Jump Right In: Content Creators vs. Influencers: What’s the difference?
We have all heard that famous line from the movie Taken where Liam Neeson who plays Bryan Millis states “But what I do have are a very particular set of skills, skills I have acquired over a very long career.”! Content Creators and Influencers have a quite different but yet similar sets of skills.
Most people believe that these two roles are the same and even lump them together but that is not the case. In the article we will explore the difference between Content Creators and Influencers so that you can determine which will work best for promoting your brand.
What’s the Difference Between a Content Creator and an Influencer?
A content creator primarily focuses on generating original material for various media platforms, while an influencer uses their personal brand to affect others’ purchasing decisions or opinions, often leveraging social media presence.
| Feature | Content Creator | Influencer |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Focus | Generating original material for various platforms. | Influencing purchasing decisions or opinions. |
| Content Type | Articles, videos, podcasts, etc. | Social media posts, stories, collaborations. |
| Audience Role | Seeks value in the form of information or entertainment. | Looks up to for recommendations or inspiration. |
| Engagement | May engage with audience to enhance content quality. | Engages with audience to build trust and authority. |
| Platform Use | Uses platforms as a medium to showcase work. | Uses platforms to engage and influence followers. |
| Monetization | Revenue through content itself (ads, sponsorships). | Revenue through brand deals, endorsements. |
How are Content Creators and Influencers Similar?
Let us face it… in todays world if you are not promoting your brand on social media, you will be missing the best way to market your brand. This next generation are social media driven; I am not saying that in a bad way but just outlining what drives them.
Both Content Creators and Influencers use Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and You Tube to reach their audiences. They also both have a following within these channels as that allows them to reach more people.
Working with an Influencer or Content Creator can be beneficial to your brand if you are working with the correct one.
| Feature | Content Creator & Influencer |
|---|---|
| Platform Dependence | Both heavily rely on digital platforms (e.g., social media, blogs) to operate. |
| Audience Building | Both aim to build and maintain a dedicated audience. |
| Content Production | Both produce content, though the type and purpose may vary. |
| Personal Branding | Both work on personal branding to differentiate themselves in the market. |
| Engagement Importance | Engagement with their audience is crucial for growth and sustainability. |
| Trend Awareness | Staying up-to-date with trends is vital for both to remain relevant. |
What is a Content Creator?
A content creator is an individual or entity that develops, produces, and shares informative or entertaining material across various media platforms, including articles, videos, and social media posts, aimed at engaging a specific audience.
Pros and Cons for using a Content Creator for Your Brand:
Let us look at the Pros and Cons of using a content creator so that you can decide if this is the best choice for promoting your brand. One of the biggest advantages of using a content creator is that they are an artist so you will receive high quality content that can help build your brand’s image, this includes visual content such as magazine covers, ad campaigns, and social media content. So, if you are looking to dazzle the eyes of your audience then you want to look at using a Content Creator.
Pros:
- Can create high quality content, such as magazine covers and social media content.
- Increase your social performance in the social media arena.
- Content Creators are talented in more than one area, they can do photography, video, editing and apply graphic design elements to them as well.
- Since content creators specialize in certain niches it ensures that you will receive content that will engage the audience that you are trying to capture.
Cons:
- There are content creators that have a huge following; however, the average creator does not care about having a huge following so do not plan on them pushing your brand out to a mass of followers.
- Experience can make or break what you are trying to achieve with your brand. Since there are so many content creators out there it is important to choose one that has experience working with brands like yours.
- The process might be lacking if you use a creator that is less experienced. They may not be able to connect with you on how you want your brand perceived.
Want to learn more about the differences between Content Creators and Influencers?
Check out this fantastic in-depth video by Sidewalker Daily about the similarities and differences between Content Creators and Influencers.
What is an Influencer?
An influencer is a person who has the power to affect the purchasing decisions of others because of their authority, knowledge, position, or relationship with their audience, primarily established through social media platforms.
Pros and Cons for using an Influencer for Your Brand:
Now let us delve into the pros and cons of using an Influencer. Influencers can push your brand to the next level if you are looking to really scale your business through social engagement. Influencers have a huge following and promote brands that they believe in, to their followers, like the Kardashians for example. Teaming up with an influencer like the Kardashians (celebrity endorsement) can easily make your product go viral by pushing it out to their social followers. Now getting one of the Kardashians to review and push your product would be a dream come true but realistically not tangible unless your brand is already widely known.
There are two types of influencers, micro influencers that have 10,000 or less followers and the one that I outlined above. Most brands will start out using a micro influencer as they are more attainable.
Pros:
- They have a huge social media presence; this can easily create brand awareness scaling your business to new heights within a small amount of time.
- Their followers trust what they are promoting, this helps any brand that they promote with their social media.
- Targeted audience that is with your brands niche. This allows you to use an influencer that is part of your niche network as well as one that is similar so that you are capturing multiple audiences at the same time.
- There are Influencers who are also Content Creators.
Cons:
- Their specialty is social media and the following they created so they are not a one stop shop all experience. Meaning if you are looking for someone that can create content by taking photographs, videos and do editing on them, this is not your person.
- Be careful who you choose for an influencer, there are a ton out there that are just starting out so they may not have a true following just yet. Do your due diligence by conducting a background check and or using an agency that manages influencers.
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Summary & Key Takeaways: Content Creators vs. Influencers: What’s the Difference?
Getting your brand in front of millions is what all businesses envision but could be a waste of time if your current accounts are not performing as they should. If you are wanting to increase the overall social media engagement using both a Content Creator and Influencer would be taking a step in the right direction as both play a key role.
First have the content creator create content about your brand that is eye appealing and expresses how you want your brand promoted.
Then find an influencer that has the same beliefs, goals, or lifestyle that your brand expresses so that they can begin pushing it to their followers.
Make sure you are ready for the rush in order volume to keep both the influencer and new customers happy. If this is not something that you can manage on your own, do not panic, having a 3PL partner like eFulfillment Service can take the stress of the inventory management and order processing away so you can sit back and work on the more important things.
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