Why Marketers Need Creators

Marketing isn’t the same as it used to be.

A decade ago, marketers would be taking out ad spots on TV in order to get in front of the eyes of Americans.

Now, more than half the country doesn’t even have a cable subscription, and the best way to reach the right audience is by going online.

This is where creator marketing comes in.

Emerging from the growth of social media sites and video platforms like YouTube, people were able to gain a following by just being themselves and creating things people clicked with.

That came with a surge of more and more people striving to be creators, growing the industry into the massive juggernaut it is today.

But what makes creators so influential?

Well, it’s in the fan base. Think of a TV show you love, from Breaking Bad to Grey’s Anatomy; after enough time, you make a connection between yourself and the characters you see on screen.

The same thing happens with creators online; fans develop a level of trust with that person and are more willing to listen to what they promote than an ad they see on TV.

It's grown to the point where it's popular for a creator to “sell out for the bag” or take lucrative deals from brands for the money.

Still, creators are incredibly effective in delivering ad spots in a way that’s authentic to their brand and in a way most of their audience will connect with. TheDrum, a popular marketing newsletter, supports this by saying, “…66% of brands and 82% of agencies say creator content drives more ROI (return on investment) than traditional digital advertising that doesn’t feature creators.”

It makes sense, as CreatorQI discusses how creators often choose products of quality rather than higher compensation, further building fans' trust in them.

But, all that benefit does come at a cost.

Most brands commented how one of their biggest issues with creator marketing now is an inadequate budget.

Influencers are getting more expensive to work with, as some creators with over 1 million followers receive 50k-100k on a brand deal.

These increased costs are adding up, as 53% of organizations and agencies interviewed reported that 1/4 of their budget goes straight to creator spending, with another 21% saying that over 1/2 of their budget goes to creators.

This problem continues to compound, with creator MrBeast commenting that his massive growth on YouTube has far outpaced the growth of creator marketing spend, saying, “…my brand deal rates are whatever [marketers] have.”

While MrBeast might be the far end of the spectrum, it does reveal a big problem for marketers:

Creators don’t need marketers as much as marketers need creators.

The creator economy has grown so much that most creators are able to turn down brands that they don’t click with or don’t offer quality products. They have the power to decide who exactly to work with, while some brands struggle to find the right fit.

And with hundreds of brands actively looking to sell their products, creators are often in such high demand that they might not make enough content to fulfill all the requests they receive.

Look towards YouTubers like Drew Gooden, Danny Gonzalez, or Kurtis Conner; all of them post only a single, if not two, videos a month, meaning there are only a few slots for brands to slip into if they're a top creator on their list.

Creators have even expanded to creating ad spots, such as this one for KFC by YouTuber Ludwig.

With all that, it's clear the value creators provide in marketing and the ways they can completely shift the industry through their platforms.

And as the pool of creators grows alongside the number of brands with higher budgets, we’ll see even more lucrative deals with some of the biggest influencers out there.

Colin and Samir. (2024, March 18). MrBeast reveals his biggest project ever. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FRYox-sPP8

CreatorIQ. (2023, November 30). 2024 Influencer Marketing Trends Report. https://www.creatoriq.com/hubfs/2024%20Influencer%20Marketing%20Trends%20Report/2024%20Influencer%20Marketing%20Trends%20Report.pdf

CreatorIQ. (2024, January 12). Creator marketing’s changing as fast as it’s growing - here are 4 ways to keep up. The Drum. https://www.thedrum.com/open-mic/creator-marketings-changing-as-fast-as-its-growing-here-are-4-ways-to-keep-up

Kenan, J. (2024, January 31). Creator marketing: Why it’s a must and how to differentiate your brand. Sprout Social. https://sproutsocial.com/insights/creator-marketing/