The State of Influencer Marketing in Canada: A Leger Study

Inside the Minds of Content Creators

Influencer marketing campaigns conducted in collaboration with content creators may seem like an extremely new phenomenon. After all, Merriam-Webster only officially added the word “influencer” to its dictionary in 2019. The complete definition is “one who exerts influence: a person who inspires or guides the actions of others, often, specifically, a person who is able to generate interest in something (such as a consumer product) by posting about it on social media.”

Although the definition is new (as is the use of social media), the practice is not. For hundreds (if not thousands) of years, companies have sought the endorsements of celebrities or other influential figures to promote their products and services or generate positive brand awareness.

But today, in 2021, what is the most effective way for brands to partner with content creators (aka influencers)? What matters most to content creators, and what is keeping them up at night? How can brands ensure return on investment when working with these new partnerships?

Canadian content creators are omnipresent on various digital platforms and at the heart of discussions on new media, but they have not necessarily been able to express their realities to the companies they deal with.

From choosing a platform to the creativity and vision behind the content they produce, content creators have the freedom to express themselves in a myriad of ways and influence followers with their voices. We wanted to find the answer to this simple question: what is it like to be a content creator in Canada in 2021?

From November 17 to December 14, 2020, in collaboration with Clark Influence, Leger, the largest Canadian-owned market research and analytics company, surveyed 192 Canadian content creators via an online survey. The survey aimed to provide creators with an avenue to share their challenges, aspirations, fears, and what it really means to be a content creator.

Six key takeaways emerged from our research:

1. ALTHOUGH DIFFERENT PLATFORMS ARE USEFUL, INSTAGRAM HOLDS THE MOST PROMISE

What keeps content creators up at night? Among other things, the number of followers they have and how they can get more. Instagram is the most popular, highest-paying platform, and the more popular they are on it, the more money they make (although as noted by Clark Influence, how many subscribers creators have is not the only metric that impacts their compensation). YouTube tends to be used by creators with established audiences, while at the moment, TikTok is primarily used to generate followers (versus earn income).

2. CONTENT CREATORS’ ENGAGEMENT IS IMPORTANT TO THEIR FOLLOWERS

In 2020, many movements occupied the digital space, including the #MeToo movement and Black Lives Matter. The creators who were able to increase their subscribers over the year were often those who took a stand on various social and political issues. In fact, 44% of content creators mentioned they feel obligated to take a stand on social issues on their platforms. Subscribers have high expectations for the creators they follow, meaning that companies who want to work with content creators must be willing to raise the bar on what matters most to them, including their ethical requirements. Content creators know that what they post will be scrutinized and they need to be confident it aligns with their values (and by extension, their followers’ values).

3. THEIR INCOMES HAVE REMAINED STABLE FROM 2019 TO 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly changed the way companies do business. However, content creators’ incomes have not changed much from 2019 to 2020. Although many needed to pivot their approach (for example, those creating travel-related content needed to branch out when travel was highly discouraged or impossible), their incomes have remained steady.

4. CREATIVE FREEDOM IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO CONTENT CREATORS

The top three reasons content creators would accept a partnership with a company include the company having a product/service they like (89%), the company being aligned with their values (88%), and/or the company giving them creative freedom (78%). Dictating the terms of a content partnership to content creators is unlikely to be effective. Companies must give creators freedom if they want to maximize their return on investment after all, content creators are the experts at reaching their audiences.

5. ALGORITHMS ARE A MAJOR SOURCE OF STRESS

The biggest sources of stress for content creators are algorithms and statistics. More than three-in-five content creators mentioned they are stressed about the algorithms (65%) and/or statistics (61%) for the platforms they use. Both undergo frequent changes and are often shrouded in mystery. Companies often have high expectations for the statistics, and because of the unpredictable algorithms, content creators are not confident that they will meet the targets.

6. CONTENT CREATION IS OFTEN A SOLITARY ENDEAVOUR

Content creators tend to do most of their work alone, including content creation, video work, design, editing, etc. Those who earn more are more likely to have teams that help them (such as photographers, editors, etc.). The relationship between teams and content creators follows the law of diminishing returns, and creators need to carefully consider when they should consider hiring additional help when they have heavy workloads.

Brands must acknowledge that working with content creators is much different than using traditional media (radio, TV, print, etc.). The brands with the most successful content partnerships will be those who understand the importance of co-creation with content creators and understand the importance of partnering with content creators whose values correspond to their company values. Often, content creators view companies speaking up or taking a stand on social issues positively.

When executed successfully, these partnerships can be highly lucrative and provide excellent campaign return on investment (ROI), enabling brands to increase their reach, get in touch with specific audiences, and absorb content creation costs.

To read the full report, click here.

Leger is the largest Canadian-owned market research and analytics company, with more than 600 employees in eight Canadian and US offices. Leger has been working with prestigious clients since 1986.