How agencies can get the most value from Creator Relations

Creators and agencies essentially exist in a type of symbiosis. Creators must work with agencies to connect with brands for sponsorship, while agencies rely on creators to expand the reach of their brand clients.

These partnerships are also quickly becoming more popular, as we have found in our recent Creator survey that 40% of creators not only signed more brand deals in the past year, but also generated increased revenue. In addition, the recent State of Influencer Marketing report found that 82% of marketing agencies and departments now have a separate budget for influencer marketing, compared to 77% in 2022 and just 37% in 2016. Additionally, more than two-thirds plan to increase their influencer campaign budgets this year, with only 7% saying it will decrease.

Influencer marketing activity is the primary expression of creator-marketer relationships, and it’s thriving.

These numbers show that many agencies see value in working with creators, but not every creator-agency relationship is successful. I’ve seen some rise and some fall flat, but still too much just leads to mediocre results.

Agencies that connect brands with effective creators and manage effective campaigns can cement their reputations as trusted marketing partners that drive growth, so there is a lot to get the creator relationship right. Here are some of the best approaches I’ve observed in my work to facilitate brand collaboration.

Look for relationships, not one-night stands

Truly, respectful...