Influencer marketing is one of the main tools used by brands to build awareness and gain organic social traffic. It’s a powerful strategy that consists of brands partnering with influencers, connecting with an audience that is already engaged in their niche.

The best part about influencer marketing is that it can be used effectively even by small businesses without many resources. Micro influencers, despite not having a follower base of millions, bring a much more focused and engaged audience that can be even more beneficial to your company than larger influencers.

Want to know exactly what micro influencers are and how they can help your business? Just keep reading to find out all about it and how to find the best micro influencers for your company.

What are micro influencers?

Micro influencers are social media content creators (Instagram, Facebook, etc.) who have between 10,000 and 100,000 followers. They’re called that precisely because they don’t have such a large number of followers compared to macro (100K–1M followers), or mega influencers (1M+ followers), but that doesn’t mean they’re any less effective in attracting engagement for your company. Quite the opposite.

A major advantage of micro influencers compared to users with millions of followers is that their audience is much more focused on a specific niche.

Someone like MrBeast, for example, started his career as a gaming content creator (playing Minecraft for the most part), but today his content goes way beyond videogames and 'let’s play' videos. It’s common for influencers to naturally cover broader and broader niches, as their audience grows and diversifies. This is how they ensure their personal brand reaches more people and stays relevant.

Micro influencers, on the other hand, have smaller more focused follower bases, which makes them more effective for small and medium-sized companies focused on one niche, looking to establish themselves in the ecommerce market.

Why should I work with micro influencers?

As we mentioned earlier, micro influencers can be effective marketing vehicles because their follower base, although small compared to more well-known influencers, is loyal and very engaged with the specific niche in which that individual operates.

If you have a company focused on selling clothing, partnering with a fashion micro influencer can be an excellent option, both for the growth of your company and for increasing the influencer's credibility, creating a much greater win-win relationship for both parties.

Reasons why you should work with micro influencers include:

They’re easy to find

Micro influencers represent the largest group of creators on the internet. According to Spiralytics, they account for 47.3% of all active content creators today, which means that no matter what niche you’re in, you can find a good micro influencer to represent and introduce your brand to their user base.

And with so many options, it also means that partnering with a micro influencer is relatively easy. You can strike a good deal with these creators even if your company doesn’t have a lot of resources.

They provide higher engagement for your business

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Don’t let the number of followers give you the wrong impression, micro influencers can generate high conversion rates. An influencer’s first few thousand followers are usually made up of the most engaged users in the respective niche that the creator operates in. 

This means that the best micro influencers have higher engagement rates with their small but interested base of followers than influencers with thousands of followers, many of whom don’t even consume the creator’s content.

Just to give you an idea on that fact, according to Influencer Marketing Hub, micro influencers with less than 5,000 followers have an average engagement rate of 5.7%, with this number going as low as 1.7% as the number of followers grows to 100,000.

They give you access to a niche audience for building trust

The basis of influencer marketing is to create a sense of transparency and trust between a brand and its audience through a trusted individual (the influencer) who is, in some way, relatable to those people.

With a base of followers who consume content based on their specific niche, micro influencers give your business access to people who are genuinely interested in the service or product your company offers within the niche in which the influencer operates.

Add to this the fact that 69% of consumers typically trust influencer recommendations (according to eMarketer) and you have a solid engagement and customer loyalty tool in the form of a partnership with a micro influencer.

They’re cost effective

Micro influencers are considerably cheaper to hire than more popular content creators. While it may seem obvious, since their follower base is naturally smaller, the big advantage of this is that the benefits can easily outweigh the costs.

Many micro influencers are just starting out as content creators, so even those who deliver professional content will be more than happy to negotiate a good deal for a referral partnership.

Depending on the type of business you have, if you’re a clothing company for example, you could simply send your products to the influencer in exchange for good social proof marketing. It’s a small price to pay for a lot of engagement potential.

How to find micro influencers

Finding the right micro influencer for your business is about more than just choosing the content creator with the most followers, but rather the one who resonates best with the target audience you want to reach.

The right creator will allow your business to create an authentic connection with your niche. As consumers, we are naturally more inclined to trust the opinion of someone we consider “one of us” than faceless companies.

So, much more than someone who speaks highly of your products and services, an influencer should be a spokesperson who attests to the quality of what you offer on a personal level.

And to find the best micro influencers, you can:

Search on social media platforms

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This is the simplest and one of the most direct ways possible. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok are full of influencers of all types, and a quick search is enough to find the one that fits the target audience your company wants to reach.

All you need to do is access the search bar on these platforms and use keywords relevant to your business segment. If you sell sports products, for example, good keywords include "fitness", "health", "healthy life" and so on.

Hashtags are another valuable resource that works in the same way as keywords, the difference is that it allows for a more targeted search. You can do a general search with hashtags like "#health" or "#fitness", or even be more direct by using "#fitnessinfluencer". If the content creator uses these hashtags, you will find them.

Direct searches on social networks can be laborious. But if you know how to search, you will certainly find the perfect micro influencer for your business.

Use influencer marketing tools

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There are many content creator marketing platforms that you can use to find the best influencers in every possible niche.

Tools like BuzzSumo, AspireIQ, or Heepsy help you find the best content creators by niche, number of followers, and even location. Want to focus your efforts on generating engagement in a specific geographic region of the country? A local micro influencer may be the best option for you, and with these platforms you can quickly narrow down the best candidates for your campaign.

Use an influencer marketing agency

With the rise of influencer marketing, many marketing agencies have become fully specialized in offering services that range from finding the right content creators for each company, to managing and creating content, analyzing campaign performance and even producing performance metrics.

The cost may be a little higher than if you simply sought out and negotiated the services of a micro influencer yourself. However, if you want a more “technical” business relationship based on metrics and performance data, a good influencer marketing agency can be a good and professional intermediary between you and the micro influencer.

Whop is home to a whole range of agencies, from Clipping agencies, to influencer marketing, to SEO.

Join communities

Niche communities, whether on Whop, Reddit, Discord and Facebook groups, are great places to find influencers who are already immersed in your industry. Look for active participants who regularly share helpful or engaging content—they could be the next micro influencer you collaborate with.

With Whop you can offer bounties to your community for sharing content. Simply add the bounties app to your whop, set up the bounty, and pay your users for sharing your content across their socials.

Check out your followers and reach them directly

Micro influencers are constantly following company accounts and other big names on social media that are in the same niche as them. So, sometimes, the perfect micro influencer is already a follower of your brand. 

Scroll through your follower list to see if any creators are already posting about your products or services. Or try to find that user who is especially engaged on social media, constantly posting content that fits your business. You could even discover a gem in the rough that will help take your company's engagement to the next level.

How to identify the best micro influencer for my business?

The best micro influencer for your business is one whose content aligns with your industry, the audience you want to reach, and the overall values ​​your company represents.

To find the right creator for your brand, you need to:

Understand your audience

First of all, get crystal clear on who your target audience is. What are their interests, demographics, and pain points? The best micro influencer for your business will share an audience with your brand, so knowing exactly who you're trying to reach is a crucial first step.

If you're still unsure, check out our guide on what a target persona is and how you can create one.

Look for engagement, not just follower numbers

Remember when we mentioned that you shouldn’t get the wrong impression when looking at a micro influencer’s number of followers when it comes to engagement potential?

A micro influencer's power lies in their engagement. Check out their comments, likes, and shares to see how their followers interact with their content. An influencer with 10k followers and a 6% engagement rate can be far more effective than someone with 60k followers but minimal interaction.

Assess the quality of their content

Do not hesitate to judge. Scroll through the micro influencer’s posts and stories you’re interested—are they creating visually appealing, authentic, and consistent content?

High-quality photos and videos paired with a relatable personality are a strong indicator they’ll represent your brand well. The lower number of followers should be a result of lack of experience and time on the platform, not lack of quality in their content.

Check for brand alignment

Does the tone and style of the micro influencer's content match your brand? For example, if you’re a sustainable skincare brand,when partnering with someone who values eco-friendly living your offerings will resonate more naturally with their audience. 

This alignment is important to ensure that engagement is as high as possible. You also can take note of past collaborations to see if their partnerships align with your brand values.

If you're still figuring out your brand, check out these personal branding examples (and how to create your own brand identity)

Evaluate their authenticity

Authenticity is what sets micro influencers apart. Look for creators who genuinely connect with their audience and avoid coming across as overly “corporate”. Authentic recommendations will drive trust—and results—for your business.

Also, once you’ve found a few strong candidates, a good tip is to start small. Collaborate on a single campaign or product promotion and evaluate the results. This will give you a better idea of how their audience responds before committing to a longer-term partnership.

Whop can help you learn skills to scale your business

Whether you’re an entrepreneur looking to learn new ways to make money online, an influencer seeking tips to monetize your online following, or someone with a great idea ready to turn into an ecommerce business, with Whop you can learn everything you need to start making a living on the internet.

We’ve helped hundreds of entrepreneurs turn their first dollar online into hundreds of thousands in profit thanks to the online courses, guides, and many communities on our platform, and you could be one of them. You could even find your next micro influencer in one of these whops! Explore Whop today - your business will thank you for it.


How to find micro influencers FAQs

The frequently asked questions about how to find micro influencers.

What is a micro influencer?

Micro influencers are social media content creators (Instagram, Facebook, etc.) who have between 10,000 and 100,000 followers. 

Why should I consider working with micro influencers?

Micro influencers often have stronger connections with their followers, leading to higher engagement rates. They’re also more cost-effective and are perceived as more authentic than larger influencers.

What types of businesses benefit most from micro-influencers?

Small to medium-size businesses in niche industries or those targeting specific audiences tend to benefit the most. This includes beauty, fitness, fashion, tech gadgets, and sustainable products, among others

What are common mistakes to avoid when working with micro influencers?

Avoid picking influencers solely based on follower count, ignoring engagement rates, or micromanaging their content. Authenticity is key, so trust their creative approach.