Not all companies need super famous bloggers to reach their target audience. Engaging with smaller, but more homogeneous communities might be the winning strategy. Let’s talk about micro influencers with Jolanda Restano from Fattore Mamma

Having a testimonial to widen brand visibility and coverage has already been covered by lots of companies, with alternate destinies. In Italy we started with Carosello in the 1960s, and have not stopped yet. Brands trust actors, singers and celebrities (Nino Manfredi for Lavazza or George Clooney for Nespresso, just to stay around coffee), invent fictional characters (from hippo Pippo for Lines diapers to Nyma for the latest Mulino Bianco TV spot), and even become self-testimonials, as Giovanni Rana does for its pasta.

With social media another possibility came out, that is leveraging high-visibility digital endorsers to multiply products and brands through their own presence on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and more. Fashion rode this trend first, and fashion bloggers had such a huge success, with some ambiguities that forced Agcom to impose the clear labelling of sponsored, advertisement contents.

If renowed digital influencers have millions of fans and followers – and are generously paid for every single post – some companies started to question the benefit to run after social VIPs. That’s why the so-called next-door influencers are more and more under the spotlight.

“They aren’t endorsers whose visibility matured elsewhere, but people who managed to use digital and social media to create a cohesive follower community. Although talking to a small group of users, they are really influential, as their opinion and recommendations are authoritative”, says Jolanda Restano, co-founder of Fattore Mamma network.

Aggregating a little community has two main benefits. First of all, the micro influencer shapes a real, authentic relationship with his/her micro world. Then specialization, as normally the community gathers round a topic, an interest or a passion, acknowledging the blogger as an authoritative source of information. Being credible is the critical element to make a project effective, together with the ability to build relevant, ad hoc contents.

“All companies agree that blogger and brand should share the same values. That’s the first thing to consider for a performing campaign. The blogger should be enough influential and trustworthy in the brand-related domain, and manage to drive engagement around contents”, adds Jolanda.

Notable micro influencers are blogger moms, about 2,000 in Italy according to Fattore Mamma database, with highly different profiles. “We have personal blogs about pregnancy, maternity and babycare”, continues Jolanda. “There are also food blogs, travel blogs, craft blogs, treating this topics with the sensitivity only a mom has”.

It is important to select reliable and professional micro influencers, offering a proven expertise on the topic, at the same time mastering the social tools that are nowadays available. Beware of makeshift bloggers, and stay clear of exaggerated audience with fake followers and false interactions, something that a skilled consultant – Fattore Mamma confirms – can quickly unmask.

How to measure campaign results? “It is fundamental to agree on the goals to be achieved. Beyond quantitative KPIs such as impressions or interactions, a successful project can improve brand awareness and reputation, closing the gap between the company and its audience”, says Jolanda.