Track TikTok Shop Order: Why ROAS Misleads Influencer Programs

Milan Freeman, influencer marketing consultant and former strategist at Curology and Fenty Skin, breaks down which metrics actually matter for influencer programs and why the answer depends heavily on brand goals and industry.

Freeman argues that even beauty brands focused on awareness metrics like impressions and engagement should cross-reference those numbers against revenue spikes to find real correlation. On ROAS specifically, Freeman cautions against leaning too hard on it for influencer marketing, because consumers typically need five to six exposures to a product before buying, making ROAS a misleading benchmark for a channel built on testing and learning.

Freeman also flags a conversion attribution trap many teams overlook: a user might click a YouTube partnership link but later convert through paid search, and without cross-functional alignment on what counts as a conversion, the numbers get muddy fast. The fix is coordinating with your digital, tech, and marketing leadership to ensure influencer tracking stays consistent with every other channel.

If your team is debating which numbers to hold your program accountable to, this video gives you the framework to have that conversation confidently.