Tag
Influencer Marketing
Creator economy hits $323bn but 56% of full-time creators still earn below living wage as subscriptions replace sponsorships
The creator economy grew 26.5% to $323.48bn in 2026, yet more than half of full-time creators earn under $44,000. The gap exposes a fundamental shift from brand deals to recurring revenue models, rewriting what sustainable creator income actually looks like.
Unilever puts half its €8bn marketing budget into creators and wants one in every postcode
The world's biggest consumer goods company now works with 300,000 creators, transforming the creator model from a niche tactic into a mass production system. What it means for the industry, and what breaks when you scale this fast.
TikTok Shop creator levels now visible to brands, changing how sellers vet partners
TikTok has made its creator badge system visible to sellers, letting brands see which tier a creator holds before opening collaboration talks. The shift turns previously hidden performance metrics into front-facing signals that could reshape how partnerships form.
LeBron James launches YouTube golf channel, proving athlete-owned content beats rented reach
The NBA star debuted his official channel with a 90-minute Scotland reunion featuring 2016 Cavaliers teammates. For social media marketers, the move reveals why the smartest athletes are building direct audience relationships instead of relying on platforms they don't control.
Pinterest expands creator partner network with Influencer agency tie-up
The visual discovery platform has added creator marketing agency Influencer to its official global marketing partner roster, as it doubles down on creator-led commerce through evergreen content that compounds over time.
Creator Burnout Isn't a Wellness Issue, It's a Leading Indicator of Where Money Moves Next
78% of creators report burnout affecting their health and motivation, and the industry response is already reshaping the creator economy. For brands and social marketers, this isn't a human-interest story. It's a signal of which business models will grow and which will compress.
YouTube trains creators to negotiate brand deals as platforms race to formalise creator commerce
YouTube's five-part Brand Deal Desk series launched in July 2026 signals a strategic shift: platforms are no longer just hosting sponsorships but actively coaching creators to price, pitch, and structure them. The move follows YouTube's expansion of Creator Partnerships infrastructure and arrives as creator commerce matures into a $32 billion industry.
Khaby Lame becomes Holafly brand ambassador as top creators shift from posts to partnerships
The world's most followed TikTok creator has joined travel tech company Holafly as global brand ambassador, a deal that shows how top-tier talent is moving beyond one-off sponsorships into longer-term commercial roles.
Facebook Verified: Meta's free badge puts trust signals in everyone's hands
Meta is rolling out Facebook Verified, a free selfie-based badge confirming someone's a real person. It's separate from Meta Verified's paid subscription, targets AI-generated fakes, and changes what a checkmark means for brands and creators.
The FTC just made fake reviews and misleading influencer work a $750,000 problem
This week's TruHeight settlement shows that brands using undisclosed endorsements, employee-written reviews, and AI-generated social proof now face six-figure penalties. The days of warnings are over.
What the FTC's tighter influencer disclosure rules actually mean for your workflow
The 2023 FTC Endorsement Guides redefined 'clear and conspicuous' disclosure. Now, with enforcement ramping up through 2026 and penalties reaching $51,744 per post, brands and social professionals need to treat compliance as infrastructure, not an afterthought.
Top 1% of creators now take 21% of all brand payments as middle tier gets squeezed
New CreatorIQ data shows payment concentration accelerating faster than anyone predicted. The median campaign fee fell to $3,000 while brand investment jumped 171%, creating the sharpest barbell the creator economy has ever seen.
FTC finalises $750k TruHeight settlement over fake reviews and false health claims in influencer campaigns
The order bars the supplement brand and its founders from deceptive advertising after the company used fake social profiles, incentivised five-star reviews and made unsubstantiated growth claims targeting children and teenagers.
Mid-tier creators earning £50k+ face 40% income swings every month. Brands are finally reacting.
New July 2026 data shows income volatility isn't an anomaly for the middle tier of the creator economy; it's structural. That's driving a decisive shift from campaign bursts to always-on programmes and recurring revenue models.
Instagram's optional AI creator labels won't catch the people trying to deceive you
Rolled out 4 May, Instagram's new account-level AI creator badge is the first of its kind. But it's entirely voluntary, leaving the platform's biggest AI transparency problem completely unaddressed.
The Complete Legal Setup for Influencers: A Practical Guide
Influencing is a business, so you need a basic legal setup. This checklist covers the essentials: the right entity, core contracts, IP protection, disclosures, taxes, and the risks creators get sued for.
The Influencer Contract Checklist: Avoid Red Flags In Brand Agreements
A "standard" influencer contract can still hide terms that shift risk onto you. Here's a quick checklist of the clauses that matter most: scope, approvals, usage rights, payment, and more. So, you don't sign away time, money, or control.
2026 influencer marketing trends
As we head into 2026, influencer marketing is evolving beyond visibility. Audiences are more selective, platforms are blending content and commerce, and influence is being redefined around trust, relevance and long term relationships.
the key to success in influencer marketing is BORING 🥱
it's rinsing and repeating, doubling down, milking it dry I pulled 80 videos from HelloFresh - a mix of IG and TikTok influencer ads - and ran them through Aggero to see not just what works, but, more importantly, what doesn't.
The Rise of Regional Influencers: Why Local Voices Matter in Global Marketing
When we talk about influencer marketing, it's easy to picture the BIG names. Those with millions of followers, perfectly curated feeds and the power to boost your sales with a single post. And, while that's very nice (and unreachable for marketers with small budgets), there's a reality we don't talk about: in many regions, local influencers have more sway than global celebrities.
How Does An Influencer Influence Effectively?
Authentic: To be, or not to be, that is the question. Alex Payne, CEO & Co-Founder, The Influence Room, joined us for a Q&A to describe how influencer marketing is shifting towards authenticity and long-term partnerships, and why brands must move away from treating creators like media slots and focus on building genuine connections.