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Considering adding influencer marketing to your digital marketing strategy, but not sure how to make it work for B2B? We’ve got you covered. This article covers the rise of B2B micro-influencer strategies, including why they work so well and how to execute them for your business.
Defining Micro-Influencers
Micro-influencers have between 1,000 and 100,000 highly engaged followers on average across the platforms on which they post. Many of these influencers make content for niche audiences.
Some of the micro-influencers in your industry may B2B micro-influencer strategiesbe working on growing their following. Catching these personalities on their way up the social media ranks is a cost-effective way to boost your reach.
Other micro-influencers grew their following by focusing on a specific niche. Sticking with a narrower focus helps these creators maintain authenticity and inspires more engagement.
From Mega to Micro: The Shift in Influence
In the early days of social media, partnering with a mega influencer could connect your brand to millions of people. People develop a trusting relationship with the creators they follow online, and are more likely to listen to an influencer’s product recommendation over a typical ad.
As more brands started using influencer marketing, customer trust started to wane. People still trust influencers, but they become skeptical when an influencer excessively posts sponsored content or fails to disclose the sponsorship. In general, 74% of people somewhat trust influencer recommendations.
Micro-influencers are in the sweet spot of social media advertising. Their follower counts are still small enough to inspire authentic engagement and credibility, but they are big enough to broaden your reach.
Why Audiences Trust “People Like Me”
A micro-influencer’s appeal lies in the fact that they’re not yet big enough to be considered “internet famous.” Most micro-influencers blow up because they’re enthusiastic about their niche, and they are still relatable to their audience.
Part of what makes influencer marketing so successful is the way popular creators tell an authentic story to their followers. Effective storytelling makes it easier for audiences to connect to your brand. Seeing a relatable person talking about your brand in a way that resonates with their followers makes you memorable. An influencer’s followers see themselves in the story and start considering your company.
People are more likely to connect with others who share similar characteristics. Psychologists call it the “Similar-to-Me-Effect.” Surrounding yourself with people who are like you appeals to the human desire to belong. Partnering with micro-influencers that hold a mirror up to your customers creates a deeper connection by tapping into the Similar-to-Me-Effect.
Social Media Algorithms Favor Engagement
Visibility is the key to making social media marketing work for you. A compelling social media story with an enthusiastic creator won’t give you a high ROI if the algorithm is burying it among thousands of posts. Social media algorithms boost creators with high engagement because it signals that a post is relevant.
Micro-influencers tend to be more actively engaged with their audiences. Businesses are catching on to the benefits of partnering with highly engaged micro-influencers, with 73% of brands preferring to work with them.
Working with niche micro-influencers in your industry who are actively engaging with their audiences also gives you better leads. Because these followers see their favorite content creator as trustworthy, they may be more likely to research your brand.
Brand Perspective: Cost and ROI
In general, micro-influencers are more affordable than their mega-influencer counterparts. Depending on their platform, you pay $100 - $500, or up to $7,000 for a whole package, to promote your brand with a micro-influencer.
Compare that to a mega-influencer who might charge you $20,000 for a single Instagram video, and you can see the savings. Some business-savvy micro-influencers may charge you more, but these creators are generally more affordable than popular names in a given niche.
Working with creators with smaller followings can also yield higher returns on investment, with some companies reporting a return of more than $1,000 on a $50 investment.
Examples of Impact
Bosch Power Tools took a page out of the B2C playbook by partnering with micro-influencers across Europe on YouTube to review products. Bosch provided tradespeople with free tools in exchange for honest video reviews. Tradespeople featured in this campaign ranged from custom woodworkers and furniture makers to commercial plumbing companies.
Each reviewer tagged their video #BuiltWithBosch, making it clear these posts were sponsored. The campaign achieved a 24% engagement rate and a 6% increase in sales for an average cost of £0.04 per video.
Lenovo launched its own late-night talk show, “Lenovo Late Night” to connect to business owners while positioning itself as a trusted voice in tech. While host Baratunde Thurston is more of a mid-tier influencer, with over 200,000 followers, the show’s guests included people with followings ranging from 1,000 to more than 50,000.
The digital tech company produced 16 episodes over two seasons. Each episode averaged more than 100,000 viewers. The beauty of "Lenovo Late Night" is not just the fact that the series exposed millions of viewers to the brand, but that it also broke down IT topics in a funny, relatable way. Decision-makers who may not understand the nuances of IT problems could nevertheless understand how Lenovo could solve their real-world issues.
Takeaways
B2B influencer strategies can help you keep up with the competition. More than half of B2B companies are already using influencer marketing to build brand awareness and nurture new customer relationships.
Micro-influencer strategies are often more effective because customers can see themselves in smaller content creators. Implementing a B2B micro-influencer strategy helps you optimize your marketing budget through higher engagement and a stronger ROI.
Like any marketing strategy, B2B influencer marketing is more effective when you partner with the right creators and nail your messaging. Idea Grove can help you develop impactful B2B influencer campaigns that resonate with your audience.
Our team of experienced professionals understands how to find the right influencers for your audience and develop content that lands. Contact us today for a consultation.
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