Why Mid-Tier Influencers Are Overshadowing A-List Celebrities

Gone are the days when consumers flocked to stores after seeing a celebrity product endorsement. Today, shopping — and especially eCommerce — is driven by everyday influencers. These social media power users are increasingly overshadowing their A-list counterparts not in star power, but in their ability to authentically connect and engage with audiences.

But why do people prefer influencers over celebrities? In this guide, I’ll explain what mid-tier influencers are and why they’re turning more heads than A-listers.

What are mid-tier influencers, anyway?

You might be familiar with TikTok-famous influencers like Charli D’Amelio and Bella Poarch, but these big-time influencers experience many of the same problems as celebrities. Their followings are so massive that it’s hard to garner real, authentic engagement. That’s why more brands are leveraging mid-tier influencers instead.

A mid-tier influencer usually has a follower count ranging from 20,000 to 100,000 people. That’s a big range, but what sets mid-tier influencers apart is the fact that they aren’t household names. They might not be world-famous, but they still have a large enough following to be considered influential in their niche.

Why do mid-tier influencers hold so much sway?

Let’s look at the main reasons these mid-tier influencers hold sway and where their value comes from.

• They look like regular people, not celebrities.

Celebrities are so big that there’s no way they can cultivate one-on-one relationships with their followers. But 46% of consumers prefer to follow influencers who act like everyday people — while just 10.3% prefer to follow celebrities.

Mid-tier influencers come across as more authentic because they have a smaller following. They have closer audience relationships and the ability to respond and engage with comments—something big-name influencers like the Kardashians just can’t compete with.

If you’re leveraging influencers for marketing or public relations (PR), this dose of authenticity makes consumers more likely to listen to your message.

Of course, you have to be careful about influencer selection here. Mid-tier influencers are better for targeting everyday people. Go with an influencer who makes sense for your target audience and brand. After all, it might not make sense to target everyday consumers if you’re a luxury handbag brand.

• Engagement rates are higher.

Did you know that engagement rates are higher for influencers with smaller followings? Mid-tier influencers see engagement rates ranging from 1.22% to 1.7%, while influencers with more than 100,000 followers see 1.06% engagement rates on average.

It sounds counterintuitive, but the smaller someone’s following, the more likely they are to have higher engagement rates. Mid-tier influencers can interact one on one with thousands of followers in a more personal way — and that leads to more consumer action.

Mid-tier influencers are the sweet spot because they have a large enough audience to promote your brand to plenty of new consumers, but their following isn’t so large that they can’t keep up with conversations.

• Mid-tier influencers are more specialized.

Celebrities tend to endorse a range of products, but mid-tier influencers are more focused and specialized. They usually specialize in a single topic or niche that they’ve become well-known for.

Celebrities, on the other hand, often lack expertise and promote a little bit of everything — and there’s a good chance they don’t even use the products they promote. For example, consumers are more likely to trust a fitness influencer’s recommendations more than a celebrity who occasionally posts about fitness.

• Mid-tier influencers are cost-effective.

If you care about gaining new followers and orders, mid-tier influencers provide the best return on investment (ROI). A mid-tier influencer comes with a one-two punch of authenticity and engagement.

Since mid-tier influencers usually specialize in a certain niche, you can get access to a more targeted audience, usually for a much lower price than what a celebrity would charge. A-listers command hefty fees to promote you to their millions of followers, and there’s no guarantee that these people will even be interested.

Translation: you get less targeted exposure for way less engagement. In my professional experience, celebrity partnerships rarely translate into meaningful results, which is why more PR teams are partnering with mid-tier influencers instead.

• Social media algorithms favor engaging content.

Are you trying to boost your social media following? Mid-tier influencers tend to show up more in people’s feeds than celebrities. That’s because social media algorithms favor engagement first — not follower numbers.

Since mid-tier influencers tend to have higher engagement rates than celebrities, consumers are much more likely to see and engage with that influencer’s promoted content.

Tap into the rising power of mid-tier influencers.

I don’t have anything against celebrity partnerships, but these deals can cost millions of dollars and net few meaningful results. If you own a smaller brand, try partnering with mid-tier influencers to maximize your PR budget for results.