Read Time: 1 min 45 secs

Hey — Ryan To here.

In today’s edition we’ll be covering:

Ever wondered why some creators get huge payouts from brands?

And why other creators struggle to barely get deals?

The answer isn’t the amount of followers you have…

Or the niche you’re in…

It’s about understanding which monetization options exist, and how to do it effectively

Here’s a breakdown of different ways creators monetize with brands:

So whether you’re a creator trying to monetize more effectively…

Or a brand trying to learn a thing or two about working with creators…

Here are the 3 ways to create valuable brand content and get paid more:

1. Effective Integrations

Ever seen a piece of sponsored content that clearly feels like an ad?

Well, that’s an example of what not to do

The best brand integrations feel natural, and come from a creator sharing a product that they care about

Check out this example from @namimatcha

Or this one from @rhode

Here’s how to improve your product integrations:

Niche alignment: Work with brands that you actually care about. If you don’t connect with the brand, your audience won’t either
Series continuation: Think about how you can naturally integrate the product into a series that you’re already creating
Creative freedom: Ask for creative freedom. A great balance is the creator writing the script, and then the brand tweaking it to ensure the integration is aligned

2. Storytelling

Now if you want your ads to stand out and convert, you need to make them entertaining

The easiest way to do this is by telling stories

Check out this one from @photoshop that collaborates with @coltkirwan and @lifeofriza

Here are a few ways to do this:

Make it fun: Instead of just talking about the product, introduce a challenge or game into the storyline
Be personal: Share ways that you’ve personally used the product, or how it’s solved problems in your life
Have characters: Whether it’s by asking your friends to join or having someone test the product, characters will make videos feel less like ads and more like stories

Finally, this one’s a bit different to the other two tips…

But it’s just as important

Successful brand campaigns can be made or broken by having the right deals and incentives in place

So whether you’re a creator or brand, try implementing these 3 things into your next brand deal to align incentives for everyone:

Include performance bonuses: Track metrics like views, clicks, and conversions. Then, use a UTM link or coupon code to get payouts
Cross-post content: If you’re a creator on multiple platforms, do cross-platform deals. It’s easier to repurpose content, and you’ll be paid more
Do video bundles: Multi-video deals mean more money + translate to better long-term engagement and a stronger creator/brand relationship

Have a great day ❤️

Ryan To

Creator (120K+)

@itsryanto