Insights

Studies

Not surveys, but analyses of our booking data and our AI monitoring: what influencer collaborations reveal about channels, costs and measurement, and which creator formats AI systems cite when shoppers ask an AI before buying. As of 9 September 2026.

  • Booking dataCosts, views, conversions and tracking status per collaboration
  • AI monitoringBuying questions to ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude and Google AI Overviews
  1. Anonymise
  2. Analyse per brand
  3. Leave gaps open
  4. Document

Two studies based on our own data

  • Booking data, 2025/20263 channels compared

    Influencer Performance Report 2026

    Instagram, YouTube, Podcast

    Learn more
  • AI monitoring, July–September 202644,562 AI answers

    YouTube in AI Shopping Advice 2026

    YouTube, AI search

    Learn more

The key findingsat a glance

Six numbers from both studies. Each tile leads to the chapter with data basis and period.

Performance Report44%of collaborations run with their own tracking link
Three in four run on a discount code. It only measures people who enter it, every other purchase drops out of the analysis.Chapter 1Performance Report85 vs. 27%Tracking link on YouTube versus Instagram
YouTube bookings almost always carry a link, Instagram bookings rarely do. Podcast is even higher at 91 percent.Channel comparisonPerformance Report€38effective CPM on Instagram, controlled per brand
YouTube costs €53 per thousand views, podcast €74. The podcast figure comes from one brand and is only a reference point.Chapter 2Performance Report78%of collaborations run through repeat creators
Creators booked more than once carry over three quarters of all collaborations. Whoever works once gets booked again.Chapter 4AI Shopping AdviceRank 1youtube.com is the most-cited source in AI answers
4,581 citations in 44,562 AI answers, for 21 of 22 monitored companies.Domain analysisAI Shopping Advice49%of D2C buying questions cite a YouTube video
For 319 of 651 buying questions, at least one YouTube video appeared as a source in the answer, well ahead of Reddit, Instagram and TikTok.D2C chapter

How are ourstudies made?

The industry works with surveys: the State of German Influencer Marketing 2026 asks 520 market participants what they plan and believe. We analyse what was actually booked and went live.

  • Anonymised

    Brands and creators are anonymised before analysis. We only show aggregated values, no individual cases.

  • Controlled per brand

    In channel comparisons every brand counts equally. Large clients do not pull the average their way.

  • Gaps stay gaps

    A zero is only a zero if it was measured. We do not fill missing values with estimates.

  • Reproducible

    Scripts and interim results are documented so every number stays traceable.

What do the numbersmean in practice?

The studies are not an end in themselves. They help decide which channel we use for which goal.

YouTube85%of bookings with a tracking linkWhen every euro has to be measurableYouTube is the channel with the best measurability and the longest impact. And AI systems cite it as source number one.To YouTubeInstagram€38effective CPM, controlled per brandWhen reach should be cheapInstagram delivers a thousand views at the lowest cost. To make that measurable too, every collaboration needs its own link.To InstagramPodcast91%of bookings with a tracking linkWhen the product needs explainingPodcast ads cost more per thousand listeners, but are often the better choice for premium products.To podcast ads
Continue with:Influencer marketing guideCase studiesROI calculator

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