The 2025 Ultimate Guide for Micro and Nano Influencer Brand Deals

In a world where social media shapes purchasing decisions, micro and nano influencers have become the secret weapons of modern marketing. Gone are the days when only celebrities and mega-influencers snagged brand deals. Today, smaller creators with loyal, niche audiences are landing meaningful partnerships with brands. If you’re wondering how to score micro and nano-influencer brand deals, stand out from the crowd, learn the influencers’ best type of brand deals, and maximize your potential as an influencer, this is your ultimate guide. We’ll dive into actionable tips, explore the best influencer types of brand deals, and cover 2025 trends that will set you apart in this evolving landscape.

Why Micro and Nano Influencers Are in Demand

Micro-influencers (10,000–100,000 followers) and nano influencers (1,000–10,000 followers) are redefining the influencer marketing game. Why?

• Authenticity Rules: Audiences trust smaller influencers more because their content feels relatable and authentic, not overly polished or sales-y.
• Higher Engagement Rates: Micro and nano influencers are known for their higher engagement rates than larger influencers. According to a study by Later and Fohr (source 1), nano-influencers (those with fewer than 10,000 followers) have an average engagement rate of 4%. In comparison, micro-influencers (10,000 to 100,000 followers) see an average engagement rate of 2.4%. In contrast, macro-influencers (500,000 to 1 million followers) experience an average engagement rate of only 1.3%.
• Cost-Effectiveness for Brands: Smaller influencers are budget-friendly for brands but still deliver high ROI. For instance, micro-influencers typically charge between $100 to $500 per Instagram post, whereas macro-influencers may command fees ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 per post (source 2).

This demand creates a golden opportunity for you to capitalize on brand deals as a micro or nano-influencer.

Influencers’ Best Type of Brand Deals

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to the question, “What are the best types of brand deals for influencers?” It depends on your niche, goals, and audience. The “best” influencer brand deals depend on your niche, goals, and audience preferences. However, long-term ambassadorships and sponsored content often provide the most stability and income. And UGC is usually the best brand deal type for nano and micro-influencers. Here are the key types of brand deals to consider:

1. Sponsored Content
   Brands pay you to create posts, stories, or Reels promoting their product. This is a common and lucrative deal, especially for micro-influencers with high engagement.
2. User-Generated Content (UGC)
   This is one of the fastest-growing monetization opportunities for micro and nano-influencer brand deals today. It involves brands paying for the rights to use the content you create—like photos, videos, or Reels—in their own marketing campaigns. Unlike traditional brand deals, UGC focuses on the quality of your content rather than your follower count, making it a game-changer for influencers of all sizes, especially micro and nano influencers. If you ever consider getting into UGC, I highly recommend checking my UGC Mastercourse.
3. Long-Term Brand Ambassadorships
   Ongoing partnerships where you represent a brand over months or years. These deals often include exclusive benefits, regular payments, and creative freedom. Influencers who align deeply with a brand’s mission and are considered “niche experts” are best positioned to capitalize on this type of influencer brand deal.
4. Product Gifting
   Brands send free products in exchange for promotion. While common for newer influencers, this can evolve into paid partnerships once you establish your value. If you are an experienced influencer, I recommend you avoid product gifting collaborations unless it’s something you want to get and its cost is higher than what you usually charge for sponsored content.
5. Affiliate Partnerships
   Although not a traditional influencer brand deal, it’s a common monetization tool for influencers and is often part of the influencer brand deals. Earn a commission for every sale made through your unique link or code. This type of deal requires an engaged audience willing to buy based on your recommendation. Typically, influencers in niches like beauty, fitness, or tech are the ones who can drive considerable revenue through affiliate partnerships. However, affiliate partnerships are usually not a major revenue stream for micro and nano-influencers as this channel requires a large base of followers.

Ultimately, you should always aim to get a mix of influencer-type brand deals. This will not only hedge your bets but also increase your earning potential.

How to Land Brand Deals as a Micro or Nano Influencer

Micro and nano influencers may not have the massive follower counts of celebrities, but they hold a superpower: trust and authenticity. Here’s how to leverage that to land micro and nano-influencer brand deals that others can’t.

1. Position Yourself as a Niche Expert

Micro and nano influencers excel when they focus on a specific niche. Brands aren’t looking for generalists—they want specialists who dominate a small, dedicated audience. This is why it’s so important to have a clear niche when you are starting out and trying to land micro and nano-influencer brand deals. Brands are drawn to influencers who can connect deeply with their target audience in ways larger influencers can’t.

2. Show Off Your High Engagement Rates

Your follower count is only part of the equation. What truly matters to brands is engagement because it’s how they get their best ROI (return on their investment). Micro and nano influencers typically see 2–3 times higher engagement rates than macro influencers. This is your leverage, use it! As a micro-influencer, you should target for an engagement rate of 5-7% (source 3).

3. Prove You Can Drive Results (Even Without a Huge Audience)

Brands love tangible outcomes. Even with a small following, you can prove your impact through case studies, data, or creative storytelling. It does not have to be paid deals, so make sure you invest early on in creating case studies that you can showcase to brands the value you can deliver to them. When pitching, you should aim to share specific results (ideally from past brand deals/collaborations, but not necessary). Another tactic that works well is linking and recommending products organically through an affiliate program, like an Amazon storefront, so you can access conversion metrics (how many people viewed, purchased, average order value, etc.) that will prove your effectiveness in driving results. When you can show results, brands are more likely to see you as a worthwhile investment—even with fewer followers.

4. Pitch Creative Ideas, Not Just Yourself

Most influencers send generic pitches like, “I love your brand and would love to collaborate!” This doesn’t cut it for micro-influencers (or any influencers to be honest!). Brands want to see that you’ve thought deeply about their goals and how you can help achieve them. It’s about the brand and its goals, not you! Your pitch must be tailored to the brand’s needs, so make sure to research the brand’s current campaigns, mission, value, products, competitors, and what kind of content they post (so you can learn their brand voice & style). Lastly, make sure you include a concrete deliverable proposal in your pitch and offer fresh concept ideas for the campaign. Brands should see you as a marketing expert, not just another influencer pitching them.

5. Leverage Your Local Influence

Your geographic location can be a huge asset as a micro or nano influencer, especially for local businesses or region-specific campaigns. So, make sure to highlight your connection to the local community in your pitch whenever possible and focus on pitching local brands, small businesses, or regional franchises looking for ambassadors in your area. Geotags and location-specific hashtags are also great tools to attract the attention local brands. Local campaigns are often more cost-effective for brands, and you offer hyper-targeted reach they can’t get from bigger influencers.

6. Create Portfolio-Worthy Content (Even Before the Brand Deal)

Brands want to see what kind of content you can produce. High-quality, on-brand content in your feed—even if it’s unpaid—can set you apart. If you truly want to stand out from the crowd, create “mock” campaigns or mood boards for brands you love, showcasing how you’d promote their products. Brands also love to work with creators who truly love their products. So, be strategic with your organic content. For example, posting high-quality UGC and tagging brands can be a powerful way to build trust and catch their attention over time.

7. Be Easy to Work With

While talent matters, professionalism and reliability are equally important. You would be surprised how professionalism goes a long way in this industry. Brands want partners who make their lives easier, not harder. Make sure to respond to emails and DMs promptly, don’t be overly casual. When working with brands, deliver content on time and follow briefs carefully. Lastly, make sure to invest in the long-term relationship with the brand – I recommend regularly following up with the Brand to learn about new opportunities and how you might help them achieve their goals.

8. Leverage Influencer Platforms Designed for Micro and Nano Influencers

Micro and nano-influencers have access to influencer platforms that directly connect them with brands looking for smaller creators. Platforms like Cohley, Hashtag Paid, StackInfluence, Aspire, or Creator.co are good options for finding micro and nano influencer brand deals (including UGC). That said, there are tons of platforms out there these days, make sure you do your research and focus your time on the ones you end up clicking the most with.

Time-Relevant Trends That Will Help You Land Brand Deals in 2025.

As the digital landscape evolves, staying ahead of emerging trends is crucial for influencers aiming to secure lucrative paid brand partnerships. Here are the key trends shaping influencer marketing in 2025, and actionable strategies to enhance your appeal to brands.

1. More Brands Embracing Trends

Brands are becoming bolder in adopting trend-based content, leveraging real-time cultural moments to connect with audiences. So, if you are a content creator looking to stand out, try to:

• Stay ahead of trends: Use tools like TikTok’s Creative Center, Instagram Trends, and Google Trends to identify emerging trends before they peak.
• Experiment with Creativity: Push creative boundaries by adding your unique spin to trends. Use storytelling, humor, or visuals that set your content apart.
• Act Fast: Speed is crucial. Keep your production workflow agile so you can jump on trends quickly without sacrificing quality.
• Be Selective: Only participate in trends that align with your brand and audience. Quality over quantity will keep your content authentic.
• Pitch Trend Expertise to Brands: Highlight your ability to create timely, trend-based content in pitches or proposals to attract brands looking for agile creators.

2. Increased Adoption of AI Tools in Influencer Marketing

Brands are increasingly integrating AI-powered tools to enhance influencer marketing strategies, utilizing AI for influencer discovery, campaign optimization, and performance analytics. A recent survey indicates that 69.1% of marketers have incorporated AI into their marketing operations, with 44.4% using it for content production (source 4).

The use of AI enables brands to identify influencers whose audience demographics, engagement rates, and content styles align closely with their marketing objectives. This data-driven approach allows brands to make more informed decisions, favoring influencers who demonstrate measurable value and relevance to their target markets.

So, if you are looking to capitalize on this trend, make sure to:

• Optimize Your Profile: Ensure your social media profiles are complete and accurately reflect your niche, audience demographics, and engagement metrics, making it easier for AI tools to identify you as a suitable partner.
• Leverage AI Tools: Utilize AI-driven platforms to analyze your own performance data, identify areas for improvement, and tailor your content strategy to increase engagement and appeal to brands. Especially if you are trying to land micro and nano-influencer brand deals.
• Stay Informed: Keep abreast of AI trends in influencer marketing to understand how brands are using these tools, allowing you to adapt your approach and highlight your strengths effectively.

3. Shift from Scrolling to Searching and Sharing on Social Platforms

Social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok are evolving from passive scrolling experiences to active search and share functionalities. TikTok has enhanced its search capabilities, with 57% of users utilizing the app as a search engine, and 23% initiating a search within 30 seconds of opening the app (source 5). Similarly, Instagram’s algorithm now prioritizes content shares as a key performance indicator, as confirmed by CEO Adam Mosseri multiple times. This evolution indicates a decline in traditional feed-based discovery, with users increasingly seeking content through searches and shared recommendations. To increase your chances of landing paid brand deals try to:

• Optimize Content for Searchability: Incorporate relevant keywords and hashtags into your posts to enhance discoverability through platform search functions.
• Create Shareable Content: Develop engaging, high-quality content that encourages followers to share with their networks, thereby increasing reach and visibility.
• Utilize Platform Insights: Leverage analytics tools to understand how users are finding and interacting with your content, allowing for data-driven adjustments to your strategy.

Wrapping Up

Landing paid brand deals, especially as a micro and nano influencer, is within reach if you approach it with a strategic plan. By understanding the types of deals, why micro and nano influencers are growing targets of brands, and staying on top of trends, you can turn your passion into profit!

Want more tips on turning your Instagram into a business? Check out my free webinar for actionable strategies on growing your brand and monetizing your influence.

Let 2025 be the year you turn your influencer dreams into reality!

Sources: 1. Later and Fohr, 2. Shopfy, 3. Upfluence, 4. Influencer Marketing Hub, 5. Techcrunch