Influencer marketing is all the rage for brands that want to resonate with their customers in new and interesting ways. As this space matures, many brands find incredible success with smaller, niche influencers over larger influencers. These five micro-influencers are all about fashion, style, and most importantly, authenticity – brands marketers have a lot to learn from these up-and-coming stars in the influencer space.

Samantha Brown

Samantha Brown is a celebrity/personal stylist based in New York credited for working with major publications such as Vogue and Glamour Magazine. Passionate about finding the latest trends and helping her clients find their own unique style, Brown draws inspiration from brands that are relatable and inclusive. Samantha Brown has been an influencer for over three years and has grown her community of followers to over 30K on Instagram. Brown explains, “The challenge in building a unique community is constantly coming up with content that will resonate with and hold the attention of your followers. One must constantly think of new ways to engage their audience because there's so much competition in the social space.

” With her own casual-chic style, Samantha Brown continues to grow her clientele and work with brands reflecting fashion that is fun and size-inclusive.

Dustin Tyler

Influencer marketing is an industry dominated by women, but Dustin Tyler is among the men who have successfully developed a community of followers around the brands he represents. Dustin's passion for his unique and edgy style led him to brand-partnerships with alternative brands, such as Sullen Clothing and Menz Slim Wear. Dustin’s following is a niche community of tattoo enthusiasts – Dustin has a close relationship with his community, giving a higher position to the brands he works closest with. Dustin Tyler explains that he has turned brands down “because the style wasn't true to me and I like to be as honest with my followers as I can so they know they can trust my opinions on particular products or apparel.

” With 70K Instagram followers, Dustin Tyler is continuing to build his following to maximize his ROI and keep brands interested in partnerships.

Whitney Powell

Whitney Powell is a strong advocate for women's empowerment and affordable fashion. Subsequently, Powell works with brands that are body inclusive and affordable, such as Reformation and Nordstrom. With a growing community of over 65K followers, Whitney aims to be as authentic as possible and promote products and retailers that resonate with her brand. She advises, “Brands need to trust the influencer they have selected for the program. They have to understand that someone with a platform and an engaged audience know what their readers and viewers want - and give them the creative freedom to promote in their own voice. A loyal audience can tell when the authentic voice is off.”  Whitney emphasizes sizing-issues in the retail world and loves to work with brands that have inclusive-sizing— inherently bringing fashion to everyone. That being said, her community of followers closely trust her judgment and the brands that she partners with. On that basis, Powell keeps up with the latest trends that accommodate her lifestyle and relate to her followers.

Malvika Sheth

Malvika Sheth is an accomplished fashion and style content creator who shares fashion tips and tricks with her followers. With her own bohemian style, Sheth works with her community to create trendy looks and style unique pieces, such as 90’s hair accessories or stripes. Malvika Sheth works with both mid to luxury brands that cater to her specialized community, such as Givenchy Beauty and Reebok. Malvika’s advice to brands who’d like to work with influencers:“Many influencers are in that transition towards making this their full-time career, so while you may have a budget, it’s important not to always expect influencers (no matter how small) to post for free product or services. Especially if they’ve been in the space for over a year, it’s essential to respect their time and hard work, and be willing to invest a little bit of money and trust into them and their creative abilities.

” At a following of over 55K on Instagram, Malvika is constantly updating her blog to keep her community of followers engaged and brands interested in working with her.

Kate Greer

Kate Greer is a 5 ft tall fashionista who’s excited about life, calling herself a “girl on the go.

” Kate blogs about her indie retro style and shares with her community of followers fashion tips to accomplish the latest trends and highlight their own personal style. She also shares her favorite looks via Instagram, where you can find her favorite clothing labels and accessories. Kate gives inspiration to the super-busy woman who struggles to prioritize her wardrobe and find a style that works in her everyday life. Kate explains, “Being an ‘influencer’ is not a fake job. It's a lot of hard work. Treat influencers like they are working hard because they truly are always hustling!” Kate works with a variety of brands that reflect her on-the-go lifestyle, such as Chicwish and LikeToKnowIt. These brands both sell clothing and accessories by sharing user-generated content that reflects authenticity that is relatable with customers. As she continues to engage with her community and work with upcoming lifestyle brands, Kate’s following is just over 15K and still expanding.

These five blossoming fashion and style influencers have created unique communities that resonate with their various styles and help bring awareness to the brands they love. Influencer marketing might be the hottest new trend because it enables brands to reach customers in a way that feels organic – and it’s proving to be an effective strategy. Since authenticity is key for today's consumers, using influencers is a great way to increase ROI and conversion rates. Just as consumers trust influencer marketing (especially micro-influencers), customers trust each other more than brands. By utilizing user-generated content, brands are able to solve the issues of content creation and distribution. Brands can now market to customers in a way that is authentic and relatable. Because influencers are consumers themselves, they have credibility with their community — allowing them to have a better relationship with your customers. This can offer brands strategic insight into understanding customers and learning what speaks to them. Maybe one of these influencers holds the key to connecting with your audience!

Isabella Tarantino is a senior at the University of California, Riverside and a marketing Intern at Pixlee. Majoring in Administrative Studies with a marketing emphasis, she is excited about marketing trends in the digital age.