We analysed 200+ influencer campaigns across categories to build a simple way to allocate budget by objective not by follower count.
Choose creators by objective, not follower count. Nano creators (1K-10K) drive conversions and hyper-local relevance; micro (10K-100K) are the workhorse and gave the best blended cost-per-engagement across nearly every category; macro and celebrity (100K+) buy awareness and only pay back when paired with a retargeting layer. For content, negotiate usage rights up front so winning organic pieces can be boosted as paid ads.
The most common influencer mistake we see is choosing creators by follower count instead of by objective. Reach and conversion are different jobs, and they need different tiers. Here is the framework we use.
Anchor on one or two macro creators for reach, then amplify with a layer of micro creators so the message shows up more than once in the feed.
Go wide on nano and micro creators with strong audience trust. Many authentic voices beat one big name for driving actual purchases.
Use creators as a content engine. Negotiate usage rights up front so the best-performing organic pieces can be boosted as paid ads.
Pick creators for the job you need done not for the number next to their name.
We use AI for discovery and data; the relationships, the briefs, and the judgment on fit are run by people who have worked with these creators before.
Nano creators, roughly 1,000 to 10,000 followers, have the highest engagement and trust at the lowest cost with the smallest reach. Micro creators, 10,000 to 100,000, combine strong engagement with meaningful reach. Macro and celebrity creators above 100,000 deliver maximum awareness at the lowest engagement rate and the highest cost.
Micro creators. Across nearly every category they delivered the best blended cost-per-engagement, which is why they are the workhorse tier for most D2C brands.
Nano creators drove the highest conversion rates when the product matched their niche tightly. For a conversion objective, go wide across nano and micro creators with strong audience trust; many authentic voices beat one big name.
Anchor on one or two macro creators for reach, then amplify with a layer of micro creators so the message appears more than once in the feed.
In our data it only paid back when paired with a retargeting layer to convert the awareness it created. Macro reach without a conversion path behind it is an expensive impression.
Brief them as production partners and negotiate usage rights up front, so the best-performing organic pieces can be boosted as paid ads rather than expiring after one post.
No. The most common mistake we see is choosing creators by follower count instead of by objective. Reach and conversion are different jobs and need different tiers.
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