With the way the social media landscape constantly changes (we see you Threads and X), brands need a bit more predictability when working with creators that are on these platforms. In a recent conversation with Ashley Riske, #paid’s Head of Creator Partnerships, she shed light on the key aspects of working with creators and debunked several misconceptions associated with the process.

The conversation covers various aspects of working with creators, including understanding their audience, assessing their fit with the brand, misconceptions about creators, and the difference between creators and influencers. Here are three takeaways you can start thinking about for your campaigns. 

Understanding the audience is crucial for successful creator partnerships

Before partnering with a creator, it's essential to understand their audience. Brands often make the assumption that the creator's audience mirrors the creator's persona. However, that may not always be the case. It's important to consider whether the audience is the right fit for the brand's product or service.

"The first thing that I think sometimes is undervalued is their audience," says Ashley Riske. "A lot of times people will make the assumption that they love the creator and therefore their audience must mirror what that persona is."

It's also important to consider how the content will be used. The brand's goals, the platform the content will be used on, and how the content will fit into the brand's overall media mix should all be taken into account. "I look at the audience if they're a brand fit and what goals the brand has," Ashley added.

Storytelling and authenticity are key for effective creator marketing

Effective creator marketing relies heavily on storytelling and authenticity. When brands partner with creators, they should ensure that the creator's story aligns with their brand and product or service. Additionally, giving creators the freedom to tell their own story can result in more engaging and authentic content.

"Influencer is an outcome, not a profession," said Ashley Riske. "A lot of times it comes down to people that are like, go out to seek to be an influencer, don't always have the same intentions as a creator. I think when you work with creators, they are thinking about your goals, they're thinking about the big picture."

Ashley also emphasized the importance of treating creators as partners and giving them as much information upfront as possible. "It's really important to understand things like the creative or the creative brief and the freedom with that or what you're expecting," she said.

Brands should not limit themselves to creators in the same vertical

While it might seem logical to stick to creators in the same vertical, doing so can limit a brand's reach and potential for growth. Expanding the customer base can sometimes be achieved by partnering with creators in other verticals. Additionally, it's important for brands to be open to testing with different niches and types of creative.

"If you stay too niche on something, you struggle then to make a splash and also grow your customer base," Ashley noted. "Because this is quite a cost-effective marketing channel, I think it's a really great idea to test with different niches, different types of creative."

She also mentioned the importance of not expecting immediate results from a creator partnership. "Measuring success off of one post is a huge issue and people are too quick to be like, that creator or person or event didn't work because we're basing it off of too little data," she said.

Take these into consideration when you’re identifying cerators to work with. You’ll be able to get the most out of your campaigns and set expectations for your brand and the creators you work with. Continue to iterate and test what works best for your brand. Don’t expect to see any changes overnight.

If you enjoyed this, #paid hosts weekly marketing conversations where we discuss a ton of topics around creator marketing. Sign up here to join us live on Wednesdays.

You can also check out the recording of this session below.