7 steps to become a micro-influencer  

Now, you don’t have to have millions of followers to be a successful influencer on social media. Many micro-influencers are making great money, even with fewer followers than celebrities or macro-influencers, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that this is becoming a more popular profession.  

What is a micro-influencer?  

We’re all familiar with macro-influencers and the huge celebrities who have millions of followers on social media. But what is a micro-influencer?

Micro-influencers are everyday people with a decent following on their social media pages. Typically, micro-influencers post content that’s dedicated to a specific niche, and they have anywhere from 1,000 to 50K followers (although this number can vary widely). Unlike famous influencers who have millions of followers, micro-influencers have a small but loyal online community of followers. And typically, those followers will jump on any product or recommendation their favorite micro-influencer suggests.

The good news is that you don’t have to be a famous celebrity to become a micro-influencer. Anyone can do it! With the right marketing strategies, tools, and consistent hard work, you can become one of the millions of successful micro-influencers out there. 

How many followers do you need on social media?  

To be a micro-influencer, you don’t need a set number of followers. Generally, micro-influencers have anywhere from 1,000 to 50K followers, but this isn’t a requirement that’s set in stone. Many people only have a few thousand followers, yet they’re very successful influencers and are able to land paid brand deals. 

Can you land paid brand deals as a smaller creator?  

Absolutely! In fact, large brands have started to realize the overwhelming value of micro-influencers. Although most brands could easily get a macro-influencer to rep their products for them, many opt for working with micro-influencers instead. 

Here’s why:

• Micro-influencers are more affordable: Macro-influencers tend to work with many brands, and since they are well-established in their work, they can charge more. Micro-influencers, on the other hand, tend to charge less, which makes it more cost-efficient for brands to work with several micro-influencers rather than just one macro-influencer.

• They post relatable and authentic content: If you’ve ever stumbled upon a celebrity influencer posting a product advertisement, chances are, it didn’t have much of an impact on you. With huge celebrities, it’s hard to know what product and service recommendations they’re genuinely making versus what they’re just posting for a paycheck. On the other hand, the content macro-influencers post is much more relatable and authentic, making them the preferred choice for brands looking to gain new customers.

• They have better engagement rates: Even though micro-influencers have smaller audiences, they tend to have higher engagement rates. In fact, research reports show that a large following on Instagram doesn’t always mean high engagement rates. Instead, it tends to be the opposite, which works in micro-influencers’ favor. 

What are the benefits of influencing?  

Being a micro-influencer is a great career! Not only do you get to rep the brands you love, but you also get to create all types of content to do it. From photos and videos to blog posts and more, you generally get to call the shots when it comes to how you recommend certain products and services.

As a micro-influencer, you’ll also get to set your own schedule and rates and work from wherever you want — whether that’s your house, on the road, or at hotels while you travel the world. Plus, unlike with a traditional job, there’s no cap on how much you can make. You choose which brands you work with and decide how much you want to charge for your services. 

How to start your career in content creation

Now that you know the ins and outs of a career in content creation, let’s dive in to some actionable tips on how to become a micro-influencer. 

1. Lean into a niche  

First and most important, before you can become a micro-influencer, you need to carve out a niche for yourself. Creating content for a general audience rarely works, because you’re automatically competing against millions of other individuals doing the same thing. On the other hand, with a clear and narrow niche, you’ll have the benefits of less competition and a very specific audience.

For instance, instead of creating content to become a general music influencer, consider leaning in to your specific experience and talents with jazz music and piano to focus on becoming a jazz piano influencer. You’re much more likely to have better results!

If you’re not sure which niche to choose, ask yourself what you’re most passionate about. What things do you love to do? What are you good at? Find your passions and pinpoint specific problems associated with those industries. 

2. Grow your account 

Becoming a micro-influencer takes a while, so try to be patient. Spend lots of time creating profile pages that represent your authentic self, your brand, and your values. Create high-quality content that speaks to others who share your passions, struggles, and lifestyle.

Don’t forget to actively engage with your audience, too! Even if you only have five followers starting out, do your best to respond to comments and messages and interact with others’ content on their own pages. All these things will help you grow your account and gain followers organically. 

3. Post frequently  

If you want to become a micro-influencer, you’ll need to post to your social media accounts regularly. For some people, that means posting several times a week. Others might even post multiple times a day. Find a frequency that’s realistic and achievable and stick with it. Otherwise, if you only post every once in a while, your followers will forget about you.

If you’re struggling to post regularly, consider creating an editorial calendar for yourself. Plan out your posts and create and schedule them ahead of time. So even when you’re traveling or taking a break from social media, you can continue posting for your followers. That way, you and your brand will always be top of mind. 

4. Reach out to brands 

If you want a collaboration with the brands you love, you’ll need to reach out to them and ask for it. But before you send an email, consider posting a free collaboration post to your page to show what kind of work you offer and what they can expect from working with you.

When you do reach out to brands, don’t lead with, “I’d like to collaborate with you.” That’s unlikely to yield the results you’re after. Instead, start strong by telling the brand how much you love their products or services and how they’ve had a true impact on your own life. Then, tell them you’d like to work together and how your work will benefit their brand.

Also, be sure to have a media kit ready to send. This will make you look more credible and professional. It will also give the brand key statistics and information they’ll need to determine whether you’re a good fit for a collaboration, such as the number of followers you have, their demographics, your engagement rate, and the types of services you offer. 

5. Create valuable content  

Investing in the quality of your content will really pay off in the long run. Whether you purchase a lightbox to showcase your products or you invest in a great camera to take professional-looking photos, these types of efforts will help distinguish your accounts from the competition.

If you’re just starting out, do what you can for now. As your brand grows and you’re able to invest in your lighting, camera, and other equipment for content creation, don’t hesitate to do it! It’s a worthy investment in yourself and the growth of your business. 

6. Follow fellow creators  

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with following fellow content creators and micro-influencers in your niche. It’s actually a great way to get inspired and develop new ways to set yourself apart from the competition. However, don’t just view other content creators as the competition. Get out there and network with them! In doing so, you’ll gain lots of useful tips and tricks on how to work with brands and make your content stand out. 

Pay close attention to the brands that have partnered with creators like yourself. Chances are, they might be willing to partner with you too! 

7. Let your personality shine  

One thing that no one else has is your voice and your personality. So use it! The more unique and authentic you are, the more your followers will love you. Not surprisingly, audiences can see right through fake and bogus content. And unfortunately, once you lose followers due to this, you’re unlikely to gain them back.

People want to follow everyday people they can relate to on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and other social platforms. So don’t stress about being like everyone else. Instead, just focus on being true to yourself and the followers will come. 

Grow with Beacons  

If you really want to become a micro-influencer and monetize your content, you should be using Beacons. Beacons can help you build your own mini-website right from your phone. You can also use our link in bio tool to direct followers and brands to your different platforms.

Create your free Beacons account today and join the 1 million+ content creators who are already enjoying the perks of our amazing platform.