Mara Samartzi 

Mara is a Greek beauty and lifestyle YouTuber and influencer. She has grown her YouTube channel to 251K subscribers and Instagram to 111K followers. You can find her working with popular brands like Estee Lauder and sharing her product empties.

Konstantinos Vasalos

Another Greek influencer to follow is Konstantinos. His Instagram is filled with his travels around the world and throughout Greece. He has 470K followers following along for photos and Reels where he’s working with brands like Violife.

Danai Barka

Danai is a Greek actress who shares her life online with Instagram and TikTok. She shares some sneak peeks of her on-air personality and travels to places like Romania.

Vassia Kostara

Vassia is the owner and designer behind the Greek brand Vassia Kostara Limited Collections. She shares her love for fashion and favorite products with her 347K followers.

Vladis Brando

With 478K followers on TikTok and 257K on YouTube, Vladis is a popular Greek influencer who does funny skits on both platforms. His followers love coming back to see what he will get up to next, like a ”Mean Girls” skit or trying out spicy foods.

Sensei

Sensei is big into calisthenics and is in the Greek army. He shares different strength and workout videos with his 481.9K followers on TikTok. His videos will inspire you to build your strength and take care of your body.

Greece Explores

The Greece Explores Instagram page is the perfect Greek influencer to follow if you want to learn more about the beautiful country. They share different things to do and the best places to stay if you’re coming to Greece.

Stefanos

Stefanos is a Greek travel photographer and a Visit Serifos Tourism Committee Member. He’s grown his platform to 281K followers who follow along for beautiful, colorful peeks into the gorgeous Greek islands. Being from Greece, many of his recommendations are different than what you’ll get from a tourist account.

Maria Tsoukala

Maria has another Greece travel account on Instagram and shares videos and photos of Greece through her eyes. She’s based in Athens and is the Editor-in-Chief of More Trends magazine. You’ll find the quintessential photos of the white, blue and bright-colored flowers of Greece on her page. She has 76.6K followers on Instagram.

Mixail Aggelos Kritikos

Model and world traveler Mixail is another Greek influencer to follow on TikTok. He has 409.8K followers, and he shares funny videos and even does crazy stunts around the world and in Greece.

Football fans can easily follow their favorite athletes on social media, learn about their personal lives or see game highlights. Many of them work with their favorite brands on and off the field, helping amplify the messages in the campaigns. These football influencers also post their workouts, foods they love and time with their family.

12 top football influencers

Josh is a safety for the Florida Atlantic Football team and has created quite the following on Instagram by sharing football Reels. He has 281K followers on the app, and you’ll frequently find him posting relatable videos about his love for football. 

Kweku is an up-and-coming football influencer who takes a different approach to sharing football-related content on TikTok. His videos focus mostly on plyometrics, football workouts and some sports satire and skits.

Isaac Rochell

Isaac is an NFL free agent who plays defensive end. While Isaac isn’t currently with a team, he hasn’t given up that dream yet. In the meantime, he’s taken to social media along with his wife and has grown quickly. His videos are mostly funny, posting about his wife and the NFL. Isaac has 2.1M followers on TikTok.

Patrick Mahomes

If you know anything about professional football, you’ve heard of Patrick. He’s the quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs and has led the team to three Super Bowl wins. Patrick is also very popular on social media and works with brands like Sport Coffee and Adidas. He has 6.8M followers.

JJ Watt

JJ is a retired NFL player who played 12 seasons, mostly with the Houston Texans. JJ is known for being a happy, kind player who brought positivity to the field. Now he is part of NFL Today and stays active in his community and with his family. JJ Has 4.4M followers on Instagram and has worked with brands like Dick’s.

Odell Beckham Jr.

With 17.6M followers on Instagram, Odell is one of the most followed football influencers. Commonly known as OBJ, he’s a wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins. Most of his content are highlight Reels from the games he’s played with previous teams or fashion posts.

Cam Newton

With 499K followers on TikTok, Cam is another popular football player who has grown his following on social media as well. He was the quarterback for the Carolina Panthers and currently doesn’t play for a team, but also hasn’t yet retired from the NFL. You’ll find him active in the community and sharing his unique style on TikTok.

Russell Wilson

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russel has 817K followers on TikTok. He frequently partners with brands like Fanatics and Essence. He’s a family man, married to Ciara. 

Travis Kelce

While Travis became popular with the Swifties in 2023, he has also been a well-known, decorated NFL player. He is the tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, playing alongside Patrick Mahomes. He has 6.4M followers on Instagram and frequently shares game highlights and clips from his podcast with his brother.

Jason Kelce

Jason is the brother of Travis and a decorated NFL player. He recently retired from the Philadelphia Eagles after 13 years. Jason has 2.4M followers and shares clips from the brothers’ podcast, New Heights.

Aaron Rodgers

Aaron is currently the quarterback for the New York Jets and previously played for the Green Bay Packers for 18 seasons. Aaron has 2.3M followers on Instagram and is featured on podcasts quite often, sharing his love for the game, his teammates and his unique perspectives on the world.

Davante Adams

With 1.3M followers on Instagram, Davante is a popular NFL player. On Instagram, he shares his family, game clips and paid sponsorships with brands like MGM and Taco Bell.

It’s no surprise to most that social media has become the go-to source for younger generations when it comes to product research. Instead of going to Google, 43% of Gen Z are heading to platforms like TikTok to search for a product first before making a purchase, according to eMarketer. Our own research, Influencers & Amazon 2024, also found that 63% of Amazon shoppers and 83% of influencers are likely to search on social media before making a purchase. We also named social search as one of the top trends of 2024.  

With social media becoming a bigger part of the overall search landscape for all generations, new strategies are emerging for brands and influencers alike to tap into social search trends and make their content more searchable for consumers. Plus, with AI now embedded in search, this could accelerate the shift to social search.

To play a part in social search, both organic and paid search tactics can be implemented. Facebook, Instagram and TikTok all have ads throughout search results as a part of broader social campaigns. But even if paid search isn’t a part of your overall budget, it’s important to use SEO and other organic search tactics to appear in social search. 

Influencers: How to make your content searchable

As an influencer, mastering the art of making your content easily searchable is crucial for expanding your reach and attracting a larger audience. Llet’s dive into some effective strategies to help you achieve this.

Incorporate SEO 

Using relevant keywords associated with a product or trend you’re promoting is crucial. Keep an eye on what’s gaining momentum on social media and incorporate those buzzwords into your captions, titles and voiceovers. This approach will help your content align with what people are actively searching for, thereby increasing its visibility.

Research popular topics

Researching popular topics and topic suggestions is important to tap into what’s currently popular and relevant. These topics can be all over the board, though, so make sure you’re choosing topics that align with your overall content and messaging so as not to confuse your followers. 

Create videos of different lengths

Diversify your content by crafting videos of varying lengths, particularly on TikTok. Some topics may resonate better with your audience in a longer format, while others might only require a brief clip to spark engagement. By balancing these different video lengths with the strategic use of SEO and trending topics, you’ll enhance your visibility in search results.

Ask for engagement

Make sure to ask for engagement from your community. Asking followers to like a video, comment on their experience with a product or give their opinion will not only help your video show up in search more, it will also help those who see your video and go to the comments for even more opinions. This will help people stay on your video and page longer since they’re reading comments vs. just watching a video or photo.

Brands: How to tap into social search trends

As a brand, leveraging social search trends can significantly boost your online visibility and engagement. Let’s explore some effective strategies to help you tap into this goldmine of potential.

Partner with influencers

Teaming up with influencers can significantly broaden your reach. It’s worth noting that Gen Z, along with most other demographics, value peer recommendations and opinions over a brand’s narrative. Collaborating with influencers enables your brand to engage with their communities, present your product as an endorsed recommendation, and leverage influencers’ expertise in incorporating trending topics and SEO. This strategic partnership can enhance the visibility of your sponsored posts in search results.

Incorporate paid search

Should your budget allow, implementing paid search campaigns can be a game-changer. Strategically appearing in the overall social search landscape for popular topics related to your brand can be a straightforward and effective way to make a significant impact on search visibility.

Try various platforms

If you’re worried about the TikTok ban or don’t expect your audience to be as active there, you can still use these same strategies on other social media platforms. Social search is happening on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and even Facebook. See where your ad dollars or organic posts do best and continue with that.

Social media and social search are here to stay. With the incorporation of AI and Gen Z leading the way, social search should no longer be a back-of-mind issue for your brand.

Pokémon has been around since 1996, starting out on Gameboy and quickly taking off in popularity. Since then, it’s morphed into a manga series, a trading card game, a mobile game and anime series and films. Nowadays, Pokémon lovers have turned to social media to share their love for whichever part of the Pokémon dynasty they love.

11 Popular Pokémon Influencers

PokéRev

With 2.5M subscribers, the YouTube channel PokéRev is the perfect place for all Pokémon lovers. He focuses on Pokémon cards and does card openings weekly.

Pokémonshell

The Instagram account Pokémonshell has 224K followers who stick around for the Pokémon content. The account features Pokémon art, daily posts and funny memes.

MandJTv

Michael is the face behind the popular Pokémon YouTube channel, MandJTv. With 2.19M subscribers, the channel shares his love for the franchise including his take on Pokémon memes and talking about the Top 10 Gym Leaders.

Pokémon LatAm

Pokémon LatAm has 38K followers on Instagram and shares frequent posts all about the Pokémon universe. There are animations and even meetup information.

PM7

John runs the channel PM7 on YouTube and has grown it to 918K subscribers with his Pokémon videos.  He shares himself playing Pokémon games and even some elite trading boxes.

Real King Pokémon

Gary is the man behind Real King Pokémon on Instagram. The account has 50K followers and shares Gary’s passion for Pokémon. He posts about Pokémon events he goes to and his love for trading cards.

Chilln Play 

The channel Chilln Play is focused on two Pokémon fanatics who share a look into their video game skills. They do different challenges that people are asking for and their favorites. They have 296K subscribers on YouTube.

Trading Card Investments

This account on TikTok is focused solely on the Pokémon trading card universe. It has 80.6K followers who come back time and time again to see if they can find their favorite pack and purchase it.

PKN Master

With just over 80K followers on Instagram, PKN Master is a Pokémon influencer whose love is focused on Pokémon anime. The creator shares clips from anime that they love and Pokémon followers keep coming back for more.

Pokezenn

TikTok’s Pokezenn has 278K followers that keep coming back for family-friendly Pokémon content. You’ll find content about trading cards and he even gives ideas for gifts for those who love the Pokémon universe.

Officiallywhelmed

The female creator behind Officiallywhelmed on TikTok is a Pokémon master and has gained almost 98K followers with her videos. She does episodes called “Cry Me a Pokémon” and other videos of her playing Pokémon games.

Swimsuit influencers are not just flaunting their poolside looks but are shaping trends and influencing the purchasing decisions of millions. If you’re a marketer for a fashion brand or an avid social media user keen on staying ahead of the curve, this list of top swimsuit influencers can help. These personalities are sharing their poolside outfits and driving the narrative for what’s hot and what’s not in the swimwear industry.

The top 12 swimsuit influencers

Georgia — Strawberrymilkmob

To over 2.1M followers on TikTok, Georgia, or “strawberrymilkmob” has become popular for her stylish bikini brand that went viral on the app. The Canadian influencer showcases her latest styles and trendy suits.

Danielle Bernstein — WeWoreWhat

Danielle launched her clothing line as a sophomore in college, and her bikinis have been popular ever since. Her brand has over 287K followers on Instagram who follow for iconic summer styles and bikinis.

Francesca Aiello

Francesca is the brilliant mind behind the famous Frankie’s Bikinis brand, which has attracted more than 1.4M followers on Instagram. She shares her favorite swimsuits and styles and knowledge of fashion for her own 420K followers.

Shea Marie

Shea has created one of the most successful luxury swimwear and resortwear brands. Same Los Angeles has become a trendy swimwear brand and Shea uses her platform to share her recent styles and her success.

Ashley Torres

Ashley is the creator of Everyday Pursuits, a fashion and swimwear brand that is size-inclusive. Her style has helped her land 231K followers on Instagram, where she shows off her swimsuits and more.

Halley Elefante

Halley takes to Instagram to share sustainable swimwear and show off her brand, The Salty Blonde. Her brand often teams up with other fashion brands like Resa.

Jojo Fletcher  

You may remember her from her time with the “Bachelor” franchise, but Jojo is now a fashion and lifestyle influencer with one of the most popular bikini collections with Cupshe. She shares the swimsuits with her 2.6M Instagram followers.

Rianna — riannagail

Rianna considers herself an “unfiltered bestie” to her 39.8K followers on TikTok as she shares fashion, beauty and swimsuits. She shows off her latest bikini purchases to inspire her followers.

MK — bymyakae

MK has become the go-to girl for over 266.3K followers for Amazon fashion inspiration and recommendations. She shares the bikinis she found on Amazon and lots of colorful styles.

Natalie Zacek

Natalie is a Florida girl who loves and the beach and takes to TikTok to showcase swimsuits in her unique way. Her beach vlogs capture her fun sense of fashion for her 1.4M followers. She also has a YouTube video on her favorite bikinis of the year.

Morgan Bullard — morgbullard

Morgan is a popular fashion influencer on TikTok with over 64.3K followers, with whom she shares her latest deals and fashionable finds. As the warmer seasons have come around, Morgan has highlighted bikinis and swimsuits.

The Creator Economy is a pool of creators that produce and share content with a like-minded audience. Creators attract and nurture their audience by showcasing their expertise and providing opinions, which, over time cultivates a trusted relationship between the creator and followers. As a result, creators have become a valuable marketing asset for brands as they partner with influencers to generate brand-endorsed content.

Whether you’re a creator looking to crack into the industry or a brand planning to collaborate with influencers, our comprehensive guide will provide the direction you need. 

The history of the creator economy

Centuries ago, creators partnered with others to boost their credibility and sales. Dressmakers designing gowns for royalty, for example, would see a boost in sales after the queen donned an original dress to a ball. 

Years later, brands started creating fictional characters or brand mascots to serve as influencers. Think of Tony the Tiger, a fun-loving mascot that touted Kellog’s hit kids cereal, Frosted Flakes.

Celebrity endorsements took center stage soon after, with brands asking big names to endorse products. It started with actors and athletes and eventually moved to reality TV stars. 

The rise of social media then gave everyday people the ability to gain notoriety. As audiences grew, brands recognized the sway influencers have over their followers, and the spark was lit. In 2006, IZEA created the first platform to pay bloggers for sponsored posts. Creators and brands started working together in what’s now known as influencer marketing.

Understanding the creator economy

Let’s explore the key players in the creator economy and the types of creators you’ll likely come across. 

Key players

Creators or influencers: Creators have the power to sway followers’ actions because of their niche expertise and willingness to share authentic content. 

Brands: Companies that are interested in collaborating with influencers to generate authentic promotional material to boost brand awareness, engagement, and sales. 

Types of creators

You can search for influencers based on a niche, like a food influencer, or by location, like a food influencer in Chicago. You can also search for influencers by audience size or tier. 

Nano-influencers, with an audience size of less than 10K, are often seen as the grassroots of the influencer world. They may not have the broadest reach, but their engagement levels are usually high, with an average rate of around 2.5%. Their content may lack the polish of more experienced influencers, but their authenticity and close-knit community can be a valuable asset for brands looking for genuine and organic engagement.

Micro-influencers, boasting an audience size of 10K-50K, offer a more targeted reach within specific niches. Their content quality tends to be higher than nano-influencers, and they often have experience working with brands. They offer a balance of relatability and influence, making them an attractive option for brands looking to tap into a specific market segment.

Mid-tier influencers, with an audience size of 50K-200K, offer a larger reach and usually produce high-quality content. They are often seen as community builders and trusted sources of information or inspiration within their respective fields. This tier of influencers is likely to have more experience working with brands, leading to more professional and polished collaborations.

Macro-influencers, with an audience size of over 200K, offer a strong reach and enhanced credibility. They are often full-time influencers who have built a substantial and loyal following over time. Collaborations with macro-influencers can provide extensive reach and are usually well-received by their audience. However, as their follower count increases, engagement rates may not be as high as those of smaller influencers.

Celebrity influencers, with an audience of over 1 million, offer mass reach and strong credibility. They are the crème de la crème of the influencer world, and collaborations with them can significantly boost brand awareness and sales. However, collaborations with celebrities can be expensive and require a significant investment.

Monetization in the creator economy 

Creators spend a lot of time sharing content and growing an audience, and many can monetize their efforts. Take a look at the income streams creators can tap into: 

Brand partnerships

One of the biggest revenue streams for creators is brand partnerships. Research shows 82% of creators earned income through social sponsorships in 2022.

Brands often use an influencer marketing platform to find and vet influencers. They then discuss the campaign’s goal and content needs. The influencer shares content on his or her social channel or blog and is compensated for it. 

Wondering how much brand partnerships cost? Our State of Influencer Earnings offers helpful charts like the one below that give you payment benchmarks. For instance, the chart below explores the cost of content based on its intended platform. The average cost of a Facebook post, for instance, is $642.

Affiliate marketing

The second most common income-earning option for creators is affiliate marketing, with 56% of influencers using it to generate money in 2023; a 9% increase from 2021, according to eMarketer.

 Affiliate programs tap influencers to regularly promote your products in exchange for a percentage of the sales they inspire. Influencers are given trackable URLs to quantify click-throughs and purchases and are given a commission for these actions. 

Creator Funds

Many of the major social media platforms offer Creator Funds that give influencers opportunities to monetize their content. Research shows 73% of influencers have earned money from Creator Funds, but the yearly payouts vary, with about 30% of creators earning between $250-500 in 2022, according to eMarketer. 

Creator Funds have qualifying criteria, which usually require a certain audience size and engagement. You need to apply and be accepted before you can start earning money. 

Two of the more popular Creator Funds are through TikTok and YouTube. 

TikTok Creator Rewards Program

TikTok has a creator fund along with other monetization options. Currently, the TikTok Creator Rewards Program “rewards high-quality, original content that is over a minute long, using an algorithm focused on four metrics: originality, play duration, search value and audience engagement.”

Learn more about the TikTok Creator Rewards Program.

YouTube Partner Program

The YouTube Partner Program gives qualified creators a chance to earn revenue through their channel, mainly by getting a cut of ad revenue or by charging subscribers for exclusive content or memberships. 

Learn more about the YouTube Partner Program.

Merchandise or product lines

While brands benefit from tapping into an influencer’s cultivated audience, it’s common for influencers to sell their own products to their followers. From selling merch, like t-shirts, to creating and selling a line of customized products, influencers can earn extra income by selling goods. 

Common challenges in the creator economy and solutions to overcome them

Challenge 1: Finding the right influencers

To be effective, you need an experienced niche influencer who shares your target audience and has solid engagement rates. 

Solution: Use an influencer marketing platform that lets you search for influencers, utilize advanced filters to narrow your search, and browse influencer profiles complete with audience demographics and engagement rates. 

Challenge 2: Measuring success

How do you know if your influencer collaboration was a success? Measuring your ROI can be tricky, and given the time commitment, it’s important to quantify. 

Solution: Set measurable goals for each campaign with specific KPIs to watch, and consider using an advanced influencer marketing platform that gives you robust reports that help you gauge ROI and ROI by influencer. 

Challenge 3: Finding the time to devote to long-term influencer relationships

Influencer marketing works best when brands commit to it long-term, but it takes time to cultivate relationships. From sending products to writing influencer briefs, influencer marketing does require a significant time investment. 

Solution: Plan influencer campaigns in advance, schedule quarterly calls with influencers to address the group, and set reminders in your calendar for influencer-based activities like sending products. 

For larger brands, utilizing a full-service influencer marketing team could be an option too.

Navigating the creator economy

Follow these steps if you’re just getting started:

• Set goals and KPIs to monitor.
• Find influencers via an influencer marketing platform.
• Vet influencers, ensuring they align with your audience and brand values.
• Connect with creators and agree upon an influencer contract that outlines the campaign’s goals, compensations, and legal clauses like terms of cancellation, content ownership, and confidentiality agreements.
• Communicate your campaign details, like deliverables, deadlines, and approval processes, through an influencer brief.
• Give the creator time to create and deliver content for review. 
• Review the content as a brand and, if needed, ask for edits or give the go-ahead to publish. 
• Both the creator and brand should monitor comments.
• Check pre-determined KPIs to gauge the campaign’s success.
• Continue communication with influencers for future campaigns. 

The future of the creator economy 

Statistics show the future of the creator economy is strong. Influencer marketing spend is growing faster than social ad spend, per eMarketer. Increased ad costs and diminished ROIs are fueling influencer marketing, as is creators’ demand to diversify their revenue streams.

As the creator economy moves forward, expect to see these trends:

Brands will embrace ambassador programs

Given the rise of influencer marketing and its effectiveness, more brands will create a long-term ambassador program to capitalize on creator-generated content. 

Micro-influencers become popular

Rather than shelling out big bucks for big names, more brands will select micro-influencers to focus on quality over quantity. With strong engagement rates, micro-influencers can provide a solid ROI. 

AI-generated content goes mainstream

Brands will incorporate AI-generated images and videos in influencer campaigns, with generative sponsorships becoming a reality. By combining an AI-generated model of a product with an AI-generated influencer avatar, generative sponsorships create a new subset of content creation. 

The creator economy is thriving and will continue to do so in the future. IZEA, the leader in influencer marketing, has a suite of tools that can assist you on your journey. Whether you’re looking for assistance with influencer discovery, campaign metrics, or are interested in a full-service influencer marketing option, IZEA can help. 

Research shows 44% of consumers have seen influencers promote credit cards and 42% have seen sponsored content on digital wallets, according to eMarketer. Brands are collaborating with “finfluencers” along with creators in other niches to educate audiences about everything from credit cards and savings accounts to buy-now-pay-later loans. 

While influencer marketing is an effective addition to your marketing efforts, the road to success looks different compared with those selling a tangible product.  

Common goals for payment brands

Promoting credit cards or a buy-now-pay-later loan differs from promoting a tangible product. It takes customers longer to sign up for these services than it does for them to try a new skin cream, for example. As a result, your influencer campaign goals look different. 

Common goals might include:

Brand awareness 

Payment brands need to get in front of potential customers to drive brand awareness. The foundation of conversion is awareness, so initial influencer campaigns often focus on brand recall. 

Drive website traffic and boost customer education

With a longer buying process in play, payment brands realize that customers won’t convert immediately. To nurture the connection and sway the minds of customers, influencer campaigns can drive interested followers to your company website to learn more about a specific product. 

For example, if you plan to promote a buy-now-pay-later loan, your audience needs to understand how the loan works. Educational landing pages or even downloadable assets could be included in your CTA.

Drive conversions

After your audience is successfully primed by influencers, your brand can launch conversion campaigns. To do so, consider asking influencers to share their experience with your product or explain how easy it is to use. Promo codes can serve as an incentive too. 

Tips for payment brands to launch effective influencer campaigns

Working with influencers is an organic way to connect with potential customers. When you’re ready to launch a campaign, consider these tips for success:

Clearly define your target audience and ideal influencer

Consider demographics, education levels, annual income, and location, for example, to better define your ideal customer. 

With a well-defined target, you can find an influencer with an overlapping social audience.

Pro tip: Use an influencer marketing platform or experienced team to search for influencers.

Share regulatory guidelines

Your influencer campaign must meet guidelines set by the FTC and FINRA. 

The FTC requires influencers to disclose their relationship with a brand and add clear descriptors to text, like “Ad” or “Sponsored Content.”

FINRA requires all financial communication to be fair, balanced, and truthful. Influencers should be mindful of making promises. While they can share their experience, they shouldn’t promise or guarantee any results. 

Given these additional rules, make sure influencer-generated content is reviewed by your brand before it’s published. For brands who seek full-service campaign management, influencer marketing companies like IZEA have experts in place to help.

Consider an always-on approach

Influencers are sometimes compensated on a commission basis, earning a percentage of each sale they inspire. While this payment structure can be effective for certain products, it may not be the best approach for brands implementing influencer marketing strategies.

Acquiring a new customer or persuading someone to subscribe to a service is a bigger commitment than, for instance, convincing them to purchase a one-time product. With a longer customer journey, commission-based pay may not be appealing for influencers. As part of an always-on approach to influencer marketing, consider offering influencers a flat fee for each piece of content they create. This ensures continuous engagement and content creation, thus keeping your brand consistently visible and relevant in the market.

Examples 

Campaigns can take on many forms. Video is a common format for payment brand collaborations as it gives influencers a chance to explain the product. Take a look at these two examples:

Capital One

Capital One teamed up with influencers to promote its money-saving browser extension. The tool compares prices and offers cash back when shoppers make the purchases with their Capital One credit card. 

DollarSprout, a financial education channel on YouTube, partnered with Capital One and shared a video on how it works.

Chase Sapphire Reserve

To encourage customers to sign up for its credit card, Chase worked with YouTube influencers to tout a welcome offer of 75K bonus points. Financial influencer Ben Hedges talked about the card and its benefits in this YouTube video:

Influencer marketing can provide a strong ROI for payment brands. By using the information and tips above, your brand is ready to launch effective campaigns in this niche.  

Research shows that 87% of businesses use UGC to connect with their target audience. By working with creators to promote a product or service, brands can build relationships that bolster trust, brand loyalty, and sales. The results of UGC campaigns are appealing to brands, especially since complex algorithms and rising costs make it increasingly difficult to connect with customers through paid ads. 

But, what is it about UGC that has a strong percentage of brands relying on it? Look at why so many companies chose to harness the power of UGC.

Why is UGC important to brands?

UGC creators can play a vital role in your marketing efforts. Here’s why brands appreciate this particular tactic:

UGC provides social proof

People are influenced by others’ choices. When your supporters endorse your product or provide a demo video, they gently suggest that others should follow suit. 

To your customers, UGC is an authentic recommendation from a friend, which is often more effective than sales tactics, advertising, or celebrity endorsements. Our Trust in Influencer Marketing report shows that 61% of consumers trust creators over A-list celebrities.

Simply put, approaching a target audience through authentic UGC content provides social proof that can inspire customers to act. 

UGC builds brand loyalty

Every brand wants an army of loyal customers, but building that kind of relationship takes time. Committing to consistent UGC campaigns can help marketers build long-term relationships. 

Each piece of UGC shared is another brick in the foundation of a relationship. In time, trust grows, purchases increase, and your brand converts paying customers into loyal ones. 

Why are loyal customers so important? Loyal customers are 64% more likely to buy more frequently and 50% more likely to recommend your product to others, according to McKinsey & Company.  

UGC is cost-effective

Marketers can call for UGC by running a contest or asking customers to share social posts, or marketers can search for and share content that customers naturally share on their own, with permission. 

The cost to leverage UGC is minimal. Marketers invest their time to plan strategies and may need to mail products to creators in exchange for content, but from a budget perspective, costs are fairly low. 

UGC vs. IGC

Keep in mind, working with UGC creators is different from working with influencers, who create influencer-generated content, or IGC. In addition to sending influencers a product to review, influencers are also paid for their content. How much? The cost per piece of content varies. Our State of Influencer Earnings offers a breakdown of influencer rates. 

While an influencer marketplace can help you find affordable influencers, working with UGC creators is often more budget-friendly.

UGC aids in content creation

Content creation is demanding. One report shows marketers spend 82% of their time creating content. Since marketers are always being asked to do more with less, spending that amount of time on any one thing makes it difficult to meet goals. 

UGC can alleviate some of the work. Primarily, you can decrease your time investment in social content, but savvy marketers use UGC in other arenas too. For example, you could repurpose UGC product pictures in your next newsletter, collate product reviews into a promotional email, or use UGC videos on your website. 

By repurposing content, marketers not only ease their workload but they get more mileage out of each piece. 

Sources of UGC

UGC is created by someone who is familiar with your brand. Typically, UGC comes from these sources:

Brand advocates

If you’re looking for a glowing review or a product endorsement, tapping your most loyal customers can generate a strong source of UGC. Sometimes, marketers ask a small team of brand advocates to produce content. Other times, advocates are so enamored by your product they post content without being prompted to do so. Marketers should keep their eye out for brand-specific content and ask permission to share it if it positively promotes the brand. 

Employees

Who knows your products better than those who work for you? Your workforce can supply a steady stream of content. Ask employees to make a weekly social post, for example, or put together a small team of employees who are interested in producing content in exchange for extra perks, like free swag, gift certificates, or even a few hours of time off. 

Customers

If someone has purchased a product from your company, he or she could create UGC for you. It’s best to make a request right after a purchase is made. For example, you could send an email immediately following checkout to encourage customers to share a picture or an unboxing video.  

A growing number of brands use UGC as part of their marketing efforts. Its affordability and ROI make it appealing to marketers, and considering just how integrated social media has become in everyday life, it’s easy for brand supporters to participate in campaigns. 

Forecasts show the size of the sushi market is expected to grow through 2030. Whether you’re interested in the origins of the fish-fueled food, want restaurant suggestions, need recipes you can make at home, or are interested in partnering with a sushi-loving creator, this list is for you.

18 sushi influencers

Moe — KimonoMom

Moe is a mom and former geisha who loves sharing her Japanese culture and cuisine with others. The web celebrity YouTube influencer, known to her subscribers as KimonoMom, makes a Pokémon sushi roll alongside her daughter and demonstrates how to make crowd-pleasing hand rolls for picture-perfect party fare.

Taku  

Taku takes his adventurous spirit and sushi skills to the great outdoors. Known to his 729K YouTube subscribers as OutdoorChefLife, Taku pushes boundaries by foraging for sushi ingredients in the wilderness and spending the night on a Japanese island while catching and preparing his own personal sushi spread.

Arev 

Based in Los Angeles, Arev is a foodie with a particular penchant for snacking on sushi. On TikTok, the micro influencer features an array of sushi mukbang videos in which she feasts on everything from plump, citrus salmon sashimi to spicy yellowtail carpaccio for her followers, to whom she’s best known as lilsunnnnnnnn.

Jeorge 

Jeorge is a pro at teaching others how to craft impressive, delectable sushi dishes in an approachable way. Known to his YouTube subscribers as Sushinyjeorge TV, he helps fellow foodies to make a deep fried sushi maki roll and a savory sushi burrito bursting with robust ingredients.

Chef Yakov Kim  

Not only is he a head sushi chef, but Chef Yakov is also skilled at showcasing his sushi creations in a show-stopping way. The Instagram nano-influencer captures stunning shots of seafood delicacies like sea urchin sushi and a crispy roll stuffed with tuna and truffles that almost look too pretty to eat. 

Sanaa  — sannaeats

Sanna is an NYC foodie who invites fellow gastronomes to join in on her eating adventures. As a web celebrity on Tiktok, where she’s best known as sannaeats, she shares a sushi mukbang session full of crunchy, flavorful textures and snacks on some of her favorite go-to rolls for her followers.

Chef Kazu 

Chef Kazu isn’t afraid to explore the most exotic ingredients through his sushi-making exploits. Whether he’s preparing horse mackerel or high-end glass eel sushi to perfection, Kazu keeps the flavorful fun rolling for his 105.8K Tiktok followers.

Pauly Long 

Pauly is a family man and entrepreneur based in Bali. He’s also a major foodie and sushi fan, treating his 2.4 million TikTok followers to his latest sushi delivery and a look at how he makes his signature “Uncle Pauly” sushi roll.

Miller Ramos 

Chef Miller breaks down the science of sushi-making so that everyone can try their hand at preparing their favorite foods. As a macro TikTok influencer, Chef Miller shares how to do everything from properly cutting avocado slices to whipping up the perfect ponzu sauce to drizzle on your homemade sushi creations.

Chef Nick 

Chef Nick is more than just an executive chef–he’s a “Sushi Sensei” who has been in the business of making sushi magic since 2005. To the delight of his 44.2K Instagram followers, Chef Nick shares his nigiri smorgasbord and an up-close invitation to an omakase sushi session where customers let him take the reins.  

Sergiu Mitrofan — sushi_chef_sergiu

Sergiu is a sushi chef who specializes in designing one-of-a-kind, mouth-watering sushi displays. Known on Instagram as sushi_chef_sergiu, the midtier influencer shares some of his most stellar presentations, like an elaborate, fish-shaped assortment and a sashimi mix artfully arranged to please a variety of palates.

Leilinghu 

Based in the Netherlands, Leilinghu is a chef and mega foodie who enjoys traveling the world when she’s not working. For her followers, the nano TikTok influencer shares quick, delicious meals she whips up for lunch, like a tastebud-tingling fried avocado roll and a salmon sushi taco that puts a fresh spin on traditional sushi dishes.

Tony  — tonydecuisine

For Tony, making sushi is just as much about creating works of edible art as it is delivering delectable flavor fusions. On Instagram, where he’s best known as tonydecuisine, the micro-influencer shares a striking rainbow-hued, tic-tac-toe sushi assemblage and a sashimi platter featuring a different topping on each piece of fresh fish. 

Kimiyasu Enya 

When it comes to the world of sushi, Kimiyasu definitely knows a thing or two about making it special. Best known to his 45.3K Instagram followers as chefenya, he shares a jaw-dropping red snapper sashimi platter and the making of an original Chef Enya roll featuring crab salad, avocado, and baby lobster.

Chef Hiro 

As a Japanese sushi expert, Chef Hiro strives to bring smiles to the world through his culinary talents. On Instagram, Chef Hiro’s 2.2 million followers tune in to see him make decorative Kohada sushi and lighten the mood with a “traditional” sushi village dance that reveals his silly side.

Chef Christian Buenrostro Rodriguez 

In addition to being an executive chef based in Abu Dhabi, Chef Christian is also a culinary filmmaker and photographer. As a macro Instagram influencer, he spotlights artistic sushi shots featuring a fresh, flower-topped roll and a golden-crusted bite crafted for Saturday sushi brunch.

Guy Allen — thesushiguide

As an author, Guy treks the globe to bring fellow sushi lovers the scoop on the best sushi chefs and restaurants. Known to his 185K Instagram followers as thesushiguide, Guy gives a peek into a 25-course omakase experience and reviews the top-ranked sushi restaurant in Japan from start to fantastic finish. 

Jason 

Jason is a stylish sushi chef in Florida who pours passion into each of his edible masterpieces. On TikTok, Jason treats his followers to a look at his serious slicing skills and a behind-the-scenes look at perfecting a special birthday sushi spread.