Achieved a +175% Lift in ROAS with TikTok Influencer Strategy
Results
- Achieved a +175% lift in ROAS and +118% lift in CVR YoY, setting a new benchmark for TikTok performance
- Enhanced engagement with a +14% lift in CTR from influencer content during Gameday and a +289% CTR lift YoY during Valentine’s Day
- Brand Sentiment score increased by +57% during the holiday period, reaching a high of 11
Capabilities
- Influencer-Driven Strategy
- Full-Funnel TikTok Optimization
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
Industry Description
Kendra Scott is a celebrated lifestyle brand based in Austin, Texas, with 142 stores nationwide. Founded by Kendra Scott in 2002, the jeweler has grown into a billion-dollar business with a breadth of categories, including fashion, demi-fine, and fine jewelry. The brand centers itself around the pillars of Fashion, Family, and Philanthropy, strongly focusing on personalization and customer experience with a customer-first mission.
The Challenge
In Q3 2023, legacy jewelry brand Kendra Scott faced the challenge of improving its paid performance on TikTok, a platform increasingly dominated by fast-paced content and intense competition. While the Kendra Scott team cultivated a strong organic presence on TikTok and the January Digital team effectively leveraged top-performing organic content for paid ads, there was an opportunity to further invest in influencer partnerships by utilizing their content not only in organic social, but in paid social as well. Partnership of all internal stakeholders at Kendra Scott with January Digital’s team was essential to ensure that the strategy was unified and met cross functional goals for all teams. The campaign aimed to not only increase engagement but also drive significant conversions during critical retail periods such as Fall Gameday, Holiday and Valentine’s Day.
Overview
To enhance third-party validation and reach a broader audience, January Digital and Kendra Scott, partners for over two years, began incorporating paid influencers into the creative mix for the Fall Gameday line. The campaign leveraged 2 key nano/micro-influencers that aligned with Kendra Scott’s brand.
The campaign featured Audrey Atienza (35K followers) and Paris Richardson (3K followers), both college influencers, to promote the Kendra Scott Gameday collection. Both visited local Kendra Scott stores and showcased how they were getting Gameday ready with Kendra Scott. These campaign elements were designed to resonate with TikTok’s community, emphasizing relatability and genuine engagement. The first test resulted in a 14% lift in CTR from the influencer content.
Following the success of the Gameday paid influencer activation, the Kendra Scott and January Digital teams strategized to increase the amount of paid influencer content for Holiday and Valentine’s Day with an additional five nano and micro influencers supporting key holiday jewelry staples, a new fragrance launch and key promotional moments. The TikTok influencer content during the 2023 holiday season led to another +20% lift in CTR compared to UGC style content and led to an overall lift of TikTok performance with +175% lift in ROAS and +118% lift in CVR YoY.
This innovative approach revitalized Kendra Scott’s TikTok presence and also set the stage for sustainable future growth on the platform, driving meaningful engagement and conversions across the board. The teams are gearing up to build upon influencer tactics heading into Q4 and key moments in 2025, eager to build on this momentum.
Goals
The primary goals of the TikTok campaign were threefold:
- Increase Engagement for the Brand
- Drive more users to the Kendra Scott site to increase social engagement and site visits during peak seasonal moments.
- Drive Conversions
- Transition from merely engaging users to converting them into customers, particularly during critical retail moments like Holiday and Valentine’s Day.
- Strengthen Brand Authenticity within Paid Media
- Shift Kendra Scott’s paid TikTok strategy to feature more influencer-driven and UGC-style videos as sponsored ads, tapping into third-party validation. This approach resonates with TikTok’s audience, who prioritize authenticity and trust content that feels genuine and community-driven.
Achieving these goals required a strategic pivot in paid influencer strategy, emphasizing the power influencer-driven storytelling to build a deeper connection with the TikTok community.
Challenges
The campaign faced several significant challenges:
- Crowded Platform
- TikTok is a highly saturated space with brands vying for attention, making it difficult for Kendra Scott to stand out and achieve meaningful engagement.
- Collaborating on Goals
- January Digital needed to work closely with the Kendra Scott Social team to align on paid influencer best practices to be communicated with potential influencer talent. With content coming from various sources, the teams had to ensure quick and flexible execution to keep the campaign dynamic and responsive.
- Measurement of Success
- Defining and measuring the success of this new approach, particularly in terms of conversions and engagement, required a fresh perspective on KPIs and performance metrics.
Results
By focusing on creative testing, diversification and telling Kendra Scott’s brand story in an authentic way, January Digital’s TikTok campaign exceeded client expectations, goals, and industry benchmarks.
The results included:
- Increased Engagement
- +14% lift in CTR from influencer content during Gameday
- TikTok saw a +13% lift in CTR during Holiday YoY and influencer content alone saw a 20% lift compared to non-influencer content
- +289% lift in CTR during Valentine’s day YoY
- Increased Conversions
- +175% lift in ROAS and +118% lift in CVR during Holiday YoY
- Stronger Brand Presence
- Brand Sentiment score averaged 7 in 2023 and during the holiday time frame with the influx of influencer content it jumped to 11 (+57% vs 2023 average)
This innovative approach not only achieved Kendra Scott’s goals but also set a new standard for how brands can successfully leverage TikTok to drive engagement and sales.
