A guide to authentic marketing with influencers

According to Goldman Sachs, the creator economy could grow to half-a-trillion dollars by 2027. They describe it as, “one of the biggest developments of the digital age.” It’s a market that’s accessible to anyone with a smartphone.

 

In its simplest form, creator-led marketing involves creators partnering with a brand. The brand sends the creator a product or invites them to try a service. The creator documents their experience with a pre-agreed number of posts or stories. Sometimes these collaborations are paid partnerships; sometimes the free product or service serves as payment.

 

The creator economy is also fuelled by social media platforms themselves. Most major social media platforms now have creator programmes with access to specialised tools and opportunities for influencers to earn income directly from the platforms.

 

Creator partnerships have evolved over time. In the early days (i.e. the 2010s: YouTube coined the term “creator” in 2011), the goal for brands was to work with influencers with the biggest followings.

 

However, the 2020s have seen the rise of micro- and nano-influencers. Definitions vary, but micro-influencers are usually creators with between 10,000-100,000 followers and nano-influencers have 10,000 or less.

 

Critically, smaller creators tend to have much higher engagement rates. Many brands choose to work with micro or nano accounts because the creators have more authentic relationships with their followers.

 

 

How can charities work with influencers for marketing and fundraising?

 

Charity and creator partnerships are already happening. According to the M+R Benchmarks study, about half of the 225 participating non-profits had worked with social media influencers in 2024.

 

 

Traditional paid collaborations

 

Charities can arrange paid or unpaid brand collaborations with creators. For example, a charity with a subscription product like a book club could work with influencers who already post book-related content on TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube by sending them their subscription box and asking them to review and post about it.

 

The content will feel authentic because the creator already uses their platform to review books.

 

 

Awareness-raising partnerships

 

The Teenage Cancer Trust worked with British TikTok star GK Barry, focusing on awareness-raising. The campaign on Instagram generated around 2.3 million views and 62,800 likes.

 

GK became a celebrity ambassador for the charity and created content on her visits to the Teenage Cancer Trust Ward at Cambridge University Hospital. While GK is a big creator, she was reportedly given creative freedom to develop content in her voice and style, so it felt authentic.

 

 

Fundraising partnerships

 

Some creators already have a strong philanthropic bent. Mr Beast’s approach to philanthropy has been much debated in the sector, but his campaigns and more traditional partnerships have been impactful.

 

In 2025, he partnered with fellow influencer Mark Rober to bring together creators from 115 countries with over 3 million subscribers to raise $40m for WaterAid. The campaign, #TeamWater, built on his previous #TeamSeas and #TeamTrees campaigns.

 

 

Giving Tuesday

 

In 2025, Giving Tuesday challenged creators to post about their acts of generosity. When Pulsar analysed the data, they found big differences in performance between creator size.

 

Follower count was a poor predictor of visibility for Giving Tuesday. The level of trust creators had with their followers and how closely they were connected to the cause were more important. The top-performing creators weren’t the celebrities, but the relatable small creators. For example, one creator with 2,500 followers had a 35% engagement rate.

 

 

Gaming and livestreaming for fundraising

 

Livestreaming and gaming-led fundraising is a growth area. On the livestreaming platform Twitch, donations grew from $83 million in 2020 to over $ 400 million in 2023. For example, content creator TommyInnit and collaborators raised close to £500,000 with their livestreamed detective fundraiser for GOSH Charity.

 

Viewers worked together in real-time to solve a mystery in return for a £25 donation. Other creators involved included Abbie Budden, Imogen Andrews, Henry Calvert, MatPat and Keith Habersberger. Tommy was inspired to bring the group together and support GOSH after losing a friend and fellow creator, known as Technoblade, to cancer in 2023.

 

 

What steps can charities take to start a creator marketing and fundraising programme?

 

Working with influencers can forge deep connections with communities who care about your cause. Charities can begin to seize the opportunities of the creator economy by following the three simple steps below.

 

 

Think about the audiences you want to reach

 

Long-list creators whose followers closely match your target audience. Learn what you can about their demographics and interests.

 

 

Research creators who have a connection with your cause

 

Creators with lived experience of or a close connection to your cause are more likely to have followers with the same connection and prove more valuable in the long term. 

 

 

Look at who you already know

 

Cross-reference your target creator list with your supporter database; there might be some crossover. 

 

An authentic approach to creator marketing relies on working with creators on topics they already speak about, thinking strategically about the size of the creator and their audience engagement rate, and allowing creators to bring their own approach and creativity to your campaign.