Prior to 2013, Influencers weren’t really a “thing”. Simply type the word Influencer on your computer and spell-check alone will tell you it isn’t a word. Fast forward to 2018, there are thousands upon thousands of Influencers who have popped up on the radar. Not only that, you can now find an Influencer for almost any subject/interest. InfluencerMarketingHub.com conducted an online survey and created beautiful infographics that lay it all out for us. The numbers speak for themselves!

Source: https://influencermarketinghub.com/the-rise-of-influencer-marketing/

Influencer Defined

So what makes an Influencer? The Cambridge Dictionary defines it as …

“MARKETING a person or group that has the ability to influence the behaviour or opinions of others: The influencer is the individual whose effect on the purchase decision is in some way significant or authoritative. (Definition of “influencer” from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)”

Olapic, a renowned digital content provider, conducted a study in 2017 where they appointed CITE Research to survey 4,000 social media users from the U.S. and other countries just to get to the bottom of defining what it takes to become an Influencer. Here were the findings…

“An influencer is someone:

With 10,000+ followers
Brands engage with to help promote their products/services/messages
Who shares information about products they love
Who is an expert in their field”
Source: http://www.olapic.com/resources/consumers-follow-listen-trust-influencers_article/

Micro Influencers Vs. Macro Influencers

So what about those bloggers that catch our eye who don’t necessarily have 10K+ followers? Certainly, they have motivated you to trust their advice on products they love right? These small-time Influencers are called Micro Influencers. Social Media Today defines Micro Influencers as:

“Micro influencers are ‘normal’ people, so to speak. Most of the time they have less than 10,000 followers.
A micro influencer will often ‘apply’ to become an influencer. Platforms such as Tribe and Takumi are communities of individuals who pride themselves on aesthetic social media accounts. These kinds of people usually have a good eye for photography.”
Source: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/micro-influencers-vs-macro-influencers/516896/

Micro Influencers are more authentic. They may work with a smaller budget and have a smaller reach, but they offer their own level of engagement and brand awareness.

Macro Influencers

Source: http://www.olapic.com/resources/consumers-follow-listen-trust-influencers_article/

Macro Influencers are Influencers who have reached celebrity status. They have “made it” in the world of blogging and make enough to earn quite an impressive living doing so. All that fame and all those followers come with a price!

“One piece of content from a celebrity influencer could cost anywhere from $2,000 to a whopping $50,000, depending on their status and follower count. If you’re thinking of getting the Kardashians involved, you better have a spare $500,000 knocking about. Believe it or not, these endorsements now make up around 25% of the Kardashians' income, demonstrating just how expensive they can be.”
Source: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/micro-influencers-vs-macro-influencers/516896/

Influencer Subject Categories are Endless

We have come a long way in terms of variety of Influencer categories on the map. Influencers come in all different shapes and forms. You can find an Influencer for relatively any subject matter! For instance, I follow a variety of them myself — from lifestyle bloggers and fashion bloggers to KETO diet specialists, and master couponers!