In the language of mathematics, a nano is one billionth of anything. While that hardly seems all that impressive, companies have begun to tap in to the marketing power of such a small number. Thus, the rise of the nano influencer. Companies of all sizes have long tried to harness the marketing power of influencers but it is the nano influencer that has been drawing great interest of late.
Influencers have long been a sought after addition to a company’s SEO and social media marketing efforts. They range from those powerful industry or profession bloggers with hundreds of thousand of followers to the medium sized micro influencer with Facebook and Instagrram followerrs ranging in the 10,000 to 100,000 range of followers. Recently, however, many companies, including smaller local businesses, have begun to tap into the nano influencer; those people with a social media following of just a couple of thousand or so followers.
Often they are just regular people who are passionate about a particular industry or product. A good word from them spreads out among their followers like ripples on a pond. According to most research, most people have at least eight friends and family members who regularly keep in touch about things so a good word about a particular company or product can get out rather quickly. Many companies are finding that these nanos are an inexpensive way to spread the word and increase brand awareness as most nano influences are compensated with products from the company. For instance, an Instagram nano influencer with a focus on fashion and beauty products will receive new products from a beauty and hair care company in exchange for trying them and informing their following about them.
Recent research has revealed that only around 30% of consumers are influenced by the big boys and girls while over 70% are influenced by friends and family as well as certain nano influencers they follow and enjoy. This can be an inexpensive way for smaller local companies to extend their reach and their brand awareness if approached correctly. Keep in mind that these nano influencers are not like the bloggers with hundreds of thousands of followers. They are regular people who have built trust up over time and will only support a company if they truly believe the company will help their followers. Cultivating them, as many of them as possible, will drive traffic and increase sales because their followers have come to trust them and will likely become long term customers.
Take the time to explore such platforms as Facebook and Instagram to locate those nano influencers who may be open to supporting your company. It will take some time but it will be time worth investing and, if done in an open and honest way, will drive those pond ripples right to you for a long time to come.
-Written by Kevin Sawyer
