Influencer marketing has become one of the most common growth channels for D2C brands. But there is a problem: millions of followers and thousands of engagements do not always translate into sales.
Go Zero recently announced that it was stopping influencer marketing, with its founder pointing out that even influencers with millions of followers were generating reach without making a meaningful impact on sales.
So, is influencer marketing actually failing?
Not necessarily. In many cases, the problem is the influencer marketing strategy behind the campaign.
In our latest video, we break down why influencer marketing fails, the mistakes brands commonly make, and how to build campaigns that actually contribute to the customer journey.
Short on time? Here’s what the video covers
1/ Influencer Marketing Isn’t Meant to Drive Direct Sales
One of the biggest mistakes brands make is expecting influencer marketing to generate immediate sales.
This is also why influencer marketing ROI can be difficult to judge if brands only look at direct conversions from the campaign.
Influencer content primarily works in the middle of the marketing funnel. The customer may already know about the brand but still needs credibility and trust before making a purchase.
That is where creators can help.
They can make a product feel more credible and relatable. Conversion can then happen through offers, retargeting, landing pages, or other bottom-of-funnel activities.
The takeaway: don’t expect influencer marketing to carry your entire funnel.
2/ Stop Making Influencer Content Look Like Ads
Influencer marketing became popular because creator content felt authentic and relatable. But that advantage disappears when every creator is given the same scripted promotion.
A word-for-word script, repeated brand mentions, and forced CTAs can make the content feel like an advertisement within seconds.
Instead, brands should give creators the product USPs, talking points, campaign objectives, and boundaries, while allowing them to tell the story in their own voice.
The content should feel like the creator first and the brand second.
3/ Choose Influencers Beyond Their Follower Count
A large following does not automatically mean a creator is right for your campaign.
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Before selecting an influencer, brands should look at:
- Niche and relevance
- Average reach
- Genuine engagement
- Audience demographics
A creator might have millions of followers, but if those followers don’t match your actual customer profile, the campaign can still fail.
4/ Use Influencer Content Beyond the Creator’s Page
Influencer content shouldn’t simply be posted and forgotten.
Brands can repurpose strong creator content across paid ads, retargeting campaigns, landing pages, and bottom-of-funnel communication.
This gives the content a longer lifespan and allows brands to test its actual conversion potential.
The Right Influencer Marketing Strategy
An effective influencer marketing strategy comes down to three things:
Select the right influencer. Give them the right brief. Use the content in the right funnel.
Influencer marketing isn’t failing. Brands are often using it without the right funnel, strategy, or authenticity.
Watch the full video above to understand how to build influencer campaigns that go beyond reach and actually contribute to conversions.
Ankur Sharma is the founder of Brandshark, a digital marketing and growth agency that helps high-growth brands scale through performance marketing, SEO, and data-driven growth systems.
He has over a decade of experience helping D2C and B2B companies build scalable customer acquisition systems. His expertise includes performance marketing, SEO, conversion optimisation, and growth strategy.