Creator databases are the most common tool brands use to find creators. This can be a highly effective discovery method and one you should 100% explore. However, the best creator programs leverage multiple tools simultaneously<\/a> to ensure their team flips over every possible rock. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Then, there is the consideration of active versus passive<\/strong> creator discovery. For example, hunting for creators via a search tool<\/a> is an example of active recruitment<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n On the other hand, many platforms offer tools such as customizable landing pages that allow creators to apply to work with their brand directly. This is a form of passive recruitment<\/strong> since the brand lets the creators come to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From there, you\u2019ll need to ensure your creators are the right fit for your program. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Someone might look great on paper, but when you dig into the metrics, you discover they don\u2019t quite have as strong of a connection with their audience as you hoped. The best creator discovery tools enable you to find creators and vet them to ensure they can deliver the most possible value for your brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pro Tip:<\/strong> Already have some creators you love? Find more just like them with Creator and Audience Lookalike Tools<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n What do you do when you have discovered and vetted a group of creators?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s time to reach out! But this is often much easier said than done when working with many creators simultaneously. That\u2019s why most brands rely on email templates and sequencing<\/strong> to perform outreach at scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With email templates, you can create a customizable message that you can send out to every new recruit. If they don\u2019t respond within a given time period, you can automate follow-up sequences to help keep yourself from losing the connection. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Most brands start out managing their creator program with a simple spreadsheet. That works fine for a while, but as your program grows, you need a platform that can power your entire program end to end<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s quickly break down everything the right platform can do to keep your content and creator relationships organized: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s say we\u2019ve already discovered our creators and they\u2019ve agreed to collaborate. It\u2019s time to set them up for success<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You need to make it as easy as possible for them to understand your brand, mission, deliverables, and everything else they need to know to succeed in your partnership. The right influencer marketing software provides you with these tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The bigger and better your creator program, the more content you\u2019ll have coming in. Without the right tools, it can be easy for that content to become scattered. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The influencer marketing software you choose should alert you when a creator posts and <\/strong>filter their content in an organized library<\/strong><\/a>. That way, you can easily find the exact piece of content you\u2019re looking for when it comes time to repurpose it on your branded accounts or as paid ads. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ideally, the creators you choose for your program love your brand, use your products, and genuinely believe in both. However\u2026 at the end of the day, they really just want to get paid<\/a>. So, don\u2019t mess around!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your influencer marketing platform should help you get your creators paid on time, every time<\/strong>. Otherwise, they might lose trust in your brand, which can kill your chances for a long-term partnership. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019ve touched on it a little bit, but access to hard data<\/strong><\/a> is absolutely critical to running a world-class creator program. <\/strong>Otherwise, you\u2019ll have no idea what\u2019s working and what isn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Creator data begins during recruitment as you analyze creators\u2019 engagement rates, audience demographics, and so forth. But that\u2019s just the beginning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You need to continue collecting data throughout your relationship with your creators<\/strong>. How does each sponsored post perform? What is the engagement rate on sponsored posts versus regular posts? What is the sentiment of their audience? <\/p>\n\n\n\n The answers to these questions and more are the only way you can determine which creators are fit for long-term collaborations. It\u2019s also good to equip yourself with these numbers when you enter negotiations with your creators. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Your influencer marketing software should give you a real-time look at how your campaigns perform<\/strong>. Not only that, but you should also be able to view success benchmarks<\/a> so you know how you\u2019re progressing toward each goal<\/strong> you established at the beginning of your campaign. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Lastly, you should be able to zoom out and see the performance of your entire program<\/strong>. You probably have a boss who wants to know how the investment is paying off, right? Then, you\u2019ll need a way to take that high-level data and generate reports that prove your success to key stakeholders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Agency versus software: It\u2019s an age-old dilemma<\/a>. After all, running a world-class creator program is hard work\u2014even when you have all the tools you need to do it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A lot of brands have a valid fear that if they outsource their influencer marketing efforts to an agency, they\u2019ll lose control over the authenticity of their messaging or the direct relationships they\u2019ve built with creators. <\/p>\n\n\n\n On the other hand, the thought of building and scaling a huge creator program is overwhelming if you don\u2019t have a ton of prior experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Find a platform that offers you the best of both worlds<\/strong>. Look for those who have a team of in-house expert strategists<\/a>. From there, you should be able to tap them in for as much or as little help as you need to build your program up to the level you want it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You understand how important word of mouth is from customer to customer. But a lot of brands don\u2019t realize how impactful word of mouth is from creator to creator<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Creators talk. And if you\u2019re a brand with a reputation for being difficult or confusing to work with, it hurts your chances of landing the top-tier partnerships your creator program needs to reach its full potential. <\/p>\n\n\n\n After all, good creators are in high demand. Why would they waste time with a brand that doesn\u2019t prioritize their experience? <\/p>\n\n\n\n With the right platform, you won\u2019t have to worry about that. You can offer creators a <\/strong>seamless collaboration experience<\/strong><\/a> from beginning to end<\/strong>. This is what makes creators fall even more in love with your brand and want to work with you time and time again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Now let\u2019s talk about some of the brands out there that have already leveraged these five tools and features to build a world-class creator program: <\/p>\n\n\n\n2. CRM and creator program management<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Easy onboarding<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Organized content<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Quick and easy payments<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
3. Analytics and ROI reporting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Creator data <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"Two](\"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/influencer_comparison_tool_image.webp\")
\n\n\n\nCampaign data<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Program data<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
4. Access to expert strategists<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
5. The best possible creator experiences<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Examples of brands that built world-class creator programs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Uber went from 0-750K followers in less than 1 year. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n