How to Automate Influencer Program Management with 123FormBuilder: A Real-World Guide
Running an influencer program sounds exciting – until the admin work starts piling up. Tracking submissions, calculating payments, sending invoices, and managing communication manually becomes overwhelming as your network grows.
With tools like 123FormBuilder, HubSpot, and Zapier, you can take the manual work off your plate and set up an influencer program that runs smoothly as it grows. Here’s how one team made it work – and how you can do the same.
The Challenge: Too Many Manual Steps
Before automation, the influencer program involved a multi-step, manual process that looked something like this:
- Influencers signed up via a form or landing page
- Team members collected social media post links and engagement data by hand
- Payment amounts were calculated based on the influencer’s tier
- Influencers were asked to invoice
- The finance team processed payments manually
This setup was fine when the program was small – but as things grew, it became hard to keep up. It took too much time, led to mistakes, and became a challenge to manage.
A Better Way to Manage Your Influencer Program
Step 1: Keep Everything in One Place
Each month, influencers get an email (sent through HubSpot) with a link to a 123FormBuilder form. They use it to share:
- Contact details
- Influencer tier (e.g., based on follower count)
- Social activity data: links, engagement stats, impressions, dates
All responses are stored centrally and can be exported or synced with external tools.
Step 2: Automate Payment and Invoicing
Once an influencer submits the form, the process runs automatically:
- Payment calculation – The form calculates the amount based on the influencer’s tier and reported activity.
- Instant invoice – A payment summary or invoice is generated right after submission.
- Automated payout – The payment details are sent to your payout platform (like Trolley) via Zapier – no manual work required.
Step 3: Enable Ongoing Access and Reporting
With 123FormBuilder’s “Save for Later” option, influencers can fill out their report throughout the month, saving drafts as they go. This makes it easier for them to track their impact – and easier for you to manage submissions.
Step 4: Handle Variable Payment Plans
If different influencers are on different payout structures (e.g., early adopters earn more per post), you can:
- Use the Database Manager in 123FormBuilder to assign payment tiers
- Set rules that calculate payouts accordingly – ensuring accurate, fair compensation every time
Extra Automation Ideas for Any Influencer Program
Once the basics are in place, there’s plenty more you can do to make your influencer program even more efficient. Here are a few advanced automation ideas you can customize to work with your program.
- Signup Form Integration: Create a Signup form for the influencer program and connect it to Virtual Database App to maintain a centralized influencer list. Embed this form on your landing page for easy onboarding.
- Multi-Step Onboarding: Create a multi-form onboarding experience with email notifications. Collect basic info first (name, email, LinkedIn), then follow up for payment details and other specifics.
- Monthly Reporting Automation: Link monthly reporting forms to your influencer database to prefill known details (tier, location), reducing friction for influencers and ensuring data accuracy.
Why Automation Matters
The more your influencer program grows, the more moving parts there are to manage. Automation takes care of the routine tasks so your team doesn’t get bogged down.
Here’s how it helps:
✔ More time back – Skip the repetitive admin work and let automation handle it
✔ Fewer mistakes – Payment and activity data stay consistent and accurate
✔ Better communication – Influencers know exactly what they’re earning
✔ Easier to scale – Add more influencers without overwhelming your team
✔ Quick to adjust – Update workflows or payment rules whenever you need – no stress, no mess
Final Thoughts
Automating your influencer program with 123FormBuilder, HubSpot, and Zapier doesn’t just make life easier – it makes your entire program more professional, scalable, and appealing to influencers.
