Even as content creators become established parts of most brands’ media plans, marketers have accepted that the practice is hard to measure and not compatible with strict performance marketing.
That’s not necessarily so, says Joseph Perello. Combining the credibility of creators with the scale, precision and attribution of paid media can produce the kind of compelling content and measurable performance that marketers can take to the C-suite, says Perello, founder and CEO of Props. The performance-based creator media system brings together brands and creators to publish and promote content that delivers measurable business results, not just impressions or likes.
From “squishy” metrics to CFO-grade outcomes
“We agree with the assessment that traditional influencer marketing has been inefficient, wasteful, difficult to measure, maybe even risky,” says Perello. “Instead, we designed our creator marketing system to deliver results that a CFO would understand.”
Applying the attribution and measurement discipline of direct marketing removes much of the “squishy measurement” that has historically kept creator marketing from being considered on the same level as traditional media, Perello says.
“By combining the excitement of content creators with the rigor, discipline and scalability of paid media, we can now make what you would call influencer marketing a real performance channel,” he adds.
Why fragmentation is the real problem
Fragmentation remains one of the biggest hurdles. Creator marketing is often split across multiple silos, with different agencies handling organic social, performance marketing, brand strategy, paid media and more. As a result, marketers end up “dabbling” instead of committing the resources required to drive real outcomes.
“Don’t say amplify”
Spending money chasing virality with influencers is far less reliable than working with creators who are vetted and briefed to produce content across every level of a brand’s funnel, from awareness through conversion, Perello explains.
Props selects creators to produce content that lives on the brand’s website — not social platforms — and uses paid media to drive traffic to those stories.
“We don’t use the term ‘amplify’ or ‘boost,’” says Perello. “Those imply promoting organic posts with limited sophistication. Instead, we take a systematic, targeted paid media approach where performance can be tracked and measured.”
Speed is the advantage of paid media
Paid social media also introduces speed into the equation. Marketers can quickly learn what works and what doesn’t.
“You could conduct research and figure out which ads work, or you could just run a paid social campaign, spend $5,000 and figure it out in a week or less,” he says.
Expertise over influence
Finding the right creator is less about follower count and more about fit. Vetting creators for alignment with the brand—and briefing them effectively—is critical to ensuring content resonates while maintaining authenticity.
At Props, creators are expected to pitch ideas based on their expertise. Their audience size matters less because the content lives on the brand’s domain and is supported with paid media distribution. This removes the tension between authenticity and performance.
“We’re not asking a fly fisherman to talk about knitting because they have a lot of followers,” says Perello. “We’re asking someone with real expertise to speak on what they know. That’s what drives authenticity.”
Perello draws a distinction using a restaurant analogy. The influencer is a critic, moving from one establishment to another sharing opinions. The creator is a chef.
“Their heart and soul is in it, and when they put that plate in front of you, it’s a piece of them,” he says.
Why trust has shifted from brands to people
“People still trust people.”
Using storytelling hosted on a brand’s own website can be more effective than traditional advertising. For example, a bank can drive stronger results by publishing content about home improvement projects rather than simply promoting loan rates—reaching consumers who are already in-market for financing.
Creators, long viewed as a top-of-funnel tactic, can now drive performance across the entire funnel. Perello points to Props’ seven-year engagement with AAA, featuring adventure travelers and van life experts, an approach informed by data showing those narratives were most effective in driving membership. The program has delivered more than 400,000 new customers for AAA, at a significantly younger average age than those typically acquired through traditional advertising.
The human advantage in modern marketing
“One of the reasons creator marketing is growing so fast is because people don’t trust brands or institutions the way they once did,” says Perello, citing decades of declining trust in institutions.
“But people still trust people. They respond to people more than brands. Creators are relatable, and audiences understand they have skin in the game when they make a claim or promote a product.”
