All types of influencers that exist: complete guide to identifying and choosing the right one

Influencer marketing has become one of the most effective strategies for connecting brands with specific audiences. However, choosing the right collaborator can make the difference between a successful campaign and an investment with no return—a distinction that can be truly subtle and sometimes almost indistinguishable.

If you’re wondering what types of influencers exist and how to identify which one best fits your project, this guide will provide you with all the information you need.

At Magnetic, we’ve spent years designing influencer marketing strategies for companies of all sizes. Throughout this article, we’ll explain the different classifications that exist, from types of influencers based on their followers to those who specialize in specific topics or platforms. Let’s dive in!

Types of Influencers Based on Audience Size

The most well-known classification of types of influencers on social media is the one that groups them by their number of followers. This criterion is fundamental because it determines the potential reach of a campaign, but it also influences aspects such as engagement, collaboration costs, and the type of relationship the creator maintains with their community.

Understanding the types of influencers based on their followers will allow you to adjust your budget and define realistic objectives for each marketing action.

1. Nano Influencers (1,000 – 10,000 followers)

Nano influencers are content creators with small but extraordinarily engaged communities. Their main strength lies in the closeness they maintain with their followers: they respond to comments, interact through direct messages, and generate trust that’s difficult to replicate in larger profiles.

This type of influencer is ideal for niche campaigns, local product launches, or strategies seeking to generate authentic conversation. Their cost is usually low—many times they accept collaborations in exchange for products—and their engagement rate can exceed 8%, well above the industry average.

If your brand is taking its first steps or you need to validate a product before investing in massive campaigns, nano influencers are a smart and cost-effective option.

2. Micro Influencers (10,000 – 100,000 followers)

Micro influencers represent the perfect balance between reach and authenticity. They’ve managed to build a considerable audience without losing their personal connection with their community, which makes them highly credible advocates.

This profile is especially useful for consideration campaigns, where the goal is for users to seriously evaluate your product or service before making a purchase decision. Their recommendations are perceived as advice from a peer, not as advertising.

In terms of investment, micro influencers offer excellent ROI, and their rates are usually accessible for most budgets.

3. Macro Influencers (100,000 – 1 million followers)

When a brand needs large-scale visibility without sacrificing segmentation, macro influencers are the answer. These creators have fully professionalized their activity: they have production teams, managers, and a consolidated audience that trusts their judgment.

Campaigns with macro influencers work especially well for product launches, rebranding, or actions that require generating awareness quickly.

The cost of working with this profile is considerably higher, but the reach and professionalism they bring justify the investment in medium to large-scale campaigns, especially in luxury contexts.

4. Famous Influencers (1 million – 5 million followers)

This segment is typically occupied by public figures: actors, athletes, singers, TV hosts, or personalities who have achieved fame outside of social media and have transferred their relevance to the digital environment.

Their main value is the instant notoriety they bring to any brand. A single post can generate millions of impressions and position a product in the collective imagination within hours.

However, engagement tends to be lower in proportion to their audience, and fees are high.

This type of collaboration is recommended for brands with substantial budgets looking to associate themselves with specific values—such as success, glamour, or athletic excellence—rather than generating direct conversions.

5. Mega Influencers (+5 million followers)

At the top of the pyramid are mega influencers, creators with massive, global reach.

We’re talking about personalities like Ibai Llanos, Dulceida, or El Rubius in the Spanish-speaking world, capable of mobilizing millions of people with a single post.

Collaborating with a mega influencer is comparable to booking an advertising slot during TV prime time, but with the advantage of the segmentation and interaction that social media allows.

They’re ideal for large-scale branding campaigns, event sponsorships, or international launches.

Access to these profiles requires a very significant investment and generally the intermediation of specialized agencies. At Magnetic, we can help you evaluate whether this type of collaboration fits your objectives and manage the entire negotiation and execution process.

Types of influencers based on their content profile

Beyond the number of followers, it’s essential to understand the types of influencers based on their content. This classification will help you identify what role each creator can play in your potential customer’s decision process: from sparking initial interest to resolving the last doubts before purchase.

Industry specialist

The industry specialist is a reference in a broad field such as technology, fashion, fitness, or finance. Their audience turns to them to stay informed about industry news, learn about trends, and receive general recommendations.

This profile is useful in the early stages of the conversion funnel, when the goal is to generate awareness and position your brand as a relevant option within its category.

Category specialist within an industry

One step down in specialization, we find creators who focus on a specific category. For example, within the tech industry, an influencer specialized solely in smartphones or smart home devices.

Their audience is smaller but much more qualified: they’re users who already have a defined interest and are looking for detailed information to make decisions.

Niche influencers

Here we’re talking about creators who master an extremely specific area: vintage watches, specialty coffee, mountain running, DeFi cryptocurrency investment… Their community, though small, is made up of true enthusiasts willing to invest time and money in their passion.

If your product or service targets a very specific audience, this type of influencer can generate direct conversions with surprising effectiveness.

Generalist influencer (varied content)

The generalist influencer doesn’t limit themselves to a specific topic: they share their daily life, opinions, travels, purchases, and life experiences. Their appeal lies in their personality and the emotional connection they establish with their audience.

This profile works well for mass consumer products or brands that want to associate themselves with a particular lifestyle rather than a product category.

Trend and news creator

Some influencers have positioned themselves as trend hunters: they detect what’s about to go viral, try it first, and share it with their community.

They’re what we’d call early adopters par excellence.

Collaborating with them is ideal for innovative product launches or for brands that want to position themselves as pioneers in their industry.

Consumer-type influencer (tests products and recommends them)

This profile is characterized by systematically testing products and sharing honest opinions with their audience. Their credibility is based precisely on that honesty: not everything they try they like, and that reinforces the value of their positive recommendations.

They’re especially useful in the final stage of the funnel, when the user has already decided to buy but needs one last push or confirmation that they’re making the right decision.

Types of influencers based on the platform they work on

Each social network has its own dynamics, formats, and audience profiles. That’s why knowing the types of influencers that predominate on each platform will help you choose the most appropriate channel for your message.

Instagram influencers

Instagram remains the reigning platform for influencer marketing. Its combination of formats—feed, stories, reels, lives—allows great creative versatility, and its audience is accustomed to discovering products and brands through their favorite creators.

The Instagram user profile is predominantly urban, with medium-high purchasing power and special interest in fashion, beauty, lifestyle, travel, and gastronomy. It’s the ideal platform for visual campaigns that seek to generate desire and aspiration.

TikTok Influencers

TikTok has revolutionized content consumption with its short video format, its discovery algorithm, and its ability to viralize content organically. TikTok influencers stand out for their creativity, their ability to adapt to trends, and their casual tone.

TikTok’s audience is predominantly young—although increasingly diverse—and values authenticity over perfect production. It’s an excellent platform for generating awareness, launching viral challenges, or connecting with Generation Z.

YouTube influencers

YouTube is the platform for long-form, in-depth content. Its creators produce tutorials, reviews, vlogs, documentaries, and series that can exceed 20 or 30 minutes in length, generating a very deep connection with their audience.

YouTube users seek detailed information before making purchase decisions, which makes this platform a key channel for products that require explanation or demonstration. Integrations in YouTube videos usually have a very long lifespan, as the content continues generating views months or even years after publication.

Twitch streamers

Twitch was born as a video game streaming platform but has evolved to become a space for all types of live content: chats, music, cooking, sports, interviews…

What differentiates Twitch is the real-time interaction between the streamer and their community. Live chat generates a sense of belonging and closeness that no other platform can replicate. Campaigns on Twitch work especially well when they’re integrated organically into the stream, generating natural mentions and conversation with the audience.

X (formerly Twitter) influencers

X is the platform of debate, opinion, and immediacy. Its influencers are typically journalists, analysts, industry experts, or public figures with the ability to generate conversation and set agendas.

It’s an ideal channel for thought leadership campaigns, newsworthy launches, or actions seeking to generate media coverage. Content on X has a short lifespan but very high viralization potential.

Facebook influencers

Although its popularity has decreased among younger users, Facebook remains a relevant platform for certain demographic segments, especially users over 35.

Facebook influencers usually operate through thematic groups or pages with very active communities. It’s an interesting channel for products targeting an adult audience or for local businesses that want to connect with their nearby community.

LinkedIn influencers

LinkedIn has established itself as the reference platform for professional and B2B content. Its influencers are executives, entrepreneurs, consultants, or experts who share knowledge, experiences, and opinions about the business world.

If your company offers B2B services, enterprise software, or solutions for professionals, LinkedIn influencers can help you generate qualified leads and position your brand as a reference in your industry.

Pinterest creators

Pinterest is a visual discovery platform where users seek inspiration for projects, purchases, and decisions. Its creators stand out for the aesthetic quality of their content and their ability to drive traffic to external websites.

It’s an especially effective channel for sectors such as decoration, fashion, cooking, weddings, or DIY. Content on Pinterest has a very long lifespan, as pins can continue generating traffic for months.

Niche bloggers

Although social media has captured attention, blogs remain a very valuable channel, especially for SEO and content that requires depth. Niche bloggers are experts in their field and generate detailed content that ranks in search engines and attracts qualified traffic.

Collaborating with bloggers is ideal for content marketing strategies, link building, and long-term organic positioning.

Podcasters

Podcasting has experienced spectacular growth in recent years. Its creators generate audio content that users consume while doing other activities: driving, exercising, cooking…

The attention a listener pays to a podcast is far superior to other formats, which turns brand mentions into high-impact messages. Additionally, the relationship between podcaster and audience is usually very close and based on trust.

Creators on emerging platforms

The digital ecosystem is constantly evolving, and there are always new platforms capturing the attention of certain audience segments. BeReal, Lemon8, Threads, or those that emerge in the future may offer interesting opportunities for brands that want to position themselves as innovative and connect with early adopters.

At Magnetic, we constantly monitor the digital landscape to identify opportunities on emerging platforms before they become saturated.

Types of influencers based on the topics they cover

Another way to classify types of influencers is by the topic of their content. This segmentation allows you to identify creators whose audience matches your buyer persona. Below, we present the main thematic verticals:

• Fitness: creators specialized in training, physical exercise, workout routines, and active lifestyle.
• Nutrition: influencers who share content about healthy eating, diets, supplementation, and nutritional habits.
• Fashion: content creators about trends, outfits, shopping, and personal style.
• Beauty: influencers specialized in makeup, skincare, aesthetic treatments, and personal care.
• Travel: creators who share travel experiences, destinations, tips, and tourist recommendations.
• Technology: influencers who analyze gadgets, software, apps, and tech industry news.
• Video games: gaming content creators: gameplays, reviews, esports, and gamer culture.
• Personal finance: influencers who teach money management, saving, budgeting, and improving financial health.
• Investment: creators specialized in stocks, funds, real estate, cryptocurrencies, and investment strategies.
• Digital marketing: influencers who share knowledge about digital strategies, online advertising, SEO, and social media.
• Entrepreneurship: creators who inspire and train people who want to launch their own business projects.
• Cooking and gastronomy: influencers who share recipes, culinary techniques, restaurants, and food culture.
• Home and decoration: creators specialized in interior design, home organization, DIY, and domestic lifestyle.
• News and current events: influencers who inform and comment on what’s happening in the world.
• Politics and debate: creators who analyze political news and generate conversation about social issues.
• Sports: influencers specialized in specific sports disciplines, competitions, and sports culture.
• Education: creators who teach skills, languages, academic subjects, or professional knowledge.
• Personal development: influencers who share content about productivity, mindset, habits, and personal growth.
• Pets: creators specialized in the care, training, and life with companion animals.
• Science and outreach: influencers who explain scientific concepts, discoveries, and knowledge in an accessible way.

Other types of influencers that can also influence a marketing strategy

In addition to the previous classifications, there are types of influencer collaborations that can bring differential value to your strategy—in this case, we have local or proximity influencers.

These are creators whose relevance is strongly associated with a specific geographic area: a city, a region, or a territory. Obviously, their audience is mostly made up of people who live in that area or have an emotional connection to it.

This profile is especially valuable for local businesses: restaurants, shops, professional services, events, or tourist destinations. Their recommendation has a direct impact because their audience can become customers immediately.

At Magnetic, headquartered in Calella, we know firsthand the value of proximity influencers. We regularly work with creators from the Maresme region and all of Catalonia for campaigns that need to connect with local audiences authentically.

How to use these types of influencers to choose more effective collaborations?

Now that you know all the types of influencers that exist, the key question is: how do you use this information to design more effective campaigns?

First, this classification allows you to precisely define the creator profile you need. Seeking massive awareness is not the same as generating conversions in a specific niche. By crossing the different typologies—audience size, content profile, platform, topic—you can build an ideal influencer profile for your campaign.

Second, it helps you adjust your budget realistically. Knowing that a nano influencer can generate excellent results with minimal investment, or that a macro influencer requires a significant budget allocation, allows you to plan actions adapted to your resources.

Third, it facilitates audience segmentation. By choosing influencers by topic and platform, you ensure your message reaches exactly the audience you’re interested in, avoiding wasted impressions.

At Magnetic, we design personalized influencer marketing strategies for each client. We analyze your brand, your target audience, and your objectives to identify the most suitable profiles, negotiate collaborations, and measure results rigorously. If you want your next influencer campaign to be truly effective, we’ll be happy to help.