Influencer marketing is a type of marketing in which a business works with people who have an audience on social media or other platforms, so that they promote its products, services or brand. The creator makes content for their own followers, who trust their opinion, and the business gets reach and credibility it could not easily build alone.
This guide explains the types of influencers, how to run a campaign step by step, what to put in a contract, the rules on disclosure and how to measure results.
What is influencer marketing?
Influencer marketing is paid or product-based collaboration with creators on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn and X, and on blogs and podcasts. The creator produces a post, video or review, and the business pays a fee, a commission or provides free product. It works best when the creator’s audience matches your customers and the recommendation feels genuine.
Types of influencers by audience size
Tiers are a rough guide, and different agencies draw the lines in slightly different places:
- Nano influencers: roughly 1,000 to 10,000 followers. Small, close audiences and often the lowest cost.
- Micro influencers: roughly 10,000 to 100,000 followers. Often a strong balance of reach and trust, and a common choice for small businesses.
- Macro influencers: roughly 100,000 to 1 million followers. Wider reach and higher fees.
- Mega influencers and celebrities: over a million followers. Large reach, high fees, and often a less personal connection with followers.
Audience fit and engagement matter more than the follower count: a creator with 20,000 relevant followers may help more than one with 500,000 who do not care about your product.
How to run an influencer campaign
1. Define the goal
Decide what you want: awareness, website visits, leads or sales. The goal decides which creators you choose and how you measure the campaign.
2. Set a budget
Work out what you can spend on creator fees, free product and your own time. Start with a small test, learn what works and then increase it.
3. Find the right creators
Look for creators whose audience is the one you want, whose style suits your brand and who already talk about your category. Check their content, comments and audience location. Be wary of accounts with sudden follower spikes or generic comments, which can point to fake followers.
4. Approach them professionally
Introduce your brand, say why you chose them, and describe the project and the offer. Keep the first message short and specific. Build the relationship before you ask for much.
5. Agree the terms in a contract
Put the details in writing:
- The deliverables: number and type of posts, platforms and timing.
- Payment: fee, commission or product, and when it is paid.
- Content approval: what you may review, and how many changes you can request.
- Usage rights: whether you may reuse the content and where.
- Disclosure: how the partnership will be labelled.
- Exclusivity and cancellation terms.
6. Let the creator create
Give clear guidelines, such as key messages and things to avoid, but let the creator use their own voice. Content that sounds like an advertisement performs worse and can damage the creator’s trust with their audience.
7. Track and review the results
Use tracked links, UTM tags and unique discount codes so that you can connect sales and visits to each creator. Measure reach, engagement, clicks, sign-ups and sales, and compare the cost per result with your other channels. Then repeat with the creators who worked.
Disclosure and the rules
Advertising rules in most countries require that paid or incentivized promotion is clearly labelled. In the United States, the FTC’s Endorsement Guides require influencers to disclose material connections, such as payment or free products. Regulators in the UK and the EU, including consumer authorities in Sweden, also expect advertising to be clearly marked. Platforms provide branded-content or paid-partnership labels, and creators should use them.
Make disclosure a contract term, check the rules in the countries where your audience lives, and do not ask creators to hide the partnership. This is general information, not legal advice.
How to measure influencer marketing
| Goal | Measures |
|---|---|
| Awareness | Reach, views, new followers, branded search growth |
| Traffic | Clicks on tracked links, visits in analytics, time on page |
| Leads | Sign-ups or enquiries tracked to each creator |
| Sales | Orders with a creator’s code or link, cost per order, revenue |
Remember that influence also works over time. Some value does not show up in a click, so combine the numbers with simple surveys such as “how did you hear about us?”.
Common influencer marketing mistakes
- Choosing creators by follower count, not audience fit.
- No contract, or one that leaves disclosure out.
- Over-scripting the content.
- No tracking, so results cannot be judged.
- Judging a campaign after a single post.
- Buying followers or engagement, which wastes money.
Frequently asked questions
How much does influencer marketing cost?
There is no standard rate. Fees depend on the creator’s audience, the platform, the work involved and the usage rights. Start with a small test, and compare the cost per result.
Is influencer marketing worth it for small businesses?
It can be, especially with nano and micro creators whose audiences are local or niche. Set a clear goal and track results.
How do I find influencers?
Search the platforms for your category and location, look at who your customers follow and who already mentions your brand, or use an influencer platform or agency.
Do influencers have to disclose partnerships?
Yes, in most countries. Use the platform’s paid-partnership label and make it a contract term.
Does influencer marketing help SEO?
Indirectly: it can raise brand searches and bring links and mentions. Links from sponsored posts should be marked appropriately, for example with rel=”sponsored”.
For help planning marketing across channels, see our services, and the related entries on social media marketing and word-of-mouth marketing.
Terms in this guide
