Influencer Engagement Spending Poised for Strong Growth in 2015

The 2015 “State of the Influencer Engagement” report released by Augure has found that 74 percent of marketers intend to increase spending on influencer engagement in 2015 to bolster their business’ bottom line and brand reputation.

About 75 percent of respondents say that influencer engagement is effective in lead generation, while 76 percent claim that it’s efficient in terms of gaining customer loyalty. In terms of marketing and business, influencers are the individuals who have the power to impact purchase decisions. This is typically through their position, knowledge or relationships with other professionals in the industry.

The statistics indicate that there have been benefits for marketers who turn to influencers. However, 75 percent say that their biggest challenge is finding the right influencers for their strategy. Sixty-nine percent claim that it’s difficult to identify the proper engagement tactics.

About 85 percent of companies expect to use influencer engagement over the course of 2015.

Budgeting for Influencers

A poll conducted by Tomoson in March 2015 revealed that 59 percent of marketers intend to increase their influencer marketing budgets over the next 12 months. The results also showed that influencer marketing is the fastest-growing online consumer acquisition method for marketers.

“Fifty-one percent of marketers believe they acquire better customers through influencer marketing, when asked to rate the average quality of customers acquired through the channel,” wrote the poll researchers.

The amount of revenue generated (56 percent) is the most important influencer marketing tactic, according to the poll. Social shares (14 percent) and click-through rate (9 percent) were also significant metrics.