TapInfluence

TapInfluence established itself as a significant player in the influencer marketing automation space before its acquisition. Founded in June 2009 by Rustin Banks and Holly Hamann, the company was initially known as BlogFrog, a community platform for bloggers. A pivotal shift occurred in 2011 when the firm began connecting bloggers with brands, officially entering the influencer marketing sector. This transition was followed by a rebranding to TapInfluence in 2013. Co-founder Rustin Banks, who has an MS in Electrical Engineering, transitioned from a career in aerospace to start the company, driven by an early passion for online communities. The firm secured a total of $22.9 million in funding over several rounds, with major investors including Grotech Ventures, Noro-Moseley Partners, and Access Venture Partners. A key milestone was its acquisition by IZEA Worldwide in July 2018 for approximately $7.6 million, after which it became a wholly-owned subsidiary.

The company operates a cloud-based Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform designed to automate and manage influencer marketing campaigns from a single interface. Its clients are primarily consumer brands and marketing agencies seeking to connect with trusted voices and infuse authenticity into their advertising. The business model is subscription-based, providing marketers access to its tools and marketplace. In 2017, prior to its acquisition, approximately 65% of its revenue came from SaaS subscriptions.

TapInfluence's platform offers a comprehensive suite of tools for brands. A core feature is the influencer marketplace, which provides access to a large, opt-in network of content creators. Marketers can search this database using over 35 criteria, including audience demographics like household income, brand affinities, and interests, to find the right partners for their campaigns. The platform facilitates the entire campaign lifecycle, from discovering and negotiating with influencers to content collaboration, scheduling, automated tracking, and payment processing. It provides robust analytics, offering real-time data on campaign performance, cost-per-engagement (CPE), and return on investment, allowing brands to measure the tangible impact of their marketing efforts.

Keywords: influencer marketing, SaaS, marketing automation, content marketing, brand-influencer collaboration, campaign management, marketplace, digital advertising, social media analytics, adtech