In this era of information technology and the internet, global population is making super aggressive use of the various social media alleys. Instagram happens to be one of the most popular social media platforms of the internet savvy people across the globe. It is a platform where people indulge in exhibiting their perceptions, experiences, views and opinions regarding domains which are the precincts of their peaking interest. Instagram is a social media platform where users can post videos and pictures followed by a group of people referred to as ‘followers’. Commonly speaking the number of followers often determines the type of influencer an Instagram account holder happens to be.
Instagram Influencers
Although there is no hard and fast rule regarding the number segregation to differentiate the type of influencers, it can be said that Instagram accounts with more than one million followers are considered to be mega influencers. Instagram with 100 thousand followers or more but less than one million followers are macro influencers. Instagram accounts with a follower band between 20 thousand and 100 thousand are the mid-tier influencers and accounts between 5 thousand 20 thousand followers are called micro-influencers. However it is the last and the smallest follower bands, accounts with 1 thousand to 5 thousand followers are the group which is referred to as the nano influencers.
Uses of Instagram
Instagram in its initial phase was considered to be a social media channel that was used to float personal pictures and videos, talking about a person’s own experiences, breathtaking images of a recent vacation and exciting rendezvous with friends. Soon Instagram became a medium through which people started to voice their opinions on subjects and agendas which happens to be burning and relevant issues of contemporary times. Soon the commercial enterprises and the business houses of the world recognized the far-reaching influence of Instagram. It soon became one of the most sought after platforms through which the marketing experts of niche brands began reaching out to their possible and probable customers. These marketing strategies came to be known as influencers program.
Which Section of Instagram Influencers Are Better Marketing Tools
In the earlier times, in the beginning, a phase where the influencer programs were first used by the commercial brands of the world, it was believed that the larger base of followers an Instagram account enjoys, the better are its chances of influencing a larger band of the market. However, with time and more prudent experience, it was soon understood that Instagram accounts with large follower bases were often not the best vehicles to carry out influencers programs. This understanding played an integral role in emphasizing the newfound importance of the nano influencers as the best mediums that the commercial brands could harness for their marketing strategies.
The Nano Influencers
As mentioned in the previous part of the discussion, it has been explained that Instagram accounts with a follower base between 1 thousand and 5 thousand are the ones that are popularly known as nano influencers. Quite opposed to the initial ideas, these nano influencers have turned out to be the best and the most effective mediums through which the commercial brands can now reach a niche segment of the market. It is true that nano influencers as compared to the mega or the macro accounts have a slimmer band of followers; they often enjoy a much closer and personalized relation with their followers.
As the fraternity of Instagram accounts increased in its width, breadth, and volume it was soon understood that along with the numerous genuine accounts, the number of fake accounts had also started to see an upward trend. Additionally, mega or macro accounts were often held by celebrities and other socially popular people, where their followers were more of their fans and not people with whom the account holders communicated, conversed and entered into a dialogue on a regular basis. Hence entering into Influencer programs with Instagram influencers over 50K did not mean that the commercial brands will be able to reach out to these thousands of people at a single go. It is against this realization that the commercial brands soon turned their attention to the nano influencers who even though they formed a much smaller group yet could be much potent in influencing buyers and increase the market segment for any niche brand.
Advantages of Nano Influencer
It is an established fact that you no longer need thousands and thousands of followers to be a potential influencer on Instagram. A mere following of one thousand is enough to make an account holder a potential influencer who can create a strong word of mouth for any commercial brand. Let us take a closer look at some of the benefits that a nano influencer offers to market experts looking for partnership to give shape and meaning to influencer programs.
- The nano influencers often have a more direct, regular and a number of communications with their followers. They happen to cater to all the questions and the queries of their followers making them more popular with their smaller but more loyal band of followers.
- The nano influencers are often seen as friends by their followers, someone they trust and can relate to and not as a celebrity. This is why these influencers seem to have a much stronger impact and influence on their followers. They can offer a much stronger influencer program for their marketing partners.
- It has been seen that these nano influencers often floats thoughts, ideas and opinions about certain niche domains, such as health, diet maintenance, mental well being and so on. Subjects that caters to a specific arena and will be an object of hyper interest for a slim but a definite band of people. This is how a brand can reach out to a niche segment of the market.
A wide spectrum of commercial enterprises has now begun following this trend where everyone from apparel brand, to lifestyle product companies to health brands are entering into influencer program partnerships with Instagram nano influencers to reach out to a wider gamut of customers and market sections on a global scale. It is seen as a practice of reaching out to definite section of probable customers in a much surer and smarter way.