Featuring celebrities in ad campaigns has long been a proven and effective marketing strategy. With social media peaking over the last few years, celebrity marketing has broadened to include influencer-led campaigns, establishing digital mediums as powerful marketing channels.
In fact, targeted marketing with influencers is such a big deal in the Caribbean that it is expected to touch USD 114.64 million by 2030. The industry is experiencing a growth surge with a shift towards authenticity.
For local businesses in Trinidad and Tobago, influencer marketing is more than just a buzzword – it’s a necessary social media marketing strategy that directly impacts the company’s bottom line.
However, many businesses find themselves a little lost in the vast sea of celebrities and influencers, ranging from bigwig macro names to micro and nano personalities.
This article will explain the differences between macro and micro-influencer partnerships, the benefits and pitfalls and which would work for your brand and business.
What are influencer partnerships and why are they important?
Anytime you open YouTube, Instagram or TikTok, you’ll be sure to see reel after reel of influencers sharing stories about their latest coffee date at a cute new little place around the corner, their skincare routine and favourite products, their outfit inspirations and shopping spree results and so on. A lot of this content is the result of a fruitful partnership between the influencer or celebrity and the brands they use or endorse.
These partnerships could arise organically or via brands sourcing out and approaching influencers who match their voice and target demographic. Either way, influencer marketing amplifies brand voice and message and is crucial for social media marketing success.
Having a recognizable face that your consumers already know and trust helps lend credibility and authenticity to your products and services. The key is to choose the right personality for your campaigns – sometimes, a high-profile celebrity might be the best face for your attention-grabbing ad, while in some scenarios, it would be more fruitful to tie up with a more local, micro-influencer.
Next, let’s examine the difference between these two approaches and which would work for your brand.
What is the difference between macro and micro influencers and which one should you go for?
The first and most important thing to remember is that ‘macro’ and ‘micro’ are relative terms, depending on the geo-locality of the influencer and the nicheness of their profile. In the US, for example, some macro-influencers or celebrity influencers could have 10 million or more followers on social media platforms. In such places, a micro-influencer might have around 100K followers.
However, in general, macro-influencers have around 100K to 1M and above followers, while micro-influencers have 10K to 100K followers. Kylie Jenner, Gal Gadot and Roger Federer are examples of celebrity macro-influencers. Local lifestyle bloggers, ‘BookTok’ personalities and food bloggers are examples of micro-influencers.
The question is not, ‘which is better?’, but rather, which works better for a particular brand at a particular point in time.
When should your brand partner with a macro-influencer?
A macro-influencer in Trinidad would be any film and TV celebrities, musicians and media figures, national sportspeople and athletes etc. These personalities would have around 100K+ followers at a minimum. A golden example of celebrity partnership that launched the brand to success is Nike’s iconic “Just Do It” ad with Michael Jordan in 1984. A more recent example would be Rihanna’s partnership with Louis Vuitton for the Men’s Spring-Summer collection last year.
Partnering with a celebrity influencer for a series of reels or posts on social media is similar to running an expensive ad campaign at primetime on TV and digital mediums, or plastering huge billboards across major city intersections and highways.
These partnerships can be expensive, but they also yield professional, high-value outputs and expertly produced collaborations.
Your brand should partner with a macro-influencer when you want to make a big splash and rapidly spread big news or announcements, for example, the opening of new large-scale multi-location stores or the launch of a new, prime product. These types of partnerships usually make more sense for established and national brands and businesses.
Learn more about emotional branding and how your business can benefit from it.
When should your brand partner with a micro-influencer?
Micro-influencers are like the salt of the Earth where digital marketing is concerned. They are a part of your local community and champions of authentic reviews and experiences. Consumers trust the micro-influencers they follow and take their word seriously. In fact, global reports show that 92% of consumers trust earned media, such as recommendations from people they know. And, as many as 70% trust consumer opinions posted online.
Micro-influencers are usually consumers themselves and their followers, whether 5K, 10K, or 50K in number, trust their word like they would anyone else they know. So, your brand can leverage micro-influencer partnerships when you need to build a community around your brand or product and when your aim is to drive conversations and conversions among a smaller but highly engaged group of consumers.
One major advantage is the significantly lower costs of partnering with a single micro-influencer. This means you can curate a set of five or ten such influencers and release targeted, highly effective and authentic campaigns with a high yield. This is great for startups, new ventures and niche businesses.
Comparing macro vs. micro influencers – a bird’s eye view
To give you a better understanding of the differences between macro and micro influencers, let’s simplify the key points in a comparison table.
| Differentiating factor | Micro-influencers | Macro-influencers |
| No. of Followers | 10K to 50K | 100K to 1M+ |
| Type of Business | Small to medium startups, niche businesses and new ventures | National brands, country-wide retailers and large corporations |
| Type of Audience | Highly targeted, engaged, local communities | Broad, general public, diverse consumers |
| Aim of the Campaign | Engagement: niche targeting, generating trust and conversions | Impression: brand awareness and public announcements |
| Type of Content | Relatable, authentic, personally motivated, real | Professional, high-production value, polished |
| Cost | Low or moderate | High |
So, what’s the ultimate verdict? The truth is quite cliched, though not simple: Gauge what works for your business and use that. In fact, for many brands, multi-modal marketing campaigns that combine macro and micro-influencers work wonders.
Smart brands with marketing experts on board take a hybrid approach. For example, they might use a big-name celebrity (macro-influencer) for that initial fancy launch of a new product or service. And then, they might partner with multiple micro-influencers to build a community and maintain an authentic buzz that can drive sales long term.
Conclusion
Knowing the difference between macro and micro-influencers is only one step in the process. You need to understand what works for your business and when to partner. You need to identify which local influencers to vet and partner with and you also need to implement robust systems to drive the narrative and gather data and analytics.
If you find yourself a little lost in this vast and alluring playing field, reach out to a full-suite services marketing agency that can customize a game plan based on your specific needs.
Contact us at Webfx to learn about how you can promote and market your brand in the most authentic and rewarding manner.
