Social Rocket
A new ANA study shows where the biggest friction in influencer marketing arises: 67 percent of surveyed advertisers name measuring success as particularly difficult. At the same time, 60 percent see opportunities to reduce unnecessary spending in contracts and negotiations. The Association of National Advertisers published its report on 27 August 2026. The findings were put into context in October by Marketing Dive.
Small US sample, large operational questions
According to the detailed analysis by PPC Land, 78 marketing managers from ANA member companies answered the core questions of the survey between June and July 2026. The sample is not representative of German agencies or the market as a whole. The report looks at 13 work steps and names 37 recommendations.
The distinction matters: a high share of respondents find measurement difficult; it does not automatically follow that two thirds of all creator campaigns fail economically.
Clarify goals and rights before the campaign starts
Views, reach and engagement are defined differently across platforms. The well-known IAB debate on creator measurement standards shows why comparability suffers. If you want to achieve sales rather than awareness, you need different KPIs and ideally tests of incremental impact, not just last-click attributed revenue.
The contract also determines whether successful creator posts may later be used as paid ads, on websites or in retail. If term, channels, exclusivity and usage rights are only clarified afterwards, delays and new costs can arise. Our overview of creator usage rights fits here.
The breakdown of creator fees and agency services should also be documented from the outset, rather than relying on a single package price. Our article on transparency in agency fees explains more.
What German teams can take away
A lean brief should define the goal, measurement method, scope of rights, labelling obligations and all costs in advance. For advertising in Germany, the guidelines of the Medienanstalten on advertising labelling also apply.
The core of the ANA findings: measurement problems cannot be solved by new dashboards alone. Clear goals, complete costs and rights agreed in writing are just as important.