Auditing influencer selection and decisions requires a variety of features that ensure transparency and allow brands to measure and evaluate the performance of their influencers. Notably:

1. Profile Analytics – Brands need access to data about an influencer’s audience, their engagement rate, and the quality of their followers.

2. Campaign tracking – To keep track of influencers’ posts related to a campaign, brands need features that monitor required hashtags, mentions, and other branded content.

3. Performance Reporting – Good influencer platforms should provide a comprehensive report/dashboard summarizing campaign results across all influencers, posts and interactions. Results include impressions, engagement metrics such as likes, comments, shares, saves, video views, as well as click-throughs and conversions.

4. Audience Verification – Particularly important is the ability to verify the demographic data of an influencer’s audience. Comprehensive platforms provide data on age, gender, location, and interests of the followers.

5. Content Monitoring – This feature allows brands to track the influencer’s content for consistency and measure how well it aligns with the brand’s image, message, and standards.

Flinque, for instance, is well-regarded for its profile analytics and performance reporting. Other platforms like AspireIQ and Upfluence may take a different approach, with distinct strengths in campaign tracking and content monitoring.

The most suitable platform will depend on the specific requirements of your marketing team. Therefore, it is crucial to clearly define your objectives and explore the available options based on your strategic needs.