What makes a social media influencer influential? Authenticity.

There are social media influencers; you know, the celebrities and internet-famous types with more than 1 million followers. 

Then there are microinfluencers, the next-step-down, whose followers range in the tens to hundreds of thousands.

You’ll soon be hearing more about a new group of influencer: the nanoinfluencer, someone who has as few as 1,000 followers.

And we can learn a lot from what’s fueling this trend. It’s all about being authentic. 

We’re big believers in authenticity in marketing. After all, it’s at the core of content marketing, which intrinsically is a values-based practice. Be helpful and consumers will reward you with their loyalty and trust.

So the rise of the nanoinfluencer makes sense. 

“Their lack of fame is one of the qualities that make them approachable,” says Sapna Maheshwari in a recent article in the New York Times. “When they recommend a shampoo or a lotion or a furniture brand on Instagram, their word seems as genuine as advice from a friend.”

Research shows that 91 percent of people read online reviews, and 85 percent trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation. 

The problem with the more traditional social media influencer, Maheshwari says, is that “with their success and online fame, they may be losing the homespun quality that once distinguished them from the crowd of celebrity endorsers.”

That matters because an estimated 10-15 percent of social media reviews were expected to be fake, according to this report from 2012. (Here’s a more recent and very helpful guide on spotting fake reviews.)

So do as content marketers do. Be helpful. Lead with your expertise. And don’t be afraid to make it personal.

After all, brands are spending a lot of money to get your popular friend next door to be their next hyperlocal ambassador.