Sweat Equity How I Would Build A Creator Marketing Strategy In 2026
Sep 16, 2025
Yash Chavan, founder and CEO of Saral, shares his insights on the future of influencer marketing. He discusses the shift from product seeding to structured partnerships and highlights the importance of meaningful collaborations for deeper engagement. Cost-effective strategies for small brands are explored, focusing on relationship building and nurturing top performers. Yash also delves into innovative monetization strategies for creators, including performance-based models and gamified engagement. The conversation underscores the vital role of storytelling and automation in enhancing brand visibility.
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Seeding Isn't Enough
- Seeding alone is temporary; brands must ascend creators into longer relationships to capture sustained impact.
- Move creators from one-off gifts to whitelisting, UGC contracts, affiliates, or retainers to build continuity.
Pick Creators For Fit, Not Just Reach
- Target micro creators (≈25–30k) for seeding and avoid larger creators for free product unless you have a relationship.
- Ensure quantitative fit and content-format fit by choosing creators who already produce brand-aligned formats.
Creators As Brand Characters
- Treat top-performing creators as characters in your brand story, not isolated vendors.
- Integrate them into content pillars and creative direction for sustained brand impact.
