Case Study: Local Cafe Boosts Online Orders via Micro-Influencer Collaboration
Published: April 15, 2025
Theory is great, but seeing real-world results is even better. This case study explores how "The Cozy Corner Cafe," a fictional local coffee shop, successfully leveraged micro-influencer marketing to drive tangible results and measure their ROI.
Background: The Cozy Corner Cafe's Challenge
The Cozy Corner Cafe, known for its artisanal coffee and pastries, wanted to increase its online orders for local delivery and pickup, especially during weekday afternoons. While they had a loyal local following, their online presence and order volume were modest.
Goal: Increase online order volume by 15% within one month and achieve a positive ROI on their influencer marketing investment.
The Strategy: Partnering with Local Foodies
The cafe decided to collaborate with three local micro-influencers (5,000 - 15,000 followers each) who focused on food, lifestyle, and local happenings.
Collaboration Details:
- Influencer Deliverables: Each influencer was asked to create:
- 1 Instagram feed post showcasing their favorite afternoon treat and coffee from the cafe.
- 3 Instagram Stories featuring the online ordering process and a call-to-action.
- Compensation: Each influencer received a $100 fee plus a $30 voucher for their order. (Total cost per influencer = $130).
- Tracking Mechanism: Each influencer was given a unique 15% discount code (e.g., "FOODIEANNA15") for their followers to use on online orders. This was crucial for attributing sales.
- Campaign Duration: Posts were staggered over two weeks, with the discount codes valid for one month.
Total Campaign Cost: 3 influencers × $130/influencer = $390.
Execution and Data Collection
The influencers posted their content as planned, highlighting the cafe's ambiance (for future visits), the deliciousness of their orders, and the ease of online ordering with the discount code.
The Cozy Corner Cafe meticulously tracked:
- The number of times each unique discount code was used.
- The total revenue generated from orders using these discount codes (after the discount).
- Engagement metrics (likes, comments, shares, saves) provided by the influencers for their posts.
- Reach and impressions data shared by the influencers.
Estimating Value Per Conversion (VPC): The cafe determined their average profit margin on online orders to be 40%. So, for every $1 of revenue (after discount), they made $0.40 in profit. For simplicity in this case study, we'll consider the "Value Per Conversion" to be the profit from each sale attributed to the campaign.
The Results: Sweet Success!
After the one-month campaign period, the data was compiled:
- Total Orders with Influencer Codes: 65 orders
- Total Revenue from these Orders (after 15% discount): $1,462.50
- Average Order Value (AOV) from campaign: $1,462.50 / 65 = $22.50
- Value Per Conversion (Profit per order): $22.50 (AOV) × 40% (profit margin) = $9.00
- Total Conversions (for ROI calculation): 65 sales
The cafe also noted a general 18% increase in overall online orders during the campaign month compared to the previous month, exceeding their 15% goal. While not all of this uplift could be solely attributed to the influencers (other factors might be at play), the discount code data provided clear attribution for a significant portion.
Calculating the ROI
Using the Micro-Influencer ROI Tracker inputs:
- Total Campaign Cost: $390
- Total Conversions: 65
- Estimated Value Per Conversion: $9.00
Total Return Value = 65 conversions × $9.00/conversion = $585.00
Net Profit = Total Return Value - Total Campaign Cost = $585.00 - $390 = $195.00
ROI = (Net Profit / Total Campaign Cost) × 100%
ROI = ($195.00 / $390.00) × 100% = 50%
Other Notable Metrics (Aggregated from Influencers)
- Total Reach: Approx. 25,000 unique users
- Total Impressions: Approx. 35,000
- Total Engagements (Likes, Comments, Saves): 1,200
- Engagement Rate (on Reach): (1200 / 25000) * 100% = 4.8% (a healthy rate)
- Cost Per Engagement (CPE): $390 / 1200 = $0.325 (very reasonable)
Learnings and Next Steps for The Cozy Corner Cafe
- Positive ROI Achieved: The 50% ROI was a clear win, demonstrating the campaign's profitability.
- Goal Exceeded: The overall online order volume increased beyond their target.
- Value of Micro-Influencers: Partnering with authentic, local micro-influencers proved effective for their specific audience.
- Importance of Tracking: Unique discount codes were vital for attributing sales and calculating ROI accurately.
- Future Plans:
- Continue relationships with the high-performing influencers.
- Explore collaborations for different times/days or special menu items.
- Refine their VPC calculation as they gather more data on customer lifetime value.
This example, though fictional, is based on common strategies and achievable results. By applying similar principles – clear goals, targeted influencer selection, robust tracking, and ROI analysis – your brand can also leverage the power of micro-influencer marketing effectively.