Nano, micro or macro: Which influencer really brings in sales?

Influencer marketing is booming – but not every influencer is equally valuable to your brand. Choosing the right type of creator often determines whether you just get reach – or real sales.

Brands like Snocks , Kapten & Son , and Oceans Apart scale their campaigns specifically with different creator types: from nano-influencers with an extremely loyal community to macro-creators with massive reach.

According to Statista , over 60% of all e-commerce brands now regularly use influencer campaigns – and the trend is rising.

But which types of influencers are suitable for which goals?

1. What is the difference between nano, micro and macro influencers?

Many companies know that influencer marketing works – but they don't know which type of influencer is right for them. Not every creator with many followers automatically generates more revenue. What's much more important is how engaged the target audience is – and how well the creator truly fits the product.

Therefore, influencers are divided into three main categories: nano, micro, and macro. These groups differ not only in the number of followers , but also in their cost structure, impact, and scope .

Influencer categories at a glance:

Influencer type	Number of followers	Strengthen
Nano	1,000 – 10,000	Close proximity to the community, great commitment
Micro	10,000 – 100,000	Good mix of reach & trust
macro	100,000 – 1 million+	Wide reach, image effects

Important: There is no “better” or “worse” category – just the right match for your target audience, your budget and your campaign goals.

2. Nano-Influencers: Ideal for community & authenticity

Nano-influencers often act like "online friends"—their followers trust them greatly. Ideal for:

• Niche products

• Test runs with influencer codes

• Hyperlocal marketing

Their influencer discount codes are often used more than average – because they are considered honest and unsponsored.

ROI tip: Affordable collaborations are often also possible through product exchanges, but only with a good tracking link!

3. Micro-influencers: The sweet spot for performance

This group delivers the best mix of price, reach, and conversion . They are professional, yet still approachable. Many brands generate revenue with micro-creators:

• 20% conversion with influencer vouchers

• strong organic sharing

• scalable creator pools

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According to HubSpot , the average engagement rate of micro-influencers is 3.86% – significantly higher than that of macro-influencers.

ROI tip: Use targeted A/B testing with influencer codes to identify the best creators and retain them long-term.

4. Macro-influencers: Good for awareness – less for sales

Big creators with 500,000+ followers bring enormous reach—but often lower engagement. They're suitable for:

• Branding campaigns

• Product releases

• Mass discount campaigns with influencer vouchers

But: The CPM (cost per mille) is high – and if the product fit is not right, typical “ influencers gone wild ” moments can occur (unbelievable placements, low impact).

ROI tip: Only makes sense with a strong budget and a clear brand strategy – otherwise, micro is better.

5. Conclusion: The best influencer strategy is combined

Successful brands build multi-stage influencer funnels :

• Nano-influencers = building trust

• Micro-influencers = scalable sales via discount code

• Macro influencers = increase brand awareness

  
  

Many companies use influencer codes such as SNOCKS10, PURELEI15 or NALA20 to directly measure performance – and then develop it further in a targeted manner.

Bonus: Start an influencer campaign – how to do it quickly and safely

• Create a clear landing page with code field

• Use individual influencer discount codes per creator

• Trade fair conversions, CPC & engagement – e.g. with tools like Modash, Affable or Shopify Affiliates

• Observe whether collaborations can be repeated (quality feature!)