Creator marketing: Why it’s a must and how to differentiate your brand

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by Jacob Solomon Nov 30, 2022 News
Creator marketing: Why it’s a must and how to differentiate your brand

Content creators have changed the world of marketing. The creator economy is booming and as more brands seek out partnerships for their social media networks, marketers need to know how to remain creative and confident.

We will explain why creator marketing is important for marketers over the next year. We will give you tips on how to answer frequently asked questions.

What is creator marketing?

Brand partnerships with content creators are called creator marketing. There is more to it than just publishing a single post with the assistance of a creator. The bigger strategy at play is determined by how creator partnerships can support a brand's marketing goals.

Incorporating creator marketing into your social media strategy can improve your reach, grow audience engagement and help you connect with new communities.

Why a creator marketing strategy is a must next year

When planning for the new year, every brand should pay attention to creator marketing.

In a survey of marketers responsible for their brand's social media strategy, more than half of them work with content creators on a monthly basis. Almost half of respondents value creator collaborations more than other strategies.

Why are marketers working with creators so often?

Brand goals can be achieved in ways that brands can't. Consumers want creators to be authentic. It is the second most important qualification for marketers and consumers. The best creators inspire communities and drive culture so they can help brands.

The top two goals for creator marketing are generating engagement and reaching new audiences.

Graph of marketer's primary goals when working with creators

Types of creators to inform your marketing strategy

Some creators are different from others. There are different types of creators, and when a brand may choose them for a partnership.

Content creators

Content creators create content for digital distribution. This content can include more than one.

  • Audio content (podcasts and audiobooks)
  • Written works (blog articles, social copy and ad copy)
  • Images (memes, photos or graphics)
  • Videos (Youtube videos, live streams and short-form like TikToks and Reels)

The creators have an online presence that attracts people to them. Fans and devotees of the creator are more than just his followers. They have created a deep connection with their followers because of their opinions.

To connect with a specific audience in an authentic way, brands need to work with a content creator who has a relationship with that audience.

Social media content creators

A social media content creator makes and shares educational or entertaining content. Social media content creators prioritize understanding and building an audience on social media as compared to regular content creators.

All social media networks have a subcategory of content creator. In the next three to six months, more than half of content creators will be collaborating with TikTok, Facebook and other social media platforms. Social media content creators are a great way to collaborate with your brand. With lower lift effort for everyone, you can request sponsored posts to be shared across all of your networks.

Influencers

The saying is, "All squares are rectangles, but not all rectangles are squares." Some people can be content creators but not everyone. Digital creator andinfluencer are not the same.

What is the difference between a digital creator and an influential person.

A content creator makes money by creating and distributing content. An influential person may have a different career choice.

A trainer who shares their favorite brands could be an influence. They promote brands and services they use. People are more likely to trust their opinions if you use influencer marketing.

Content creators by platform

It is important to know what creators can bring to the table by platform. Some of the most popular social media networks for marketers to work with are:

Top content formats marketers plan to partner with creators on

A quick look at creator marketing by platform.

Facebook and Instagram creator marketing

As a result of seeing content posted by a creator, more than 70 percent of Facebook andInstagram users have taken shopping action.

It's a great option for brands that want to promote their products on social media. When compared to creator handle ads without a paid partnership label, branded content ads see an increase in likelihood of winning purchase outcomes. Creator marketing can help convert consumers and encourage them to purchase.

YouTube creator marketing

It is a great fit that it is the home of content creators. Almost any brand can join in on the fun with the video platform.

Pinterest creator marketing

It isn't as popular as the other channels, but it can be effective. You will be able to reach new people with your content on pinsy. Shoppable paid partnership tags and affiliate links allow creators to work with brands.

The beauty, fashion and interior design industries can take advantage of the beauty, fashion and interior design industries on pinsy.

TikTok creator marketing

There is a reason that #TikTokMadeMeBuy It is still a popular topic. Word-of-mouth marketing is what TikTok is all about. More than 70% of users say the app inspired them to make a purchase decision even if they weren't looking to buy anything Almost any brand can take advantage of this.

How to differentiate your creator strategy from the rest

There are many ways you can use digital content creators to boost your brand strategy. You need to stay relevant when collaborating with other creators.

There are five ways to stand out.

1. Use creators to strengthen your brand community

According to our report, successful creators inspire communities. People are brought together around hobbies and interests.

Help strengthen your community by using creators. The people who follow your social content and advocate for your brand are part of your brand community. They like to see what your brand does. Look for creators who are thriving in your community and find ways to work with them.

2. Follow the trends

You need to keep up with industry trends. Top creators and publications who center creator marketing content can be followed. If you get the information, you could ignite the spark for your partnership.

3. Consider hiring a creator relations manager

An emerging role is a creator relations manager. Their sole focus is to find and get creators. If you want to go that route, they can manage a creator program budget. Managers of creator relations can identify unique opportunities.

4. Empower diverse creators

Collaboration with diverse creators is more important than ever as more consumers want to purchase from brands who align with their values.

The value diverse creators bring to the table can be seen in partnerships with Latinx creators likeVanessa. The collaboration with Cheetos resulted in over 125 million views.

Diverse creators encompass creativity, authenticity and cultural competence, but they can help audiences relate to your brand on social media It's true that only looking to creators from marginalized communities once or twice a year is genuine.

You limit your reach when connecting with existing and new audiences. Adding a rainbow flag to your profile page isn't going to make a difference When it's time to launch a campaign, build a list of diverse creators you would like to work with and build a relationship with them.

5. Don’t count out smaller creators

Another way to incorporate creators into your strategy is by leaning on smaller creators. Micro- creators are just as valuable to brands as they are to the small audience.

High quality content can be expected from smaller creators. They have gained loyal followers who are likely to be influenced to use your brand.

Creator marketing just makes sense

The new creator economy is similar to the early days of YouTube and Viners.

If you want to learn more about the creator economy, read our report.

Creator marketing FAQs: Building a foolproof strategy

The brand or creators should be in charge of the strategy.

Some of the most successful brand- creator partnerships happen when brands rely on creators' expertise.

The full benefits of these partnerships need to be given to creators. Content is not owned by the brand. It's a good idea to give creators the chance to make something special and not impose too many restrictions. To amplify your campaign, you need to use their unique personality and talents.

Most brands give broad or very broad directions to creators.

What direction is given to creators when they work with your brand?

  • 18% Very broad
  • 26% Broad
  • 18% Neither broad nor specific
  • 27% Specific
  • 14% Very specific

It is a good idea to avoid asking creators to imitate your brand voice and to not ask them to post a lot. 81% of consumers will not follow a creator if they post more than a few times per week, according to data from The Sprout Social Index.

When to reach out to a creator for help is a question.

There isn't a one-size-fits-all approach to collaborating with creators. Content creators have different goals and resources. Give yourself time to plan and execute. Don't just use creators for the sake of it

SMMs are supposed to report on creator collaborations.

Take your goals and budget into account to show the best return on investment.

Stories are often the most popular option. There is a smaller time frame to make a difference. Links can cost more if you want to earn conversions. The content's longevity and your campaign goals should be taken into account.

Alternative structures can be used to supplement financial compensation. Be aware of your approach and consider the creator's interests as well. What do you want them to get in return?

How do you find a good creator for your campaign?

Finding the right content creators is a lot of work.

To understand how brands can find the right creator and measure the impact on their bottom line, we collaborated with Glewee.

Engagement and follower count are metrics that can be used to measure impact. Getting your ad content seen by the right audience is more important than the number of people who see it.

You can gauge who is a good fit based on the average size and engagement rate of their followers.

Benchmark metrics creators need to appeal to brands

Again, keep in mind that these are just the beginning of success. Some content may not perform well on certain networks and smaller creators can have strong audience loyalty.

What can brands do differently with popular creators?

Creativity and innovation are important if you want to stand out from the crowd. Do you know how you can stand out? It is possible to lean on the creator's expertise as they have a grasp on what will appeal to their audience and will have interesting content ideas, but don't be afraid to think outside the box as well.

If you want to connect with a new audience, look at creators in that niche. If you want to build a video game brand for Gen Z, you might want to work with a metaverse content creator.