Influencer vs. UGC Content Creators: What’s the Difference?
You know that saying, every square is a rectangle, but not every rectangle is a square, that’s basically the best way to describe Influencers vs UGC content creators. All Influencers create user-generated content but not all UGC creators are Influencers.
Let’s get into the differences
What is an Influencer
Influencers are accounts with the ability to influence potential consumers to buy a product or service by promoting or recommending the items on social media. Influencers are present in all corners of the Internet. Let’s look at just a few of the categories:
Food Influencers
They share hot new food trends, restaurants, bars, etc. This category often overlaps with lifestyle and travel as they are so closely intertwined.
Travel Influencers
These Influencers share their travels. From packing tips to booking tips and everything in between. You’ll discover the latest hot travel spots in your city, state, and beyond.
Book Influencers
Love to read? So do these folks! Sharing their favorite reads and often encouraging book club-like conversations around books, these Influencers are often sharing timeless classics and hot new reads with their audience.
Pet/Animal Influencers
Ok, so pets don’t technically have thumbs… but that doesn’t stop their parents from creating online personalities for their furry friends. These Influencers share things like pet care tips, travel tips, lifestyle tips, food tips, and any and everything pet related. My favorite is Doug the Pug
Lifestyle Influencers
You know that person who is just cool. Their name is cool, their lifestyle is cool, they do cool things. That’s Lifestyle Influencers. Every aspect of their life seems perfect, amazing, and so effortlessly dope. They share their life so this category often overlaps with many of the others listed here.
Fitness/Health Influencers
These individuals share fitness and health tips and information. They are often highly educated or well-versed in the industry and share things like exercise tips, healthy lifestyle tips, nutritional tips, and anything related to health and fitness.
Tech Influencers
Have you heard of ChatGPT? You probably heard it first from a Tech Influencer. These people are the first to know about the latest and greatest tech trends. Often sharing their insights and tips, these people are plugged in!
Beauty Influencers
Korean Skin Care, glass skin, slugging, cut crease, contouring, ice rolling, preventive botox, etc. are all terms and topics you’ll probably hear over on BeautyTok or in the beauty influencer circle. These Influencers help you feel you most beautiful.
Comedy Influencers
These people don’t necessarily sell you stuff directly like some of these other Influencers listed. Their main job is to entertain. You can often find them making skits, sharing jokes, and occasionally inserting a product placement into their skits. Unlike many of the other Influencers, it always feels natural and fun. My favorite right now is Sabrina Brier on TikTok.
B2B Influencers
Often the decision makers at their organization, B2B Influencers are thought leaders in their respective space. They engage with both plebs like us and other businesses and brands. They usually are the first to know about major industry changes and can have overlap with Tech Influencers and many of the other categories listed.
Sport/Athlete Influencers
This is gonna be your Chad Ocho Cincos and Joe Burrows of the world. They’re well known in and outside of the sports world and they have a lot of pull. You’ll typically find them overlapping in content with fitness and lifestyle Influencers.
The list goes on! Basically, it’s anyone who has amassed a following (of any size) and consistently shares and engages with their audience. Often promoting products, services, spaces, and places that they believe would be engaging and appealing to their audience.
Did you know there’s more than 1 Tier of Influencer?
Actually, there are 4. While most people think about Influencers as the Kim Kardashians, Mosseri, and Alix Earles of the world, they actually come in all sizes! From massive accounts to humble followings these are the 4 Tiers of Influencers you need to know about
Tier 1: Micro-Influencer: 5,000-100,000 Followers
Boy, a lot has changed since social media and Influencer marketing first hit the scene. Today, a Micro-Influencer is an account with 5,000 to 100,000 followers. These accounts aren’t true household names. At least not in every house, though that doesn’t mean they don’t have any pull with their followers. These accounts have a tight-knit relationship with their following and are often more sought out after because of their close relationship. With any Tier, you need to be mindful of accounts that buy likes or followers. This phenomenon is seen at every tier. Let’s look at a great example of a Micro-Influencer:
Example: Angie Knows the Truth
Pros: Highly engaged and active with their audience. Very influential with the followers they do have. May be more reasonable in price and more willing to work within your parameters.
Cons: Reach and impression may not be as strong. Because their audience is so highly tuned into their style they may react poorly to your brand on their page if it doesn’t match their vibe.
Tier 2: Mid-Tier: 100,000-500,000 Followers
Well-versed in brand deals and creating high-level quality content, Tier 2 strikes the perfect balance of maintaining their authenticity while also being able to reach a lot of people. Unlike macro-influencers, they still have a manageable amount of followers to engage with and likely have built and maintained a strong connection with their audience.
Example: Oliva Rink-Hempel
Pros: Going to deliver high-quality content. Will reach a large audience. Has a highly engaged audience that actually listens and follows with good faith.
Cons: Expensive and may be difficult getting on their content schedule. Can be a bit pickier about the briefs and brands they choose to work with.
Tier 3: Macro-Influencers: 500,000-1 Million Followers
Now we’re getting into the celebrity status level of Influencers. However, the definition of what we deem a celebrity has changed a lot. Before, celebs were elusive, inaccessible, and seemed to be living in these castles in the sky.
Today, a celebrity might be living next door to you. A YouTube star or a popular vlogger might be next to you in line at Target. Locally, we’re talking about people like Gabby Egan. While this tier does include the Kim Kardashians of the world it also includes the Alix Earle’s and We Wore What, and Jackie Aina’s of the digital world.
These Influencers do this for a living. They may have had a normal person job before becoming a full-time Influencer and content creator, however, nowadays they make their living from brand deals and appearances. These individuals may have a starting fee for posting as high as $50k. They’ll also likely have ironclad contracts and a team behind them like a lawyer (possibly multiple), a manager, a stylist, and even a PR person. If you’re planning to use one of these Influencers, you better get ready to loosen those purse strings.
Example: Jackie Aina
Pros: These are your professionals. You know if you give them a brief they’re going to deliver high quality content that is guaranteed to reach a lot of people. If you have the funds, it’s definitely worth it.
Cons: Expensive and difficult to get on their content planning schedule. They may also be particular about maintaining their personal brand’s style which may not align with your brand or the creative brief.
Ok, wow if you’re still here yay! Influencer marketing is a huge market that benefits businesses of all sizes, niches, and types.
Now, let’s get into User-Generated Content Creators
What is a UGC Creator?
A user-generated content creator is a content creator who specializes in creating content that looks user-generated. Their content feels personal, authentic, and unique to that individual’s style. As a UGC creator, their content can be sponsored and paid for by the brand their showcasing.
Here’s the thing about UGC content, we are ALL UGC creators.
Cool :)
Let me explain. Have you ever been to a restaurant, bar, concert, store? Have you ever purchased a skin care product? New hair spray? A new tool you loved so you shared on your stories or on your page? You have? Me too! Did you also take a pic or make a video and then tag the brand or use their official hashtag? Me too! Surprise! We’re UGC creators!
This is UGC content I made in my kitchen when I tried GT’s ALIVE Cola. This was delicious btw. But not very special. I might put this on one of my stories by the lighting is kind of blown out and I don’t love the background.
That’s better. I’d feel comfortable sharing this on a story or on my page (if I wasn’t a pug online) and tagging Coppins and Hotel Covington.
Ok, now we’re getting closer to something that’s more shareable and permanent. But let’s look at what the pros are doing…
Bebe is a Los Angeles based UGC creator. She reached out to me via email asking if I had any work and it was kismet, because I totally did.
So, What’s the Diff?
You might be saying, “Candace, these look all the same to me… what’s the difference?”
And honestly, that’s a great question.
UGC is an Authentic Voice
UGC content is unique and reflects genuine experiences and opinions. Your audience will get to experience that “lived-in” feel they crave from content.
Influencers are a Trustworthy Endorsement
While UGC creators can create something that feels tangible, Influencers have developed and cultivated an audience that would trust them with their life. Influencers say jump and their audience asks, “how high?”
UGC Creators Can be More Cost Effective
Influencers make a career out of content creation. This means that their fees and costs are often higher than UGC creators. With UGC creators they typically look for free product, discount codes, or nominal fees alongside the product.
Dependency on Influencers Can Wreak Havoc
Working with one Influencer is like working with one celebrity. Drop the celebrity or the celebrity drops you and your brand’s social currency could plummet immediately. Like, what if AMC stopped showing the Nicole Kidman commercial? Would movies even be the same in the New '20s? UGC creators create anonymous content that can be used in perpetuity with faith.
Content Discovery May Blow with UGC Creators
It might seem like UGC and Influencers may exist in plenty, however, two things can be true at once. It’s possible to feel like there are no Influencers or UGC creators and it’s also possible that it feels like there are so many. With UGC creators you may find yourself sifting through submission after submission. With Influencers you can use software like FOHR or Influence.co to find your next great partnership.
Targeted Reach
With Influencer marketing the benefit is that you can increase your brand’s visibility. The conversations around your business or industry are already happening online. Using Influencer marketing allows you to enter those conversations that are already happening without interrupting the audience. By utilizing an Influencer’s already established audience and partnering with them you will expose your brand to new audiences in an organic way.
Curious About Influencer Marketing or UGC Creators?
Let’s talk! Whether you want to use one of my trusted connections, need some pointers on what to look for in your next content creator, or need help developing a creative brief to share with them, Digital Candy can help. Email me at candace@digitalcandyllc.com and let’s start your next great campaign!
