Big Brands Are Shifting to Micro-Influencers…

Why Big Brands Are Shifting to Micro-Influencers—And What It Means for Small Businesses

by Ellis Bruce Paul

Influencer marketing is evolving—and fast. While traditional celebrity endorsements still exist, the smartest brands in 2025 are quietly shifting their budgets toward a different kind of voice: the micro-influencer.

What used to be a numbers game has become a trust game. And if you’re a business owner, marketer, or creative trying to break through the noise, that shift matters more than ever.

The Bigger the Brand, the Smarter the Spend

According to recent data from Kantar, top global brands are increasing their influencer marketing budgets—and they’re not just chasing high follower counts. Instead, they’re investing in creators who bring focused, niche engagement to the table.

This isn’t surprising. The metrics are clear: people trust people, not ads. And when a creator shares something with authenticity—be it a cocktail, a boutique hotel experience, or a local bakery treat—it lands.

At Old Janx, we’ve seen this firsthand. Campaigns we’ve run for restaurants, spirits brands, and startups consistently show that smaller, highly engaged creators outperform flashier, high-follower accounts. It’s not about going viral. It’s about reaching the right audience with the right message.

The Power of the Micro-Influencer

Micro-influencers (10K–100K followers) operate like trusted friends in the digital world. Their communities are tight-knit, their recommendations carry weight, and their content feels more like a conversation than a broadcast.

That translates to:

• Higher engagement rates

• More genuine interaction

• Lower content production costs

• Better long-term ROI

In a recent campaign we supported for a Florida restaurant and bar, a local content creator with fewer than 10,000 followers generated three times the engagement of a national lifestyle account. Why? Because their audience actually cared.

What This Means for You

If you’re a small business owner or marketing director, you don’t need a six-figure influencer budget to make an impact. You need the right creator with the right voice.

Here’s how to think about it:

• Start local. Who’s already talking about your niche?

• Focus on engagement, not just reach. Comments and shares matter more than impressions.

• Think long-term. A creator who loves your brand will promote it more naturally—and more often.

• Negotiate usage rights. That content can be repurposed for ads, newsletters, and more.

We help our clients build sustainable influencer strategies, not one-off posts that disappear in 24 hours.

What’s Coming Next

Looking ahead, expect to see:

• More brands using influencers as content partners, not just promo vehicles

• A surge in creator-led storytelling across emerging platforms

• Stronger demand for authenticity over polish

This is the era of creators who feel real—and that’s great news for brands who are ready to show up with substance.

Bottom Line?
Influencer marketing isn’t just for the giants. It’s for anyone with a message worth sharing and a product worth believing in.

If you’re ready to build a creator strategy rooted in authenticity, performance, and brand alignment, we’re here to help.

📩 Let’s connect at Old Janx LLC and shape your next influencer campaign into something memorable.