Keeping up marketing and creative momentum during a time of economic uncertainty can be tricky, but it is so important to keep moving and experimenting with strategies in order to achieve long-term success. Whether you are a brand marketer or content creator seeking advice on how to keep up momentum in a slower market, here are our top recommendations:
For Brands:
Build Smaller, Smarter Squads
Big results don’t always require big names. Consider leaning into nano and micro influencers who consistently over-deliver on engagements. They’re often more cost-effective to partner with and are deeply connected to their communities. This may be an ideal way to sustain an always-on presence that feels authentic, while also being affordable.
Bonus Tip: Explore partnerships with power players in the affiliate space, as these talent are motivated to drive conversion and bring in consistent sales over time.
Add More Mileage To Your Content Strategy
Don’t just pay for a single organic post; invest in content with legs. Negotiating organic, paid, and PR usage rights upfront allows you to repurpose influencer content across your social channels, emails, paid ads, and press initiatives. It may require a larger upfront investment, but it will help you maintain a content library you can come back to again and again.
Keep Negotiations Open
It’s possible that top-tier talent may be more flexible than usual. If rates are initially higher than you expected, don’t just walk away. Start a conversation. Often, there’s room to build long-term partnerships at rates that work for both sides, especially when you’re willing to commit to multiple deliverables or extended timelines. Relationships matter more than ever.
Partner Up Through Brand-To-Brand Collaborations
If you’re looking for a way to expand your reach while sharing the cost, consider strategic co-branded moments. From PR mailers to joint influencer events, including our very own BRANDEdit Influencer Experiences, brand-to-brand collaborations allow you to double the exposure without doubling your spend—and it offers influencers something unique to share organically.
Simplify Your Messaging & Lead With Value
In a shaky economy, meet your consumer where they are. As you develop your campaign messaging, consider: what does your consumer truly need right now? Maybe it’s affordability. Maybe it’s a reminder to treat themselves. Or maybe they’re not ready to buy right now, but they’ll remember how your brand showed up. Strategic influencer partnerships with a cohesive campaign theme can help you build community around your brand. While conversions may not be immediate, people will remember who showed up for them when times got tough.
For Creators:
Stay Consistent With Posting
This is a great time to really invest in building your community through your content. Even if paid partnerships slow, keep up with a consistent posting cadence and focus on fostering a strong community.
Consider Getting Creative With Your Rates
With brand budgets a little tighter, you might want to consider some creative options with your rates for partnerships, such as upselling for UGC and content usage, offering flat fees, accepting commission, or bundling packages for multi-post partnerships.
Continue To Diversify Content And Partnership Strategies
The more options you can provide brand partners with in terms of how they can partner with you, the better. We encourage you to have 3 solid platforms that you are active on so that you can provide a number of content options, and within those platforms, make sure you are sharing different types of content (photos, videos, stories, etc.) and creating a strong content portfolio of all the ways brands can work with you.
Diversify Your Income Streams
Aside from brand partnerships, invest in additional income streams like affiliate marketing, YouTube AdSense, etc., to strengthen your earnings opportunities.
Play With New Platforms
Now is a great time to hone in on your content strategy and play around with new platforms that could further expand your audience. Consider a Substack, Threads, live-streaming, or something else that you haven’t experimented with to engage your community in new ways. This also allows you to expand your offerings.
Continue Sharing Brands In Your Content
Make sure brands are keeping you on their radar by posting the brands you organically love and tagging them in your content. Not every brand will have a marketing budget at the moment, but engaging with them continually will keep you top of mind when a campaign opportunity arises.
Show ROI-Driven Content
Brands are increasingly searching for creators with a proven track record in converting sales, so utilize affiliate links (LTK, Collective Voice, ShopMy, Amazon Affiliates, etc.) in your content so you can build up your conversion rates and provide strong data to brands.
Lean Into Brand Loyalty
Work with your manager to keep conversations going with previous brand partners to renew contracts and keep the relationship going. Lean into the brands that you already know you love to work with and that your audience responds well to.
Sharpen Your Selling Proposition
What makes you different as a creator and stand out from the rest? Now’s the time to lean into that.
Maintain Trust With Your Community
If sponsored content is slower, it’s the perfect time to ramp up engaging, organic content that builds trust with your audience.
