Partnering with Viral Creators: A Guide for Brands

By Hannah Anderson

Living a life immersed in the internet, one becomes familiar with the constant emergence of new viral creators on social media. From a brand marketing perspective, there’s appeal in evaluating potential partnerships with talent that have recently gone viral, but there are also some things to be cautious about.

Viral phenomena can unfold in two directions: a fleeting moment of fame or a springboard to sustained success. Predicting the outcome isn't always straightforward, but generally, talents who've been diligently honing their craft, maintaining a consistent online presence, and have established their niche are more likely to transition into long-term success.

Looking at a few examples from recent viral talent, Alix Earle and Jake Shane have converted their moments into success stories. Both had their big breaks in 2022, but are still sought after partners and continuously growing on social and beyond. What binds them together is their adherence to content authentic to their established styles; their rise wasn't an overnight phenomenon, though it may have seemed so. While brand collaborations swiftly followed, both Alix and Jake have persevered, leveraging their moments of relevance to cement their positions as influential figures in internet culture, thereby ensuring longevity and relevance.

Brooklynne Webb and Axel Webber represent the flip side of viral success. After their viral moments, they’ve both reverted back to a more standard content creator path. Beyond their own platforms, they've faded from the spotlight, and while they still secure brand deals, the scale and numbers have significantly dwindled from their peak. Brooklynne boasts a sizable follower count, yet recent views and engagements don't align. Axel took six months off from TikTok last year leaving uncertainties about the future.

Here's how to assess whether viral talent are suitable for your next campaign:

1. Voice and Content Style: Beyond a single viral video, examine the consistency and tone of their overall creative output. Are they maintaining a coherent theme and execution, or are they capitalizing solely on a one-hit wonder? Delve deeper into their content to ascertain if the qualities that made the viral video successful are prevalent across their other work.
2. Authenticity: We still want to ensure there’s a clear authentic connection between your brand and the talent. Take Pookie + Jett (or more accurately Campbell Puckett and her husband) and Susi Vidal (of Susi Pesto Stitches fame) as good examples. Both recently gained widespread notoriety quickly, and far beyond their typical content niche. Susi could be perfect for food and cooking collabs. Campbell has been a strong mid-tier fashion influencer for some time now, so partnerships would make the most sense for fashion and lifestyle brands or those mentioned often in her content with Jett. For example Chick-Fil-A or Waffle House would be a great fit, while other QSR chains wouldn’t feel as authentic.
3. Multi-Channel Success: A viral hit on one platform doesn't necessarily translate to success on others. Creators with enduring success often cultivate a cross-platform audience. Explore their presence on other social channels to gauge the breadth and alignment of their community with your marketing strategy and objectives.
4. Community Engagement: Crucially, evaluate how the viral talent interacts with their community. Are they actively participating in and leading discussions, or are they more passive observers? Positive ROI from collaboration is more likely when the talent is deeply engaged with their audience.

Taking a moment to evaluate potential partners against your long-term brand strategy, rather than chasing every trend or emerging creator, fosters genuine interest and appreciation from your audience.

An effective long-term creator strategy involves a blend of cultivating internet relevance through partnerships with viral talents and collaborating with creators who've forged enduring connections and communities over time.

If you'd like to explore or chat with us about how we help brands craft breakthrough creator marketing campaigns you can email us directly at [email protected].