The new wave of influencers—stars on Instagram and YouTube, as well as other channels—say that when it comes to working with brands, money is not their only object. Creative freedom matters more.
Crowdtap polled 59 US influencers, most of whom were bloggers. The average aggregate social footprint of these respondents was 248,000. More than three-quarters (77%) of respondents said that one of the primary factors that makes them likely to work with a brand more than once is being granted creative freedom.
While compensation was a factor among 68% of US influencers, respect and being treated as any other publisher was also important to them. In fact, a quarter of respondents polled said that not needing to be treated like other publishers was one of the leading misconceptions they faced.
Goals of Influencers* When Working with Brands According to Marketing and Communications Professionals Worldwide, May 2015 (% of respondents)
Though influencers look for creative freedom and respect when working with brands, marketing and communications professionals worldwide believe that one of the main goals of influencers is to increase their own reach and grow their audience, according to a May 2015 study from Augure and Schlesinger Associates. Less than half of respondents said that creating quality content for their audience was a goal influencers had when working with brands. Even less, 29%, said that shaping their image was an influencer’s goal.