What Is The Difference In Working With Creators Versus Influencers?
So, you want to amp up your marketing efforts and drive sales? Arguably, one of the best ways to do that is through social media. Working with creators and influencers to market your products has been a game-changer for so many brands, allowing them to build awareness and get their name out to thousands, and oftentimes, millions of people in their target markets.
Maybe this isn’t news to you, or maybe working with creators and influencers simply isn’t a tactic you’ve invested in just yet. Either way, there’s a key piece of information business leaders and entrepreneurs should know when thinking about the content you want to generate from these influencer and creator collabs.
What is it?
Simple, the key is knowing the difference between a creator and an influencer.
So, what is the difference between a creator and an influencer?
As I mentioned above, many brands are now beginning to understand how impactful influencers can be in supporting their product awareness and sales goals—if done well! And just as brands are becoming familiar with the power of influencer marketing and its associated vernacular, I’ve noticed that many influencers now want to be referred to, instead, as creators.
So, taking a deeper look, what is the difference between a creator and an influencer?
As a pioneer of this industry and someone who’s been leading campaigns since the Myspace days, I have a helpful observation: All creators are influencers, but not all influencers are creators.
From my perspective, the key difference between the two is that creators are a special type of influencers who are focused on creating highly engaging content. Influencers, generally speaking, have amassed a niche audience based on being subject matter experts. Yes, all influencers create content, but not all influencers are so focused on creating amazing content that they (or anyone else) should think of themselves as creators, per se.
In my opinion, the term “creator” should be reserved for that special type of influencer who is hyper-focused on creating next-level, highly engaging content.
Knowing the difference is key.
Influencer content is great for buzz, reach and clicks.
Creator content accomplishes the same, but it’s also higher quality and more effective. This is user-generated content that can be used for social posts, whitelisting and omnichannel marketing efforts.
With that said, if your brand is utilizing influencer and creator collabs, it’s important to think about what your goals are for the content that’s being generated.
Do you want to simply increase your awareness and get people to like your content? Awesome. Influencers can definitely do that for you.
Do you want that awareness plus some cool, quality content to use for your marketing assets? Do you want to work with specific creators for whitelisting purposes or use their images for your website or in your social content calendar? If that’s the case, you want to engage with creators.
At the end of the day, both influencers and creators have the power to put a viral push behind your brand. It’s just up to you to decide what you’re going to do with that extra firepower to keep the momentum going.