Macro-influencers: the bridge between brands and users

• #Influencer Marketing

Every post and every image has the power to build or destroy brands. Rising above them is a group of influencers whose influence goes far beyond the ordinary: the macro influencers. With their massive followings and extraordinary ability to move crowds, they are more than just faces in your feed. They are the game changers of digital marketing.

But what makes these digital masters so special, and why should brands rely on them now? Today, authenticity and credibility are paramount. Macro influencers offer a unique blend of both, coupled with reach that is second to none. We’ll show you when and how it makes sense to work with macro influencers to catapult your brand to success.

What makes macro influencers so special?

Macro influencers are characterised by an impressive number of 100,000 to 1 million followers on platforms such as Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. They are valuable partners in macro influencer marketing. Their specialisation in niches or industries and their ability to cross geographical and cultural boundaries opens doors to audiences that would otherwise be difficult to reach.

The uniqueness of macro influencers

Compared to their counterparts (nano- and micro-influencers with less than 100,000 followers and mega-influencers with more than one million followers), macro-influencers strike a unique balance. On the one hand, they offer significant reach that allows brands to reach a large audience, while on the other hand, they maintain a level of intimacy and authenticity that is often harder to find with mega-influencers. This ingenious combination of massive reach and intimacy and authenticity makes them particularly valuable for influencer partnerships.

How do influencers differ?

• Nano-influencers (1,000 to 10,000 followers): Characterised by a high level of engagement and a close relationship with their audience. They are considered particularly authentic and trustworthy.

• Micro-influencers (10,000 to 100,000 followers): They offer a good balance between reach and engagement. Their recommendations are often perceived as personalised advice.

• Macro-influencers (100,000 to 1 million followers): Their strength lies in the combination of a large reach and the ability to set trends and initiate broad discussions.

• Mega-influencers (more than 1 million followers): They offer the widest reach, but their relationship with their audience can be less personal and their engagement lower

Benefits of macro-influencer partnerships

Macro influencers play a key role that goes far beyond what is visible at first glance. Their ability to mobilise large networks makes them essential partners for brands seeking real visibility and influence. Here are the benefits they bring to the table:

1. Extended reach and visibility: Macro influencers open doors to audiences that would otherwise be difficult to reach. Their presence across multiple social media platforms and ability to transcend geographic boundaries provides a unique opportunity to deliver brand messages to every corner of the digital universe. This extended reach is a game changer for brands looking to build awareness quickly and efficiently. They provide a unique opportunity for digital marketing strategies.

2. Influence brand perception: They are not only influencers, but also trendsetters and opinion leaders whose voice carries weight. Their recommendations can shape the perception of a brand, build trust and create a positive association in the minds of consumers. This influence is a powerful tool for strengthening brand identity and influencing consumer behaviour.

3. Quality and targeted content: Working with macro influencers means access to tailored content. Content that is not only eye-catching, but also directly relevant to the target audience. Their experience and understanding of brand messaging allows them to create content that drives real engagement and appeals to relevant audience segments.

4. Building trust through authenticity: Despite their impressive follower numbers, macro influencers manage to maintain an authentic connection with their audience. This authenticity is critical to building trust and credibility. A recommendation is often perceived as honest advice. As a result, followers are more likely to try recommended products or services.

5. Flexibility and versatility: The ability to master a variety of content formats opens up new creative opportunities for brands. From engaging posts and stories to compelling videos and live streams, macro influencers can deliver brand messages in innovative ways, creating fresh and exciting engagement with audiences.

Challenges that should not be underestimated

Despite the many benefits, challenges can arise such as multiple collaborations, fluctuating engagement rates and finding the perfect brand fit. Careful selection and strategic planning are essential to overcome these obstacles and build successful influencer partnerships.

• Multiple collaborations: As macro influencers often work with multiple brands at the same time, their recommendations can be perceived as less authentic. This can lead to scepticism about the products or services being promoted, especially if the content seems too promotional.

• Engagement rates: Although macro-influencers have a large number of followers, studies show that engagement rates often decrease as the number of followers increases. This means that a smaller percentage of the audience is interacting with the content, which can reduce the effectiveness of the campaign. This is particularly noticeable when compared to micro-influencers, who tend to have higher engagement rates.

• Brand and audience alignment: The challenge is to find a macro-influencer whose followers’ demographics and interests match the brand’s target audience. A mismatch can cause the campaign to miss its target and the investment to fail to deliver the desired ROI.

Cost aspects and budget planning considerations

• High costs: Macro influencers often charge high fees due to their reach and influence. This can be a challenge for smaller brands or companies with limited marketing budgets.

• Budget allocation: Companies need to think carefully about how they allocate their marketing budget. Investing in a macro-influencer may mean less budget is available for other marketing activities or campaigns with micro-influencers, which may offer a higher ROI.

• Measuring ROI: Determining the true ROI of a macro influencer campaign can be difficult. In addition to direct sales figures, brand awareness, engagement and other soft factors need to be taken into account. This requires careful planning and analysis.

We recommend a cost-benefit analysis (CBA)

What is a CBA?

Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) is an important decision-making tool that helps to assess the economic viability of different actions or projects. It was developed in the 19th century by the French engineer Jules Dupuit. It is used to compare the monetised benefits with the costs of a measure. In the context of working with macro-influencers, CBA allows an informed decision to be made as to whether the potential benefits justify the costs.

When should you choose Macro Influencer?

✔️ Increase brand awareness: Macro-influencers are perfect for quickly gaining widespread visibility, especially if you want to increase your brand awareness quickly.

✔️ Reach new markets: With their large and often diverse followings, they can help you reach new audiences or geographic markets.

✔️ Product launches and events: If you want to launch new products or promote events, macro influencers can have a significant impact through their reach.

✔️ Positioning as an industry leader: Working with macro influencers can build your brand’s credibility and reputation in your industry.

✔️ Crisis management: In times of crisis, they can act as trusted voices to spread positive messages and support your brand image.

When is it better not to collaborate?

✗ Budget constraints: The high cost of working with macro influencers could be a challenge for smaller brands or companies with limited marketing budgets.

✗ Audience precision: If you want to target a very specific audience, micro-influencers could be more effective due to their specialised audience and higher engagement.

✗ Excessive brand partnerships: Macro influencers who collaborate with many brands could lose credibility. Too many collaborations could lead to their recommendations being perceived as less authentic.

✗ Declining engagement rates: As the number of followers increases, the engagement rate may decrease, meaning a lower percentage of the audience is interacting with the content. This can impact the effectiveness of the campaign. Especially compared to micro-influencers, who tend to have higher engagement rates.

✗ Lack of audience: The challenge is to find a macro influencer whose followers’ demographics and interests are a good match for your target audience. A mismatch could cause the campaign to miss its target.

8 tips for the right choice of influencer

1. Compare audiences: Make sure the influencer’s followers are a good match for your potential customers. It is important that you have similar interests and needs.
2. Look at the engagement rate: It’s not just how many followers you have. Much more important is how active and engaged they are. A high engagement rate shows that the influencer’s content is really resonating.
3. Focus on authenticity: The influencer should be honest and believable. Authentic content builds trust and makes advertising messages more persuasive.
4. Content relevance is key: The influencer’s topics should match your product or service. This will ensure that your message reaches the right audience.
5. Look for quality: The content produced by the influencer should be of high quality. Good photos, videos and copy will make your brand look professional.
6. Experience counts: If the influencer has successfully run similar campaigns before, this is a good sign. Take a look at how they have dealt with products or brands in the past.
7. Communication is everything: Open and clear communication from the start is very important. Talk to the influencer about your expectations, goals and the terms of the relationship.
8. Stay within the legal framework: The influencer should be familiar with the legal requirements for sponsored content. Adhering to guidelines will protect you from potential legal issues.

9. Consider diversity and inclusion: Consider influencers from different demographics. with different backgrounds to ensure inclusive and diverse brand communications.

Examples of successful macro influencers

• Therealpaulaambert (142,4 K follower, 2,2% engagement) 

Paula Lambert is a prominent German sex and relationship expert. She is known for her work on television, in particular for the programme Paula kommt, as well as for her podcasts ‘Paula. Lernen Sie zu lieben’ and ‘Vier Brüste für ein Hallelujah’, in which she discusses relationship problems and mental health. She uses social media to share her insights on relationships, sex and love.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C0gQUlHsBdh/

• Nicolette.vlogt (263 K follower, 2,5% engagement)

Nicolette Fountaris is a bestselling author and entertainer and one of Germany’s most influential voices on love and relationships. Known for her humorous and sensitive manner, she attracts thousands of people to her shows. Much of her success is due to her ‘Dirty Thursday’ format, where she answers intimate questions from the community.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C4GPcyrIxJ2/

• @mrs_ermerson (526,8 K follower, 11,1% engagement)

Julia is the place to be if you’re looking for nursery inspiration. As a mother of three daughters, she regularly shares fascinating insights into her children’s playrooms on her account. These include impressive reels showing how she designs the room. Her videos are among the most popular in the interior design sector. She also gives interesting insights into her everyday life and inspires with creative DIY projects. For outdoor living fans, Julia’s feed is full of ideas on how to design your garden and create a unique outdoor oasis.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C3qF_HjNZQc/

Conclusion

Working with macro influencers offers a wide range of opportunities to increase brand awareness, tap into new markets and make a big impact at product launches and events. Their reach and authenticity can help build trust and reputation for your brand and spread a positive message in times of crisis. However, a successful partnership with macro influencers requires careful planning, especially in terms of budget, targeting accuracy and avoiding loss of engagement. It is important to find the right balance between reach and authenticity to not only increase brand visibility, but also build a genuine connection with the audience.