Digital Marketing Blog

You've probably noticed that some individuals on social media will use their accounts to promote certain products and services.

They tend to have audiences made up mostly of people that match certain criteria, with interests in specific products.

When the account holder endorses a product, many of their audience is likely to buy the same thing. 

Such is the volume of followers that some of these people have that any endorsement of a product can have a significant impact on the sales of that product.

The people that have these social media accounts are known as influencers.

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How Many Followers Does It Take To Be An Influencer? 

There is no single answer to this question.

There is no magic number you need to pass in order for the klaxons to go off and the ticker tape to fall in congratulations at having upgraded your influencer status.

The numbers can vary considerably according to which field you are in, how committed your followers are, and what you expect to gain. 

You could say that you are an Instagram influencer once a brand decides you are an influencer but, still, different brands are likely to have different expectations for them to brand somebody as an influencer.

However, there are some ballpark figures that will help give you the kind of online presence that you will need in order to be able to call yourself an influencer. 

There are four main categories of influencers.

Here's a look at each type and what they entail.

1. Nano Influencer

Social media nano-influencers tend not to be stars or a celebrity influencer, but everyday people.

The sort of people you are unlikely to have heard about unless you are interested in particular products.

Their audience tends to be friends and family, and other people who have stumbled across them online.

Nano-influencers tend to have only around 1,000 or so followers, although this might reach up to approximately 5,000 in some cases.

Despite these relatively low numbers, they can still be a reasonably effective Instagram influencer.

This is because they tend to interact more closely with their audience. 

Social media nano-influencers can also be useful because their low-key status helps give them a 'girl next door' persona that allows other people to associate with them more easily.

Of course, a business can also collaborate with many nano-influencers, helping to make up for the relatively low number of influencers' followers. 

How much nano-influencers can expect to make can also vary considerably, and different platforms are considered more valuable than others.

Below is an approximation of what a nano-influencer is likely to charge:

• Instagram: $10–$100 per post

• YouTube: $20–$200 per video

• TikTok: $5–$25 per post

• Twitter: $2–$20 per tweet

• Facebook: $25–$250 per post

One example of a nano-influencer is bristolfoodcritic.

As the name suggests, this popular influencer focuses on food in the Bristol area.

They have just over 3,000 Instagram followers.  

2. Micro Influencer

Micro-influencers are still everyday people, but they have taken their influencer marketing to the next level.

Micro-influencers will make more of an effort to create good quality content, and this tends to mean that they will attract many followers.

Indeed, micro-influencers are likely to have up to around 100,000 followers, although this number is often lower.

Micro-influencers tend to focus on a particular niche, and they are often considered authorities in that niche.

They also tend to have relatively high levels of interaction with their followers.

Again, how much micro-influencers can expect to make can also vary considerably, and different platforms are considered more valuable than others.

Below is an approximation of what a micro-influencer is likely to charge:

• Instagram: $100–$500 per post

• YouTube: $200–$1,000 per video

• TikTok: $25–$125 per post

• Twitter: $20–$100 per tweet

• Facebook: $250–$1,250 per post

One example of a micro-influencer is hellorigby.

You have probably never heard of her – but there's no reason you would have unless you have an interest in her niche.

Hellorigby focuses on the style and beauty niche and currently has just under Instagram 25,000 followers.

3. Macro Influencer

Macro-influencers are people who the general public is more likely to know of, and, in many cases, they became well-known thanks to the internet.

They tend to have more than 100,000 followers, but this figure can be far higher. 

Macro-influencers tend not to need to go looking for companies that will use them as an Instagram influencer.

Instead, macro-influencers tend to be approached by big brands looking to increase their brand awareness. 

The sheer volume of followers means macro-influencers do not interact with individual followers as much as nano and micro-influencers.

This means less of an impact on each follower, but having such a broad audience means they can be very influential overall. 

Below is an approximation of what a macro-influencer is likely to charge:

• Instagram: $5,000–$10,000 per post

• YouTube: $10,000–$20,000 per post

• TikTok: $1,250–$2,500 per post

• Twitter: $1,000–$2,000 per tweet

• Facebook: $12,500–$25,000 per post

One example of a macro influencer is Logan Paul – a name that many of you have probably already heard.

With 18.1 million Instagram followers, Logan has a larger audience than your average macro influencer.

However, he is not well known away from his online presence and probably not quite as influential as a mega-influencer.

Regardless, Logan has still benefited considerably from his Instagram influencer marketing career. 

4. Mega Influencer

Social media mega influencers tend to be global, household names.

These include the most famous actors, the most successful musical artists, and the most recognizable sportspeople. 

Mega-influencers will often have little knowledge of a product they endorse, and their many followers will tend not to belong to a particular product niche.

However, mega-influencers will have such a large following that any products they endorse will reach a vast audience, resulting in a considerable upturn in product visibility and sales. 

Social media mega-influencers are already likely to be relatively wealthy, and they can also expect to make the following amounts through endorsing products. 

Below is an approximation of what a mega-influencer is likely to charge:

• Instagram: $10,000+ per post

• YouTube: $20,000+ per post

• TikTok: $2,500+ per post

• Twitter: $2,000+ per tweet

• Facebook: $25,000+ per post

Figures as high as $1Million for a single Instagram post are not uncommon. 

Perhaps the ultimate example of a social media macro-influencer is Kim Kardashian.

Kim is a global household name and has a whopping 186 million Instagram followers.

Not only does Kim have a vast following, but many of them will also be looking to her for the latest fashions.

If Kim makes a post of herself using a particular product, the manufacturer can expect sales to go through the roof. 

3 Pro Tips On How To Become An Influencer

⭐ Related Post: How To Become A Social Media Influencer

Starting out as an influencer can be hard, so we have listed three pro tips to help get you on the right track. 

Pro Tip #1: Craft An Audience

You are not going to do well if you try to sell to the wrong people.

With that in mind, you need to think about your target audience before you start.

If you have a particular product in mind, you will need to be sure that your social media accounts appeal to people interested in that product.

You want to do your research and learn what your ideal audience is looking for and wanting. 

Once you understand and know exactly what they want you can start to show them content that answers their questions to warm them up to you even more. 

It is important to learn what sort of thing gets them excited, and what type of things will turn them away.

You should also think about using the right tone of voice and messaging. 

If you find your social media is not getting the amount of engagement you want, maybe try messaging your content differently and try to speak to them in a different way. 

Pro Tip #2: Create & Sell Your Story

The closer an audience feels to an Instagram influencer, the more likely they will feel loyal to them, and trust them.

One way to help achieve this is to tell the audience more about you, and an effective way to accomplish this is to tell them a personal Instagram story.

Telling a story about something that has happened to you in the past, or maybe how you came to be an influencer, can help your audience know you better.

An Instagram story can also make it a lot easier for your audience to relate with you.

They may be able to put themselves in your shoes and imagine experiencing the same things you have.

This can help to strengthen a bond between an influencer and their audience, and it can help draw the right type of audience to your social media accounts.

Tip 3: Implement A Marketing Strategy

One very effective way of marketing yourself as a famous influencer is to use paid ads.

These tend to be very affordable, and they help you get noticed among the countless other influencers out there.

Just make sure that your ads are targeted to the right people, and using the right keywords will help you achieve this.

You should also make sure your social media accounts use the right hashtags in your Instagram bio and anywhere else that will help your audience to find you.

Also, try and make sure you don't flood your Instagram account with posts promoting items.

If you make it too spammy, then you are likely to start using your audience.

Instead, only make posts when you have something relevant and exciting to say.

And remember, every social media post does not have to be a sponsored post or an endorsement.

Focus on maintaining your relationship with your audience and, when you do endorse a product, more people are likely to follow your lead. 

When you serve your audience first, above all things, that is when you will build long-lasting healthy relationships with your ideal people.

Once you achieve that, people will always come back for more. 

To Sum Up

The majority of us will need to start as a nano-influencer, to begin with.

As you get to grips with how it works, you will slowly begin to grow a warm audience of people who will advocate for your brand.

Everything you post and publish will help continually grow your audience. And with a larger audience, big brands will be willing to pay you more for you to work with them.

If you are planning on starting a successful influencer marketing career, follow the essential guide above, and you are already part of the way to success.