The terms “Creator” and “Influencer” are often used interchangeably. Whilst an ‘Influencer’ is really just someone who holds ‘influence’ with a certain audience or community, the term itself gained popularity thanks to social media allowing these people to make money from their own personal brand of content.
Of course, it can also refer to celebrities, comedians, authors, TV stars, models, and even politicians. But generally, when people say ‘Influencer’, they’re talking about a specific breed of internet personalities and creators, as well as those who make money through their social media channels and brand partnerships.
In the past year or two though, ‘influencer marketing’ has often been referred to as ‘creator marketing’. As content creators pushed back on the term ‘influencer’, arguing that it devalues their creative output, the debate has become even more prevalent.
So for those of you wondering why influencers are now being referred to as creators, if there’s actually any real difference between the two, and whether it even matters for a brand’s marketing strategy, stick with us as we take you through some of our thoughts….
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Creators vs influencers… Why is this a debate right now?
Whilst the ‘creators vs influencers’ debate has been rumbling for quite some time, it really came to a head at this year’s Cannes Lions Festival.
Many people outside of the industry view influencers as people whose social presence revolves more around the clothes they wear, and the beauty products they buy as opposed to the content they create. There’s also a connection to reality TV shows like Love Island, Made in Chelsea, and Selling Sunset, with many seeing these as routes to “becoming an influencer” . This has led to many content creators wanting to distance themselves from this term, with marketers now starting to follow suit.
It could also be due to the fact that audiences online have become more discerning of influencer endorsements and ads, causing fatigue for #ad posts or even anti-influencer trends such as “Deinfluencing”. There are also occasions where influencers have been tied to incidents like all-expenses covered trips to China, resulting in a PR nightmare. Even Coachella came under fire for this, with many viewing it as an advertising opportunity rather than a music festival.
So, what was the antidote to these emerging issues? Brands, agencies, and influencers had to think outside the box, and get creative. In the past year, we’ve started to see more partnerships involving influencers that align better with the brands they work with. Brands are starting to see the value of being less restrictive in their briefs, enabling influencers to explore more creative content options. As influencers are being encouraged to get creative, it comes as no surprise that the phraseology is starting to lean towards creators.
While creator marketing is becoming more widely adopted, influencer marketing still remains the coining term for when a brand partners with a creator or influencer. Could we see an industry wide takeover for creator marketing? Only time will tell.
The creators vs influencers stereotypes
While creators and influencers are used interchangeably, they are viewed differently by many in the influencer landscape. You could argue that there are stereotypes surrounding the influencer versus creator debate, we’ll try to underline them here.
What does the typical influencer look like versus the typical creator
The influencer landscape has evolved massively in such a short period of time. Now that social media has emerged as a career opportunity, we’re starting to see different roles emerging within the influencer ecosystem.
“Influencers were typically recognisable faces which started influencing and inspiring audiences through their status and their recognisability.” said Elle Kelley, Senior Campaign Manager at Goat.
“What we see now is a new pool of “content creators” who curate high quality niche content to their audience, understanding their audience’s engagements, wants and interests. These creators specialize in social-first approaches and content curation.”
Creators appeal more to niche audiences, where influencers tip the scale
Creators are typically better equipped to engage with niche or interest-based communities. Since creators are often focused around one thing, whether that’s music production, cooking, photography or something else, the people watching and following along are doing so because they’re interested in that niche.
On the other hand, influencers excel at connecting with a much broader audience and may operate on platforms beyond social media. For example, the reality TV show Love Island is known for producing “influencers” – people recognised for their appearance, style, and personality over what their skillset is. Some influencers that have emerged from the show have gone on to become megastars, like Molly-Mae Hague whose influence is now felt outside of just social media.
Inspiration vs aspiration
‘Creators’ are often seen as more relatable. They tend to excel in engaging close-knit communities and are usually more involved in content creation. With their content being heavily centered around creativity, audiences will flock to their channel for guidance on how to cook a certain recipe, or a video editing tutorial for example. People look to creators more for inspiration to help them navigate their own creative journeys.
‘Influencers’ tend to have a certain aura around them that draws people in. Their draw leans more towards aspiration, in that people want to be like them. Audiences are tuned into influencer lifestyles, following their every move and engaging with them at every opportunity. Consumers are attracted to influencers for their aspirational qualities, as influencers often project a more celebrity-like lifestyle and allure.
Considerations for brands looking to partner with creators and influencers
Size isn’t everything
Creators commonly slot into the nano and micro brackets due to their smaller, but often heavily engaged, audiences. Many brands still make the mistake of overlooking the importance of these smaller creators, in favor of larger macro and hero creators – but they can be as equally as effective depending on your goals.
“Nano, Micro and Content creators in general are commonly looked over due to their lack of supposed “following” or “size,” which is most brands’ downfall when wanting to curate an engaging content campaign,” said Kelley.
“Tapping into these experts is not only going to return high quality content but they fit the brand objective and the aim itself. Commonly, so many brands do not look deeper into WHO is the RIGHT fit, moreso they hold a “bigger is better” mentality, which in the current social environment is their biggest weakness.”
Influencer awareness versus creator driven actions
Influencers are great for brands when they’re trying to boost visibility, awareness, or spread an impactful message to a large audience. We’ve seen pretty iconic partnerships over the years where brands have used influencers to elevate their identity. Our work with ODEON is a great example. We brought in big TikTok personalities like Max Balegde, to create hilarious interviews with Cinema-goers, which resulted in the brand’s TikTok channel going from 4K to 100K followers.
Meanwhile, creators may be more useful for brands that are hoping to drive higher audience engagement and inspire immediate action. With TRIP Drinks, we were able to generate a measurable uplift in sales as a direct result of influencer and social marketing, with 80%of the customers driven from our campaigns being “new customers”. We achieved this by bringing in smaller creators, from multiple verticals, to educate people about the benefits of CBD with scroll-stopping content.
“Brands can partner with creators to make assets that are useful when it comes to posting content across their socials, website and more.” added Ryan.
“If you’re a brand that’s working with a creator, you’re probably going to need to give them a little more ‘creative’ freedom. Although we always recommend creative freedom with influencers, creators really do need the chance to bring your brand to life, in their own way.”
Concluding thoughts – Creators vs influencers
At their core, influencers and creators are often one and the same. They are social media personalities who create content for their followers, divided only by stereotypes.
An influencer is someone who has influence over their audience, so this could be anyone from David Beckham or Molly-Mae, to an independent photographer on Instagram.
The emergence of creator marketing points to a shift in the perception surrounding influencers though. Many in the industry believe crestors to be more in tune with the content they create, which in turn helps brands to think outside the box and come up with more engaging campaigns than simply having an influencer endorse a product.
We expect creator marketing to continue to become more widely used, with many influencers preferring to be seen as a creator, perhaps due to the negative stories brought about by influencers in the past, or simply because they want to be recognised for their content output.
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If you’re a brand looking to partner up with creators but can’t decide who is right for your product, we’re here to help. We’ve been helping brands select the right creators, tailored to their campaign goals for the past nine years.
