Sometimes people who class themselves as content creators across social media platforms get mistaken for influencers. While they both may create posts for social channels, they have different roles. Influencers typically have briefs and are sponsored to produce their work. Content creators work slightly differently. It comes from their own ideas.
Influencers
They run the show on social media. Known to be strong and bold personalities that attract a lot of attention across various platforms. Instagram is arguably the most popular app for influencers to be a part of. Their job role is as straight forward as it sounds, they influence people within social platforms to buy a product or pay for a brand/service. They show their daily life and the products that they use along the way. Don’t always believe what you see because quite often these products they use may only be used once for the purpose of posting their experience to social media.
Some influencers will endorse makeup and clothes. They’ll be sent these items for free, providing they post their honest review to social media. The honest part is used loosely because they’re being paid to promote these brands. It’s unlikely they’re going to say how disappointed they are with the products while a company is paying them. Their role is to encourage their followers to go and buy from the brands they are promoting.
A fitness Instagrammer might share their fitness journey in their day-to-day life. However, they will also post photos in their gym clothing, holding their protein shakes and snacks. These companies will likely pay them commission for the users who buy from the brand through their Instagram posts. That’s where you’ll see affiliate links and codes. You as a consumer might get a discount which will encourage you to buy. However, the influencer will get a cut of the profits because they’ve encouraged you to buy from that brand.
Content Creators
A content creator has the role of making posts for social media. This sounds exactly the same as an influencer, but it isn’t quite. They have to create videos, graphics, written blogs, video blogs, and informational content. They might distribute these things across a wide variety of social media outlets such as; TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Not only that, but they will have a routine they have to stick to, because they need to stay on top of content and most importantly current. Their role is to post often to various platforms.
Creatives will post various guides and need to know informational pieces. This could be anything from a makeup tutorial, to how to grow your brand from the very beginning. Their content has to be engaging and interesting because it is more so about what they post rather than who they are. When it comes to content creators, it is less about the person behind the screen, so they cannot get away with posting half-hearted content and just putting their name to it.
The entire role of being a content or digital creator is to produce content of a high quality. It’s not a role where you are able to post a quick snap from your day and move on. Instead, you need to be able to compete with other creators from your niche. The higher quality, the more likely you are to bring an audience in. People are there for your content and what you produce, so it needs to be exciting.
Influencers vs Content Creators
As mentioned, they seem like the same role, however they aren’t quite. One has the job of encouraging people to interact and buy from brands and companies that sponsor them. The other, has the role of creating engaging content that draws people in on its own. Influencers do create content and content creators can be influencing their audience, but trust us, there are many differences.
Influencers post their daily life. They upload snaps from them out and about. Within this content, they also provide photos prompting you to buy from various brands or companies. Their role is to encourage their followers to buy the products they’re promoting. When their followers do purchase items from brands that are sponsoring them. The influencer will receive a payment or incentive for promoting the company. Some influencers even charge per post. They’ll only post a product if they’re paid to do so, along with this they’ll require the products for free.
Content creators spend their time creating content that can educate and inform their followers about various services or products. They grow their audience through gaining trust. Their intention isn’t to sell products they don’t believe in for the financial gain. In fact, often they won’t really gain from their promotional material. So, you can guarantee if they’re providing positive feedback about a product or service, that they’re genuinely happy with it. The work they share isn’t showcasing their personality. Where an influencer sells themselves with their profile, a content creator focuses on what they’re sharing only.
They might review products and compare various brands. They’ll tell you their honest opinion about the different things they’ve tried. As there is no financial gain through these products typically, they have no need to stretch the truth and say a product is great even if they’re not bothered by it. This isn’t suggesting all influencers are lying about what they promote. Many will only share things they actually like and won’t partake in brand deals with things that don’t interest them. However, overall, a content creator is more likely to be reliable in these areas.
How brands decide between the two
As a brand you need to decide what you are looking for and more importantly what your end result will be. Do you want someone to share your products with their followers, telling them to go ahead and buy them? Or, are you looking for high quality adverts being created with no real biased behaviour, simply showcasing your brand? Both are fantastic choices, it all depends on what your brand is looking for at the time.
Influencers
It’s likely you’ll decide to reach out to an influencer if:
- You want to gain new clients
- You’re looking to expand your followers
- You want to reach a particular target audience
- Your brand needs a boost
Influencers are sometimes paid per post. So, if you’re looking for a post every few months for a year or so, you could agree on a contract and a payment schedule. You’ll send your products to them for free. Their review should be positive. After all, you’re paying them for a review. Many influencers will claim a percentage of money made through their links or discount codes.
Content Creators
You’ll possibly want to work with a content creator if:
- You’re looking for an unbiased advert or review
- You need a high quality and unique post
- You’re looking to place your products across more areas of the internet
- You need a one off job completed
Content creators are usually paid per project. Once the advertisements have been created and posted, they typically receive their money. They should provide you a quote to start with. Depending on things that may come up along the way, this may be altered slightly.
