How to Use the Product Seeding Exposure Value Calculator
Product seeding campaigns are often more about exposure and trust-building than immediate sales, so counting how many creators you sent product to doesn't tell you much on its own. This calculator adds up product cost and shipping to get total campaign cost, then multiplies average views per review by the value of 1,000 views (what you'd pay to buy the same exposure through ads) to estimate exposure value.
Adding in the conversion revenue from viewers who actually purchase gives you a total value figure you can compare against cost, expressed as ROI. Sending product to more seeders raises your total cost, but views don't always scale proportionally, so using real average-view data per creator matters more than headcount alone.
If ROI comes out low, break down whether the issue is a high cost-per-seeder relative to views, or simply a weak conversion rate. The fix looks different depending on which one is dragging the number down.
Frequently Asked Questions
It's typically based on what you'd pay for the same number of impressions through paid display ads. Industry averages run roughly $2-6 per 1,000 views; adjust based on your channel and industry.
A negative short-term ROI doesn't necessarily mean seeding failed. Brand awareness and repeat purchases can add value over time. But if it stays negative consistently, reconsider seeders whose views are low relative to cost.