The Creator Economy Explained: How to Maximize Your Marketing

If we told you ten years ago that a random guy rating sandwiches on YouTube would outsell legacy food brands, you’d probably laugh right out loud. But here we are. A simple, unfiltered “lunch review” video can now outperform six-figure ad campaigns. Not because it’s slick, but because it’s relatable, it’s real life. And real is what people know and trust. Creators aren’t just part of the internet anymore. In many ways, they are the internet.

That’s actually a good thing for your small and medium-sized business (SMB). The way people discover products is changing, and that opens up fresh, authentic ways to reach them. If you’ve ever felt like your product deserves more attention but weren’t sure how to get it, the creator economy is a great place to start. In this guide, we’ll walk through what the creator economy is and how you can tap into it. Let’s get started.

What is the creator economy?

The creator economy, in simple terms, is basically people making money online by doing stuff they’re good at (or just wildly passionate about). They teach, review, bake, rant, design, dance, explain, and build. Some do it full time. Some do it in between meetings or just for fun. And somehow, it works. We have created the creator economy, and it’s wildly popular. 

Who are creators, really?
When you hear the word creator, you may think artist, engineer, developer even. Or perhaps you think of an influencer? Creators are not just influencers. And, they’re not just people with a million followers. The true creators are the ones who are putting in the work, they are anyone who’s figured out how to share something useful or entertaining online on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Substack, Twitch, and Patreon.

You’ve seen it. The guy reviewing $3 vs $300 headphones with brutal honesty. Or a baker selling classes through Instagram Reels. Or someone reviewing five restaurants in a row and somehow making you question if a three-hour drive for noodles is actually a bad idea. Ah, and let’s not forget the beauty influencers who can convince you that your entire skincare routine is wrong. It’s chaotic. It’s persuasive. And it’s exactly how the internet moves now.

And what do all these creators have in common? They get their audience, they really get them. And their audience? They trust the creators. And, that trust? It’s better than any sales pitch.

The rise of creators

Creators are turning casual hobbies into full-blown businesses. And the wild part? It’s working. Like, really working. Let’s talk numbers for a second (we promise to keep it interesting).

• Over 200 million people consider themselves creators as of 2025.
• The creator economy is projected to reach $480 billion by 2027.
• 52% of creators earning $50k-$100k spend 10 hours or less per week on content creation.
• In the U.S. alone, 27 million creators make income through content.
• Brands are spending a total of $6 billion on influencer marketing. 
• Creator campaigns see up to 4x higher engagement compared to traditional ads.
• 91% of creators use artificial intelligence (AI) in the content creation process.
• Investment is flooding in. Mergers and acquisitions in the creator space are up 73% in just the first half of 2025.

In short, creators are no longer a niche group. They’re becoming central to how audiences discover and trust products.

What makes creator-led marketing work

Creator-led marketing work because it feels like a recommendation from a friend who actually tried the thing. It doesn’t sound like a pitch. It sounds like, “Hey, I’ve been using this, and it’s pretty great.” That’s a much easier message to believe and act on. Creators speak in plain language. They know how their audience thinks because they’re part of that audience. So when they explain how a product fits into their day, it doesn’t feel scripted. It feels useful. Sometimes funny. Always human.

And unlike big ad campaigns that vanish when the budget runs out, creator content tends to stick around. People save it, rewatch it, send it to friends. That’s more mileage for less spend. More reach with fewer hoops. If you’re a small business looking to get noticed, this might be one of the smartest marketing bets you can make. 

How small businesses can tap into this shift

The key is to find creators who align with your brand values. Don’t chase views or likes. Your goal is to build trust with the right target audience. Here’s how you can begin.

Start small (no, really)

You don’t need to work with creators who have millions of followers. In fact, smaller audiences often mean higher engagement. Micro-creators and niche experts tend to know their communities well. They read the comments, they reply to messages. And their followers actually care what they say.

If you’re a local business, try looking at city-specific creators or niche newsletters. Selling a business-to-business (B2B) tool? There’s probably a LinkedIn content creator or YouTuber who reviews similar tools already. You just have to look in the right corners of the internet.

Make it a partnership, not a transaction

Invite creators into the process. Treat them like collaborators, not just a line item in your budget. Things you can offer:

• Early access to your product or service
• Affiliate deals or performance-based bonuses
• Creative freedom (this is a big one, nobody likes a forced script)

And be sure not to ghost them after the campaign is over. If it works, keep it going. Long-term creator relationships tend to perform better and feel more authentic to their audience.

Think beyond the post

Once a creator posts about your product, your work isn’t done. You can keep the momentum going by repurposing their content across your own channels:

• Share it in your emails to add authenticity to your campaigns.
• Turn it into social media reels or stories for quick, engaging content.
• Feature it on your online store or product pages as real-world social proof.

Just make sure you have the creator’s permission to reuse their content. Most will say yes, especially if it helps amplify their work, too.

Track what’s working 

A customer relationship management (CRM) tool can help here. It keeps all your contacts, creations, and conversations in one place. It tracks what the results look like and whether it’s worth doing it all again. With a powerful CRM like Salesforce, you can automate your marketing as well, we will let you try it out for yourself to see the benefits.

What to watch out for before you start collaborating

First off: vibes matter. Just because someone’s TikTok gets millions of views doesn’t mean they’re the right fit for your eco-friendly pet brand. (Do you want your dog treats next to a Hot Cheeto challenge? We didn’t think so.) Your brand has a voice. Their brand has a voice. If those voices wouldn’t match, maybe skip the partnership.

Second, don’t fall into the “they’ll just know what to do” trap. Because spoiler alert: they won’t. What you think is a casual collab can turn into a slow-moving trainwreck when they post it next Tuesday with the wrong link, a blurry image, and your brand name almost invisible. Set expectations. Be specific. Deadlines. Deliverables. Put it all in writing. Be kind and upfront about the goal and the timeline.

Oh and if you’re thinking you need to write a 12-slide brief, three mood boards, and “suggested captions,” take a deep breath. Let creators create. They know their audience. Let them speak in their own voice. Trust them to do what they do best and give helpful input when it’s actually needed.

How CRM tools can make creator partnerships easier

Picture this: An influential creator posts about your product. People find it interesting. They click and maybe even fill out a form. Now what? Here’s what should happen:

But let’s be real. When a creator post takes off, things can get a little overwhelming. And if you’re teaming up with more than one creator across different platforms, each with their own timeline and content plan? It gets real messy, real fast. A marketing CRM tool can help you capture the buzz and turn it into actual business. It makes the whole process easy and simple. Let’s break it down.

Tracking engagement: See who’s interested

Every creator you work with is like a mini-campaign. One might get traffic from Instagram. Another from YouTube Shorts. A CRM with campaign tracking lets you attribute site visits to specific sources. You can set custom links per creator and know exactly which post drove the clicks. You can see who clicked, where they came from, and what they did next.

Logging interest: Track conversations with potential customers

A CRM helps you log the conversations, no matter where they happen. You can tag the person and note what they asked. You need to nurture people who’ve shown interest but aren’t ready to buy yet. So when you do reach out again, it feels like a warm, personalized nudge.

Nurturing follow-ups: Nurture warm leads who haven’t bought (yet)

People who click won’t convert right away. (In fact, most don’t.) But what if someone was this close, like, added to cart but bailed before checkout? With a CRM, you can set up gentle nudges. Maybe a quick follow-up message. Or a promo reminder a few days later. These little moments of effort turn almost into closed.

Content optimization: Organize creators by product or campaign

You can tag creators by campaign type, product line, or any label that helps you sort and compare later. Ran a campaign for your product and worked with three different creators? Tag them all. Then, next time you’re planning a product drop, you’ll know exactly who delivered last time and how their audience responded.

Win big in the creator economy with the right tools

The creator economy is exploding. With the right creator partnerships and a CRM tool behind the scenes, you can turn scrolls into sales and likes into loyal customers. Salesforce does all of this, plus helps you automate parts of it. You can see what posts are working, what’s getting clicks, and which leads are worth chasing. Even better, it fits right into your sales and service workflows. It takes the chaos out of creator campaigns. So when creators bring the buzz, you’re ready to turn it into real business. 

Start your journey with the Starter Suite today. Looking for more customization? Explore Pro Suite. Already a Salesforce customer? Activate Foundations and try out Agentforce 360 today.

AI supported the writers and editors of this article.

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