The 5 Types of Influencers, From Nano to Mega

Influencers are those with a strong enough presence on social media to sway the opinions and actions of their followers. Your follower count is important, but rather than pondering how many followers you need to be an influencer, start thinking about how different types of influencers flourish and what they offer their audiences. 

Here’s how marketers break things down:

• Nano influencer (1,000–10,000 followers)
• Micro influencer (10,000–50,000 followers)
• Mid-tier influencer (50,000–500,000 followers)
• Macro influencer (500,000 to 1 million followers)
• Mega influencer (Over 1 million followers)

Let’s take a closer look at how each one operates. 

Successful nano influencers use their relatively small (by influencer standards) audience to make followers feel more like friends or family. This keeps creators relatable and genuine. They don't even need particularly polished profiles since authenticity is their strength. Marketers have taken note: An estimated 64% of brands are working with smaller creators in 2024, with 44% choosing nano-influencers as their most likely partners. 

Nano influencers are valued for their:

• Low cost: Smaller influencers charge lower prices. Rough estimates from marketers show nanos asking US $10–$100 (£7.82/$15.12 AUD–£78.20/$151.20 AUD) per post, whereas the next influencer tier, micros, asks for $100–$500. Many will be happy to receive free products or services in place of cash, appealing to smaller businesses with tighter budgets. 
• High engagement: Nano influencers achieve an average engagement rate (the number of interactions received per post) of 3.69%, more than double that of macro influencers.
• Authenticity: Since most nanos operate their accounts like normal users, with no obvious interest in monetising their content, their recommendations feel correspondingly genuine. 
• Niche interest: Nanos who focus on niche topics, communities, or localities can target specific like-minded audiences. For example, a nano influencer focused on sustainable fashion sourced from Sydney’s secondhand stores probably lacks global appeal, but they could be just what some Sydney-based brands are seeking.

Succeeding as a nano influencer 

At this early stage of your influencer journey, you should:

• Be yourself: Authenticity is a nano influencer’s greatest weapon. Engage with followers as you would with friends or family, and don’t promote anything you don’t believe in. 
• Be open: Brands understand that nano influencers often lack experience, so don’t be afraid to ask questions or be open about what you can offer. 
• Be proactive: Start conversations with brands you connect with and create content that would fit with their products. 

Nano influencer examples

• Rizka Riyannita, a Sydney-based singer
• Elle Linton, a British lifestyle and fitness influencer
• Zaen Nakvi, a British actor, comedian, and model

Owlie Productions/Shutterstock

Compared to nanos, some micro influencers prioritise authority and professionalism over authenticity. They are more familiar with social media’s marketing tools and have wider experience providing content for brands. At the same time, they still retain a loyal, personally engaged followership. 

Marketers approach micro influencers for their: 

• Experience: Most micros have optimised their content strategy, meaning they have a framework in place for planning, creating, distributing, and promoting their content. They understand social media analytics and know how to collaborate with brands through different formats.
• Accessibility: Micro influencers won’t play hard to get or be hard to reach, so even small brands find them easy to work with. 
• Authority: Micro influencers usually command considerable authority within specific areas of interest and their associated communities. 

Succeeding as a micro influencer

Many micros achieve this status by chance when their content goes viral and/or interest grows naturally. They capitalise on this by applying a more structured approach. Here’s our advice:

• Be professional: Posts should be polished, with well-shot, professionally edited content, descriptive captions, and targeted hashtags. You should have the demographics of your audience at your fingertips, and your social media presence should be established. 
• Be specific: Focus on one or two fields of interest to start building authority in distinct areas. 
• Be engaging: Don’t forget the people behind the numbers. Brands expect high engagement rates from micros, so maintain a personal connection with followers by liking and responding to comments, responding to direct messages (DMs), and listening to feedback. 

Micro influencer examples

• Chanel McClarty, an Australian model and fashion influencer 
• Isabella Elcham, an Australian makeup and beauty influencer
• Jonny Weldon, a British actor and comedian

Here’s where influencers develop serious flex. Engagement rates for mid-tier influencers might not be as high as those of nano or micro tiers, but mid-tiers compensate with a wider reach and are often trusted authority figures or thought leaders in their niche. 

Hitting a marketing sweet spot, mid-tier influencers appeal to brands thanks to their:

• Focused community: The influencer reaches a large audience but still boasts loyal followings with one or two unifying interests. 
• Work ethic: Mid-tiers can generally make a living as an influencer, so many devote considerable time to content creation and collaboration. 
• Affordability: Mid-tiers might charge higher fees (£391.10/AU$756.09– £3910.75/AU$7560.86 per post) than nanos or micros, but they’re often affordable for small or mid-size brands and tend to deliver a high return on investment (ROI). 

Succeeding as a mid-tier influencer 

Mid-tiers should take full advantage of their burgeoning influence by following these practices:

• Be a business: Consider diversifying your revenue streams into areas like affiliate marketing, brand ambassadorships, and direct merchandise sales. Think about joining a marketing agency or using freelancers to take care of things beyond your area of expertise. 
• Be a leader: Network with other authorities in your niche, start conversations on sites like LinkedIn, and consider hosting, or at least attending, industry events. 
• Be unique: Moving forward from the mid-tier means dialing in on what separates you from the immensity of rival creators. Analyse content and audience demographics to understand why you stand out, then keep pushing in that direction.

Mid-tier influencer examples

• Mackenzie McIntyre, an Australian actor and StarNow talent
• Shivani, an Australian beauty influencer
• Rob Madge, an English actor, writer, and musical theatre performer

Macro influencers boast large, loyal, and diverse audiences and produce consistently high-quality content. Though they still engage with their followers, visibility becomes more important than relatability. 

Marketers love macros for their:

• Wide reach: Each post should earn hundreds of thousands of views, if not more. It might even get boosted to Instagram's Discover page. Even one post can significantly increase brand recognition and offer a fair shot at going viral.
• Growth: Macros usually enjoy consistent growth in followers, making them a safe long-term investment for brands. Partnering can pay dividends later. 
• Credibility: Well-known influencers bring a certain level of credibility, so even brands unfamiliar to consumers can use them to gain trustworthy status. 

Succeeding as a macro influencer

Macros have already made it. Still, there are pitfalls to avoid. You should:

• Be real: Some marketers have been burned by macro influencers with fake followers (those bought instead of earned), meaning their content is seen by far fewer people than expected. Resist such shortcuts.
• Be professional: Brands may be wary of partnering with well-known influencers since any problematic behaviour on their behalf can reflect on the brand. Avoid courting controversy or crossing any boundaries; you’re representing more than just yourself. 
• Be more: Macro level influencers typically offer more than sponsored posts. Think about conducting entire marketing campaigns or performing temporary takeovers of a brand’s social media platforms. 

Macro influencer examples

• Zac Perna, an Australian fitness influencer
• Olly, an Australian dance and style influencer
• Megan May Williams, a British model 

Celebrities are the archetypal mega influencers, but the term also covers creators whose extensive following grants them celebrity status in their field. Their audience may span the globe and include a range of communities. Unsurprisingly, they also command high fees. 

They’re a big deal for any marketer or brand thanks to their:

• Massive reach: Mega influencers can bring worldwide awareness with a single post, making them ideal for one-off product promotions or launches. 
• Reputation: Any brand big enough to work with a mega influencer will feel like an industry leader and benefit from that creator’s cool factor. 
• Trendsetting: The biggest influencers offer more than visibility. They can help brands set trends that reverberate across their industry. 

Succeeding as a mega influencer

Well, you’ve already succeeded, haven’t you? Just keep in mind that bad publicity can be poison for mega influencers even more than for macros. Brands will often drop mega influencers like a stone if their reputation becomes a liability, so if you achieve mega status, work on maintaining that reputation. 

Mega influencer examples

• Kayla Itsines, an Australian fitness influencer
• Anne Curtis Smith, an Australian model and television host
• Phoebe Tonkin, an Australian actor