Stop those old-school methods of finding the ‘right’ influencers who are essentially famous and have a huge following. Instead, turn to micro-influencers! They are more cost-effective, authentic, and have a highly engaged audience. But how to find micro-influencers that align with your brand and suit your needs? Today, we are here with 7 unique ways that no one will tell you ever!
Who are Micro-Influencers?
Micro-influencers are bigger than nano-influencers but smaller than macro and mega-influencers. They typically have a following of 10,000 to 100,000 on social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. These individuals have a specialized niche or topic that they focus on and have built a loyal and engaged following within that community.
Read more: Different Types of Influencers.
Nowadays, you get a lot of micro-influencers with a more concentrated and niche audience as people are leaning towards highly personalized content. They may have smaller numbers, but they have higher engagement rates and influence within their specific community.
Some micro-influencers that are doing well include names like Connor Norby and Jasmine Chyrrel Edelen.
But, how to find micro-influencers who can benefit your brand? Let’s dive into the unique ways!
7 Ways to Find Micro-Influencers
These 7 ways of finding micro-influencers are not your typical Google search or influencer marketing platform techniques. These methods will help you find the perfect micro-influencers who align with your brand and have an active and engaged audience.
1. Use the Brand Ambassador App
One of the best ways to discover micro-influencers is by leveraging the Brand Ambassador App. This platform is designed specifically to create and nurture relationships between brands and their ambassadors. It offers a seamless and direct communication link, allowing influencers to receive clear directions and benchmarks from the brand they represent.
The app provides an intuitive experience that rewards users at every step of their journey, making it an attractive platform for micro-influencers eager to enhance their influence and impact. So, you can use this program to find micro-influencers that meet your needs and standards. Additionally, you get tons of features that can help you take the process to a whole new level!
2. Engage in Social Listening
Social listening is a way to see what’s being talked about online and find micro-influencers who are already interested in your industry. Using special social listening tools, you can check out conversations about certain words, hashtags, or topics that relate to what you do. This helps brands to join in on these talks and find the people who influence these discussions the most.
Remember that many micro-influencers don’t call themselves “influencers.” Instead, they’re just people who naturally start discussions and build communities by talking and sharing their thoughts. Social listening tools can help you find these leaders. These tools look at how often they talk with their followers and how their audience feels about them. They give you information on who is popular and has a good reputation. This helps brands find people they can work with genuinely.
3. Check Out Competitors’ Followers
Have you ever heard of reverse engineering? It’s a great tactic and can be used to keep an eye on your competitors’ strategies, including influencer marketing. You can check out your competitors’ social media accounts and look for the micro-influencers who follow them.
But how do you have to do that?
Start by identifying the influencers your competitors are working with or who frequently mention them. This gives you a sense of who’s already interested in your niche. Use some tools (if you have any) to provide insights into the followers and engagements your competitors have, unveiling potential influencers.
Once you’ve identified these key figures, evaluate their content and engagement levels to ensure they align with your brand values and target audience. This method allows you to tap into a pool of influencers who are already inclined toward your industry, saving time and ensuring better engagement. Of course, you can’t poach the influencers your competitors are working with currently, but who knows, maybe they’re open to working with you as well.
4. Collaborate with Local Events
Collaborating with local events is an exceptional strategy for finding micro-influencers, thanks to the intimate and community-driven nature of these gatherings. Local events, be it exhibitions, conferences, workshops, or even trade shows, attract a high concentration of nano and micro-influencers who are actively engaged in their fields.
To make the most out of these gatherings, always come prepared with business cards and brochures detailing your brand’s mission, values, and partnership opportunities. These materials enable you to introduce yourself and your business. And when you engage with the right influencer, you can start building a relationship.
We’ve seen that local events present opportunities to observe micro-influencers in action, assess their networking abilities, relay their knowledge, and understand their audience dynamics firsthand. After identifying the right individuals, seize the moment to initiate a partnership conversation, discussing how collaborating with your brand can be mutually beneficial.
5. Use the Internet and AI
If you’re not using the power of AI for your work, you’re living 10 years behind the world. The emergence of Artificial Intelligence has revolutionized countless industries, and influencer marketing is no exception. We all have powerful AI tools, most importantly ChatGPT, that can answer your queries far better than those search engines. You just have to give the prompts, and the AI will give you a solution. For example, you can ask it about the names of the top micro-influencers in your niche, and it will provide you with a list of potential candidates.
Additionally, leveraging the internet for your search can be equally beneficial. A simple query, such as “your industry + micro-influencer,” can unveil a wealth of articles that dive into the unique qualities and offerings of various influencers within your niche. This method makes finding and keeping up with changes in the influencer world easier.
In short, using AI tools and smart internet searches, brands can find the right micro-influencers to help spread their message and improve their market placement.
6. Referrals
No one can tell you how good an influencer is but the one who has actually worked with them. This is why referrals are a goldmine when it comes to discovering trustworthy micro-influencers for your brand.
Ask people you know, like partners, clients, or others in your industry, about influencers they’ve worked with. This is a smart way to find good micro-influencers. They can tell you about influencers who did a great job, were easy to work with, and have been successful. Just reach out to your contacts and ask if they know anyone who had good results and was fun to work with.
When diving into the world of referrals, don’t hesitate to leverage testimonial exchanges. If you’ve succeeded with a particular influencer, be willing to recommend them to others, reciprocating the favor when they send outstanding influencer recommendations your way.
7. Keep an Eye on Emerging Platforms & Tools
Sticking to the most popular social media platforms when looking for micro-influencers might not yield the best results, especially since new platforms are emerging every day. These micro-platforms attract niche audiences and can be a goldmine for brands looking to connect with micro-influencers.
Additionally, many tools are designed specifically to help brands find and manage influencer partnerships. These platforms use algorithms to match influencers with the right brands, making it easier and faster for businesses to find suitable micro-influencers. You can also use these tools to monitor your influencer campaigns, track performance, and measure ROI.
The only caveat to using these tools is that they often come with subscription fees, so do your research and choose wisely based on your budget and needs. But there’s nothing wrong with these subscriptions because they bring in a lot of value for a relatively small investment. This is definitely a step worth considering for brands that are serious about influencer marketing.
How to Find Micro-Influencers: The Final Verdict
So, there you have it, 7 unique and effective ways to find micro-influencers for your brand. Regardless of your chosen method, always do thorough research and evaluate each potential influencer to ensure they align with your brand values and goals.
If you’ve read the blog till the end, you will definitely have the answer to “how to find micro-influencers.” Now, it’s time for you to take action and start leveraging the power of micro-influencers for your brand’s growth and success! So, go ahead and try these methods, and watch your influencer marketing efforts bear fruit.
