We conducted a qualitative study across five verticals of marketers and influencers to determine where there is alignment and gaps across these two audiences, along with identifying opportunities to further shape the future of this space. While most studies are quantitative and focus on marketers or influencers independently, our qualitative approach allowed for more depth from marketers and influencers concurrently.
At the core of our findings, we discovered a large divide between influencers and marketers on many topics, from the length of an ideal engagement to the essential question of return on investment. While previous years have been mostly seen as a “test, learn and tweak” phase for both marketers and influencers, there’s a growing urgency to better optimize influencer engagement efforts and, more importantly, report on their value.