In the influential world of social media, individuals have been creating a name for themselves as leaders in their industry niche. Whether you focus on fashion, fitness, food, lifestyle or tech, there is an influencer marketing platform that is directly related to you. By utilizing social media platforms such as Instagram or Youtube, these content creators have created a brand and identity that gives them the title of influencer.

An influencer is someone who has built a community and identity through social media platforms in order to showcase their knowledge and expertise in a given field. While many influencers can also gain traction without a true set intention, the individuals who succeed in this social space have culminated a specific voice and vision.

The influencer marketing space is still a relatively new concept. We see influencers with a range of followers and levels of engagement, which allows us to categorize them based on size and reach. A new wave of influencers that are starting to shape the social sphere are micro-influencers.

A micro-influencer is an individual with a reach of 2,000 to upwards of 50,000 followers on a specific social platform. Micro-influencers have a set niche that they are focused in and a community that is directly interested in this industry. Additionally, micro-influencers have a high engagement with their audience which makes them a strong marketing force.

For various reasons micro-influencers are starting to fall into the ranks of social media success. Here are 5 reasons why micro-influencers are going to be the next biggest social media stars.

They Maintain Authenticity

What micro-influencers have that many larger, macro counterparts lack is a true, unwavering authenticity. Larger influencers are supposed to maintain an authentic feel and intention on their platforms, yet as they continue to grow and gain traction this concept of identity can start to diminish.

The reason influencers exist is for the one to one connection that brings back the real and relatable essence of a brand for its consumers. By using an influencer, a company has a more sincere voice and identity that everyone can relate to. Essentially, this removes the misplaced and often deterring aspects that can be created through traditional marketing campaigns and initiatives.

Yet, if an influencer’s growth causes them to lose their original identity – they too will become less appealing to their audience and potential consumers. This is where the smaller, niched micro-influencers step in and thrive within this changing social space. By maintaining authenticity, micro-influencers showcase to their community a relatable aspect that keeps them interested and engaged in the content they create.

They Have A Closer Sense of Community

Since a micro-influencer thrives off of their authentic and relatable nature, this in turn allows them to develop a strong sense of community on their specific social media outlet.

With a strong sense of community comes a high level of engagement, which is the key component for brands who are interested in utilizing influencer marketing. When you have a sense of community, your viewers trust your opinion and are essentially invested in your life, experiences and feedback you provide to your audience.

Having a close sense of community allows micro-influencers to be seen as a positive and worthwhile marketing investment for many brands. This is especially true for smaller companies who may be starting out and need to develop a strong, niched consumer base rather than engaging in mass expansion from the start.

They Are More Relatable

With their authentic personality and close sense of community, micro-influencers give off the feeling of being relatable. This trait allows you to connect directly with your viewers and find the strings of commonality that tie you together. Once you have established such a connection, you will be able to create content that directly appeals to your followers.

Being relatable is not as difficult as it may seem. As long as you are able to establish your voice and stay true to the ideas and content you share, you will be able to find common threads between you and your audience. A micro-influencer masters the relatable factor because they represent the every day individual. They create a world that can be attained by their audience. With this, people can see themselves within the micro-influencer and maintain a vested interest in what they share.

They Understand The Masses

As we mentioned, micro-influencers appeal to the every day individual. Their brand appears to be more achievable and understood by a wider audience and therefore allows them to appeal to the masses.

The macro influencers may have a sense of popularity, but the lifestyles they share aren’t accessible to many or most of their followers. For example, a macro-influencer may work with high level, expensive brands that sell products with hefty price tags. While it may be interesting to look at their content, the average individual isn’t running out to spend $1,000 on sneakers. The image they portray is effective in marketing luxury and high end brands.

On the other hand, micro-influencers can work with successful brands, but often with those who have more of a realistic, affordable price point. This appeals to a larger audience of people and the set masses of those who can afford to purchase such an item. While a macro-influencer may be targeting the 1%, a micro-influencer has the ability to create a tight knit community that consists of many types and levels of consumers.

Their Efforts Give A Feeling Of Sincerity

The final reason micro-influencers are set to take over the world of social media is their overall feeling of sincerity they exude. As your social media following grows, your work and life will begin to change. In some situations, this can cause an influencer to lose their original style that made their content appealing in the first place.

Micro-influencers have the ability to keep a level of sincerity in their content because they are less focused on massive growth and more about fostering a set community of people who are interested in what they produce and say. In turn, this gives their brand a feeling of sincerity and truth that is needed now more than ever in the social media world.

With their authenticity, sense of community, relatable nature, appeal to the masses and sincere approach – micro-influencers are on the track to becoming the next biggest social media stars. In a world that has quickly become dominated by the Internet and social profiles, it is important to have such individuals pave the way for a more truthful and honest space that promotes connection, engagement and community.