From Activity to Impact – A management framework for corporate influencer programs

Corporate influencer programs have become increasingly popular. Many organizations are launching such initiatives to empower employees as authentic ambassadors and support them in their communication activities. Yet, particularly in times of economic pressure, an important question arises: beyond the enthusiasm of those involved, are these programs truly an efficient investment? How can objectives for corporate influencer programs be defined and their success measured? And how can these programs be managed in a way that provides both program managers and senior executives with the information they need to make informed decisions?

A recent study by the University of Leipzig addresses these questions. It brings together interdisciplinary concepts and analyzes the corporate influencer programs of 52 organizations from the perspectives of both communication leaders and program managers.

The findings reveal that organizations still lack sophisticated approaches to communication management and evaluation methods that are suitable for managing corporate influencer programs. To address this gap, the researchers developed the Corporate Influencer Program Management Framework, a comprehensive approach to program management and performance measurement. The framework helps organizations strategically steer their corporate influencer initiatives and demonstrate their value.

Further details on the study and its findings are available in the full report.

Citation: Zerfaß, A., Siewert, L., Bonin, A.-K., Decker, F., Gordzielik, C., Hahn, L., Knjasew, A., Limpert, L., Peter, T., Schönacher, N., & Wettinger, A. (2026). Zielsetzung und Erfolgsmessung von Corporate-Influencer-Programmen. Ein Management-Framework für Kommunikationsabteilungen und Programmverantwortliche – Ergebnisse einer Studie in deutschen Großunternehmen. Akademische Gesellschaft für Unternehmensführung & Kommunikation.