When getting into the world of influencer marketing, knowing and understanding influencer tiers is a must. While it sounds like tiers are another way for others to judge your follower success, they are used by brands to determine which influencers they will work with and how much to pay them.
First, you should know what the tiers are:
If you have a following between 1,000-10,000, you are a Nano influencers. If you have 10,000-50,000 followers, you are considered a Micro influencer. Mid influencers have 50,000-500,000, and Macros have 500,000-1,000,000 followers. The influencers with the largest following, 1,000,000+, are called “Celeb” or Mega.
- Nano Influencers: A go-to for a lot of brands when looking to also grow their brand and not spend a ton of money. Nano Influencers are known for high engagement with their followers, niche content, and smaller follower count. These influencers are seen as highly authentic.
- Micro Influencers: Similar to Nanos, Micros have higher engagement rates and niche content but have been successful at scaling their audience. This tier is a sweet spot for a lot of brands as their posts get higher than average engagement and more people reached. Most micro-influencers make enough money to consider influencer marketing a side hustle.
- Mid Influencers: The influencers in this tier are starting to make consistent cash and are looking to make their niche a full-time profession. Their fan base is rapidly growing and engagement slightly lower due to their scale.
- Macro Influencers: These are very established influencers with a diverse fanbase and a large following on multiple platforms. They often consider themselves an online personality within their niche and are likely to have broadened the topics they cover on their channels. They’re pulling in larger brand deals and are full-time influencing.
- Mega Influencers: Considered the “experts” in their niche, these mega influencers are huge online personalities, celebrities, or stars (or in some cases some of the very first influencers). They’re established on multiple platforms and cover a wider topic area. Engagement is low but reach is high. Financial independence is a common trend among influencers in this tier.
Each tier has its pros and cons, and it’s important for you to know where you stand today and where you’d like to get to in your influencing career. There are no shortcuts to mega influencing, so wherever you set your sights on, make sure to invest the time and money into brand, content, and audience along the way. Brand money is on the table, but if you build a disengaged following or buy fake followers, even if you get the big follower counts, you’ll never sustain the brand deals, as your performance simply won’t be there.
We’re here to help you along your journey. Email us, join our community, subscribe to Social Bluebook Pro, ask us about coaching, or approach a fellow influencer. There are lots of ways to find support as you work your way to the tier of your dreams.