The first step if you’re a brand thinking of working with creators is defining what kind of creators you’d like to work with. This isn’t necessarily an easy task - there are so many to choose from, so many different platforms and genres to consider.

Let’s assume you know what type of creator you want - how do judge what makes a good creator from a not-so good creator?

We’ve put together a list.
Editors note: we’re not trying to quantify creators, but help you get a feel for general quality.

1. Performance.‍

Look at their Average views over the last 20 videos, and engagement levels (Healthy likes, comments, shares). The temptation might be to look at Followers - remember that followers mean much less than they used to, and that video views will give you a better sense of their cost. Quality creators will have a range of views, but will often have “hits” mixed in with other organic content. Note that when views go into big numbers, it might be because a branded video was boosted with paid spend.

Don’t look back too far - as creators views will grow / decline over time and fluctuate constantly. Always check that they post regularly, whether it’s once a fortnight or once a day, they have a good cadence and they’re active right now.

2. Content quality.‍

Is their content any good? Always watch a few videos, get a feel for the type of content they make. Is it well made? That might mean different things for certain genres. A street interview can get sound wrong. Comedians might not actually be funny (for your intended audience). If they make content for your campaign, you’ll get something very much like the videos on their feed. Would you be happy with that?

3. Content variety.‍

We’re not saying a lack of variety is a bad thing - as many creators have one format, and they do it really well. And if that fits with your campaign, it’s an easy win.

But we think variety is good for a number of reasons when it comes to creators.
Firstly - creators that have variety can fit a number of different briefs. They might do sketches, but also some vox pop content and face-to-camera vlog videos. Great as a long term partner over time.
Second - we see specialist creators burn out over time. If they only do a certain type of comedy sketch, longevity can be a challenge. The creator might get bored, or perhaps videos don’t get the traction they once did. While this might not impact your brief now, will this creator still be creating when you get in touch next year?
Third - are they active across many platforms? Do they live stream on Twitch, do sketches on TikTok and vlog on YouTube? Check out all their profiles to get a sense of who they are across all their channels.
Fourth - creators who can mix it up tend to be more skilled and experienced in video making in general. Does the creator only film in one location, do they film indoors and outdoors? Do they ever work with a camera operator or larger crew? Do they collaborate with other creators?

Remember that the creator you choose will need to fulfil your brief - have they done this brief before, or is it their first time?

4. Brand safety.‍

This is a topic all of it’s own. But it’s fairly simple to check brand safety on a general level.

Depending on your brand, safety can mean many things. But generally it breaks down into 3 areas: Swearing, Inapppropriate, Political.
Swearing - Do they swear much, if at all? Is it casual swearing or fairly gruesome language? Some brands care, others don’t.
Inappropriate - do they prank, or talk about controversial topics? Do they have particular views that don’t align with your brand? Do they ensure their profile is a safe place for people, make sure comments are moderated etc? Are they nice people in videos, or mean?
Political - an increasing area of concern nowadays. Everyone has a political opinion, but not everyone publishes their views on social media. Whatever your persuasion, we always feel political views don’t mix with brands too much. Again, it’s particular preference.

5. Experience.‍

This last one is about brand experience. While doing the first ever collab a creator has done before might be quite exciting, it does come with drawbacks. First time collaborators need a lot more hand holding through the process, in terms of briefing, timing, expectations of content to be delivered. Even how payments work. Check out a creator’s profile for previous branded content, and see if it’s good. Do they have a good agent? Agents can get a bad reputation but that’s only bad agents. Good agents are worth their weight. Good agents ensure a level of professionalism and responsiveness that you don’t always get.