# In an op-ed, Prof. Sinan Aral explains the power of social influence marketing

1 Faculty News May 1, 2013 ![Harvard Business Review logo](/sites/default/files/styles/246w/public/assets/images/con_032358.jpg?itok=cHztGP4H)>

Excerpt from the [Harvard Business Review](http://hbr.org/2013/05/what-would-ashton-do-and-does-it-matter/ar/1) -- "The future of social influence marketing will depend on robust analytics to increase our understanding of what drives behavioral change. Mistaking any of the myriad confounding factors for influence can lead to costly mistakes—in marketing strategy and in public policy."

[Read more](http://hbr.org/2013/05/what-would-ashton-do-and-does-it-matter/ar/1)