As the demand for influencer marketing grows, creators—be it full-time or part-time—are experiencing a significant boom. But many of these creators find themselves unsure of what brands truly desire and seek guidance on how to expand their business effectively. That’s why impact.com conducted a survey with 250+ marketing leaders involved in the decision-making for recruiting influencers. What brands want: building successful creator partnerships in 2023 reveals compelling findings on how creators can grow their businesses. In this research report, creators can discover: - The most effective ways for brand outreach - How to build long-term brand partnerships - Tips to grow as a professional content creator (at any stage) - And many more insights Download the full research report to find out more.
Marketing leaders share insights on how creators can grow their business What brands want: building successful creator partnerships in 2023
Contents page
Introduction
03
Chapter 1:
06
The impact of lucrative creator programs on brand buy-in, marketing budgets, and partnership strategies Chapter 2: Brands seek creators who can effectively communicate, offer professionalism, and deliver a compelling pitch Chapter 3: 5 ways to grow as a professional content creator [at any stage]
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Introduction In 2023, being a creator can be a lucrative side hustle or a full-time career. As the demand for influencer marketing surges, creators of all levels have more opportunities than ever before to build prosperous partnerships with brands. Data tells us nearly half of all influencers already make a living creating content. Still, many creators are challenged with securing long-term brand partnerships. Without clear guidelines on what brands expect, creators often question how to approach and partner with new brands. This uncertainty can create a disconnect between the actions influencers take vs what their brand partners may want. Some creators can even become intimidated and reluctant to reach out to brands they admire. That’s why we asked brands all the hard questions to help you get started. In this guide, you’ll learn what brands really want from influencers and how you can start building long-term partnerships today.
Introduction
3
Key takeaways
Brands are investing more in creator programs
Brands want creators to start the conversation
Brands want to build long-term creator relationships
2 in 3 brands plan to expand their creator programs in the next year 71% of brands planning to expand their creator programs started working with creators less than a year ago 83% of brands expanding their programs plan to onboard more creators in 2024
58% of brands say the quality of the creator’s work is most important when considering a long-term partnership 1 in 3 brands say prompt and professional communication is a top consideration when choosing a creator partner 86% of brands are prioritizing long-term relationships with creators within the next year
Brands report that their top challenge is finding a creator that fits well with their brand 42% of brands say less than 5 creators on average approach them in a week Creators mostly reach out to brands for collaboration via DMs on social media and emails, aligning with brand preference
Introduction
4
Who we talked to We talked to more than 250 marketers from the United States and Canada involved in the decision-making for recruiting creators. These marketers represent brands that
These brands have worked with influencers for
47%
18%
15%
have partnered with and paid creators in the last 6 months. Responses collected between April 27 and May 2, 2023
12%
8%
Less than a year
1–2 years
2–3 years
4–5 years
More than 5 years
Company size
12% 12% 15% 17% 19% 13% 12%
Less than 5
5–10
11–50
51–100
101–500
501–1000 More than 1000
Introduction
5
Brands have more buy-in as creator marketing programs expand Nearly
Brands and creators are aligning on payment models —opting for hybrid compensation, coined “PostPlus” (flat fees combined with commission-based payouts). This alignment and direct feedback on campaigns are key factors in building long-term partnerships as brands allocate more to creator marketing budgets. Working with influencers has given brands new access to the voice of their customer. Creator partnerships can help brands overcome the consumers’ distrust of advertising. At the same time, brands can create content consumers trust and leverage influencer followings to reach new customer bases.
Customer acquisition costs (CAC) have increased by 222% in the last eight years, pushing brands to find affordable alternatives to paid advertising strategies. In a time when budgets are under intense scrutiny, influencer marketing can level the playing field for brands of all sizes so they aren’t operating at the whims of expensive and unpredictable advertising platforms.
The impact of lucrative creator programs on brand buy-in, marketing budgets, and partnership strategies
6
of consumers trust personal recommendations over any other channel. The creator industry’s explosive growth has made it impossible to ignore. You as a brand should know, like, and trust the creators that you’re working with to facilitate the best partnerships possible. — David A. Yovanno, Chief Executive Officer at impact.com [iPX 2023]
What is your plan for your creator programs in the next year?
64%
More brands than ever before are working with influencers, giving creators a great opportunity to diversify their brand partnerships.
29%
2%
5%
We’re keeping the creator programs the same
We’re scaling back on our creator programs
We're shutting down our creator programs
We’re expanding our creator programs
The impact of lucrative creator programs on brand buy-in, marketing budgets, and partnership strategies
7
86% Budgets are shifting toward influencer partnerships Flexible payment options have made influencer marketing a strong alternative to traditional advertising when budgets are squeezed. Nearly 2 in 3 brands are increasing their budget for influencer marketing in the coming year, and 40% of brands prefer to pay their existing test the waters. These projects allow creators to gain visibility, showcase their skills, and provide valuable feedback that helps them build relationships with marketing leaders. Brands’ creator expansion plans for the next year
83%
creators with PostPlus — a flat fee and a performance-based commission or bonus. As hybrid payment methods become more popular, brands are more comfortable expanding their influencer programs, knowing they’ll get a return on their investment (ROI). A bigger budget means brands can take risks and experiment with campaigns and new creators, too. Now, many brands are starting creator relationships with one-off projects to
We’re focusing on long-term partnerships with creators
We’re onboarding more creators
We’re focusing on long-term partnerships with creators
We’re onboarding more creators
Partner with brands that understand creators: 88% of brands with programs older than 5 years are looking to onboard new creators in 2024.
The impact of lucrative creator programs on brand buy-in, marketing budgets, and partnership strategies
8
Preferred payment methods
When working with new creator partners
When working with a creator partner with whom you have an established relationship
34%
Flat fee + performance- based commission or bonus
40%
29%
Flat fee
24%
16%
We’re focusing on long-term partnerships with creators
Performance-based commission or bonus
11%
10%
Gifting or reward
8%
Try before you buy: As a way to trial the partnership before committing to a longer-term partnership, 68% of brands are planning to leverage creators for smaller or one-off projects.
5%
Content licensing fee
7%
5% 5%
Store credit or rebate
2%
Comped event or trip
5%
Percentages may not total 100 due to rounding
The impact of lucrative creator programs on brand buy-in, marketing budgets, and partnership strategies
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Brands want long-term relationships with influencers
Of the brands planning to expand, 86% are focusing on growing long-term partnerships with creators next year. Up until now, brands have maintained fewer consistent partnerships, leveraging multiple creators to expand their reach and build awareness. But, as brands start to see more sales and conversions through this channel, 67% are investing in creating more content with their existing creator partners. This bodes well for creators, who can now generate more reliable income through established brand partnerships. It may seem easier to gain a foothold with a larger brand that works with more creators. Since these brands often clearly define their application process, creators may feel more comfortable reaching out because they know what to expect. However, that often means creators get lost in a sea of applications and struggle to get a foot in the door.
We’re focusing on long-term partnerships with creators
Length of time working with creators:
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Neither Agree Nor Disagree
Agree
Strongly Agree
67%
33%
Less than a year 1 year 2–3 years 4–5 years More than 5 years
8%4% 13% 3%3%8% 5% 14% 8%
50%
25%
49%
38%
50%
32%
54%
38%
Percentages may not total 100 due to rounding
The impact of lucrative creator programs on brand buy-in, marketing budgets, and partnership strategies
10
On average, how many creators do you work with at a time?
As more organizations expand their influencer marketing programs, creators can bypass the competition and have a better chance of establishing a partnership. Every brand we spoke with that began working with influencers within the last year is searching for long-term cornerstone creators to partner with. Currently, over 80% of brands that have worked with influencers for less than a year work with fewer than three influencers at a time. Meanwhile, brands with more mature influencer marketing programs succeed with a larger creator pool, with nearly 20% of these brands working with over 15 influencers at a time. Unsurprisingly, brands with larger influencer pools also tend to be larger companies, which may have more formalized processes and management to support their influencer marketing campaigns.
More than 15 5%
11–15 5%
6–10 16%
Less than 3 39%
3–5 35%
The impact of lucrative creator programs on brand buy-in, marketing budgets, and partnership strategies
11
Brands want creators to start the conversation
How many creators approach your brand for collaboration opportunities on average each week?
Brands aren’t scouring social media to find the right creators. As brands wait for influencers to approach them, these creators have a unique opportunity to land partnerships by finding and initiating outreach to brands that align with their audience. For many creators, that means partnering with brands they already love and products they actually use. This authenticity comes through to consumers, which establishes trust, and typically increases the success of the campaign. 42% of the brands claim that fewer than five creators approach them in a week (81% for programs less than a year old). Smaller brands receive the fewest outreach messages, so creators may have an easier time pursuing a partnership with them.
Despite a desire to onboard new creators, only 5% of brands want to source and recruit the creators they want to work with.
More than 20 7%
11–20 14%
Less than 5 42%
5–10 37%
Brands seek creators who can effectively communicate, offer professionalism, and deliver a compelling pitch
12
How many creators approach your brand for collaboration opportunities on average each week?
Number of collaboration requests per week:
Less than 5
5 - 10
11 - 20
More than 20
Less than a year Length of time working with creators:
81%
14%
5%
55%
31%
10%
3%
1–2 years
50%
13%
1%
36%
2–3 years
32%
35%
14%
19%
4–5 years
7%
22%
22%
50%
More than 5 years
Percentages may not total 100 due to rounding
Brands seek creators who can effectively communicate, offer professionalism, and deliver a compelling pitch
13
Make the partnership easy for brands Brands prefer creators to start the conversation. But creators expect to hear from brands first.
Brands’ greatest challenges when working with creators
Finding the right creator for our brand Measuring campaign success Reliability about deadlines Creators becoming unresponsive
33%
Unsurprisingly, a brand’s biggest challenge is finding creators that fit their brand. This is particularly true for brands with newer influencer programs less than a year old, where nearly half report struggling to find an influencer that’s a good fit.
27%
24% 24% 24%
Creators inflating fees based on what they think our brand can afford Creators not considering brand risk when discussing controversial topics or working with other brands that don’t align with our values A lack of in-depth brand or product knowledge Getting authentic content from the creator for sponsored posts Creators not understanding the campaign goals Producing creative content within brand guidelines Tracking creator activity (are they posting when they should or the number of times they should?) Convincing creators to work with our brand The time it takes to review content against the campaign brief and goal Not being flexible on payment methods Meeting campaign KPIs
23% 23%
18% 18%
Study a brand and then tailor your media kit along with a personalized message to align with their brand values and style. This way you’ll demonstrate your alignment with their branding and make your application more compelling.
17%
16%
15%
14%
12% 12%
Brands seek creators who can effectively communicate, offer professionalism, and deliver a compelling pitch
14
Meanwhile, brands with more mature influencer marketing programs face challenges with consistently measuring the success of their campaigns. Some key performance indicators (KPIs)—like follower count, engagement, post reach, or event attendance—are easy for creators to track with social media analytics tools. Creators who demonstrate that they measure and track these KPIs will look more appealing to marketing leaders. Other KPIs—like cost per lead (CPL), conversion rate, or customer lifetime value (CLV)—aren’t things creators can measure, so they rely on brands to share this information. But suppose brands don’t have the right tools or capabilities to measure their campaign performance. In that case, it’s difficult for them to prove their influencer marketing campaigns’ ROI and justify their budget. When brands don’t know the true value creators offer, they may be less inclined to create long-term partnerships or even work with them again. Plus, creators may feel short-changed when these KPIs impact their commission payments. Brands also face challenges working with contracted influencers. Reliability around deadlines, unresponsiveness, and fee inflation make partnerships more difficult for brands and compromise the success of their campaigns.
Brands face different challenges with different levels of maturity. 48% of brands with programs less than a year old struggle to find creators that fit their brand, while 32% of brands with 4-5 year old programs struggle with producing creative content within the brand guidelines. 30% of brands with 5+ year old programs struggle most with measuring campaign success.
Brands seek creators who can effectively communicate, offer professionalism, and deliver a compelling pitch
15
How brands measure the success of their creator campaigns
KPIs brands use to measure the success of creator campaigns
KPIs brands are unable to measure currently, but would like to be able to track
39%
Audience or follower growth
21%
32%
Conversion rate
25%
28% 28%
Customer acquisition cost (CAC)
22%
Reach and awareness Cost per lead (CPL) Lead conversion rate
20%
25% 28%
24% 24%
19%
Return on investment (ROI)
17%
23% 23%
Referral traffic
19%
Social media engagement (likes, shares, comments, mentions, etc.)
13%
21%
Number of website visits
15%
20%
Event attendance (for example, live stream shopping events)
21%
19%
Marketing qualified leads (MQL) Lifetime value of a customer (LTV)
25%
15% 18%
Multiple answers possible
13%
Sales qualified leads (SQL)
12%
Brands seek creators who can effectively communicate, offer professionalism, and deliver a compelling pitch
16
Professional communication sets influencers apart
Contacting brands for collaborations [top 5 ways]
How creators contact brands most often for brand collaborations
How brands prefer creators to contact them for brand collaborations
52%
Direct message the brand on social media
45%
51%
Reach out via email
52%
38%
Reach out to a PR or marketing contact on social media such as LinkedIn
42%
29%
Apply through brand website
26%
25%
Contact the CEO via social media such as LinkedIn
23%
Brands seek creators who can effectively communicate, offer professionalism, and deliver a compelling pitch
17
Searching LinkedIn for brand marketing professionals is a good first step to establishing a relationship (42% of brands prefer this method), but leveraging a creator platform with a marketplace can give creators a leg up on the competition by having the correct contacts right there. 26% of brands prefer creators to apply through their brand website.
Communicating professionally isn’t only about choosing the right channel. 26% of brands said creators can work more efficiently with their brand using responsive and timely communication. Creators becoming unresponsive (ghosting) is an increasingly common problem for brands, which gives creators who respond promptly an instant lift over other creators.
Creators mostly reach out to brands for collaborations via DMs on social media and email, which aligns with the brand’s preference.
Brands seek creators who can effectively communicate, offer professionalism, and deliver a compelling pitch
18
Brands look for high-quality work first
Top 5 factors that would make brands commit to a long-term partnership with a creator
Today’s influencers are creators first, and strong performance rates on their content is a top factor that will drive brands to commit to a long- term partnership. 35% of marketing leaders say creating consistent, quality content is the primary way influencers can work more efficiently with brands. Similarly, 46% of companies will end their relationship with an influencer if they’re unhappy with their work quality.
58%
47% 45% 43% 42%
Good consistent quality work
Good performance rates on the creator's content
The creator is easy to work with
Professional and timely communication from the creator
The creator helps the brand achieve its campaign KPIs
Brands seek creators who can effectively communicate, offer professionalism, and deliver a compelling pitch
19
But what can creators do to improve their relationship with brands after they’ve established a relationship? 83% of brands say that delivering on the campaign’s KPIs (for example, helping them achieve the ROI they’re aiming for) solidifies a successful partnership. As creators build their relationships with brands, requesting and applying feedback is critical to help them create quality work that gets great reach and drives conversions.
83%
Brands seek creators who can effectively communicate, offer professionalism, and deliver a compelling pitch
20
Brands want to get pitched with creator media kits A creator’s media kit is like a résumé—it helps the brand understand what a creator is capable of and what results they’ve produced. Follow Do Don’t
Showcase your best work with high- quality visuals and work samples Demonstrate that your brand and values align with the brand you’re pitching Focus on your audience demographics, follower size, and past clients
Describe your past work in long paragraphs
this chart and download our template to create a concise media kit that wows brands.
Overemphasize the look and feel of your branding Focus on yourself by including a photo, lengthy bio, and a list of topics you discuss
Canva tip: Click File, Make a copy, and start editing.
Detail performance results from past campaigns
List your platform’s performance metrics
Include your contact information and links to your social media accounts
Include your services and rate card with your initial media kit
Brands seek creators who can effectively communicate, offer professionalism, and deliver a compelling pitch
21
5 ways to grow as a professional content creator [at any stage]
Create a media kit to showcase your skills and results
Reach out to brands you love and use, even if they don’t have big influencer programs
83% of brands see a deep love and unders- tanding of their brand as indicative of a successful partnership. So reach out to only those brands that you and your audience will align with and share a passion for. It’s the perfect way to kick off a great relationship. Brands with less mature creator programs often get fewer messages from prospective influencers. This offers a good opportunity for newer creators to get a foot in the door.
Brands want to see your best work before they work with you, and your media kit offers a great opportunity to show brands why they should work with you. Many brands like a concise media kit, but have a longer option ready, too. This can include your rate card, bio, and platform performance metrics. Both versions of your media kit should include high- quality work samples front and center.
However, before assuming a smaller brand has a less mature influencer program, check their website for a preexisting affiliate or creator page.
5 ways to grow as a professional content creator [at any stage]
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Suggest different ways to collaborate and build longevity with your content
Communicate clearly and often
Use your strengths by suggesting different types of campaigns. While brands with mature programs may have fixed campaigns they want to work on, brands with newer programs may appreciate suggestions for one-off projects and campaigns that complement your skills. For example, creators could suggest hosting a product pre-release campaign or giveaway alongside regularly-scheduled sponsored social media posts.
These discussions can also include initial payment terms. Most brands prefer to pay a flat fee, a performance- based commission, or—most commonly—a combination of the two. However, they may prefer gifting products or store rebates to new creators. Remember that payment styles can change as your partnership grows.
Prompt, professional communication can give brands more peace of mind about working with you. Also, delivering high-quality work on a deadline that aligns with the brief can put you on the fast track to becoming a trusted long-term partner.
Analyze campaign performance to see better results
Work with your brand partners to better understand how your content performs against your campaign goals. Review your content’s performance regularly on your analytics channels and compare that data with your client’s results. This can help you
learn how to collaborate more strategically with brands and create campaigns that resonate with them.
5 ways to grow as a professional content creator [at any stage]
23
impact.com / creator offers many perks for creators, including the fastest payouts in the industry, the only platform to offer flexible payment models, access to top global brands, and much more! Get the right technology to grow your creator business
Sign up for the impact.com platform and start reaching new clients today.
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