One of the most common questions brands have before launching is: “What can I expect from my influencer campaign?”
While it’s natural to want upfront projections, exact results are difficult to predict because there are many variables at play. Instead of relying on guarantees, brands should use conversion funnel modeling and reasonable benchmarks to make informed estimates.
Why Exact Projections Are Tricky
Campaign outcomes depend on several factors, including:
Product value and appeal: Higher-value products or innovative launches tend to generate stronger interest.
Influencer selection: The size, location, and niche of influencers all affect performance.
Content type: Video vs. photo, in-feed vs. Stories, and UGC vs. polished content can all drive different outcomes.
Product quality: New launches may face challenges without social proof, while established products benefit from reviews.
Sales funnel and customer experience: Landing page quality, pricing, and checkout ease all influence conversions.
Using a Funnel Model
To make estimates, we recommend building a simple conversion funnel that maps how budget translates into reach, engagement, clicks, and conversions.
Example Funnel Structure:
Creators contracted (e.g., 10 nano influencers at 5k–15k followers)
Total potential reach (sum of follower counts, adjusted for average reach rate ~30–40%)
Engagements generated (likes, comments, shares based on engagement rate benchmarks)
Traffic driven (click-through rate on links in bios, Stories, or posts)
Conversions (sales or sign-ups, based on landing page performance and average conversion rate)
Recommended Starting Point
For new products or brands:
Focus on nano Creators (5k–15k followers).
Budget around $250 per Creator for one in-feed post plus two Stories.
Expect higher engagement rates (often 4–6%) but smaller overall reach.
As budgets scale, you can add larger Creators (micro/macro) to increase reach while keeping nano talent for authenticity.
Aligning Estimates With Your Goals
If your goal is awareness: track impressions, reach, and engagement.
If your goal is conversions: track clicks and sales, but know these depend heavily on your funnel setup (landing page, product pricing, checkout flow).
If your goal is content generation: measure number and quality of assets produced rather than pure reach.
Best Practices for Building Estimates
Use realistic benchmarks:
Nano/micro engagement: 4–6%
Click-through: 1–3% of engaged users
Conversion rate: 1–3% of site visitors (if landing page is optimized)
Always align creator compensation with their follower range and effort required.
Start small, measure, then refine your funnel assumptions for future campaigns.
Typical Creator Costs by Follower Range
These are general ranges based on industry benchmarks. Actual rates may vary by niche, content type, location, and negotiation.
Creator Tier | Follower Range | Typical Engagement Rate | Estimated Cost Per Post (In-Feed) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Nano | 1k–15k | 4–6% | $100–$250 | Cost-effective, high engagement; great for testing. |
Micro | 15k–100k | 3–5% | $250–$750 | Strong balance of reach + authenticity. |
Mid-Tier | 100k–500k | 2–4% | $750–$2,500 | Larger reach, more polished content; rates vary widely by niche. |
Macro | 500k–1M | 2–3% | $2,500–$10,000+ | Significant reach; often professionalized with talent managers. |
Mega | 1M+ | 1–2% | $10,000–$50,000+ | Broad reach and brand equity; best for awareness campaigns with larger budgets. |
Best Practices for Budgeting by Tier
Start small, scale up: Use nano and micro Creators for cost-efficient testing, then reinvest in higher tiers if ROI is strong.
Mix tiers strategically: Many brands find success combining 5–10 nano/micro Creators with 1–2 mid-tier or macro Creators for a mix of authenticity and scale.
Align effort with compensation: The more you ask (multiple posts, exclusivity, bio links, long-form video), the higher the rate should be—regardless of follower size.
Plan for add-ons: Stories, usage rights, whitelisting, or paid media extensions are often priced separately.
No. Influencer marketing has many variables. Instead, we help you build funnel-based projections and refine them as data comes in.
Start with nano creators, budget ~$250 each, and focus on building strong content and early proof points before scaling.
Yes. If you work with us in a managed capacity, we provide a detailed gameplan covering influencer selection, expectations, and execution.