Influencers vs. Content Creators

To the uninitiated, an influencer and a content creator are viewed as one and the same. But, increasingly, there is a crucial difference:

Content creators entertain and influencers sell.

This nuance also gets to the heart of how social media platforms are shifting.

To quote, Business of Fashion (paywall):

“The burgeoning divide between influencers and creators is the latest sign that social media’s anything-goes reputation, where seemingly anyone can build an audience and strike lucrative brand deals, is fading.”

Let’s dig into three key factors marketers must understand…

Size Doesn’t (Always) Matter

Content on platforms like TikTok, Instagram or YouTube might have a lot of views and even very strong engagement, but that doesn’t mean the owners of the channel can actually help sell anything.

This is supported by the fact that the vast majority of content creators are barely able to scrape a living, as reported by The Wall Street Journal recently.

Making it Big Means Leaving the Platform

The biggest content creators are desperate to be known for something more than just popular videos on social platforms.

This is why Mr Beast has launched his own chocolates, inked a deal with Amazon and will soon launch a toy line.

Content Creation = Expectation

And it is not just because establishing themselves in more mainstream ways makes for more legitimate, long-term businesses.

It is also because being a content creator (more so than an influencer) is exhausting. It is like a comedian performing a different show every night of the year, and this has been an issue for years.*

Why does this matter for marketers?

Firstly, check whether the content creator/ influencer has an audience or simply people viewing the content (more on that here).

The less obvious point is whether the brand can offer the creator/influencer legitimacy outside of their existing platforms (e.g. perhaps the brand sponsors an event and they can be part of it).

Finally, and this is for genuine content creators with an engaged and loyal audience, can the brand help carry the load in terms of the sheer volume of content the channel is expected to create?

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*Maybe that’s also why creators are telling the same story over multiple ‘episodes’

Bonus Link: Wes Anderson aesthetic is very much still alive.