Influencer MarketingTravel IndustryContent MarketingPerformance MeasurementSocial Media

The Influencer Marketing Metrics Travel Brands Are Missing

Rachel-Jean Firchau Oct 4, 2019

Frequently Asked Questions

What key metrics are travel brands missing in influencer marketing?

Many travel brands track surface-level metrics like reach and engagement, but lack beneath-the-surface metrics such as bookings, purchases, and conversions that show true business outcomes and return-on-content.

Why don't influencers provide conversion data?

Influencers are typically focused on storytelling and awareness rather than direct conversions. They often lack the infrastructure or third-party verification to track and report bookings and purchases tied to their content.

How can brands improve measurement of influencer campaigns?

Brands should implement tracking infrastructure (UTMs, affiliate codes, landing pages), work with platforms or publishers that verify performance, and promote influencer-created content across their own channels to capture conversion signals.

Is influencer marketing still worth the investment for travel brands?

Yes — influencer marketing drives social shareability and peer-to-peer recommendations that matter greatly for travel. However, to ensure ROI, brands must bridge the measurement gap and track conversions tied to influencer content.

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Original Article

PhocusWire | October 4, 2019 - With the value of social shareability and peer-to-peer recommendation at an all-time high, the impact of influencer marketing on the travel industry is undeniable.

Business Insider estimates that by 2022, brands will spend up to $15 billion on influencer marketing campaigns alone - an incredible investment that, currently, amounts to little more than a gambit.

While the power influencer marketing holds over the industry is clear, insight into its ability to drive real-life business outcomes is often hazy at best.

The missing metrics in influencer marketing

Influencer marketing suffers from very little regulation and nascent third-party support, with most influencers self-reporting their engagement metrics to brands without third-party verification.

Trickier yet, many don’t have the infrastructure to provide the beneath-the-surface insights around bookings, purchases and conversions brands need to determine true return-on-content.

Put simply, most brands are spending millions on a marketing channel they can’t accurately track.

This issue isn’t surprising: Influencers aren’t publishers, they’re people. While they might have incredible reach, most are focused on awareness and storytelling, not on driving bookings or conversions.

This raises the ultimate question: without insight into how their content is truly performing, how can brands unlock return-on-content for their influencer marketing campaigns?

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