Nano Influencer Marketing: 14,820 Deals We've Tracked

A skincare brand asked us last quarter whether a 50-creator nano cohort would beat their usual single macro buy on cost. Our answer was yes, by roughly 3x. Nano influencer marketing closed 14,820 paid deals across 8,103 creators we've tracked, the highest deal count of any tier. A nano creator is someone with 1,000 to 10,000 followers on one platform. Median fees run $80 to $300.

These pull from 176,223 sponsor deals and 87,793 brand-creator pairs we've tracked. The 2026 Influencer Marketing Benchmark Report shows the same nano shape.

TL;DR

• Nano: 14,820 deals from 8,103 creators (highest tier count).
• Per-post: $80 TikTok, $120 IG, $150 to $300 Shorts.
• CPM beats macro by 3x to 5x at 50-creator scale.
• 26% to 28% repeat rate vs 30.85% network mean.
• Aura (2,612) and Raycon (1,819) anchor nano cohorts.

Key takeaways

• Nano cohorts (14,820 deals) lead deal-count across all tiers.
• Per-post medians: $80 TikTok, $120 IG, $150 to $300 Shorts.
• A 50-creator nano program at $7,500 beats macro CPM by 3x to 5x.
• Repeat rate sits at 26% to 28%, slightly below the 30.85% network mean.

What's Inside

1. Deal volume by tier and why nano dominates
2. Per-platform pricing for nano creators
3. The 50-creator program math vs one macro deal
4. Repeat-deal patterns and what they mean
5. Categories where nano programs convert best

Why does nano influencer marketing have the highest deal count?

Nano creators closed 14,820 deals across 8,103 unique accounts because brands run them in cohorts.

A single program often books 30 to 100 creators in one campaign. Macro and mega buys are one-at-a-time, so volume falls behind.

From 158,555 YouTube and 77,835 TikTok creators in our database, the nano band is the largest population. Roughly 60% of tracked creators sit at 1K to 10K followers, which makes the supply effectively unlimited.

How much do nano creators charge per post in 2026?

Nano per-post medians: $80 TikTok, $120 Instagram, $150 to $300 YouTube Shorts. Cash dominates at the upper end. Gifted-only deals make up 35% of nano deals across the broader brand network.

At nano scale, product replaces a fee.

"The cost discipline of a nano cohort is unmatched. We can place 50 creators for the price of one macro post and reach a more loyal audience pocket per dollar." Carlos Bremer, Director of Brand Partnerships at Tide Coast Marketing

For broader cohort context, the micro and nano influencer data covers the full playbook.

What does the 50-creator nano program math look like?

A typical 50-creator nano program at $150 each totals $7,500 in spend. Combined reach lands at 200K to 350K impressions across the cohort.

The same $7,500 buys roughly 1.3 macro posts at $5,800 median, reaching 100K to 150K impressions on a single feed.

The cost-per-impression advantage holds across categories. Nano cohorts in beauty, food, and fitness typically deliver CPMs 40% below the macro equivalent. The eMarketer influencer marketing insights hub tracks the same sub-macro CPM.

How do repeat-deal rates compare across tiers?

Network-wide, 30.85% of 87,793 brand-creator pairs we've tracked repeat for a second deal. Nano repeat rate sits slightly lower at 26% to 28% because brands rotate cohorts for fresh audiences. Macro and mega tiers run higher (35% to 42%) because the production cost of finding a new fit is higher.

The top 10% of nano relationships (creators with 5+ deals at the same brand) outperform macro on cost-per-acquisition by 2x to 3x.

Which 5 categories convert best with nano programs?

Beauty, food, and fitness lead nano-program conversion in our network. CPG snack brands run 100-creator nano cohorts. Skincare brands run 50-creator nano programs. Fitness apparel leans into nano because the try-on content scales cheaply.

The Statista influence marketing topic page tracks the same category mix. The HypeAuditor state of influencer marketing report shows the same category-level cost discipline.

"Nano cohorts are the cleanest yardstick for cost-per-impression. The asymmetric reach versus a single mega buy is a tailwind for any brand that can manage 50-creator logistics." Renata Olund, VP of Brand Strategy at Halo Lane Studio

For ROI context, the influencer marketing ROI benchmarks shows where nano cohorts sit on the ROI distribution. Top-quartile nano programs match or beat macro on attributed revenue per dollar.

How should brands structure a first nano program?

Start with 50 creators across 3 niches, $150 average per creator, gifted product on top. Track each creator's first 7-day reach and engagement.

Then commission the top 10 for a second post at 50% higher fee ($225). The two-stage structure uncovers high-fit creators without committing the full budget upfront.

Key takeaways for first-time nano buyers:

• Anchor on a $150 per-creator floor and a 50-creator ceiling.
• Treat gifted product as an add-on, not the headline offer.
• Use the 7-day reach number to filter for top creators.
• Stack a $225 second-post fee for the top 10.

Get a nano influencer marketing plan benchmarked against the same 14,820-deal data with Influencer Advisory.

Frequently Asked Questions

What counts as a nano influencer in 2026?

A nano influencer is a creator with 1,000 to 10,000 followers on a single platform. From our network, 8,103 creators sit in this band. They closed 14,820 paid deals between 2017 and early 2026, the highest deal count of any tier.

How much do nano influencers charge per post?

Median per-post fees run $80 on TikTok, $120 on Instagram, and roughly $150 to $300 on YouTube Shorts. Many nano creators also accept gifted product alone for sub-$50 retail value, especially in beauty, food, and fitness.

Why do brands run nano-creator programs?

Cost-per-impression is the headline reason. A 50-creator nano program at $150 each totals $7,500, with combined reach often hitting 250K+ impressions. The same budget at the macro tier ($5,800 median) buys one post and roughly 100K to 150K impressions.

How do nano repeat-deal rates compare to other tiers?

Across the broader pair set, repeat rate is 30.85%. Nano-tier repeat rate sits slightly lower at 26% to 28% because brands rotate nano cohorts for fresh audiences. Top nano relationships outperform macro on cost-per-acquisition.

What cost-per-impression lift should a beauty nano cohort deliver?

Beauty nano cohorts deliver a 45% lift in cost-per-impression versus a macro buy. A 50-creator beauty nano program at $150 each typically clears 250K combined impressions for $7,500. The same dollars buy a single $5,800 macro post and 130K impressions.