Influencer marketing is one of the strategies that delivers the best results for brands, and more and more companies ask their agencies for it. Here's what an influencer is, the 5 best-known types and how to work with them with judgement and strategy.
What is an influencer?
It isn't just someone famous or with lots of followers: it's a person able to influence their community and drive conversions. They can be on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube or a blog. Good influencers are great storytellers and use that storytelling to connect with their followers.
Micro vs. macro influencers: engagement rules
Macro influencers have huge communities; micro influencers, smaller ones. But what really gives a brand value is engagement: the share of followers who interact. Higher engagement means more conversions, and micro influencers often care more about their content and get better results than celebrities who neglect their community.
Why they work: emotion and trust
Most buying decisions have a strong emotional component. Influencers enter their community's daily life without being intrusive and become the brand's “human spokesperson”. People don't want to buy from brands, but they do buy from people they trust.
- They add value and credibility to the brand.
- They open new markets and fan communities.
- They turn followers into ambassadors.
- They add an aspirational touch through storytelling.
- They humanise the brand and provide social proof.
The 5 types of influencers
- Advocate: a happy customer who recommends the brand out of conviction, with no payment involved.
- Ambassador: has a formal, long-term relationship with the brand and represents it continuously.
- Citizen: an everyday person with a close, loyal community; ideal for authentic, local content.
- Professional / Occupational: an expert in their field (doctor, chef, engineer) whose opinion carries authority.
- Celebrity: a public figure with huge reach; useful for awareness, though not always for conversion.
Ideally, combine several types within one strategy depending on each campaign's goal.
How to choose your influencer
- Look at engagement, not just follower or like counts.
- Check that their values match your brand's.
- Make sure they align with your ideal customer.
- Prefer professional profiles with their own voice and no “expiry date”.
2 keys to make it work
- A one-off action doesn't work: think long term and run at least one visibility action every quarter.
- Popularity isn't the goal: every action needs a clear conversion target (leads, traffic, sales) within your marketing strategy.
What to measure: metrics and KPIs
- Reach and impressions.
- Traffic and visits to your website.
- Engagement or real interaction.
- Community sentiment.
- Costs: CPL (per lead), CPA (per acquisition), CPI (per install) and ROI.
The 3 phases of working with influencers
- Before: choose the right profile and agree in writing on the type of collaboration, content, formats and deliverables.
- During: keep a close, win-win relationship and check that what was agreed is delivered.
- After: review the reports, measure results and aim to keep the relationship going long term.
Influencer marketing isn't hiring a celebrity for one post: it's a plan with concrete KPIs, profiles that fit your audience and lasting relationships. At Nerd Influence we connect your brand with influencers we've already worked with, from strategy to measurement.
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