With new marketing mediums becoming established in advertising, brands need to understand what will drive the most results. Organic influencer content and boosting organic influencer content have proven to drive incredible results for brands across the globe, but, what if you used creator-made content in Paid Media placements?  

Creator Paid Ads use creator-made content in ad slots across TikTok, Meta, and YouTube. This type of ad has been proven to outperform branded and product-paid ads. Meta cites a 15% increase in ROAS (Return On Ad Spend) for brands running Creator Ads vs. non-Creator Ads. 

As with any emerging marketing medium, myths and stereotypes surrounding Creator Paid Ads have arisen. But as an Influencer Marketing agency with specialist experience in producing effective Creator Ads, we are ready to debunk these myths. 

Alongside our clients at Colgate and Panasonic, influencer Callux, and Creative Strategist at Google, Nisha Mathews, our Head of Paid Social and Partnerships Director hosted a panel for brand marketers in London to tackle the myths once and for all. 

Myth 1: Creators Paid Ads drive more fame for the creator than the brand

It’s easy to assume that mega-creators, because of their fame, will gain more attention than the product you’re advertising. However, Colgate and Panasonic haven’t experienced this. Macro-influencers and celebrities have a strong impact on their audience when it comes to sharing brand recommendations. Nisha shared that 72% of YouTube viewers make decisions quicker because of creators.

The key to ensuring that the creator encourages the target audience to engage with your brand is by ensuring there's alignment between your brand's values and the creator’s audience. Taking extra time in the briefing process will ensure this alignment. The fame may open doors, but it’s the fit that drives results.

Myth 2: Creativity is limited

In reality, creativity in any advertising is only limited by the brief. By offering an open brief and understanding why a creator's style works, you can embrace their unique approach.

Colgate has found that creators expand creativity. While traditional ads are functional, creators bring products to life in a way that connects with people and tells a story. They show products in action, naturally weaving them into daily life. Brands have two options: enforce a strict brief or trust the creator to innovate. If Creator Paid Ad content veers too far away from the creator's organic style, the audience is less likely to trust and engage with the ad. 

Myth 3: It’s hard to get your message across

Some brands feel that creators can’t convey complex messages effectively. Panasonic, however, discovered that creators have a talent for simplifying complex functionality. By partnering with creators, Panasonic has been able to turn technical jargon into relatable stories, helping viewers understand the core message humanly. 

Creator Ads are a great way to ensure you hit your CTA. You can combine the simple platform CTA Button with a verbal demand, as well as text on screen, or outward links.

Myth 4: Creators don’t like doing Creator Paid Ads

The idea that creators don’t enjoy producing branded content to conform to Paid Media guidelines is another common myth. The reality is, when brands trust creators and let them work their magic, the partnership is effortless. Callum McGinley, known as Callux online, has been creating content for over a decade so has lots of experience with organic and paid ads. 

He will often incorporate the filming of Creator Paid Ads into his day naturally, which is easy to do when the product is something he believes in and uses organically. As long as he has a level of creative freedom, he enjoys making Creator Paid Ads as much as organic content. 

The brands on the panel shared that arranging a ‘chemistry check’ with the creator before the partnership ensures they’re the perfect fit for you. Our Campaign Production team at Digital Voices conduct creator briefing calls to ensure brand fit for every campaign, and when the chemistry is there, it reflects in the results. 

Myth 5: Creator Paid Ads don’t get good engagement

Many brands fear that Creator Paid Ads won’t perform as well as traditional branded ads. But Influencer Marketing isn’t meant to mimic traditional ad formats like TV, it serves a different purpose.

Colgate discovered that influencer content is driving far greater engagement than expected. In our recent campaign together that ran in the Nordics, we saw an average view time of 10 seconds on a 15-second ad, which is far better than what product-focused ads typically achieve. In fact, Colgate’s influencer campaigns are outperforming industry benchmarks by 4x. When you measure what message you’re landing and what emotion you’re creating, the power of influencer content becomes clear.

Myth 6: It’s hard to produce Creator Paid Ads

Actioning any marketing strategy will come with its challenges, however, the production of Creator Paid Ads can be straightforward. Because creators are already accustomed to filming content that fits into their daily lives, branded content can often be produced with minimal disruption.

The less restrictive the brand is, the easier it is to produce quality content. For creators and brands who have less experience producing Creator Paid Ads, working with a specialist agency like Digital Voices allows you to utilize Paid Social specialists and video editors to ensure the content is fit for platform. 

Myth 7: It’s hard to measure success

Measurement and proving results is a key concern for many brands, but it’s all about knowing what you’re measuring and understanding where influencer content fits into your marketing funnel.

YouTube advises running different types of ads together to get the best results. Before launching a campaign, brands should be clear on their objectives – whether it’s driving awareness, engagement, or conversions. When brands know what they’re measuring, they can create content that’s designed to meet those goals.

Myth 8: You don’t need to work with a specialist agency

Although brands can produce Creator Paid Ads in-house, it’s highly beneficial to partner with an agency that understands Influencer Marketing and has experience producing Creator Paid Ads for multiple brands with different goals. 

Working with an agency ensures multiple reviews and refinements before the content reaches the client, putting the campaign in the best possible position for success.

Quick Fire Tips for Success

Each of our panelists rounded up the session by sharing their top tip for succeeding with Creator Paid Ads. Here’s what they said: 

• Just give it a go! Experimentation is key to understand what works best for your brand. 
• Try working with a range of creators from micro to macro to see which style and audience fit your objectives.
• Co-create with creators to understand their style of content and how they can seamlessly incorporate your brand’s message.
• Nail the brief so both parties are aligned from the start. Avoid being too rigid!
• Measure everything! There’s no such thing as too much data. The more you measure, the more you have to learn from for future campaigns.
• Make the first 3 seconds count. Now that platforms allow audiences to skip ads, your video needs to be engaging from the very beginning to capture the attention of your audience and enhance their likelihood to respond to the CTAs. 

By debunking these myths and approaching Creator Paid Ads with an open mind, brands can harness the true power of creators to drive engagement, boost creativity, and reach their goals.

Want to learn more about Creator Paid Ads and where to begin? Download our free insights report now!