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Tracking influencer campaigns with influencer tracking links is trickier than it looks. Our clients agree…it takes more than counting likes to measure real success.
Some brands judge success by sales. Others look at engagement, reach, or Estimated Media Value (EMV).
In any case, marketers really want to understand what content works, what resonates with the audience - one leading indicator here is clicks (Influencer Tracking Links are crucial esp when it comes to IG Stories, )
Obviously, a question like “How many people actually tapped that link?” is more than just vanity.
Without the right tracking, you’re left guessing. No one wants that.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to create custom influencer tracking links, even in bulk, share them with all your creators, and track performance with precision.
Ready to dive in? Let’s get started.
What Are Influencer Tracking Links and Why They Matter?
UTM links are everywhere in performance marketing. They’re essential for tracking who clicks, when they click, and where they came from.
Sounds simple - yet, they’re the backbone of optimization and analytics. Even with rising privacy measures, these tracking links have a bright future.
Typically, UTM links include the medium, source, and campaign…but did you know you can add as many tags as you need?
Before you celebrate too early that all your influencer-generated content can now be tracked via links, just a quick, awkward reminder: most formats on most platforms don’t allow placing links that take users outside their ecosystem.
There are only a few exceptions. You can typically use links in Instagram Stories, YouTube descriptions, or Twitch streams. But everywhere else, from TikTok, to IG Reels or feed posts…no links allowed. That’s a whole new story in itself, but let’s stay on point here. 😉
Key Metrics You Can Measure with Influencer Links
The beauty of these links lies in the data they provide. At the core, they let you measure clicks - easily one of the most crucial metrics for any campaign.
Plus, you get the click-through rate (CTR) and deeper insights into who’s engaging with your content.
But that’s not all.
These links can capture a range of data, helping you refine your strategy and understand what’s really working.
Here are the top 5 KPIs you can measure with tracking links:
- Clicks: Shows how many people tapped the link, your first sign of engagement.
- Click-Through Rate (CTR): The percentage of viewers who clicked. High CTR? Great message. Low CTR? Time to tweak.
- Conversions: Sales, sign-ups, or downloads: this tells you if your traffic is taking action.
- User Location: Reveals where your audience is based, helping you target campaigns better.
- Click Time: Timing is key. For Stories (live 24 hours), it shows when content performs best. On YouTube, it tracks how long it takes for content to drive revenue, showing long-term impact.
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Want to dive deeper into these metrics? Check out our full guide on Influencer Campaign KPIs.
The Challenges of Using Custom Tracking Links for Influencer Campaigns
Custom tracking links come with both perks and challenges. Let’s break it down.
- Placement: you’re limited on where you can place links. Most platforms won’t let you add links that send users outside their ecosystem. So, you’re stuck with formats like Instagram Stories, YouTube descriptions, Twitch streams. It’s just how it is.
- So much effort: creating one link is easy. But what if you need hundreds or thousands, each customized for different influencers? Doing that manually? Super tedious without the right tools…
- Management: simplifying link management for influencer partnerships should be a prio - you clearly don’t want to save all those individual links in a spreadsheet.
- Data: You can check clicks in Google Analytics or pull up insights in your shop system…but it has its limitations.
- Full Visibility: truth is, you still need to map content formats and quality to its performance. It would be far too easy to just attribute performance (or lack of it) to the creator itself…you have to check if the content was in line with your expectations and how you can learn from the execution.
The final takeaway is also: influencer tracking links typically are not able to provide insights into revenue data - this is where Custom Promo Codes come into play.
How to Create Custom Influencer Tracking Links (Step-by-Step)
If you use Storyclash platform to run your campaigns, at some point you’re in this planning overview board.
1. Select the entire column or individual creators and choose to create tracking links for them.
You really want to save time by automating the link creation process for multiple influencers at once
2. Next up you need to create the structure for the links.
Use the Storyclash short URL or your own custom link shortener URL if you like (we use bit.ly in case you’re asking). We advise you to have a custom URL for brand consistency and trust.
The preview shows whatever variables or predefined text you want to use. Look how creative I was with my naming convention :)
And of course, we need the target link to your shop or whatever destination you like.
3. Then define the utm parameters. Add as many as you wish and go crazy with your naming - you have the option to combine predefined variables with UTM parameters for more detailed tracking. Or take it easy and keep it simple. You do you, we don’t judge.
Saving and Sharing Custom Links with Creators Made Easy
Once your custom links are set up, saving and organizing them is simple. You can easily share them with all your creators, ensuring they have the right tracking links ready to use for their campaigns without any hassle (you can find them in the CRM any time)
Select all relevant creators and share the link in a personalized email, just like my example below.
Connect Discount Code & Link Tracking for Better Insights
So, yes - Shopify users can easily integrate discount codes into tracking links, making it possible to match Code Tracking KPIs with Link Tracking KPIs.
There’s an option to automatically apply discount codes at checkout, keeping things smooth for the customer. It also ensures that revenue is correctly linked to the creator, as orders without a discount code wouldn’t be tracked.
Plus, matching clicks to purchases means you get a clearer picture of your campaign’s true effectiveness
How to Use Influencer Links to Measure Campaign Success
To measure campaign success, start by looking at the Link Clicks. In this example you can even see how often the discount code was used - reminder this is for Shopify users only.
Next, check the Top Countries and Top Cities sections to see where your audience is located. Finally, the Top Referrers reveal where your traffic is coming from, helping you understand which channels are driving the most engagement.
You can get additional data points like reach of the IG Stories of your creators to understand the CTR.
And as we believe is one of the biggest benefits for all you detail-obsessed Marketers: you can go from performance data to checking out the content in just a click - really understanding what type of content generated interest…and double down on your learnings for the next briefing.
The Right Tools & Integrations Make Influencer Tracking a Breeze
So as we’ve just shown, creating and managing tracking links for multiple influencers does not need to be a headache.
Without the help of the right tools, you’re probably wasting your time on tasks that should be automated. So, why suffering - there are tool that makes your life easier, here’s the list:
- Storyclash - Easily create and track influencer links, with seamless integration into your campaign workflow.
- Bit.ly - Shorten and track links, perfect for a quick and easy setup.
- Google Analytics - Get deep insights into traffic sources, click-through rates, and user behaviour.
- UTM.io - Create, share, and sync UTM tags for precise tracking.
- Rebrandly - Custom short links with powerful tracking features.
We’ve written a lot about Influencer Marketing Tools so feel free to explore.
Influencer Tracking Links examples
In one of our recent webinars, we’ve analyzed CAIA’s Influencer Marketing Strategy - one of Sweden’s hottest beauty brands.
Click here if you want to check out the recording and download the slides. Two examples how they use tracking utm links below:
Creator: Shari (IG @shari.mua) - 500K+ followers
Platform: Instagram Stories & Reels
UTM Example link: https://caiacosmetics.de/de/make-up/gesichts-make-up/highlighter/dew-it-yourself?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=influ&utm_campaign=20240228_de_sharimua_misc_misc&fbclid=PAAabNDFdtLcQC-yZYOrGNJJ9zYXvfNQvNriQi_2RBb4iASp3ImoPgBaCZrA_aem_AamZKhBaAOTqBtBezpc0Ufjro6qet97M3jpBlWoO_qFW6HrudEQEJCJHQg-KTb9Goso
CAIA partnered with Shari, a talented makeup artist known for her high-quality content, in early 2024. Shari’s content stands out because she focuses almost exclusively on application shots featuring others, giving her audience a closer look at the products in action.
Another example is Murielle.
Creator: Muriëlle (IG @murielle)
Platforms: Instagram (Stories, Reels) & TikTok
Partnership Duration: Over 1 year
Muriëlle is a well-known beauty influencer who shares her passion for makeup and skincare, partnering with brands like CaiaCosmetics, SHEGLAM, SandAndSky, and Morphe2.
For over a year, she has been a key partner for CAIA, creating content that showcases their products without relying on hauls or unboxing videos. To track performance, CAIA uses custom tracking links, helping them evaluate sales directly linked to Muriëlle’s content.
FAQs About Influencer Tracking Links
Can I use the same tracking link for multiple influencers?
Yes, but it’s not ideal. Unique tracking links for each influencer let you see who’s driving clicks and conversions, giving a clearer picture of performance and effectiveness.
How do tracking links differ from affiliate links?
Affiliate links track sales and usually involve commissions. Tracking links measure engagement (clicks, CTR) without necessarily tying to sales, making them more flexible for influencer campaigns.
What’s the difference between tracking links and promo codes?
Promo codes offer discounts and track sales but don’t measure engagement. Tracking links show detailed insights (clicks, CTR) and can be combined with promo codes for a fuller campaign view.
How can I optimize my influencer campaigns with tracking links?
Use tracking links to analyze click-through rates, conversions, and click times. This helps identify top performers and refine your strategy for better results.
Can tracking links help me understand when to post content?
Yes! Tracking links reveal click time data, showing when your audience is most active. Use this info to optimize your posting schedule for higher engagement.