Micro-influencer marketing made a splash in the marketing world this year. We saw more brands than embrace the medium, and with that, we saw some great examples of micro-influencer marketing done right.
Want to launch your own micro-influencer marketing campaign in 2019? Take some advice from the best. In this article, we'll show you the top 7 Instagram micro-influencers of 2018. Use this list to find new influencers and get inspiration for your next influencer marketing campaigns.
We chose to focus on smaller influencers in this piece. So while you won't find celebrities, you'll find examples of influencer marketing that are easy to replicate with a small budget.
Let's get started!
But first, what is micro-influencer marketing?
In short, influencer marketing is when you get an influencer in your niche or industry to share your brand’s blog posts, retweet your tweets, or otherwise promote your product or service.
This is super helpful because awesome influencers can put your brand in front of a new audience that's connected to your niche.
Even more importantly, your influencer’s audience already trusts them, and some of this trust is passed on to your brand when said influencer shares your content. This makes your new audience more likely to purchase your products and become continued subscribers to your content.
Micro-influencers are—simply put—people with small to mid-sized social media followings in a specific niche. Partnering with a micro-influencer over a celebrity gives you access to an audience that will actually engage with your products, not just swipe by.
@hellorigby — fashion, dogs, and lifestyle
There's nothing the internet loves more than food and dogs, and Jenn of @hellorigby is an influencer in both spaces. Her feed is chock-full of posts on living with a Shiba Inu, preparing awesome meals, and even fashion inspiration. Some of their partners include Freshpet, Bartell Drugs, and Target.
@physicalkitchness — healthy eating and meal planning for the rest of us
@hysicakitchness is a health-focused food influencer that's constantly sharing healthy recipes, workout secrets, and life through the eyes of a mom. Her mouthwatering food photos have attracted sponsorships from brands like Applegate foods and Vital Farms.
@_modernfit — fashion meets fitness
Looking to market to the fitness-focused but fashion-obsessed crowd? Look no further than @_modernfit. Michella Carigma—the woman behind the account—constantly posts inspiring (and well made) workout photos and videos. Even cooler, she's been sponsored by huge brands like DKNY and Adidas.
@colinmccarthypga — pro golf teacher gone influencer
Colin Mccarthy is a PGA-certified golf instructor gone social media influencer. His Instagram page is filled with golf tutorials, but he occasionally partners with brands too. Some of his past work includes influencer marketing campaigns for Michelob Ultra and AMP Caddy.
@mrdombaza — for all things hip
@mrdombaza is a men's lifestyle influencer and musician from San Francisco. His Instagram profile embodies the essence of "cool": you'll see him post about men's fashion, music, craft beer, and technology. Some of the brands he's partnered with include Stella Artois, Anchor Brewing, and Mikeys.
@passporttofriday — a full-time luxury traveler
Chelsea Martin of @passporttofriday is a travel advisor and blogger. She travels the world full-time and documents her adventures on her Instagram account, sharing wanderlust-inducing destinations and experiences. Along the way she's scored sponsors like Bobo's and Kuai'i Traveler.
@thebrothersbuoy — food-obsessed brothers turned food influencers
Wanna find the best burger in Brooklyn? Look no further than @thebrothersbuoy. Friends Graham and Jack scour Brooklyn for the best eats, showcasing everything from steaks to cheap slices of pizza. They've even partnered with companies like Visible Mobile and Lillet Wines.
What's your favorite influencer marketing campaign?
And there you have it: the best Instagram micro-influencers of 2018. Have a favorite influencer that we didn't include? Tweet it to us—we'd love to check out their work.
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