How many followers do you really need to be an influencer?
To put it simply, anyone can be an influencer.
When you’re just starting out, it is best to focus on your niche and build your community with the same interest, so when it comes to working with brands, they can see what you are all about!
The term influencer doesn’t come with a specific number of followers, but focuses more on how that individual connects with their audience, which can be shown through following and engagement rates. And yes, brands do work with influencers of all followings.
So let’s break it down a little more:
Nano influencers are those with less than 10,000 followers and can even have as little as a few hundred.
But why do brands work with them?
Well, this category of influencer has some of the highest engagement rates, loyalty and sense of community amongst their followers. With a highly engaged audience that values your voice, this is a gold mine for brands.
The next type of influencer in the list are micro influencers who have less than 50,000 followers and are typically the middle ground for brands. They still have significant engagement rates and are able to reach a much larger number of people compared to nano influencers….not to mention, they are a lot cheaper than macro influencers.
Now, macro influencers are considered to have more than 100,000 followers and are a guarantee for brands that they will reach a large number of people, but it costs more! It is also important to note that this is where engagement rates are typically lower than those of nano and micro influencers.
The last category is a mega influencer or celebrity. This group typically has followers in the millions. Although, this costs brands, they know their engagement will be very low, but their status alone pretty much guarantees the sales with their reach in the millions. It is a great marketing strategy for a brand who wants to gain exposure.
So in reality there is no set number of followers you NEED to become an influencer, focus on your community and the rest will follow.