From Influencers to Acquisition: How Creator Marketing Is Becoming a Performance Channel
Creator marketing didn't start out as a performance channel. It started as a way to borrow someone else's audience for an afternoon, post a product photo, and hope some of that goodwill rubbed off on the brand. That version of influencer marketing is still around, but it's no longer where the money is going. Brands are increasingly treating creators the way they treat search ads or paid social: as a channel that has to prove itself with numbers, not just good vibes. Influencer Advantage, a creator-led performance marketing company, has built its entire business around that exact shift, treating creators less like a favor to ask for and more like a channel that has to earn its budget.
