We must never fail to remember that, as brands, we are at best only guests in our audience’s social media feeds and at worst we are intruders. We can’t lose sight of the fact that by following our brands, users are granting us the privilege of showing up on their social media feeds each day. If we only share self-promotional, hard sell content, we abuse this and lose our audience. But if we show content that is entertaining, educational, human and personable, new audiences are eager to invite us into their social media feeds and tell their friends. 

That’s where content creators can come in. With content creators, you are paying them to create content about your brand and to use their social channels to reach a new or broader audience. This can be a great way to generate content that feels real, human and authentic and reach new audiences you may not already have on platforms where you might not have a presence. 

The Perks of Content Creators

I recently interviewed Jayde Powell, a successful social strategist, content creator and host of #CreatorTeaTalk about working with influencers. When asked why brands should work with content creators she explained: “Working with content creators allows brands to reimagine their selves, products, services and messages through the lens of someone with a new and fresh perspective.” Marketers often have to adhere to strict brand guidelines for consistency, making them unable to reimagine their work, but content creators give that opportunity. 

“Creators typically get to say and make all of the things that marketers wish they could,” Powell said. “This allows marketers to flex their creative in the ways they’d like to without the risk of damaging brand reputation.”

Don’t have time to manage a TikTok account? Then hire a creator with a large following there to create content there for you. That way, you can reach an audience on that platform without having to manage an account there yourself.

There are content creators in every industry and every niche. Some have massive followings, while others have smaller, more focused followings. Some charge substantial sums, while others are more affordable. No matter your needs or budget, there are content creators out there that will be a good fit for your brand. The trick is finding them. And this comes with knowing your audience. Who do they follow? Who has influence in  their social circles? Don’t just find a creator with a high follower count, find a creator who has the sort of followers you want to reach. 

Collaborating with Creators Effectively

Working with content creators can be a delicate balance. You want to be sure they create content that works for your brand, but you also don’t want to restrain their creative freedom to a point that it loses authenticity and just sounds like another corporate ad. The trick is to give them just enough direction and guardrails so that the content they produce meets your needs, but not so much that they don’t have creative liberty to create something unique and real. Powell offers a short effective guideline to follow: “Brands should stop treating creators as a means to execute content and treat them more like collaborators.”

Present them with a short brief about your product and what kind of content you hope they will make, and provide them with a brief checklist of requirements. It might look like this:

● Video length must be at least one minute and no longer than 90 seconds.

● Must use the name of our product in the first 15 seconds of the video.

● Please mention one key feature of the product you enjoy.

● Post copy must include #OurProduct hashtag.

● Must include a link to the product page.

● Video must not include profanity.

● Must disclose that your post is part of a paid partnership. 

And, of course, ask to see their content prior to posting, but don’t get too caught up in giving them a lot of notes. Trust that the creator knows their audience and what they will respond to better than you. Be willing to take a risk and you may be very pleasantly surprised. 

Integrating into Social Media Strategy

Effective social media management is human-centred: people log into social networks to hear from people, not brands. They want to connect with their friends, families and communities. They want to see content that relates to their interests and passions, and speaks to them in some way. If your post sounds like it was written by a committee of businesspeople and then edited by a team of lawyers, before being approved by your board, no one is going to pay attention and much less purchase your product.

If you want to connect with humans, you need to speak like a human. Social media is a two-way street and we must never lose sight of the fact that there are real people on the other side of the screen and our social media marketing efforts should reflect that. Not only should posts feel like they are written by a real person by avoiding corporate jargon or overly salesy language, but brands on social media should also interact with their followers in a human-centred way. 

As social media marketing strategies work towards this human and authentic content, influencer marketing strengthens this authenticity to a broader audience, using the creators platform, authenticity and trust they’ve built in line with your marketing strategies goals. Therefore, integrating influencer marketing into broader social media marketing strategies is a very natural process as both work towards the same goals, solidifying brand campaigns.

The Power of Creator Collaboration

Influencer marketing is a natural extension of an effective, human-centred social media strategy. By partnering with creators who already have trust and credibility with their audiences, brands can share their messages in ways that feel genuine and relatable, rather than forced or transactional. When done right, these collaborations help brands appear more approachable and aligned with the real conversations happening across platforms.

Successful integration means respecting both the influencer’s creative voice and the audience’s expectations. It’s about finding creators whose values and followers match your brand’s identity, offering them thoughtful guidance without stifling their authenticity. In doing so, brands can not only expand their reach but also deepen their connection with audiences, creating a space for meaningful engagement and lasting relationships. 

About the Author : Jon-Stephen Stansel is an award-winning social media professional with over fifteen years of experience working on a range of social media accounts. Previous work includes for Amazon Prime’s INVINCIBLE and HAZBIN HOTEL animated series, Better Place Forests, the University of Central Arkansas, Texas State University, the Texas Department of Transportation, as well as consulting for many other television series, films, and small businesses. In addition, he has taught courses in social media management and presented at many national and international conferences. He is the author of The 10 Principles of Effective Social Media Marketing: Strategies to Guarantee Impact, which is available on Amazon and all good retailers.