How Brands Should Actually Be Using Creators in 2026
Most brands are misusing creators. They send product, ask for content, and hope it works. Here's the right way to leverage creator partnerships.
Brands Are Misusing Creators
Brands are misusing creators nowadays.
Here's how they should actually be using them in 2026.
The Lazy Marketing Approach
Most brands treat creators like they are perfect content machines:
That's lazy marketing and a waste of money and time.
What Creators Actually Show You
Creators are visual proof of what converts.
They show you:
But most brands ignore that. They judge creators by vanity metrics like views and followers.
Why Vanity Metrics Don't Work Anymore
That doesn't work anymore. Views and followers can be bought nowadays.
You need to view:
The Right Way to Use Creators
The right way to use creators is simple:
Let creators test messaging. Give them guidelines, not scripts. See what angles they naturally gravitate toward.
Let creators validate hooks. Which opening lines are stopping the scroll? Which claims are resonating?
Scale what works. When you find a winning angle or format, share it with your entire creator network.
Double down. Don't reinvent the wheel. Take what's working and do more of it.
The Winning Strategy
Brands who understand this don't chase creators.
They test numerous angles and let all their creators post the ones that work.
This turns creator marketing from a guessing game into a systematic testing and scaling machine.
