Where the tier sits
The influencer tiers are rough conventions, not standards. Nano usually means roughly 1,000 to 10,000 followers, micro influencer sits above that up to around 100,000, and macro and mega tiers go up from there. Different agencies draw the lines in different places, so treat the numbers as a guide and always look at the actual account.
Nano accounts are often people with a job and a hobby, not full-time creators. That's part of the appeal. Their followers tend to know them, which makes an honest product mention more persuasive than the same mention from a large account.
What brands get from nano influencers
Reach per account is tiny, so nano deals are not a reach play. They work as volume plays (50 creators each posting to 3,000 people), as content plays (buy the video, not the audience), and as seeding plays (send product, ask nothing, see who posts). Many of the best UGC creators are nano accounts who never intended to be influencers.
Cost is the other advantage. Many nano creators accept product plus a modest fee, and some accept product alone for a first post. Any rate range you read online is a rough convention; ask, and compare against what the content is worth to you as an ad asset.
How to run a nano program
The bottleneck is sourcing and coordination, not budget. Finding 50 nano creators in your niche by hand means hours of scrolling and guessing at emails. Build the list first, with contact details and a fit score against your brief, then run outreach in batches so the volume stays manageable.
A workable structure: 40 creators gifted with a simple ask (one post or story, tag us, honest opinion), then convert the 5 to 10 who produce the best content into paid production deals with usage rights. You end up with organic reach at the top and reusable ad creative at the bottom.
How it's used
Campaign plan: "Phase one is 60 nano influencers gifted the starter kit; phase two turns the best 8 into paid UGC creators with ad usage."
Outreach message: "You're exactly the kind of nano influencer we're looking for in the running space; we'd love to send you the shoes and pay for a short review."