Image this: You’re scrolling by means of Instagram or TikTok. Immediately, you understand that not solely have you ever landed on a product web page but in addition added gadgets to your cart. Ever marvel how this occurs?
Nicely, perhaps it’s an influencer you want who effortlessly nudges you towards your subsequent buy.
Welcome to the creator economic system.
A couple of years again, social media platforms took the world by storm and gave rise to the creator economic system. And now, with social media advertising turning into a separate entity, tapping into unconventional methods like user-generated content material (UGC), TikTok lives, and creator advertising is extra essential than ever. For each B2B and B2C manufacturers, exploring these areas of selling is necessary as a result of this helps construct long-term relationships with their prospects.
“Folks wish to join with you by experiencing the story behind your product,” says Christopher Cox, Co-Founding father of Nebula Social. On this chat, he delves into the increasing creator economic system, providing insights on how companies can harness its potential for optimum impression.
This interview is a part of G2’s Skilled Highlight collection. For extra content material like this, subscribe to G2 Tea, a e-newsletter with SaaS-y information and leisure.
Heat-up questions
What’s your favourite beverage?
My favourite beverage is an iced oat lavender latte. I do know it sounds fancy, however I would like a latte daily. I really like experimenting with totally different flavors in my espresso, and if it tastes good, I am keen to spend 9 or 10 {dollars} on it.
What was your first job?
My first paid job was working for my mother, who owned a small enterprise. I used to be nonetheless very younger and assisted with information entry duties, which I discovered notably pleasurable. I used to be captivated with getting into data and used this chance to boost my typing pace considerably.
What’s your favourite software program or favourite software program class in your present tech stack?
My favourite instrument presently, and the one I depend on probably the most to handle my enterprise, is Notion. It is extremely versatile, permitting me to simply create methods for corporations that won’t have their very own. Whether or not it is organising content material calendars, outreach lists, information reporting, or drafting paperwork, Notion is the right platform for organizing any workspace effectively.
What issues at work make you wish to throw your laptop computer out the window?
There are occasions when a bit of content material requires a number of revisions after being printed, and you need to edit, take away, or repost repeatedly. That’s actually irritating for me as as soon as these duties are executed, I really feel the necessity to step away from my laptop computer to recharge.
This sort of scenario tends to happen extra with social media content material the place you add one thing that doesn’t seem like the way it regarded in preview. That is the worst as a result of typically there’s nothing you are able to do moreover deleting it.
Deep Dives with Christopher Cox
Are you able to share how Nebula Social was based and what impressed its concentrate on natural social media?
Rising up, I used to be early on many social media platforms. I used to be engaged with them typically inside a couple of days of a platform launching. From the joy of Britney Spears following me on X (previously referred to as Twitter) to managing Tumblr pages, memes, and running a blog, I immersed myself within the thrilling world of on-line communities.
My ardour for social media continued by means of highschool and faculty, main me to review media research, digital communities, and social media advertising at UC Berkeley. I turned keen on journalism as a result of it was a method to share data with folks on social media. Consequently, this curiosity guided my internships and, after faculty, helped form my profession path, which included dynamic roles in each tech and journalism.
All through my profession, natural social media has remained on the core of my work. Whether or not connecting customers with a product or retaining journalistic communities knowledgeable, natural social media advertising turned my space of ardour and experience. Though I understood the worth of paid media, I thrived on constructing audiences organically.
With social media evolving, I embraced its shift in the direction of a creator-driven house. This led to my final position, the place I turned the face of a model’s TikTok, mixing my on-camera expertise with my social media acumen. Nonetheless, I felt the necessity to differentiate my private model from an organization’s branding, particularly as extra alternatives started coming my manner.
I used to be later laid off from my position alongside my co-founder, which led to the delivery of Nebula Social. We started rising our group, and it began taking over a lifetime of its personal. We now help manufacturers in discovering their distinctive star energy by means of expertise pairings. We additionally attempt to create methods to assist them strengthen their natural social media presence. Staying forward of social media’s fast evolution is actually thrilling for us.
Join G2 Tea.
Advertising information brewed contemporary each week only for you. Subscribe right here
You’ve gotten constructed a powerful social media group personally and professionally. What are some key methods you’ve got discovered efficient in constructing an engaged natural social media following?
One factor that stands out to me is manufacturers constructing relationships with a number of creators. Normally, corporations make investments rather a lot in a single full-time creator, which is not sustainable, in line with me. This method locations the model in danger, and if that creator leaves, the model’s engagement could undergo considerably.
I’ve seen cases the place manufacturers wrestle as a result of their viewers is tied carefully to only one particular person.
Many corporations lack efficient methods for leveraging creators. By working with a number of creators and fostering long-term partnerships, manufacturers can unlock larger potential.
Relying solely on one-off partnerships implies that their first spherical of artistic, which is able to by no means be the very best, will get put on the market. That turns into the focus, and the viewers strikes on with out forming a connection. When you can deliver a number of folks in, you possibly can construct one thing extra sustainable and create higher content material by experimenting with them. This makes the content material extra genuine and true to your model.
“By partaking a number of creators, manufacturers can develop a extra sustainable technique, enhancing content material high quality by means of collaboration and experimentation.”
Christopher Cox
Co-Founder and CEO of Nebula Social
That may be a nice technique, and plenty of manufacturers can relate to it. Coming to my subsequent query, are you able to talk about a latest challenge or marketing campaign the place an revolutionary social technique led to vital outcomes for a consumer?
We now have a consumer within the cleansing trade — a B2C firm — that has served as a mannequin for making use of profitable methods to our B2B shoppers. However after we began out with them, that they had no natural social presence, and now we have partnered with them for over a 12 months at this level, and have grown their account 10 instances with working with smaller creators.
Initially, we thought-about specializing in testimonials and repair advantages, however these posts didn’t carry out nicely. As a substitute, content material that includes cleansing hacks — concise, value-packed suggestions utilizing on a regular basis home items — proved extremely profitable. These posts resonated with audiences who won’t clear their complete house however appreciated fast, efficient options for particular duties. Such content material went viral throughout platforms.
“Prioritize creativity by producing partaking, worthwhile, and well timed content material. ”
Christopher Cox
Co-Founder and CEO of Nebula Social
Key lesson? Even a single piece of compelling artistic can attain thousands and thousands of views on Instagram, Fb, and TikTok: one video can rise up to five million views on Instagram, 6 million views on Fb, and 1,000,000 views on TikTok. We have seen this with only one piece of artistic that is not actually expensive to make and might rework the way in which folks have interaction along with your model.
You’ve talked about natural social media being an neglected jewel. In your expertise, what are the commonest challenges corporations face when growing an natural social media technique, and the way do you assist overcome them?
I believe many corporations place a heavy burden on a single particular person in the case of managing social media. More often than not, groups are composed of only one particular person, and through most of my positions, that was me, and it’s a tough place to be. It implies that you are placing all of the obligations of technique, measurement, group administration, influencer partnerships, content material creation, and getting on digital camera your self onto one particular person. It is difficult to search out somebody who can excel in all these areas, and even for individuals who can, the danger of burnout is excessive. That is the place the creator economic system has seen the increase.
When the model’s efficiency hinges totally on one particular person, any disruption — like a private sickness — could cause vital drops in metrics. To fight this, corporations ought to take into account hiring further workers or getting artistic with how they construct their social presence. This might embody using UGC, contracting specialists for particular roles, or increasing the staff with a number of contributors. It is unrealistic and unsustainable to anticipate one particular person to handle every thing.
You talked about in regards to the creator economic system and its rise. Might you elaborate on how the creator economic system is influencing advertising methods for each small and enormous companies at the moment?
UGC has at all times been round for the reason that inception of social media and has advanced considerably over time.
Previously, UGC primarily consisted of testimonials or consumer interviews that demonstrated product use by means of demos or gross sales pitches. Nonetheless, at the moment, UGC is more and more led by creators who construct an genuine model round how individuals are utilizing your product and the way they interface with your enterprise.
Whether or not you are a small or giant enterprise, UGC is extremely necessary to provide social proof that individuals are gaining worth from what you provide and spreading your message and your story on the market.
“Folks wish to see, hear, and expertise the story behind your product, and that’s how they join.”
Christopher Cox
Co-Founder and CEO of Nebula Social
As we speak, UGC is creator-focused and closely video-driven. This pattern is reshaping how companies, from B2C to B2B, leverage UGC to affect patrons additional alongside the buying journey. We’re seeing the creator economic system fully affect how corporations are advertising.
Whether or not it’s a small enterprise enlisting native creators to advertise a restaurant or a big enterprise growing creator packages to showcase merchandise, the impression of the creator economic system on advertising methods is profound. It’s thrilling to witness manufacturers transition from conventional company content material to genuine, creator-led video content material that really resonates with audiences.
You talked about the B2B and B2C areas, which brings me to my subsequent query. How do you suppose influencer advertising methods differ between B2B and B2C corporations, and might related methods be successfully utilized to each?
I believe there are classes that may be carried out throughout each.
In B2B, the method is a bit more technical by way of the expertise that it is advisable discover. You may must pay increased charges to work with these creators as a result of they’re extra specialised.
The expertise pool in B2C is a little more saturated. B2C manufacturers can companion with high influencers or leverage the abundance of UGC creators already utilizing client merchandise.
Making use of profitable B2C methods to B2B includes adapting and humanizing technical merchandise to make them relatable. One of many fundamental challenges for B2B is transferring away from outdated advertising strategies and understanding what fashionable influencer partnerships seem like. Firms should keep away from being overly advertorial, as such content material does not carry out nicely on social platforms and dangers being suppressed by algorithms.
Whereas B2C corporations typically have interaction in viral advertising, B2B corporations can encourage content material sharing amongst friends and decision-makers. The content material does not essentially have to be viral however informative sufficient for folks within the B2B area of interest to wish to share it round. The purpose could be for the put up to achieve the decision-makers and probably affect their determination.
So, I believe that is what we’re making an attempt to translate at Nebula Social. Our work focuses on serving to B2B manufacturers modernize their methods and make their content material extra partaking and shareable, and we’re happy to help on this transformation.
What recommendation would you give to entrepreneurs seeking to kind significant partnerships inside the creator economic system?
One widespread false impression in influencer or creator advertising is that solely these with a large following are worthwhile creators. The time period creators is broad and contains everybody who shares content material on-line, whether or not they have 500 followers or 50,000.
“With regards to UGC, particularly for long-term success, by no means underestimate the facility of smaller creators.”
Christopher Cox
Co-Founder and CEO of Nebula Social
Lots of creators that do not have 20k or 30k plus followers nonetheless know learn how to create actually good content material that may elevate your model. With the precise steering and technique, much like what my co-founder and I present, even creators with modest followings can obtain outstanding attain, garnering thousands and thousands of views and model consciousness.
Manufacturers ought to transfer previous the “influencer-or-bust” mannequin, the place they pour $10,000 right into a single put up that they then share on an Instagram story. Okay, you may get some followers and traction, however if you wish to construct a long-lasting group and actually develop your viewers sustainably, it is advisable put up often. Present information exhibits manufacturers are considerably growing their video output in comparison with a 12 months in the past, necessitating a various vary of content material to determine what resonates greatest.
Partaking with smaller creators not solely offers genuine partnerships but in addition results in longer-lasting, mutually useful relationships. Thus, working with these smaller creators is extra worthwhile and might set your model aside.
Trying forward, what social media tendencies do you consider entrepreneurs ought to put together for within the subsequent 12 months?
I believe that manufacturers severely underutilize lives, particularly TikTok lives. Many manufacturers not often use this function, lacking the chance for real-time interplay with their viewers past bodily occasions. TikTok and Instagram Dwell permit for each one-on-one and one-to-many conversations, enabling direct engagement in a digital format.
Platforms, particularly TikTok, are more and more selling stay content material as a key technique for account progress. Whereas viral movies are useful, leveraging lives can exponentially increase your attain and engagement.
You probably have movies that go viral, the way in which to truly 10x your progress is to get on TikTok stay. It additionally pushes all of your content material extra. It permits folks to work together with you, ask questions, and probably buy your product. When you’ve cultivated them appropriately they usually have an affinity with you, you possibly can construct stay experiences that transfer the needle.
Final however not the least, is there one thing you wish to say to the entrepreneurs to assist them up their social media sport for each B2B and B2C corporations?
Entrepreneurs must get extra nimble with how they companion with folks. Not each process requires a full-time position or bureaucratic processes, nor ought to one particular person be burdened with a number of jobs.
How can manufacturers effectively produce movies in-house, particularly with distant employees who may movie at house or within the workplace? This commonplace method can shortly turn out to be stale. As a substitute, take into account various artistic partnerships to supply content material. By collaborating with exterior creators, manufacturers can entry various settings and views, elevating their content material. This technique enhances creativity and extends the attain and impression of their video content material.
Construct robust connections. For video manufacturing, tapping into freelancers and creators can present the flexibleness wanted to boost your content material’s attain. Even with succesful creators, understanding learn how to direct, evaluate, and leverage trending content material is essential. Your technique should not rely solely on a single social media supervisor to deal with every thing.
As we speak’s viewers desires partaking, relatable content material, not mundane ads. They wish to clear up issues and add to their carts or tech stacks, however with out being overtly focused. In order that’s the largest recommendation I will give to entrepreneurs: simply have enjoyable, get artistic, and discover the precise folks to deliver that creativity out of you and your messaging. That is what is going on to push you ahead on social in 2025 as a result of it should be very aggressive.
Observe Christopher Cox on LinkedIn to maintain tabs on natural social media and content material creation.
When you loved this insightful dialog, subscribe to G2 Tea for the newest tech and advertising thought management.
