Somewhere along the line, in the last five years, “influencer marketing” morphed into “Creator partnerships”. In bald terms, that’s the difference between heavy-handed branding and letting Creators drive their content.
For marketers looking to tap into the Creator economy, there are key differences between Creators and influencers that make Creators a more valuable avenue for reaching audiences, according to Vineet Pathak, VP of ad sales research, insights and measurement at Spotter.
One major difference, he says, is the length of content, with Creator videos averaging around 22 minutes compared to under a minute for typical influencer videos on mobile-first services. This longer duration means viewers are giving their attention to the content for a more extended period.
Appointment viewing on the big screen
In this video interview with Beet.TV, Pathak noted that around 80% of the content viewed within the Spotter Creator network is actually on connected TV, suggesting it’s appointment viewing that people are choosing to engage with in their living rooms.
In contrast, influencer content tends to be more mobile-first and viewed on the go, resulting in a different level of attention.
“When you are self-selecting to view a certain piece of content versus viewing something on the go, your attention to that content is much different,” Pathak said in this interview with Beet.TV contributor Rob Williams.
Creators are also increasingly moving into the realm of professional, studio-produced content, investing in teams and equipment to create content that sits more in the traditional mould of studio production. Influencer content, on the other hand, largely remains user-generated and confined to what can be done on a mobile device.
Reaching hard-to-reach, high-value audiences
Goldman Sachs thinks the U.S. Creator economy could be worth $480 million by 2027.
Spotter is a platform for Creators, providing services and software designed to accelerate growth for the world’s best Creators and brands. Creators working with Spotter can access the capital, knowledge, community, and personalized AI software products they need to succeed. With unique knowledge of how Creators work, the resources they need to grow, and the challenges they face, Spotter is empowering top YouTube Creators to succeed.
By doing so, Spotter allows Creators to reinvest in their content and operations without waiting for platform-based ad revenue. This financial model helps stabilize Creators’ income streams and drive their business growth.
Within the Spotter Creator network, the audience is typically younger, not watching linear television, and in many cases, disconnecting from major SVoD services. Instead, they are spending a lot of time viewing free content on YouTube.
You’re watching “Tapping Into the Creator Economy: How Brands Can Leverage the Power of Consumer Culture,” a Beet.TV Leadership Series Presented by Spotter. For more videos from this series, please visit this page.
