The rise of the micro and nano influencer – tapping into niche communities to unlock greater value. 

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By Amy Moore, Account Director, Influence, Weber Shandwick Scotland 

 

Understanding audiences is central to business success and earning value. But, as audiences continue to fragment into smaller, more diverse communities, understanding them and reaching them is increasingly difficult. Beyond A-list celebs or million-follower Instagram sensations, brands are targeting more niche communities to increase brand trust and engagement.  

 

Enter the micro and nano-influencers. Our Unlock25 workshop looked at not only the growing trend of micro and nano influencers and examples of where brands are engaging with them to drive impact at scale, but incorporating them as the ‘hidden secret’ to engaging with niche communities.  

 

TikTok has really moved the dial here – it is important to dive into these channels to find out what your audience is truly interested in and identify influential voices that talk to these interests in an authentic and entertaining way. Niche is personal and helps us to unlock value by supporting brands to step outside of their own sphere of influence to reach specific communities in a targeted way. 

 

We discussed the role of influence in amplifying content and how it isn’t limited to social, with influence, media and social converging. Authentic, lived-in content is the norm and influencers are shaping content that becomes media stories.    

 

Reaching niche communities is key and to do this we need to move the dial from focusing on share of voice, to share of passion. What is our target audience’s passion and how can we contribute value in this space? 

 

We busted myths, including how influence isn’t just for consumer brands – 87% of B2B buyers prefer credible content from their trusted industry peers vs brands, and workshop participants agree.  

 

At the end of our sessions, attendees agreed that the main risk is being left behind. As a rapidly growing specialism and with influencers spanning every industry, sector and interest, it is essential that brands consider working with influential voices.  

 

Our key takeaways from the workshop were:  

  • Reach isn’t everything – you can have a bigger impact and create more value through working with micro and nano influencers who people know and trust  
  • Influencers aren’t only on social and they are not solely for B2C – influential voices are everywhere, it is about finding and engaging with influencers in an authentic way that resonates with the communities you want to target  
  • Influence should be integrated and not stand alone- this can really help amplify your media messaging  
  • Target your audience based on its communities, not demographics.  

 

Ultimately, embracing micro and nano influencers is crucial for brands to stay relevant and effectively engage with their target audiences.