3 key indicators to fix your influencer strategy | by Daniel Salvador | Oct, 2023

Ever feel like your influencer marketing strategy isn’t quite hitting the mark? You’re not alone. Many brands, including some big names, often overlook the true potential of influencer marketing as a robust channel for performance marketing. It’s not uncommon to see brands treating influencers merely as celebrities, shelling out significant amounts for content without ensuring a genuine return on investment (ROI). To be clear, investing in content is essential, but it’s ensuring its ROI what truly matters.

The pitfall for many is focusing on the wrong KPIs. Relying solely on followers, likes, or engagement rates won’t guarantee the success of your strategy. Often termed “vanity metrics,” or as I prefer, “bluffing metrics,” these can be misleading. They might look impressive initially but don’t always reflect the campaign’s real impact.

A successful influencer strategy, as the name suggests, should be strategic. It all starts with defining clear objectives. Here’s a breakdown based on specific goals:

Consider metrics like VPR (Views-Per-Reel) or VPS (Views-Per-Story), especially on platforms like Instagram. These metrics provide insights into unique content views. For instance, if an influencer averages 300,000 views per reel, it’s reasonable to expect similar engagement for subsequent content. Why focus on this instead of followers? Because visibility matters more than follower count. It’s about how many people genuinely engage with your brand.

Clicks are pivotal. A high Click-Through-Rate (CTR) indicates genuine interest. Often, micro-influencers achieve better engagement rates due to their authentic connections. Using personalized URLs and UTMs can help track this engagement more effectively.

This can be challenging to track. To determine the influencer’s impact on purchasing decisions, consider using unique URLs or offering personalized coupon codes. This allows for more accurate tracking of sales linked to specific campaigns.

There are other metrics I didn’t talk about, there is plenty more to talk about. For those keen on a deeper dive, “One Million Followers” by Brendan Kane is a must-read.

I also recommend HypeAuditor. for a more in-depth look into an influencer’s audience demographics. It’s essential to ensure alignment with your target audience.

And yes, there are celebrity-level influencers, but remember they became influencers because of their influence! So next time you partner up with one influencer, make sure you use that influence the right way.