INTRODUCING

the Creator

Rosetta Stone

a new tool to unlock the language of growth for creators and brands

This research was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll from April 3 through May 2, 2024, among n=603 Creators who are age 18+. Creators were sourced via PearPop and the The Harris Poll. The research was conducted among Creators with various audience sizes (Nano, Micro and Macro) and across a robust mix of content types and/or areas of focus. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. This report summarizes the key findings of the research.

Brands have been collaborating with creators for years

but in spite of the massive opportunity, only a handful have mastered the art of effective creator marketing. New research from the Harris Poll and Creator Vision (with insights and data from Pearpop’s verified creators) identified a major obstacle: communication.

The research uncovered a critical data point that reveals the depth of the challenge:

85%
OF CREATORS

NEVER hear feedback
FROM BRANDS

about

how they evaluate their content

or what they think of their work.

about

how they evaluate their

content or what they think of

their work.

This confirms something experts in the field have long suspected. Driving measurable results and success doesn’t require a bigger budget; it requires better collaboration and communication.

Until brands and creators start speaking the same language, the impact of their investments will be limited.

6 degrees of separation

THE CREATOR ROSETTA STONE

Bridging the language gap

This disconnect between what both sides say and understand requires translation - a modern Rosetta Stone to bridge the gap.

When brands say

“community,”

they mean

“audience.”

The word “community” is important, but often misunderstood. “Community” means dynamic, participatory interaction, while brands are often stuck on passive, one-way communications.

This is a mistake.

Creators bring people together through a two-way dialogue.

89%

of creators say their followers value the connections they establish with one another.

These private connections are invitation only.

‍If brands are welcomed and contribute they’ll see a huge lift not just in insights, but also
‍ reach and frequency — the ultimate objective of any campaign.

When creators say

“diversity,”

brands hear

“casting.”

For creators,

diversity is not a label.

82%

of them say that their communities want to see themselves reflected in brand campaigns; and if brands do not use diversity consistently, it feels less trustworthy.

Brands must learn to speak to these communities with the language and aesthetics that reflect their norms, values, and nuances.

When brands hire

“talent,”

creators

think

“partnership.”

Creators are not hired talent; they bring a deep understanding of their communities and how brands can effectively reach them.

Yet,

85%

of creators do not hear from brands about how they evaluate content.

This makes it nearly impossible for them to improve, optimize, or even plan future campaigns in a way that builds value for the brand. It’s just like hiring an agency to help in planning a campaign and never sharing the results.

Where brands see

“trends,”

creators strive for

“relevance.”

Trends generate attention but brands tend to overemphasize their value.

84%

of creators say that producing meaningful, longform content is increasingly important

88%

believe that they have the skills to help brands navigate this emerging opportunity.

Just because a trend is relevant to the world, it may not matter for a brand; instead, brands should focus on finding the format that fits their message.

Both agree on

“sales,”

but not on

“e-commerce.”

Everyone agrees on the need to drive sales and conversion, but brands are falling down on the experience.

81%

of creators say brands are losing sales because of poor coordination between their content and the checkout experience.

And more than

90%

believe that brands should make the transition as friction-free as possible, and that checkout should align with the content.

That isn’t happening.

Only

40%

would grade brands as a B in this area;

34%

would give them a "C" or worse.

Only a quarter see brands getting this right and earning an A grade.

Not surprisingly,

79%

Of creators believe brands are losing sales because the content and checkout experience are inconsistent.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

How can brands improve the dynamic?
As a starting point, they should recognize that creators can provide strong, content-specific insights
that can make their campaign more successful.

89%

of creators say they have

audience

insights

that brands fail to access.

of creators say they have

audience insights

that brands

fail to access.

The research also identified and prioritized 11 key campaign dimensions that creators see as critical to content success.

The top seven show where creators can contribute; the bottom four have brands controlling the action. And the top components – demonstrating community understanding and making the viewer feel something - are nearly 2x as important as the bottom four.

Max Diff Analysis

% contribution to creative success

Content makes it feel like the brand

understands and sees my

community

(e.g., uses the right

language, tone, cultural context)

11.9%

Content makes the viewer

feel

something

in a meaningful way

10.8%

Content reflects well on me as a

creator

(e.g., I’m proud or

comfortable sharing)

10.7%

Content motivates my community

take an action

(e.g., Click on a link,

download or make a purchase)

10.2%

Content motivates me to

engage with

the brand

in some way

(e.g., to buy

the product, to share about it)

9.9%

Content is informative,

teaches, or

explains

9.9%

Content is

entertaining

9.8%

Brand demonstrates it is listening/

responding to its fans

/consumer

base

8.3%

Content is fresh,

or something you

haven’t seen before

7.4%

Brand actively replies to comments and engages in the social conversation

6.4%

Brand reposts content

created by

its fans/customer base

4.7%

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Expand your Plan.

Bring creators to the table (and into the planning process early). Be open to two-way communication, rather than simply giving creators a standard brief.

Collect their input and give feedback after the campaign. Talk, communicate, and educate.

Get conversant with communities.

Listen to what creators say about their communities: set up processes to read comments, and pay attention to nuances, problems, challenges or marketing ideas that come directly from your intended buyers.

Stop chasing trends.

Rely on creators’ expertise for the right content types (embrace long-form!) for their communities. They want your campaigns to be as successful as you do, so at least consider their recommendations.

Integrate
e-commerce better.

Just as with any other marketing effort, creator content requires dedicated e-commerce workflows that integrate creators into the checkout process.