Key Takeaways:
- Sprout Social rebranded its influencer marketing platform to focus on authentic creator partnerships.
- The platform helps brands find and work with influencers who truly align with their values.
- AI-powered tools make it easier to measure the success of influencer campaigns.
- Sprout Social is making influencer marketing a core part of social media strategies.
A New Era in Influencer Marketing
Sprout Social, a platform used by over 30,000 brands worldwide, recently rebranded its influencer marketing tool, formerly known as Tagger Media, to Sprout Social Influencer Marketing. This change is more than just a name swap—it’s a big step toward solving one of the biggest problems in the creator economy: authenticity.
Layla Revis, Sprout Social’s Vice President of Brand and Social, summed it up perfectly: “No one wants to see another influencer sell a tea that claims it will make you skinny. They want real product advice and feedback.” This shift toward genuine partnerships is exactly what Sprout Social is aiming for with its rebranded platform.
From Acquisition to Unified Platform
Back in 2023, Sprout Social acquired Tagger Media, a move that made waves in the social media and influencer marketing world. This acquisition was a smart way for Sprout to expand its tools and help brands connect with creators more effectively.
By combining Tagger’s features with its own social media management tools, Sprout created a one-stop shop for brands. Layla explained, “We help brands stay on top of trends, understand audience behavior, and measure campaign impact more effectively.” This unified approach earned Sprout the #1 spot in G2’s Best Software Awards last year, proving that their strategy is working.
Why This Matters Now
Right now, influencer marketing is booming. With 59% of marketers planning to work with more creators, there’s a growing need for tools that help brands find, manage, and measure these partnerships. Sprout’s rebranded platform steps in to fill this gap, offering a seamless way for brands to handle everything from finding the right influencer to tracking the success of their campaigns.
The Technology Behind Partnerships
One of the biggest challenges in influencer marketing is finding authentic partnerships. Consumers are getting smarter and can spot fake or forced promotions from a mile away. Sprout’s platform tackles this by using AI to match brands with creators who truly align with their values and audience.
Instead of just looking at how many followers an influencer has, the platform dives deeper into what really matters—like how engaged their audience is and whether their values match the brand. Layla shared, “We want to make sure the recommendations we provide are curated to deliver the right person with the right audience, not just someone with a million followers.”
Creator Relationship Management
Sprout Social’s platform doesn’t just stop at finding influencers. It also helps brands manage relationships, run campaigns, and track results—all in the same place they manage their social media. This creates a seamless experience for marketers.
For example, brands can use the platform to assess potential influencers by looking at their audience, past partnerships, and even a “score” that helps determine if they’re the right fit. Once a partnership is formed, the platform offers tools to execute campaigns and measure their success.
Product Development Through Creator Collaboration
What makes Sprout Social unique is its commitment to working directly with creators. The company believes that the best way to build tools for influencer marketing is to involve the creators themselves.
Layla explained, “We view product development as a collaborative process. We actively engage with the creator community to understand their challenges and needs.” For example, Sprout has a space called The Arboretum, where creators can share feedback and help shape the future of the platform.
Sprout also practices what it preaches. Last year, the company partnered with dozens of creators who drove millions of impressions and engagements. These real-world experiences inform how the platform is built, ensuring it meets the needs of both brands and creators.
New Metrics for Influence
Sprout Social is also changing how brands measure the success of influencer campaigns. While reach and engagement are important, the platform emphasizes the importance of trust and sentiment.
For instance, Sprout helps brands measure ROI by looking at things like cost per lead (CPL) and cost per acquisition (CPA). They also track how much trust consumers have in the influencers they partner with. Layla noted, “As consumer confidence in influencers plays a major role in purchasing decisions, these metrics are becoming more important.”
Looking ahead, Sprout is exploring new ways to measure influence, such as share of search and the value of organic content. These approaches help brands understand the true impact of their campaigns.
The AI-Powered Future of Creator Partnerships
AI is playing a bigger role in the future of influencer marketing, and Sprout Social is at the forefront of this trend. The platform already uses AI to automate tasks like workflow management, content creation, and data analysis.
Layla shared, “AI helps marketers move faster so they can focus on higher-impact work.” For example, AI can analyze huge amounts of data in real time to surface insights, create tailored content, and personalize audience engagement.
As Sprout continues to develop its platform, expect even more AI-powered features that make it easier for brands to find, vet, and partner with the right influencers.
Broader Industry Impact
Sprout Social’s rebranded platform reflects bigger trends in the industry, like the shift toward long-term partnerships and the growing importance of authenticity. By bringing advanced influencer marketing tools into its social media management platform, Sprout is helping to make creator partnerships a core part of digital marketing strategies.
Layla said, “Influencer marketing is outperforming organic brand content in reach, engagement, and conversions.” This, combined with consumers’ growing trust in creator recommendations, shows that influencer marketing is here to stay.
The most exciting part? Influencer marketing is evolving beyond social media to create deeper connections between brands and consumers. With tools like Sprout Social’s Influencer Marketing platform, the future of marketing looks brighter—and more authentic—than ever.
