In a social media-obsessed world, influencers have become more important than ever. Yet, strategic influencer marketing has never been about scale or the million followers— it's always about the greater influence.
It's undeniably true that influencer marketing is taking social media by storm. With more social media platforms than ever, there are more opportunities to connect with influencers who can help promote and raise brand awareness.
At Carusele, we have realized the potential of niche influencers for targeted campaigns within our partner brands. In particular, they're often an underutilized tool that can separate brands from their competition. You just have to take a closer look at more than just the follower count.
Today we're going to walk you through what niche influencers are and how you can take advantage of them for your brands.
The Power of Niche Influencers Defined
Move over, celebrities and mega-influencers. Creators with smaller followings will become the new social media stars.
Niche influencers, more often than not, don't have millions of followers on social media. But their audience, content, and relevance to the industry have a massive impact on the brands they're working for. They say the smaller, the better.
But before defining a niche influencer, it’s important to understand what is a 'niche', anyway?
What is 'Niche'
A niche is a small part of a broad market optimal for a company’s product or service, marketing, and distribution.
Essentially, it is a term used to describe a specialized segment of the market for a particular product or service. A niche market isn't just a small slice of the overall market, but one that has unique needs or desires that aren't being met by mainstream products or services.
For marketers, a niche is defined by several factors, such as:
- Loyal customers.
- Relatively lower levels of competition.
- Smaller budget.
But niche influencers, what are they?
What Are Niche Influencers
Niche influencers have authority on one subject, they're often not called the 'celebrities'. But one thing we can agree on at Carusele, is they're the new stars.
Niche influencers are social media users with a few thousand followers who have a tight-knit community around a specific topic or interest. These types of influencers are considered to be more authentic and carry more weight because their influence is condensed among people who are passionate about the same thing.
Brands that want to target a specific group of consumers can partner with niche influencers to easily tap into their target audience.
Content is more targeted, campaigns become more impactful.
This strategic marketing allows brands to get in front of an engaged and relevant audience, which is more likely to convert into customers and brand advocates.
How to Find Ideal Niche Influencers
Influencers have managed to achieve a high level of authority when it comes to brand marketing. This is why this marketing technique deserves the attention of all brands and businesses on social media. It has become the need of the hour for users since there's a high percentage of the audience who trust the opinions of influencers more than sponsored ads and celebrities.
Earlier this year, a study by Oracle and CRM Essentials states how social media influencers have become a trusted source for consumers seeking to purchase or discover opinions about a product. Only 13% said they've discovered new products or brands via traditional TV advertising. While 80% conveyed purchasing products in direct response to social media content.
- 80 percent of consumers have purchased products in direct response to social media content
- Only 13 percent discover new products or brands via traditional TV advertising
- 98 percent find customer service interactions frustrating
With that, we have broken down essential tips for finding the right niche influencers for your brand.
Aligned with Brand Values
Finding an influencer who shares the same values as your brand is key.
It's vital to work with an influencer that shares the same values with your brand. Influencers are a representation and ambassadors of your business. It only makes sense to partner with someone who will uphold the same standards. If they don't, there's a high chance that their social following won't trust your brand either — an ineffective campaign.
Of course, it's not always easy to find influencers who perfectly align with your brand values. However, it's worth taking the time to find those who are close to what you're looking for and who checks all the major boxes for your brand. And, as they say, even the best-laid plans can go awry — so don't be afraid to partner with someone different if, after thorough vetting, the person you had hoped to partner with wasn't the best fit.
Has Good Engagement Rate
Social media influencers have taken over the internet. With millions of followers ready to be reached and engagement rates that show actual influence through interaction, it's no wonder brands are clamoring to work with them.
However, not all influencers are created equal.
While some have millions of followers, others only have a few hundred thousand. Some have sky-high engagement rates. Others only have a few hundred likes per post. When selecting an influencer to work with, you need to focus on quality, not quantity. After all, it's better to have a small group of engaged followers than a large group of unengaged ones.
Produces Quality Content
High-quality influencer content is crucial if you want a marketing campaign to actually lead to higher conversions. Brands can use the authenticity of influencers as a form of social evidence, and that's found within the quality of content and messaging they convey on social media.
One good, authentic, and high-quality post, that matches the influencer’s personal brand, can easily persuade potential customers to buy your product or service.
Therefore, when looking for social media influencers to partner with, you can request content samples or take a look at their social media posts. This will give you a good idea of what to expect from the campaign and whether or not the influencer is actually a good fit for your brand.
“Genuine impact drives activity, not simply awareness.” — Jay Baer
Determine Relevance
Take an audit of your own content. What is your brand's aesthetic, and what tone do you use in your copy? What are the underlying messages you're trying to communicate?
It's important to see how aligned your influencer's content is with your own. Not just in terms of brand values, but as well as their relevance to the industry.
Their niche following may be smaller than that of a mainstream influencer, but their niche followers are often more engaged. This can make them very powerful when it comes to promoting a brand or product.
Ultimately, the relevancy of an influencer depends on both their niche and their ability to reach your target audience. If you can find an influencer who meets both criteria, then you have found a valuable partner for your marketing efforts.
Utilizes Social Channels
The right influencers are those who focus on utilizing social channels to drive conversions. By understanding the algorithms of each social media platform and how content is surfaced to users, niche influencers create strategies that get results.
Additionally, you would want to partner with influencers who have a keen understanding of their audience’s needs. That generally includes venturing to another social media channel where their audiences may be.
Additionally, you'll want to look for an influencer who is active on multiple social channels. This will help ensure that your message reaches as many people as possible. By carefully selecting the right social media influencers for your brand, you can maximize your chances of success.
The Bottomline
There's no doubt that social media influencers have the power to reach a large audience and generate excitement around a product or brand.
With so many influencers out there, it can be tough to know who to work with. When it comes to choosing the right influencer for your brand, niche is key.
Modest numbers of subscribers are not always a bad thing. Sometimes less is more. At Carusele, we help you determine the right influencers for your brand and deliver 100% success campaigns, every single time.
Message us and let's find out how you can work with us today.