Choosing the right Influencer? Here’s the Rule of the 3 R
In an increasingly crowded digital ecosystem, collaborating with an influencer is not just a marketing tactic: it’s a strategic lever for brand positioning. In 2024, the global influencer marketing market reached a value of 24 billion US dollars, marking a 13.7% increase from the previous year. The top channel? Instagram, used by 81% of marketers*. As this data shows, influencer marketing is now a core element in digital brand strategies. Influencers don’t just promote products or services, but they can become the spokesperson of a brand. However, achieving real results takes more than just partnering with someone famous: you need the right partner. And that’s where the real challenge begins.
The current scenario
According to a research carried out by eMarketer in partnership with Spotted, 77.7%** of companies have increased their budgets for collaborations with creators, but 43.9% of marketers admit they struggle to find the right person.
The first mistake? Confusing Influencers and Creators
In everyday language, “influencer” and “creator” are often used interchangeably as synonyms, but they represent two very different approaches to communication.
-Influencers focus on social impact: they have large communities, high visibility, and influence purchasing decisions through popularity and authority. They are the right choice when the final aim is to quickly increase brand awareness.
- Creators, on the other hand, are content professionals: their strength lies in storytelling, aesthetics, and insight. They create authentic, engaging content tailored to their audience. Brands that choose creators seek value, identity, and long-term connection.
A practical solution: the rule of the 3Rs
To navigate the complex world of influencer marketing, a useful framework is the Rule of the 3 R: Reach, Relevance, Resonance. Let’s analyse it more deeply:
REACH - How many people can it reach?
Reach represents the potential number of users that can see the influencer contents. It’s not just about the numbers of followers they have, but is related to influencers’ quality and activity level. Reach represents the potential number of users who can see the influencer's content. It’s not just about the number of followers they have, but also about the influencer’s quality and level of activity.
Based on follower size, influencers can be grouped into:
-Nano Influencer (1K–10K followers): high authenticity and strong community bonds
-Micro Influencer (10K–100K): High relatability, ideal for targeting niche markets
-Macro Influencer (100K–1M): Broad visibility, useful for awareness campaigns
-Mega Influencer (>1M): well-suited for large-scale brand awareness campaigns, able to reach extremely large audiences.
We often assume that the more followers an influencer has, the better the results.However, smaller influencers often have deeper connections with their communities. Each category has specific strengths that should be carefully evaluated when planning a collaboration.
RELEVANCE – How relevant is it for your target audience?
The second metric to take into account is relevance. It’s not enough for an influencer to have visibility, they must be perceived as consistent with your brand values, product, and industry. This is where real engagement comes in: likes and views alone aren’t enough, it’s the interaction quality that matters: authentic comments, DMs, post saves, and the ability to spark sincere conversations. The right profile isn’t just a showcase, but it’s mainly a connection facilitator. Too often, marketers focus only on follower count or polished digital presence, forgetting the crucial role of community impact.
RESONANCE – Does it share the values of your brand and audience?
If an influencer truly resonates with your audience, sharing the same tone of voice, values, and authenticity, the communication will have a more lasting impact.
When the values of the influencer are aligned with those of your brand, the audience perceives the partnership as authentic. And in the digital environment, authenticity is the real driver of trust.
Why does the rule of the 3 R work?
Applying the 3 R’s rule is not just a way to choose better, but it’s a strategic method that allows you to:
-Build long-term relationships
-Activate brand ambassadors who speak your audience’s language
-Gain credibility, consistency, and reputation
To hit the mark, you don’t need the most famous influencer, but you need the one that best suits your brand’s needs. Analyze the reach, assess the relevance, and confirm the resonance. Only then your partnership can be truly effective and successful.
Are you ready to exploit the potential of influencer marketing?