With organic reach for influencers becoming increasingly limited, brands have had to look for new ways to engage with their audiences. Enter creators — the de rigueur digital content producers that have become the obvious alternative to influencer marketing.
Unlike influencers who primarily focus on building relationships with their followers and creating content for them, creators will produce high-quality assets tailored specifically for brands — assets which can be leveraged far beyond organic social channels. Be transparent and generous in your licensing negotiations (you’d be surprised how far a few hundred bucks will take you!), and brands can use these assets in email marketing, on app screens, in programmatic media, on e-comm landing pages, and beyond.
Moreover, this content can be put through a studio process to create a never-ending optimization cycle for paid performance, whether that’s by switching out offers, re-sequencing the narrative, or testing different editorial approaches. You’ve paid for full control of this creator content and you shouldn’t have to contend with the organic influencer marketing audience! That’s a great benefit of choosing creators over influencers.
What’s so great about working Creators? Let’s name a few:
Cost-Effective
Direct access to creators means businesses are able to take control of the production process and save on cost by eliminating third-party agencies and production companies.Agile
By working directly with creators, businesses are able to react quickly to changes in the market while staying ahead of their competitors.Different Styles and Voices Lead
Creators come from different backgrounds with varied experiences, allowing brands to find a style and voice that best fits their brand message.Low Risk Testing Ground
By partnering directly with creators, brands can learn from creator content and see how new ideas perform before committing any resources towards producing it for themselves. This gives them an insight into upcoming trends without running any brand-first content risk.
In 2023, creator marketing programs are going to steal influencer marketing budgets. For brands who’ve tired of the low quality, low-attribution, resource drain of influencer marketing, the creator economy beckons! And as marketing investments tighten this year, smart social media players will need to get more out of every dollar to validate their investment decisions.