Did the campaign actually pay?

Unique links and unique discount codes per creator. If the campaign ran without them, you are estimating, not measuring. A 2025 Statista study found most brands that could confidently attribute influencer revenue used unique links or codes; the fix is unglamorous and it is the only one that works.

ROAS is revenue divided by cost: five units of revenue for every one spent is a 5x ROAS. ROI is profit-based: it applies your gross margin to the revenue first, then subtracts the cost. A 5x ROAS at 30% margin is a 50% ROI, not a 400% one. Agencies report ROAS because it is the bigger number.

Creator fees, gifted product at cost, agency or management fees, paid amplification of the creator content, and shipping or logistics for the campaign. Counting only the creator fee understates cost and flatters the result.

No. It multiplies your expected views, click-through rate, conversion rate and order value into a forecast. It is useful for sizing a campaign before you commit, and for setting targets a creator campaign must hit to break even. Real numbers replace it the week the campaign ships.