Little Fish, Big Pond: Are Micro Influencers Worth the Catch? Analyzing the Difference and Effectiveness Between Micro and Macro Influencers

Author Information

Kimberly T. Salla

Abstract/Description

As social media has grown in popularity and influence, its users have become persuasive leaders in marketing products to their audiences. Originally celebrities, models, and artists were key influencers, able to market products to their millions of followers. With the growth of TikTok, users now have the opportunity to become micro-influencers. With the rise in influencer marketing, companies are spending significant amounts of money trying to reach a larger audience on social media. Research has shown that influencers can be effective. However, with micro and macro influencers now being utilized, it is important to look at who is using which type of influencers in their strategies and the relationship to a company's finances. This study explores the relationship between marketing expenditures and revenue for companies utilizing micro-influencers vs. macro- influencers, finding that companies investing in macro- influencers spend more on marketing overall, and have higher revenue than companies utilizing micro-influencers.

Note on the Author

Kimberly T. Salla is a Commonwealth Honors 2025 graduate of BSU. Kim majored in Marketing and minored in Accounting and Finance and Integrated Communications. Her honors thesis focused on marketing, accounting, and data visualization and was completed with mentorship from Dr. Stephanie Jacobsen. Kim plans on starting an internship in Fall 2025 to develop her marketing and accounting skills.

Recommended Citation

Salla, Kimberly T. (2025). Little Fish, Big Pond: Are Micro Influencers Worth the Catch? Analyzing the Difference and Effectiveness Between Micro and Macro Influencers. Undergraduate Review, 19, 291-304.
Available at: https://vc.bridgew.edu/undergrad_rev/vol19/iss1/25

Rights Statement

Articles published in The Undergraduate Review are the property of the individual contributors and may not be reprinted, reformatted, repurposed or duplicated, without the contributor’s consent.