The short answer is: potentially, yes. But it’s not a simple ‘tick box’ exercise. Influencer marketing, when done strategically, can be a powerful lead generation tool for Australian SMEs. However, many businesses waste budget chasing vanity metrics – likes and followers – instead of genuine lead capture. We’ve seen a significant shift in the last couple of years towards performance-based influencer campaigns, and that’s where the real value lies.

Here’s what you need to consider before jumping in:

• Define ‘Lead’ Clearly: Before contacting any influencers, understand exactly what constitutes a lead for your business. Is it an email address signup? A phone enquiry? A completed contact form? Knowing this dictates the type of campaign and the tracking mechanisms you’ll need.
• Micro-Influencers Often Outperform: Don’t automatically assume you need a celebrity with millions of followers. Often, micro-influencers – those with a highly engaged audience of, say, 5,000 to 20,000 – deliver a better return on investment. Their audiences are typically more niche and trust their recommendations more readily.
• Focus on Lead Capture Mechanisms: A beautiful image showcasing your product isn’t enough. Campaigns should actively drive lead generation. Think unique discount codes, dedicated landing pages, or contests requiring email signup. We’re seeing success with influencers running webinars or workshops, capturing leads directly during registration.
• Track Everything Rigorously: Use trackable links, UTM parameters, and dedicated landing pages to measure the campaign’s performance. Don’t rely on the influencer’s reported numbers; verify them yourself. Analyse which influencers are driving the highest quality leads – those most likely to convert into customers.

The landscape is evolving. We anticipate further integration of influencer content into paid social campaigns in 2026, allowing for even more precise targeting and retargeting of leads generated through influencer activity. Simply put, influencer marketing isn’t about brand awareness anymore; it’s about measurable lead generation.

If you’re serious about exploring this channel, start by auditing your existing customer base. Identify customers who are already influential within their networks. Partnering with them can be a low-cost, high-impact way to test the waters and refine your approach before investing in broader influencer campaigns. Your next step should be to map out a clear lead generation funnel and identify how influencers can fit into that process.