In the last post, Micro Influencers In Affiliate Marketing, I discussed the phenomenon of the micro influencer and how they can transform an affiliate business positively in terms of conversions. That was the broad view. But getting beyond that we also need the need the narrow, more focussed view, what’s called the specifics. Without some specifics, all statements become somewhat (shall we say?) fictional. Trying to nail specifics poses considerable challenges in such an industry.
There are at least two methodological challenges here: the first is qualitative, the second quantitative. That statement, however, doesn’t describe each aspect fully — a further complication within the main problem we’re trying to address. This is because in the first case, for example, the influencer phenomenon is inherently qualitative and our standard method of measuring it quantitatively (improvement in sales) is, therefore, a fallacy. In the second case, such quantitative data that are available aren’t accessible because of proprietary reasons. Either way, we can only hope to get a partial view.
So How Do We Get Around This?
Leaving aside for the moment the qualitative issue and the related fallacy of trying to understand it quantitatively, let’s focus on the quantitative aspect — because this gives us a more concrete method of dealing with the problem.
There’s is another reason for preferring the quantitative approach (apart from its wider acceptance in a culture of data driven business decisions), which is that notwithstanding the inaccessibility of proprietary data, we still have the next best thing: aggregated data, that is, averages collated by different reputable sources.
We may not have the whole picture, but nothing’s keeping us either from building a composite picture, much like putting together a jigsaw puzzle.
What’s The Composite Picture?
For this exercise let’s look at, three very lucrative niches — Beauty; Fitness And Health; and, Fashion — and their respective micro influencer. The exact data for each of these brands is not available for reasons already discussed above. However, we can obtain niche averages and take them as broadly indicative (not precise) of the impact of micro influencers on conversions.
My intention here is to pave the way for the reader in making an informed decision based on some degree of concreteness, as opposed to complete guesswork. Although this is not a perfect method, it’s still more effective than going into the ring, as it were, blindfolded, hands tied behind the back.
Given below are three case studies from three different niches which have used micro influencers.
The Beauty Niche
Case Study Highlights
- Brand — Glossier
- Micro Influencer — Emily Weiss
- Aggregated Niche Average — 20% (Spiralytics)
This example would inspire those who value the transformative power of practical, everyday advice they have either followed themselves or want to follow. The emphasis here is not on the niche itself here but the transformative power of practical, everyday advice. Notice how this could be applied to many other niches. We don’t need a degree in car washing, dog walking, home cleaning and so forth. Of course, they are not as glamorous as we would like them to be. But when the core concept is turning what we do as a routine everyday task — not just passion — into profit, then we have opened the field much wider. If beauty is your niche, go for it. But you’re not restricted to it. You don’t have to confine yourself to someone else’s passion. That’s the underlying message here.
FAST FORWARD — Go, check out how I’ve already done this for you on Wealthy Affiliate.
The Fitness And Health Niche
Case Study Highlights
- Brand — Gymshark
- Micro Influencer– Nikki Blackketter
- Aggregated Niche Average: 20% (Spiralytics)
What helped this brand which started off as an experiment by its founder was the micro influencer’s genuineness that came across very powerfully to her audience. This arguably is the biggest impact that micro influencers can make: their proximity to their audiences is built, implicitly, on the personalisation of advice. Gen Z is done with celebrities and their remoteness from the former’s lived experience. Gen Z wants to look good, feel good — all without going broke. They have already become alienated from marketing strategies forged primarily by Boomers.
Gen Z has, moreover, made the transition from leisure to work a seamless process. What once used to be the leisure/work binary has now transformed into leisure-work . . . or a single leisure-work-fitness continuum.
Fitness is something most if not all people can relate to — every demographic (income; age; ethnicity; race; gender) is covered. Partly driven by the genuine desire to stay healthy, partly by social media. It’s what I call the Russian doll niche ( a doll within a doll within a doll . . .). It’s so versatile, so full of potential. Then there are all sorts of side tracks branching off from the main: folks have been known to get rich selling water bottles and yoga socks. And we’re not even talking about fitness clothing — thanks to Gen Z, people are even turning up to board meetings in these. Does this ring a bell?
FAST FORWARD — I got this for you on Wealthy Affiliate.
The Fashion Niche
Case Study Highlights
- Brand — Daniel Wellington
- Micro influencer — Chiara Ferragani
- Aggregated Niche Average 22% (Spiralytics)
This is one of those brands that could be called a classic example of how the micro influencers personal connections with her loyal followers cultivated — curated, we might say — over time allowed the brand to gain such remarkable traction that it may be hard to imagine what the brand might have been without the micro influencer. It may be quintessential case of the-micro-influencer-makes-the-brand.
FAST FOWARD — Last but not the least, I’ve also started the fashion journey for you in Wealthy Affiliate.
What’s The Upshot For You, Then?
It’s an invitation — to try out these possibilities in accordance with your own interests. Don’t be confined to only these examples — although they are some of the most lucrative and popular, partly because of their relatability and partly because of their accessibility. You can go further beyond to find even more specificity. (One word of advice: don’t try to find specificity in one day — it’s like sharpening a pencil after every session of writing).
Your decision will only remain a thought bubble in some cosmic comic strip unless you actually try out something . . . something concrete. What stops most people from experimenting is the fear of risk. But what if risk could be taken out? Completely. What would your excuse be then for not trying?
Then when you look back to this very moment, there won’t be any regrets. God knows regret is a terrible thing to live with. Commit and stay the course — just two principles for success
Where Does The Data Come From?
In this case they come from Spiralytics, which you may have noticed in parentheses above for each niche. As this is just an illustration to drive the point home, we have, therefore, confined ourselves to the one source — it also makes for brevity. This by no means suggests that we are constrained by only this source, as you shall see below shortly.
A more pertinent question immediately might be . . . What’s Spiralytics?
It’s a digital marketing company, one of many you’ll encounter on your journey — and digital marketing is also the industry you’ll be working in yourself.
Spiralytics, however, are not the only kid on the block. There are others. In fact, the block is full of other kids — each brighter than the next. Down the road you may be using one or more of them . . .or, better yet, you may become one yourself.
Digital marketing like other online businesses is data driven. Not only will you be consuming data from a variety of sources but you will also be producing data yourself through your business activities — activities that will earn you revenue.
Since in the conceivable future you’ll be on the consumption side of the equation, our next question has to be . . .
Why Does The Source Of The Data Matter?
Data is only as good as the sources they come from. Before consuming any data, we have to ask ourselves whether the sources we are consulting are reliable or reputable. Here’s an illustration of what I mean. For example, medical advice published in a trendy online forum is not as trustworthy as, say, The New England Journal of Medicine. There’s a hierarchy of authoritativeness. The same principle applies for digital marketing statistics.
What Are Some Authoritative Sources?
- Influencer Marketing Hub Annual Report
- Aspire IQ
- Upfluence
- Influencity
- Neilsen
- Edelman Forrester
Finally, In Summing Up
The idea is to find your niche — use the Wealthy Affiliate links in their respective niches. Build you website fast. And, then search for your influencer. That’s the plan. After this post, go, first, to Micro Influencers For You; and then to Getting Your Own Micro Influencer.
Finally, finesse this up with Which Micro Influencers Could Work For You?
And, if that doesn’t whet your appetite, then finish it off with Micro Influencer Working Plan — 4 Actions.