Most influencer reports are a wall of views and likes with no line to revenue. That's not a measurement problem, it's a planning problem: the metric wasn't agreed before launch. Here is how we set it up so the report answers the only question that matters - did it work?
Step one: agree the metric before launch
Every campaign has exactly one primary metric, written into the brief, that the client will be judged on internally. Everything else is a supporting stat. Our options:
| Goal | Primary metric | How it's tracked |
|---|---|---|
| Sales | Revenue, orders, return on ad spend | Meta/TikTok pixel, promo codes, affiliate links, retailer sell-through |
| Leads | Qualified leads, RSVPs, close rate | Landing page with form, CRM tag per creator, sales team feedback |
| Store or app traffic | Clicks to Shopee/Lazada/app store | Trackable links per creator, retailer analytics |
| Launch awareness | Reach, saves, share of voice in the window | Platform analytics, brand search lift |
| Community growth | Followers, UGC volume | Account analytics before/after |
"Agreed before launch, so nobody moves the goalposts" is step six of our 7-step system for a reason.
Tracking sales: pixels, codes and links
Sales attribution is solved technology; it just has to be set up. Mom's Cooking: S$258K in delivery sales, 100% attributed via the Meta web pixel because the campaign ran through direct-response ads with the pixel on the checkout. Vitakraft: 30K+ clicks into the Shopee store tracked with per-creator links. Reno Fiesta: 200+ qualified leads, 29% closed, tracked through the RSVP form and the sales team's CRM.
Minimum setup: a pixel on your site, a unique promo code or link per creator, and a landing page that isn't your homepage. Without these, you're estimating.
Reading engagement correctly
Engagement rate on its own is noise. The type of engagement is signal:
- Saves = intent to buy later. Aveeno 23% of engagement, Uniswap 19%, Hypersketch 11%, 3M x MassTech 12%.
- Shares = recommendation to a specific person. Ergoworks 10,191 shares (sending the chair to a colleague). CapitaLand mid-year sale 24,520 shares, 64% of all engagement. OCBC FRANK: 1 in 5 engagements was a share. Connor Menswear: men sending menswear to other men, 13% shares.
- Comments asking where to buy = the closest thing to a sale without a link. kimrobinson: 15% of engagement was comments, mostly "where to get".
- Watch time = attention held. Shakura 10s average on skincare; Cherie Hearts 50s on a preschool video; Hypersketch 29s on a design reel.
- Likes = the least informative metric. Report them; never optimise for them.
Benchmarks from our Singapore campaigns
| Metric | Typical | Strong | Our best |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engagement rate | 2–3% | 4–6% | Powerhouse 10% interaction rate; Supersmooth top creator 12.82% on one TikTok |
| Finance/insurance engagement | Under 1% | 2%+ | Etiqa 2.44%, HLA 2.30% |
| Event landing page opt-in | 10–15% | 25%+ | Scanteak 45%, Nova 37% |
| Follower growth (2-week campaign) | 5–10% | 15% | Citi Singapore +15% |
| Views vs creator following | 0.3–1x | 3–10x | Unikul 81x; Dreame styling creator 18x |
| Return on ad spend (creator content as ads) | 2–4x | 6–10x | Mom's Cooking 16x; Reno Fiesta 70x return |
Calculating ROI honestly
Return = (revenue attributed − total campaign cost) ÷ total campaign cost. Total cost includes creator fees, agency fee, product, ad spend and usage rights - not just the creator line. If a campaign cost S$15,000 all-in and drove S$60,000 in attributed sales, that's 3x, or 300% ROI.
Two honest caveats. First, attribution undercounts: people see a creator post, then search your brand a week later and buy - that sale won't show in the pixel. Brand search volume during the campaign is the supporting metric. Second, the first campaign is the most expensive per result because you're learning which creators and formats convert; campaign two is where the number improves. Longbridge went from 34K to 798K views between campaigns one and two. Auolive grew 11x across three.
What a good report looks like
- One page, primary metric first, against the target agreed before launch.
- Per-creator table: views, engagement type, clicks or codes, cost, cost per result.
- The two or three posts that won, and why (format, hook, creator fit).
- What to change in round two: creators to rebook, creators to drop, budget shift by platform.
- Appendix: every post, every number, screenshots.
If your current agency's report is a slide of total impressions with a thank-you, ask for the per-creator table. If they can't produce it, they weren't tracking.
Want the number for your brand? Take the two-minute readiness quiz. It tells us your goal, history and budget band, and you get an honest read on what a first campaign should look like - then a 1-on-1 call with Joshua, our Head of Strategy. No sales team.
Take the 2-minute quizFrequently asked questions
What is a good ROI for influencer marketing?
Once creator content is used as ad creative, 2–4x return on ad spend is typical, 6–10x is strong. Our best: Mom's Cooking at 16x and Reno Fiesta at 70x return. First campaigns run lower because you're still learning which creators and formats convert.
How do you track sales from influencer marketing?
A pixel on your checkout, a unique promo code or trackable link per creator, and a dedicated landing page. Mom's Cooking attributed 100% of S$258K in sales through the Meta pixel; Vitakraft tracked 30K+ Shopee clicks with per-creator links.
What is a good engagement rate for influencer posts in Singapore?
2–3% is typical, 4–6% is strong. Finance and insurance struggle to reach 1%, so 2%+ is excellent there. Look at the type of engagement - saves and shares matter more than likes.
Why do influencer campaigns report views instead of sales?
Because the sales metric wasn't agreed and set up before launch. Views are what the platform hands you for free; sales need a pixel, codes and a landing page. Agree the metric first and the report follows.