Having the endorsement of someone who uses a product or service can greatly impact an organization’s ability to attract new clients. Many luxury brands hire celebrities, actors, and athletes to be influencers of target audiences in their marketing campaigns and the famous charge famously for their opinions. But what about smaller brands in local markets who need to speak to a local target audience? That need has prompted the evolution of micro-influencers—friends, neighbors, or others whose opinions you trust because they’re “real” people.

What is a micro-influencer?

Micro-influencers are everyday consumers with an active and growing media presence (typically between 1,000 and 100,000 followers) who focus on one social media platform, such as Facebook or Instagram. Authentic and trusted, micro influencers produce a vast amount of non-promotional content geared toward advice and entertainment. This makes their recommendations more powerful. Studies show that 82 percent of people who get a recommendation from a micro-influencer are more likely to follow it. How to find them? Look at your current follower base, and see who regularly comments, checks your feed, finds your location, and shares your posts. They can be potential micro-influencers.

Why are they effective?

Micro-influencers are affordable with lower per-post costs if they participate in a pay-to-play partnership. They have a target audience that may dovetail with yours, so your investment has greater return. Perhaps most importantly, they feel “familiar” to consumers, who consider them trusted friends.