Influencer Impact Assessment

You spent $250k on influencers last year. But did it actually change how people FEEL? After running thousands of influencer campaigns, I've learned most brands miss a critical measurement tool: brand lift studies. Most campaigns track CPMs, engagement, conversions. Important metrics, but they don't show how people actually FEEL about your brand. Brand lift studies measure something that can — in some cases (especially in the long-term) — but even more valuable: how creator content changes customer perception over time. Here's what we've learned from running these studies: 📊 1. Audiences continue engaging with brands long after watching consuming content - through searches, site visits, and social follows 2. Initial raw performance metrics (likes, comments) often undervalue creator partnerships 3. Different types of creators drive different types of brand perception changes Understanding these patterns changes how we approach influencer campaigns. That's why the best influencer campaigns operate on two levels: - Immediate performance (impressions, clicks, conversions) - Long-term brand building (awareness, sentiment, loyalty) Understanding both helps you make better decisions about: - Which creators to partner with - What type of content to create - How to measure true campaign success The brands that win aren't just chasing quick metrics. They're investing in relationships that shape how people think and feel about their products. // P.S. 👋 I'm M. Bradley Hoos. We run influencer marketing campaigns for brands like AG1, SimpliSafe, Magic: The Gathering, Fiverr, and more. Feel free to DM or hit me up here: https://lnkd.in/gH9PH_mF

As influencers continue to shape consumer culture, their role may transcend traditional product promotion, evolving into something more profound—becoming architects of societal norms. This potential shift raises intriguing questions about the long-term cultural impact influencers might have. As influencers build personal brands that resonate deeply with specific communities, they’re not just promoting products but also values, lifestyles, and belief systems. From sustainability to mental health awareness, influencers are already driving conversations that change how people think about critical issues. As this influence grows, could they start to redefine mainstream cultural narratives? Many influencers break away from conventional career paths, showcasing alternative definitions of success that focus on passion, creativity, and digital entrepreneurship. If more people, especially younger generations, follow these examples, how might this reshape traditional career trajectories and societal views on education, work-life balance, or even financial success? Social media has given influencers global reach. They’re able to mix cultural elements from around the world, creating a fusion of norms that transcend borders. Over time, could influencers contribute to a new, globalized set of societal norms, where ideas from different cultures blend into new, universally accepted behaviors or values? Some influencers are already leveraging their platforms to advocate for social justice, political causes, and policy changes. If their influence continues to grow, could they one day play a direct role in shaping governance, or even hold political power themselves? These questions highlight the potential of influencers to go beyond mere marketing tools and become key players in molding the norms and values that future societies will live by. Their role in shaping culture may evolve into something far more influential than what we see today, fundamentally altering the way society defines itself. #whoppl #creators #commerce #content #influencers #ecosystem

Are Edu-Influencers the future of learning? 🤔 My research explores this very question, and the findings are fascinating. Did you know the Australian Parliament published a 150-page report entitled 'Study Buddies or Influencers' in Aug 2024? 🔥 My latest research poster below reveals how these digital educators are revolutionizing online learning, impacting everything from learner engagement to platform choices. 🚀 Think about it: 470 MILLION+ followers are tuning into influencers for everything from makeup unboxing to travel recommendations. Now, they're transforming education too. 📚 My research, grounded in constructivism, reveals that Edu-Influencers are significantly impacting learner satisfaction and perceived learning outcomes on e-learning platforms. Here's the tea 🍵 (aka key findings): Engaged Learners = Better Outcomes: The more engaged learners are with Edu-Influencers, the better they perceive their learning results. Knowledge is Power (and Influence!): Learners are flocking to knowledgeable Edu-Influencers and then recommending them to others. They're the crucial decision-makers in choosing e-learning platforms. What makes an Edu-Influencer tick? We've cracked the code on the factors that influence learners' choices when picking an Edu-KOL (Key Opinion Leader) to follow. With GenAI on the horizon and the rise of the AI Tutor (according to Salman Khan) to reshaping education, understanding the role of Edu-Influencers is more important than ever. This could be a game-changer for how we approach digital campus transformations in higher education. I'm excited about the potential. Do you think Edu-Influencers are a passing trend or a fundamental shift in how we learn? What role do you see Edu-Influencers playing in the years to come? Share your thoughts below! 👇 🔖 A list of relevant papers is here: https://lnkd.in/gFRCvHw5 #EduInfluencers #EdTech #OnlineLearning #DigitalTransformation #GenAI #Constructivism #FutureofEducation #Research

Advocacy (not just reach) is the new ROI. I’ve worked across media, influencer marketing, and content for decades, and one thing is clear: reach alone doesn’t move the needle anymore. Brands are finally waking up to the fact that real influence isn’t about visibility - it’s about trust. We recently ran a campaign featuring micro-influencers, shot on their phones and with no frills. It outperformed a big-budget macro and mega influencer campaign. Why? Because the audience of micro influencers knew they genuinely used the product. That authenticity drove advocacy, not just awareness. Today, it's not enough to pay for a post. If a creator doesn’t understand the brand or believe in the product, the content falls flat. What works is when creators are properly onboarded and educated about the benefits, given time to experience the product or service, and then empowered to create content in their own voice. It reminds me of the editorial world, where editors would test and review products before recommending them. It would become their ‘seal’ of approval, and it meant something. The credibility was earned. Advocacy isn’t a one-off hashtag. It’s built through shared values, long-term partnerships, and mutual trust. It’s about who will still champion your brand 3, 6, and 12 months from now and are they also your potential customers. Brands that invest in these relationships will win. And creators who see themselves as storytellers, not just content engines, will thrive. The future of influencer marketing isn’t about more eyeballs - it’s about deeper impact. And if you're still measuring success in impressions alone, you're missing the bigger picture. #advocacy #contentmarketing #creators #impact

What if your influencer campaign could drive results off main social platforms, too?   Working in gaming and tech, I have seen firsthand how the impact of influencer marketing goes beyond likes and comments.   When done well, these campaigns spark deeper conversations in Discord, on Reddit feeds, in group discussions, and even offline in real-world communities.   I have watched creators I work with turn product mentions into trusted recommendations that spread beyond their YouTube videos or Twitch streams. Fans talk. Screenshots are shared. Even retailers hear the buzz.   This kind of ripple effect only happens when a campaign feels well-timed, creator-led, and built around trust. Not just a flashy one-off, but a story creators are excited to share.   Engagement is not just a metric. It is momentum that carries into search trends, community chatter, customer interest, and long-term brand relevance.   Influencer marketing is not just a social play. It is a full-funnel strategy when done properly.

Most Influencer campaigns are measured incorrectly. Despite the continued growth of influencer marketing, a majority of brands continue undervalue and incorrectly measure influencer impact. Depending on the research you use, either 60% of brands measure influencer campaigns on growth of followers, or 70% measure success on click attributed sales.  Either way most research seems to agree that a majority of brands find the 𝗯𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀. Over the next three weeks I will be sharing our benchmarks on how influencers actually impact brand performance. 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁. Not likes. Not EMV. Not reach. We measure every influencer campaign through MMM, to understand the revenue impact of every single campaign. This helps us to see the direct and indirect impact of influencer activity. This puts these campaigns head to head against other marketing efforts to compare the revenue they drive. (to be clear, every measurement method has strengths and weaknesses. MMM is not perfect, but it is good at providing a consistent full funnel measure across campaign types.) We start week 1 with looking at how influencers drive value. Comparing direct and indirect revenue impact for influencers vs other channel types. We can see that 𝟴𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘀. That is people who are impacted by the influencer reach but do not click or use voucher codes. Old fashioned broadcast impact. The same way brands have been built for years through broadcast channels. That puts influencer campaigns in line with how revenue is driven through YouTube or Social Awareness. To put that into context, for 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 £𝟭 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 £𝟰 𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵. And we can see that when we look at the other channel impacts: • Paid social campaigns perform 20%-30% stronger with influencer support than without. • Paid search campaigns show 15%-20% stronger CTR and significantly softened diminishing returns impacts with influencer support. • Brand searches increase up to 30% with strong influencer reach. Those impacts all drive purchases which are “tracked” against other channels, but these uplifts wouldn’t exist without the influencer impacts. When we model these behaviours back we see 80% of value is driven through indirect impacts. If you are measuring and optimising towards the 20% then you are missing the real way these campaigns drive value.

Everything I know about influencer attribution in 10 sentences: 1. Last-click attribution doesn't undercount influencer a little. It undercounts it a lot. Customers who discover a brand through a creator and buy three weeks later through a Google search look like a paid search win. They aren't. 2. The absence of a trackable click doesn't mean nothing happened. It means something happened that your current setup can't see. 3. The best proxy for real influencer impact is what happens to branded search volume, direct traffic, and organic conversion rate in the weeks after a campaign runs. These move. Most teams never check. 4. Creator codes and UTM links capture the customers who needed a nudge. They miss the ones who were convinced quietly - saw the post, thought about it, bought a week later through a different path entirely. Those buyers are often your best ones. 5. If your influencer program looks weak in attribution, the first question isn't "are the creators working?" It's "how are we measuring?" 6. Post-purchase surveys are the most underused tool in DTC. One question: "Where did you first hear about us?" The answer may surprise you. 7. Triangulating three imperfect signals gets you further than trusting one perfect-looking one. Tracked revenue, post-purchase survey responses, and branded search movement together tell a more honest story than any single attribution metric alone. 8. A measurement model that captures 80% of your influencer impact is still incredibly useful. Brands that wait for 100% accuracy before scaling are usually the ones who never scale. 9. Dark social is real. A creator posts. A viewer screenshots it, sends it to a friend on WhatsApp, and the friend buys the next morning. That sale is attributed to direct. You'll never know. 10. Influencer touches more of the funnel than most teams realise. It drives the first impression, feeds the retargeting pool, improves paid social CVR, lifts branded search, and accelerates organic. Attribution tools show you the last step. They rarely show you what started the journey. Want to scale your brand with influencers? https://lnkd.in/e4N_Tw2j

Most companies measure influencer marketing like it’s a social media tactic. The best growth teams measure it like a revenue channel. The problem isn’t creators. The problem is that most marketing measurement systems were built before the creator economy existed. So brands end up measuring the wrong things: • Likes • Comments • Affiliate links • Last-click conversions And then conclude influencer marketing “doesn’t work.” But creators rarely drive value through direct conversions alone. Their real impact shows up across the entire growth system: • Increased branded search • Higher brand recall • Lift across paid channels • Stronger downstream conversion rates In other words, creators influence demand, not just clicks. Another challenge is structural. Creator investment bundles together multiple components: • Talent • Production • Content rights • Exclusivity • Distribution Traditional media separates these costs. Creator marketing blends them together, which makes standard measurement frameworks harder to apply. This is why many companies still struggle to understand the real impact of influencer marketing. One way to approach this is by measuring creators across four layers: 1. Demand Creation Are creators increasing branded search and category awareness? 2. Channel Lift Do paid search, paid social, or direct conversions improve when creator campaigns run? 3. Content Efficiency Does creator content outperform brand-produced content in paid distribution? 4. Revenue Contribution What incremental revenue appears when creator investment is included in marketing mix modeling? When influencer marketing is measured within the broader growth system, the picture becomes much clearer. Creators aren’t just a social media tactic. They are becoming a modern distribution channel for brands. The companies that figure out how to measure this properly will have a major advantage. Curious how other growth teams are thinking about this. How is your team measuring creator impact today?

Over the past 6 months we’ve worked with over 8,000 influencers across 12 different brands on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. This is what I’ve learned: Many companies only look at how many sales they get from influencer discount codes or affiliate tracking softwares. But that's missing the bigger picture. The best influencer partnerships create lasting impact through genuine, memorable content - not just sales pitches. Instead, we need to look at the whole picture: • How are influencers helping more people know about and consider our brand? • Are they bringing more visitors to our website, even if they don't buy right away? • How does it change how people see our brand in the long run? Smart brands are changing how they measure influencer success. They're looking at things like how many people their content reaches, how much engagement they get, what types of engagement they get (likes, comments, saves. etc.), and how it creates a memorable impact that keeps their brand top of mind - not just quick sales. The best influencer content doesn't feel like a sales pitch. It's real, relatable, current with the times, and actually helpful or entertaining to the audience. This builds trust and keeps your brand in mind for future purchases. Brands need to move beyond simple profit calculations and see the real strength of influencer marketing: creating genuine connections that lead to long-term growth. How do you measure success from your influencer marketing campaigns?

Should a D2C brand use influencer reel as a performance ad? Does it work in Bharat too? How to measure it without vanity metrics? Above are answered in this post. In last post, we discussed "Why & How" of influencer marketing's content creation stage. Here, moving to: Distribution & Measurement. >> What about #Distribution? Content creation is one part but without right distribution strategy; you wouldn’t get results. And it involves executional nuances: 1. Who should post the content? Creator or Brand on a collab? - Always let creator post first (For better authenticity, reach & engagement) - Brand should amplify via collab/resharing depending on platforms. 2. Should it be a collab post or just tags? - Collab enables visibility on both accounts. And thus brand association. - Do tags when working with small influencers & brand association needs to be invisible. 3. Who should boost a collab post - Brand or Creator? - Ideally boost from creator handle (whitelisting) for better results. - Audiences see ad as “from influencer,” giving higher CTR & trust. - One can though test both for different objectives: creator-handle boosting (for new customer acquisition) & brand-handle boosting (for remarketing, credibility building). 4. Should the brand use influencer made content as performance ads? -You should use as perf ads where creator is a known face (over brand) or when content has a specific usecase (to promote diwali sale) - For such usage, always seek digital rights for content & adapts Have seen creator led perf ads perform better in vernac content for Tier 2 markets as creators have a local following & a content craft that people resonate with. -----++++++ >> What about #Measurement? 1. Short-term sales impact:  - Coupon codes, UTM linked funnel metrics, Control tests 2. Brand impact: -Targeted surveys within a geo on awareness, perception etc. -Social mentions/sentiment/google trends on related keywords 3. Engagement impact -Saves/Shares/comments over just likes -Video completion rate on YT/Insta 4. ROI impact -Blended CAC in tested region coming down over a period? -----+++ What are your learnings/ go-to-tip from #influencermarketing? ----- I write regularly on #D2C #brand building, scaling growth & #marketing insights. #runningmarketer