As a lower-funnel influencer marketing agency at Tatam, we are used to the pressure to demonstrate clear, measurable ROI from our influencer marketing campaigns. We track and make campaign decisions based on metrics like click-through rates, conversions, and sales, which will always remain critical—this is what our clients need and look for.
But let’s be honest: most viewers do not click on links (a “really good” CTR is around 3%), and when was the last time you purchased something immediately after watching a YouTuber recommendation?
We need to acknowledge that a huge portion of our efforts falls into non-tracked performance or is attributed to other marketing channels. Influencer marketing is a full-funnel channel; even our lower-funnel–focused campaigns build brand equity when done right.
Although most brands are transitioning from last-click attribution to multi-touch, shifting from CAC-based goals to ROI/LTV goals, running HDYHAU surveys, and devising influencer sales multipliers, CEOs and CFOs need reliable proxy metrics for brand uplift.
Somehow, the industry settled on Engagement Rate for measuring brand awareness and brand building, which for us is insane.
In this blog post, we’ll make the case for leveraging Google Trends’ brand-related query volume as a signal of rising consumer interest sparked by influencer content, justify YouTube Search Lift as a new key metric for performance influencer marketing, walk through a step-by-step guide to setting it up in Google Trends, and suggest a methodology for integrating it as a core KPI.
What Are YouTube Search and Google Trends
Before diving into Search Lift calculations, it helps to understand two core tools:
Google Trends
Google Trends is a free platform from Google that shows how often a particular search term is entered relative to the total search volume across various regions and languages. It normalizes data on a scale from 0 to 100, where 100 represents peak popularity for the selected time frame.
YouTube Search (within Google Trends)
By default, Google Trends displays results for Web Search. YouTube Search is a specialized filter that restricts the data to queries made on YouTube itself. This is crucial for influencer marketing because:
YouTube is one of the primary platforms where influencer content lives.
Trends in YouTube queries more closely reflect video-driven interest and intent.
You can isolate brand curiosity sparked specifically by video content.
With these definitions in mind, we can now move on to measuring YouTube Search Lift as a proxy for measuring brand building.
Why YouTube Search Lift Matters for Influencer Marketing
Captures Upper- and Mid-Funnel Impact
Influencer content often plants the seed of awareness and curiosity that later translates into purchase.
Grounded in Actual Behavior, Not Surveys
Instead of relying on brand-lift studies or polls—which can be costly and slow—Search Lift uses publicly available search volume data, reflecting real user intent in near real time.
Granular, Actionable Insights
By tracking weekly or monthly changes in brand queries on YouTube, we can pinpoint which creators, content themes, or messaging drive the most curiosity.
Balances Credibility with Quantifiability
While “brand awareness” can feel nebulous to C-level stakeholders, percentage lifts in branded search queries offer a more quantitative approach to brand building.
Step-by-Step Guide: Using Google Trends for YouTube Search Lift
Access Google Trends
Go to trends.google.com.Set Your Parameters
Geography: Choose the country or region relevant to your campaign.
Time Range: For influencer campaigns, a 12-month window provides enough context.
Define Your Queries
Keyword Query: Enter your brand name as it’s commonly searched (e.g., “Tesla”).
Select “YouTube Search”
By default, Trends shows “Web Search.” Click the dropdown and choose “YouTube Search” to focus on that platform’s query volume.Visualize Trends
Evaluate weekly and monthly Search Lift index values alongside campaign milestones (e.g., content drops, live events) to visualize correlations.
Methodology for Implementing Search Lift as a Core KPI
Define Baseline
Baseline: 4–6 weeks immediately before the IM campaign launch.
Set Target Lift Thresholds
Based on historical data, agree on a minimum lift (e.g., +20%) that validates meaningful brand curiosity.
Report with Context
Always show Search Lift alongside lower-funnel metrics. A dashboard tile might read:
YouTube Brand Search Lift: +18% vs. baseline
Optimize Influencer Mix
Compare Search Lift across different creators or content formats. Those generating the highest lift become top candidates for future brand-building campaigns.
Set Competitive Goals
Measure your brand’s YouTube Search Volume against your biggest competitors, and win the Share of Search for your category.
Conclusion
By embracing YouTube Search Lift via Google Trends, your influencer marketing reports can bridge the gap between lower-funnel performance and upper-funnel impact.
This approach delivers a quantifiable, behavior-based proxy for brand awareness that performance-driven CEOs and CFOs can better consider for brand building.
Implement it with a clear baseline and consistent methodology for ongoing optimization, and you’ll unlock a holistic full-funnel view that drives smarter, data-backed decisions in influencer campaigns.
