What Is a Nano-Influencer?
What Is a Nano-Influencer, and How Do Brands Leverage Them?
Think you need a million followers to make an impact? Think again. More often than not, smaller followings can mean stronger connections. In this pursuit, nano-influencers are quickly making a name for themselves. But what is a nano-influencer? How small is too small when it comes to content creation and marketing services? Here’s everything you need to know.
What Is a Nano-Influencer?
The nano-influencer definition is fairly simple – it’s someone who has between 1k and 10k followers on a social media platform. For example, most casual users hover somewhere around a couple of hundred followers on Instagram, so when someone crosses that 1K mark, that’s already a step into influencer territory. It’s the stepping stone between a casual scroller and a recognized content creator.
Despite what the name might suggest, nano-influencers aren’t some tiny, niche group. Nearly half of all Instagram users fall into this category, and together with the casual crowd, they make up over 73% of the entire platform. Compare that to the slim 7% who have between 100k and 500k followers, and you’ll see that most of the influencing is happening at the ground level.
What Are the Different Types of Influencers?
When it comes to brand and influencer collaborations, there’s a lot of hierarchy going on. You’ve got your internet celebrities, the vaguely-famous content creators, and the micro- and nano-influencers. To make better sense of the whole system, here’s a quick breakdown of the main types of influencers based on follower count:
- Nano-influencers – 1k-10k,
- Micro-influencers – 10k-100k,
- Macro-influencers – 100k-1M,
- Mega-influencers – 1M+.
While it might be tempting to chase the biggest names, the best influencer partnership for your brand depends on your goals and the target audience. The numbers matter, but only to a certain extent. At the end of the day, finding someone who represents your brand just like you’ve always envisioned is the most important thing. So, let’s see if your brand should start thinking tiny on purpose.
Why Do Brands Use Nano-Influencer Marketing?
Sometimes, smaller is smarter. By the looks of future trends in social media, smaller creators are becoming more important than ever. Around 61% of brands are primarily working with nano- and micro-influencer creators, and 44% say they specifically prefer working with them for a number of reasons. So, what are those reasons? What’s all the hype about these tiny-but-mighty creators? Let’s break down the main benefits of giving smaller creators a chance.
Smaller Creators Bring Authenticity You Simply Can't Fake
The number one reason brands turn to smaller influencers is the sheer power of authenticity. In a world full of filters and scripted sponsorships, people are craving content that feels real. In fact, 67% of consumers across all ages and genders say they trust honest, unbiased opinions more than anything else.
These creators aren’t celebrities on yachts or promoting skincare from space. They’re regular people who actually use and love the products they talk about. That realness works – just take a look at the case studies from our influencer agency in Saudi Arabia.
Smaller Reach but Higher Engagement Rates
Despite the smaller followings, nano-influencers tend to have engagement rates of around 4%. Their micro-counterparts do even better, bringing in anywhere from 7% to 20% across different social media platforms. These numbers might not sound like a lot, but in comparison, mega-influencers can’t reach even 1% on average. Of course, with bigger creators, you’re getting unmatched reach, so it’s all about what you’re trying to achieve at the end of the day.
However, the engagement rates have spoken, and without a doubt, smaller creators truly know their audience. They understand what resonates, what gets ignored, and how to present brand partnerships in a way that feels personal and natural, not like a billboard in disguise. This goes for both nano- and micro-creators, with the only real difference being that the latter tends to have a more polished feed. Either way, that kind of insight is marketing gold because when content feels genuine, people don’t just watch – they act.
Maximum Impact on a Small Budget
If you’d like to work with a macro or mega-influencer, you’ll need to make sure your budget is ready for that. When it comes to smaller, up-and-coming brands, that’s definitely not a smart move. Also, if you’re planning on running multiple influencer marketing campaigns, the budget will dry out quicker than a trending sound on TikTok. Luckily, nano- and micro-influencers are super budget-friendly.
Working with these content creators will keep your strategy flexible, scalable, and actually sustainable. According to Influencer Marketing Hub, they typically charge anywhere from $2 to $250 per post, depending on the platform and the type of content. That’s probably less than the price of your team’s weekly coffee run!
A Whole World of Options Out There
If you decide to work with a social media influencer marketing agency, you will be flipping through an entire catalog of voices, styles, and niche interests, no matter the follower count. Whether you’re looking for beauty bloggers or tech-savvy enthusiasts, there’s a content creator out there speaking exactly to your target audience. All you’ve got to do is reach out, and that’s best done through a professional influencer marketing agency.
What Are the Downsides of Nano-Influencers?
As we’ve already discussed, the most important thing in building influencer partnerships is aligning them with your brand’s vision. If your ultimate goal is to reach broader demographics, nano-influencers, with just a couple of thousand eyeballs on their feeds, just won’t cut it.
Many also lack experience in content creation or brand partnerships, which can lead to inconsistent messaging. In contrast, micro-influencers offer a sweet spot – larger, more diverse followings and proven collaboration skills, while still maintaining the trust and authenticity that brands value. They’re like the middle child – often overlooked, but secretly the most balanced and dependable of the bunch.
Connect With Saudi Content Creators Through the Catchers Agency
Smaller creators may not have millions of followers, but they’ve got something better – real voices and serious engagement. If your brand is looking to build real connections without burning through the budget, now’s the time to give them a chance. You don’t have to downsize all the way to nano, either – micro-influencers can be an effective compromise. The audience is there, the authenticity is real, and the results speak for themselves.
Contact Catchers Agency today to see your vision come to life. Our team of influencer marketing professionals will create powerful strategies that will generate some serious buzz. From campaign planning to performance reporting, we’ll handle every step of the process. Sometimes, all it takes is one small voice to spark a big conversation.