Almost every brand, across every industry, has developed some type of influencer strategy: up to 87% of all brands have an influencer program in place. Whether for content promotion, to launch a new product, or to create branded content, influencer programs are expected to build brand awareness and interest among consumers. But how do marketers know if their influencer campaign was a success? The good news is that, influencer measurement is improving and new metrics offer marketers a better sense of how their programs are performing, including some that promise to show an impact on sales. The key to a successful influencer program is setting goals before you begin and developing a strategy to achieve those goals. Women’s Marketing shares some insights on measuring the success of your influencer programs.
Focus on Engagement, Not Total Audience
Many marketers look at an influencer’s total audience and assume that because he or she has a large follower base, the campaign will perform, but that’s not always the case. Instead, marketers should look at engagement metrics. Specifically looking at the following things when evaluating an influencer:
Total reach
Audience demographics
Clickthroughs
Engagement (likes, comments, shares)
Comparing non-branded activity to sponsored posts to get a better understanding of how receptive the influencer’s audience is to receiving branded message
Quantitative Metrics Offer a Clearer Picture
Quantitative data helps give marketers a richer analysis of how their campaign performed. Quantitative metrics include:
Are the comments on the content positive or negative?
Does the sentiment show purchase intent?
Did the content produced align with the message the brand wanted to send?
Was the content high quality and authentic to the influencer?
Was the influencer responsive and easy to work with?
Did they follow the FTC disclosure rules and any brand guidelines?
Tying Sales Data to Influencer Campaigns Can Be Challenging
Although every marketer would love to see a huge spike in sales during an influencer campaign, they shouldn’t get discouraged if that doesn’t occur. Take a long term approach by inserting tracking codes or links into the content to better track conversions over time. Finally, amplifying influencer content with a paid social media campaign also helps to boost the success and longevity of your campaign.
Influencer marketing is an effective tool for reaching Millennial and Gen Z consumers. Learn how Women’s Marketing activates female consumers through innovative, influencer marketing programs that build brands. Contact us today to learn more!
Source: eMarketer Influencer Marketing Roundup August 2016
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