue doing what works for you so that you can become successful. It’s okay for you to be stuck at a point since not everyone gets to perfect everything in one try. Keep trying to find what works for you, failure is part of the process.
By going through the following tips, you will be able to implement an employee influencer program that will help you build strong connections with customers and broaden your reach — improving your overall marketing ROI.
In summary, while the landscape of influencer marketing has changed drastically since its inception in the early 2010s, brands can stay ahead of the game by focusing on smaller consumer tribes and engaging with nano-influencers to create authentic and relatable content that resonates with their target audience. Working with nano-influencers is a great way to expand your reach without spending too much. You can increase your engagement and build strong connections with the people you would like to buy your product or service. If you want to work with external influencers or work with your current employees, what matters the most is being able to generate followers who share your brand values anyway.
Send us a message or contact our Team at contact@pop-star.me for more information on how PopStar can help you in your search and implementation of a nano-influencer program.