Social media influencers are now the currency for brands and business owners. Over the past three years, marketers have increased their influencer marketing budget.
Brands are constantly on the lookout for influential personalities to promote their brand.
What Are Social Media Influencers?
In summary, Influencers are people who have amassed a decent following/audience on social media. They possess a reputable online presence across one or more social media platforms.
They usually create quality content and carry their audience along.
Collaborating with a social media influencer will expose your brand to a new audience and provide fresh content.
Here are ten different types of influencers you may likely encounter on social media.
1. Bloggers
Blogging is one of the oldest forms of creating content. Contents usually involve write-ups, photographs, and other types of media. Bloggers are individuals who regularly write content for websites. Brands collaborate with bloggers who have built a solid audience to promote them on their websites.
Aside from their dedicated websites, bloggers are active across various social media platforms. They have a dedicated and highly engaged audience that trusts their information. If they were to recommend a brand in their article, readers are highly likely to check it out.
We have top paid bloggers like Perez Hilton, HuffPost by Ariana Huffington, and Copyblogger by Brian Clark. It is advised for marketers to look into the niche of a blogger to achieve the desired result.
2. Celebrities / Public figures
These individuals already earned a fanbase from fame, launched into the public view either through acting, music, or sport. Celebrities usually have a massive number of followers across many platforms.
Their large audience makes them a sensation for brands to work with as they have a massive social media reach. Celebrities may not necessarily have niche expertise, but they can influence purchase decisions.
Supermodels, actors, and musicians often work with fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands. Likewise, athletes are sought after by fitness and sportswear brands. Some top celebrity influencers include Cristiano Ronaldo, Beyonce, and Ariana Grande.
3. Micro and Nano Influencers
Micro and Nano influencers usually have less number of followers than macro-influencers and celebrities. Despite their small follower count, they have a high engaging audience in their specific niche. They usually charge much less compared to popular influencers and celebrities.
Micro-influencers are often open to other forms of compensation.
So if you can not afford to pay cash, you can offer them freebies or VIP packages. Note that compensation does not apply to all micro-influencers. Hence it is vital to have an agreement beforehand.
4. Macro Influencers
Macro influencers are social media personalities with hundreds of thousands of followers across social media platforms. They have a well-established niche with a large number of dedicated followers. Macro influencers have a significantly more audience reach than micro-influencers.
They are of high advantage to brands looking to increase visibility. They have lots of experience and are highly professional, with years of experience working with brands. Macro influencers cost more to hire and are not recommended for small businesses.
5. Reality TV Stars
Reality television is one way to gain overnight stardom.
These individuals share some intimate parts of their daily life. Their viewers find it easy to relate to them and sometimes look up to them.
As a result of this connection, Reality tv stars possess the ability to influence a purchase. Apart from The Kardashians, The Bella Sisters, and other high-end reality TV stars, there are many emerging stars from various upcoming shows. The trick is for marketers to take advantage of their rising fame as it is often short-lived, and the excitement will likely fizzle out.
6. Journalist
Journalists are trained individuals who gather pieces of information as either text or multimedia. They are influential media personalities with the ability to upgrade your brand image. Most journalists have an active social media presence across platforms.
Some independent journalists own their publishing platforms.
Most journalists share information around a particular topic, which makes them pretty similar to content creators. Collaborating with a good journalist will promote your brand reach and reputation.
7. Content Creators
Content creators are individuals who create and share entertaining content via any channel. They are similar to professional influencers. A Content creator’s main aim is to inform, entertain and educate their audience with engaging content. Digital content creation is the new goldmine since that is how most content is shared.
A lot of influencers amassed their followers through content creation. An example is influencer Khaby Lame who got famous for his famous shrug. He is currently the second most famous Tiktoker. Brands can leverage a creator’s unique style to showcase their products.
8. Photographers
Photographers create high-quality visual content. Many of them share tips and tutorials related to their work. Fashion and lifestyle brands often seek to collaborate with them.
Camera and photography tools brands also collaborate with photographers to promote their products. Collaborating with photographers gives the brand access to top-notch content.
9. Life Coaches
A life coach is a person whose main aim is to help others attain their goals in life. Their content can either be centered around a specific niche or simply generic. They help their audience clarify their goals and introduce new strategies to maximize their potential.
It is a recommended idea for startups and personal brands to collaborate with life coaches for a shoutout or recommendation.
10. Lifestyle Influencers
A lifestyle influencer publishes content about their everyday lives and interests. These influencers use their voice and content to attract a sizable engaged audience. Lifestyle influencers usually have one or more niche topics that they create content around. Their audience is people with similar interests.
Lifestyle influencers serve as a source of inspiration to many. Their audience looks up to them for new trends. As a result, they are considered an effective tool for digital marketing.
11. Mid-Tier Influencer
A mid-tier influencer does not have celebrity status, but still, they have a high-powered group of content creators trusted by their followers. They have an audience between 50k to 500k, these types of audiences offer wide-reach brands and a little bit more engagement than mega or micro-influencers.
Rather than advantaging the popularity for a rapid rise to the peak, mid-tier influencers take many years to become mid-tier influencers from nano influencers. They are very experienced in creating content and contenting for their audiences.
Related Read:
Conclusion: Types Of Influencers (2024)
We have observed several different influencers you can collaborate with to promote your brand or services. Sometimes marketers get overwhelmed by the wide variety.
Brands and marketers should ensure their niche, budget, and brand personality aligns with the influencer. Additionally, find an influencer interested in your brand, as it will reflect in their work.
Finally, as you select your influencers, it is also vital to choose your platform.
Know who your target audience is and their preferred platform. Instagram has proven to be more generic than most, with users of all ages and geographical locations.
