Influencers vs. Creators: What's the Difference & W…

When I started my content creation journey, a friend of mine said at brunch, “Erika is officially in her influencer era.” I love it when my friends boost my ego, so I let the comment pass and raised a glass to celebrate my first YouTube video.

However, the reality is that although I am a content creator, I am not an influencer. Although the terms influencer and content creator are often used interchangeably, they are not always the same.

My friend didn't need to know this, but marketers definitely should because both serve different purposes in the marketing world.

So, let's learn the difference between creators and influencers and which one you should invest in.

influencer vs creator

When to use influencers in your marketing strategy

When to use creators in your marketing strategy

When to use both in your strategy

influencer vs creator

Comparing influencers and creators is like comparing squares and rectangles. Not every creator is influential, but all are influential creators. Let me explain.

Content creators are individuals who create media to entertain or educate audiences. The term specifically relates to digital content, such as YouTube videos, TikTok, Reels, blogs, or social media posts.

Some content creators create it as a hobby, while others do it to earn income.

Modern Millie is a content creator who occasionally features products and services in her YouTube videos, but her content is always sponsored by the items she is mentioning.

For example, Modern Millie's video shows viewers how to use a service called STAN, but she mentions at the beginning of the video that she is not being paid to promote the service.

She simply enjoys using it and thinks the information may be useful to her followers.

In contrast, influencers are individuals who have amassed a significant number of followers on social media and create content to promote or sell products and services.

Influencers typically form partnerships or deals with brands and use their online presence to advertise on behalf of the brand.

For example, beauty and lifestyle influencer Jackie Aina is often sent PR packages from makeup and skin care companies to review products on camera and influence viewers to purchase.

In the video below, she reviews products sent to her by Makeup by Mario. A link to purchase the products is in the video, and it is possible he may receive a commission for each purchase.

So, how are all influential creators, but not all creators, are influential? Well, every influencer has to create and distribute content to advertise a product, service or brand.

However, not every creator creates content to promote a brand or generate income.

For example, I'm a YouTuber who creates content about things I love (movies, anime, manga, etc.). Nevertheless, I do not work with any brand, nor do I have any professional obligation to promote anything on my channel.

Thus, every influencer is a content creator, but not every content creator is an influencer.

When to use influencers in your marketing strategy

I think most brands can benefit from influencer marketing. There's no perfect timing for this, especially considering that 69% of consumers trust influencers more than they trust information coming directly from a brand.

Additionally, 81% of consumers say social media posts from influencers, family or friends increased their interest in an item in the past year.

However, if you're still on the fence about incorporating influencer marketing into your strategy, here's a quick explanation of when it's time to try it.

When you're trying to tap into Gen Z

One thing you need to know about Gen Z is that they hate blatant advertising. A recent report found that 99% of Gen Z consumers would skip ads if given the choice, and 63% use blockers for online ads.

So, how do you reach a generation that wants nothing to do with ads? The answer is to have an influencer reach out to them for you.

33% of Gen Z consumers have purchased a product based on a recommendation from an influencer in the past few months, and 72% of Gen Z consumers follow influencers on social media.

So, if you want to gear your marketing efforts towards Gen Z, influencers are your golden ticket.

When you want a low-cost way to promote your product or service

When you think of influencers, you might think of people like Jackie Aina or Bretman Rock, who have millions of followers. Influencers with more than 1 million followers are celebrity influencers or mega influencers.

And working with them is very expensive.

Luckily, influencer marketing is still accessible if you're a marketer with a low budget. Micro-influencers have 10,000 to 100,000 followers and are more cost-effective to work with than their celebrity counterparts.

What's even better is that micro-influencers are known to have a higher ROI than influencers with large numbers of followers, and they also have higher engagement rates.

This is because the online communities they have built are smaller than other influencers, so they can form a more intimate relationship with their audience.

In 2023, 64% of marketers working with influencers chose micro-influencers, making them the most popular type of influencer.

Additionally, 44% say it is less expensive to leverage micro-influencers and easier to establish long-term partnerships with them. This is all according to our latest 2024 State of Marketing Trends report.

Marketing on hard-to-reach channels

Connecting with influencers on social media channels like TikTok can be challenging as consumers flock to these channels to interact with their favorite creators or join online communities.

So, consider partnering with an influencer to capture users' attention on any of these platforms.

For example, Hershey's collaborated with Twitch influencers Ninja and Dollupo to promote its Reese's Pieces chocolate bars. The influencers, each with more than 1 million followers, will livestream themselves tasting the new product.

When to use creators in your marketing strategy

All of the situations mentioned above can be a good time to use creators in your strategy.

However, if you want to find unique, authentic, and meaningful ways to connect with consumers, you may also want to consider collaborating with creators or hiring them in-house.

For example, if you want to leverage blogging in your content marketing strategy, you should collaborate with a blogger or hire one in-house.

Content creators also come in the form of graphic designers, videographers, filmmakers, and others – all of whom can create engaging digital content that can be shared across multiple platforms and generate buzz for your brand.

When to use both in your strategy

If you have the budget to leverage both content and influencer marketing, and you want to execute a strong marketing campaign for an upcoming product or service – why not partner with both creators and influencers?

Now that you know the difference between the two and what both can bring to the table, you're ready to find a creator or influencer who is aligned with your vision and who will help your brand reach new audiences. . Raise a glass!