UK creator partnership revenues are forecast to reach £1.2bn in 2026 – a major milestone for something that, not that long ago, was often seen as an experimental add-on to a media plan.
With investment forecast to grow by 26% this year, considerably faster than the wider digital advertising market, it’s clear that creator partnerships are becoming an increasingly established part of the media mix rather than something brands simply test with leftover budget.
It’s not difficult to understand why. The way people consume media continues to change, with audiences spending more time across social platforms and increasingly choosing content created by individuals they actively follow. For advertisers, that creates an opportunity to reach audiences in an environment where they are already engaged and, when done well, in a way that can feel more natural than a traditional advertising message.
Creators can also bring something valuable to a campaign that media reach alone can’t necessarily provide: personality, credibility and an existing relationship with their audience. The right creator already understands what interests their followers, the type of content they respond to and how to communicate with them in a way that feels authentic.
But the growth in creator investment shouldn’t automatically be taken as evidence that every brand needs to be spending more in this area.
As creator marketing becomes a bigger part of advertising budgets, it should be subject to exactly the same scrutiny as any other media investment. Who are we trying to reach? Is this genuinely where they are spending their time? What role does the creator activity play within the wider campaign? Is the creator right for the brand and its audience? And, crucially, how are we going to measure whether it has worked?
There is also a danger that brands can become distracted by follower numbers or the profile of an individual rather than looking at the quality and relevance of their audience. A creator with a smaller but highly engaged and relevant following could potentially offer far greater value than someone with millions of followers but little connection to the brand or campaign.
For media planners, that means creator partnerships increasingly need to be considered alongside other channels rather than in isolation. They may complement paid social, video, audio, outdoor or even TV, but the starting point should still be the audience and the campaign objective rather than the latest trend.
For me, the £1bn milestone is important because it demonstrates just how far creator marketing has come. It has earned a much more established place in the planning conversation.
The next stage will be ensuring that the strategy, measurement and accountability surrounding creator partnerships mature just as quickly as the investment going into them.
