In almost every industry, referrals are the gold standard of customer acquisition. Research has repeatedly shown that referred leads close faster, buy more, and stay longer — all with significantly less effort and at a much lower CPA than non-referred prospects. A University of Pennsylvania study[1] found that referred customers are more loyal and profitable — by a 16% margin — than their non-referred counterparts.

The rising need for influencer marketing software that can keep up with digitally savvy marketers can no longer be ignored. With 92% of 18-to-34 year-olds saying they seek recommendations from friends and family when considering a product purchase1, it's no shock that leading-edge marketing teams across industries are leveraging an influencer marketing platform to automate and optimize this referral-generating channel.

When most people think of a social media influencer platform, they assume it involves finding bloggers with massive followings and buying social endorsements from big celebrities. Research shows, however, that it’s more effective to build relationships with the right micro-influencers and invest in an influencer marketing platform that allows for end-to-end campaign management - not just parts and pieces.

Are you simply dipping your toe into influencer marketing or are you ready for an influencer management platform to scale your program? Whether you just sent out your first tweet to an influencer you'd like to work with or you're searching for the perfect influencer marketing platform vendor partner, we can agree on one thing: The importance of including influencer marketing in your overall marketing strategy.

Social media management, website platforms, influencer marketing tools - the list of must-have tech for marketers is endlessly growing. With any new software, it can be daunting to figure out how to best integrate them with your existing ecosystem. And an influencer marketing platform is not exempt from this. Not to fear, we’re here with best practices on how to get the most out of your influencer marketing platform.

In an age where marketing is increasingly driven by technology, searching for an influencer platform can be downright overwhelming. But asking questions is crucial to finding the right influencer marketing platform for your brand. The more you learn up front, the easier it will be to make an informed decision.

With most marketers adding an influencer marketing platform to the top of their wish lists this year, you would think this marketing strategy is a well-known one. But many marketers are still wondering, "what is influencer marketing?" Let’s start from the beginning to find out if this relationship marketing strategy is for your brand.