Macro influencers: you’ve heard the term, but are you fully leveraging their potential in your marketing strategies?
They can be your brand’s best friends — with a little help, they can take your brand from mediocre to incredible.
From leveraging their expansive reach to crafting an unforgettable brand story, we’re about to explore how these digital powerhouses can supercharge your marketing this year.
Ready to maximize your marketing magic?
Let’s dive right in.
What is a Macro Influencer?
If you’ve ever scrolled through your Instagram feed and seen a popular figure endorsing a product, you’ve experienced influencer marketing.
But what exactly is an influencer?
Simply put, an influencer is a person who can, well, influence others’ buying decisions due to their authority, knowledge, or relationship with their followers. They often exist within a niche market, allowing for a concentrated focus on a specific audience.
For example, an influencer might be a celebrity endorsing a brand on Instagram, a YouTube gamer with a legion of loyal fans, or even a travel blogger influencing your next vacation destination.
In other words, influencers come in all shapes and sizes, and understanding their different types is a crucial first step in leveraging influencer marketing.
But here’s where it gets interesting: a social media influencer can be segmented into nano, micro, macro, and mega influencer.
But let’s focus on the main event — macro influencers.
These are the folks you find at the sweet spot of influencer marketing. They’ve got a sizeable following that offers wide reach but still maintain a level of authenticity and connection with their audience.
Macro influencers often come from a variety of backgrounds. Some are bloggers or YouTubers who’ve grown their following over time, others may be industry experts or thought leaders, and some are even celebrities.
They typically have professional influencer partnerships with brands and are skilled at weaving endorsements into their content seamlessly.
For example, remember the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge? That’s an example of macro influencers at work.
For the challenge, celebrities like Bill Gates and Oprah participated, leading to the influencer marketing campaign reaching millions of people worldwide and raising over $115 million for ALS research. That’s the power of macro influencers!
So, understanding the types of influencers and their key characteristics can help you decide who’s the best fit for your brand.
It’s not always about the follower count; it’s about finding the influencer who can effectively communicate your brand’s message to the right audience.
Why are Macro Influencers the Key to Unlocking Your Social Strategy?
The magic of macro influencers lies primarily in their reach.
They can help drive quick sales due to their influence and are often seen as key opinion leaders in their domain, making them trusted figures among their followers.
Macro influencers have follower counts that run into the tens or even hundreds of thousands.
What’s more, this following isn’t just limited to a local or national scale; it often extends globally, providing a golden ticket to brands looking to tap into larger markets.
That’s like having your brand on a billboard in Times Square — only this time, the billboard moves across different countries!
Consider the example of travel blogger Travelista Teri, who has around 105k followers and partners with brands like Airbnb. Her follower base, largely interested in travel and lifestyle, trusts her opinion and are likely to consider the products or services she endorses.
People buy from people, not brands. And macro influencers are like the cool kids in school — when they sport a new fashion trend, everyone wants in.
Not to mention, macro influencers are seen as key opinion leaders in their domain.
Their large follower base trusts their recommendations and views them as trendsetters, which means their endorsement can drive sales.
5 Beginner-Friendly Steps to Creating Your Macro Influencer Strategy
Now, if you want to create your own successful macro influencer marketing strategy, here are the steps:
Step 1: Identify Your Ideal Macro Influencer
Your first step is to identify potential macro influencers who could be a good fit for your brand.
Ask yourself…
Does their content style resonate with your brand? Are their followers your target audience?
Key factors to consider: the influencer’s core values, their audience demographics, and content style. Do they gel with your brand’s ethos? If not, that’s a red flag.
Use third-party services like Traackr or Upfluence to streamline this discovery process. These services can help you navigate the influencer ocean, and even help you negotiate contracts.
Step 2: Set Your Budget
Next, determine your budget. There’s no sugarcoating it — macro influencer marketing can be pricey. But, like any significant investment, the returns could be well worth it.
First, you might consider recruiting a dedicated influencer marketing manager.
Their expertise can streamline collaborations, ensure smooth communication, and keep tabs on your influencer marketing campaign performance.
Also, factor in third-party platform costs. Services like AspireIQ and Klear can simplify the influencer discovery and negotiation process, but remember, they come at a price.
And don’t overlook content rights.
If you want to use the influencer’s content on other marketing channels, you might have to loosen those purse strings a little more.
Ultimately, it all hinges on potential return on investment. Will the campaign’s reach and potential sales outweigh the costs? Only a thorough evaluation will reveal the answer.
Step 3: Establish Collaboration Terms
After pinpointing your macro influencer and mapping out your budget, it’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty — establishing collaboration terms.
Firstly, nail down the type of content. Is it Instagram posts, stories, reels, TikTok dances, YouTube videos? Maybe a mix?
Specify this in the collaboration agreement.
And remember, macro influencers are usually a seasoned content creator, they know their target audience best. Encourage them to put their unique spin on the content.
Then comes frequency.
How often will they post about your brand? Once a week? Twice a month? This needs to be crystal clear.
You want consistency, but don’t go overboard. Excessive posts about your product may come off as inauthentic and can lead to audience fatigue.
One more crucial bit — content rights. Who owns the content the influencer creates? Can you use it on your brand’s social media accounts, website, and email campaigns?
It’s common for brands to repurpose influencer content, but it comes at a cost. Ensure this is detailed in your agreement.
Lastly, communication is key.
Have regular check-ins to discuss content ideas, review performance, or address concerns. A well-nurtured relationship can lead to long-lasting brand partnerships.
Step 4: Define Your Goals and KPIs
Now that you’ve got the collaboration terms settled, it’s time to clarify your goals and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
This step is like setting the GPS for your marketing journey — you need to know where you’re heading to navigate the route effectively.
Before anything else, ask yourself…
What do I want to achieve with this macro influencer collaboration? Is it raising brand awareness? Boosting sales? Increasing website traffic? Or perhaps it’s all three!
Whatever it is, make sure to spell it out. Having a clear aim will guide your strategy and keep everyone focused.
Next up — KPIs.
These are the measurable outcomes used to gauge if your campaign is on track.
If brand awareness is your goal, you might monitor the number of new followers on your social media platform or the volume and sentiment of mentions your brand receives.
Or say you want to boost sales. Then you’d be tracking direct sales from the influencer’s posts, using unique discount codes or tracking links.
You might also monitor the influencer’s post engagement, as it’s an indicator of how many people are seeing and interacting with your product.
Just remember, results won’t appear overnight. Influencer marketing, especially with macro influencers, is a marathon, not a sprint.
Step 5: Maintain a Positive Relationship
And we’re off! With all the planning done, you’re now in execution mode.
Yet, while the campaign is live, there’s one crucial thing you need to be doing in parallel — maintaining a positive relationship with your influencer.
Why’s that so important, you ask? Well, think about it.
A happy, satisfied influencer will pour their heart and soul into the collaboration, and it shows. Their content will resonate more genuinely with their followers, and that is marketing gold.
So, how can you keep your macro influencer happy and engaged? Let’s dive into a few pointers:
- Be Respectful and Professional: Treat your influencer with the same courtesy and professionalism as you would any business partner. After all, that’s what they are. Remember, their social media platform presence is their business, and they’re collaborating with you to grow that business. Honor deadlines, promptly answer queries, and treat them as equals.
- Open Communication Lines: Keep the communication lines wide open. Make sure you’re always available to chat. It shows you’re invested in the collaboration and value their input.
- Show Appreciation: A little appreciation goes a long way. Regularly show gratitude for their hard work and creativity. It doesn’t have to be over the top—simple recognition can work wonders.
- Provide Support: Don’t leave your influencer hanging. Offer support whenever needed. Whether it’s providing more product details or sending more product samples for a photoshoot, be there to lend a hand.
- Fair Compensation: Last but definitely not least, offer fair compensation. Understand the worth of their platform and the effort they put into creating content. Ensure the payment terms are transparent and honored on time.
Imagine your relationship with your influencer like a bonfire. The campaign is the flame, and your positive relationship is the fuel.
The better the fuel, the brighter and longer the flame will burn. So, keep that relationship spark alive and glowing!
Unleashing the True Power of Macro Influencers
And there you have it! You’re now armed with the intel to conquer the macro influencer landscape.
Yes, it’s a trek, but imagine the view from the top! Stunning reach, sales soaring, brand buzz vibrating.
So, take that first step. Harness the power of macro influencers, and let’s make your brand shine.
And remember, every great journey begins with a single step. Yours starts now. Are you ready to go?
