As audiences started preferring people over platforms, creator marketing became a strategic revenue driver rather than a visibility add-on or an experimental branding tactic. In 2025, the ad spend on U.S. creators was expected to reach $37 billion. This trajectory is set to witness continued growth in future. The creator marketing economy is expected to reach $480 billion by 2027, according to Goldman Sachs reports.
The traditional publishing industry has faced diverse consequences of this dramatic shift. Creator-driven content has consistently outperformed traditional editorial, and today’s audiences are more loyal to the figures they follow on YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms. Creator-led content seems more authentic to the younger demographic segments and helps them convert faster.
After dealing with sudden algorithm shifts, losing out on engagement level and referral traffic and even witnessing its impact on revenue, the traditional publishing industry has emphasized collaborating with creators. Even leading publications such as The Washington Post, CNN, BuzzFeed, and other platforms are working hand in hand with them to create short-form content, videos, written content, and personality-driven content to attract the target audience and convert them.
Despite embracing this strategic approach, many publishers still need more clarity on the fundamentals- like when to launch creator networks, how to structure the partnership, and what systems are needed to make it work.
To better understand the creator economy, State of Digital Publishing spoke with Anthony Delconte, who leads creator partnerships and audience development at Entrepreneur Media. He has spent considerable time building and scaling creator networks in the business media space and offers a unique real-world perspective to everything from finding the right creators to building revenue models that go beyond standard advertising.
Getting Started
What are the key signals that tell a publisher they’re ready to launch a creator network? Is there a minimum audience size, revenue threshold, or internal capability that needs to be in place first?
When my wife was eight months pregnant, everyone would ask if we were ready. I always responded with the same joke: “Does it matter?” That’s where publishers are with creators, the time is here, whether you’re ready or not. Instead of waiting for the right time, it is important to seize the opportunity to stay relevant in changing times.
Strategy and Positioning
How should publishers think about the strategic positioning of a creator network? Is it primarily a content expansion play, an audience growth strategy, a revenue diversification move, or all of the above?
I’m not a fan of using creators to expand content. These partnerships work best when creator content aligns with your core authority while reaching a new audience. Years ago, I worked at a personal finance publisher owned by a large corporation that invested nine figures in a digital media figure. As an experiment, we had the digital publisher create cobranded hands-and-pans videos that primarily focused on cheap meals. Then we boosted the content to reach new audiences. We noticed an increase in views and viewers, but none of them was consistent because they weren’t aligned with the rest of our content.
I consider creators as an important medium for maximising reach and bringing users into our funnel. Almost every creator partnership we run involves a video paired with an asset that audiences can access in exchange for their name and email. By asking the audience to opt in, we develop a long-term relationship that supports various revenue opportunities. We also incorporate creators into almost every RFP we respond to. We’re connected with budding entrepreneurs, contractors doing side hustlers, and franchise spaces, so we can tap into our network of creators for our advertising partners as well.
What’s the minimum viable infrastructure a publisher needs before launching a creator network? (Tech stack, team structure, legal frameworks, etc.)
At a minimum, you need someone to manage the relationship, a creator you want to work with on a trial basis. You should also be able to identify a way to capture signups and bring audiences into your funnel. If you want to use internal talent, get someone in front of a green screen to give context to an article.
Should publishers build their own platform, leverage existing creator platforms (YouTube, Substack, etc.), or take a hybrid approach? What are the trade-offs of each model?
Building your own platform gives you ownership of the relationship, but at some point you’re trying to gain an edge over platforms like TikTok, which can be challenging. You can start building on another platform, but make sure you have a way to drive your most engaged audience back to an experience you own, whether through newsletters or exclusive tools.
Creator Management
How do you balance editorial control and creator autonomy? Where should publishers draw the line between maintaining brand standards and allowing creators the freedom that makes them authentic?
This might be an unpopular opinion, but I believe you should give creators a brief with guidelines, let them do their thing without micromanaging, and offer minimal feedback while maintaining final approvals. If you don’t trust a creator, don’t partner with them. Brands have finally learned this lesson. There’s been a shift from overproduced, over-messaged posts to content that feels authentic to the creator and relatable to their audience. Authenticity is, after all, one of the main reasons you’re working with creators, because that is what appeals to the audience.
What’s the ideal process for identifying and recruiting the right creators for a publisher’s network? Should you start with existing freelancers/contributors, pursue established creators, or develop talent from scratch?
All three have different purposes. We value our contributors and have strong relationships with them that span across print, digital, events, podcasts, and social platforms. Our audience trusts them and finds their insights valuable.
Established creators, with a huge following, help maximise the reach of the publishing platforms. We look for creators who are educators as well as entertainers; they provide their audience with important takeaways while keeping them engaged. These creators have their own funnels and see value in reaching new audiences. We also serve small business owners, so some of these leads are extremely valuable for creators with consulting businesses.
Developing talent from scratch takes time, but it’s worthwhile. We work with key people on the editorial side, and our social team often appears on camera. I have also ended up there a few times myself.
Monetization
What are the most effective monetization strategies for publisher-led creator networks beyond traditional advertising? (Subscriptions, sponsorships, affiliate, etc.)
While we operate as a publisher, Entrepreneur also offers a wide range of tools for small business owners, side hustlers, and franchisees at every stage of their journeys. In that way, my role is not restricted to the editorial side. It also coincides with the scope of product marketing. Apart from user-generated content or paid ads on social media, creators serve as a strong medium for feeding users into that conversion funnel seamlessly.
Final Thoughts
Influencer-led content brings in measurable ROI for brands because it is performance-oriented. Unlike traditional media outlets, creator networks convert more because of the strong trust signals they carry. Thus, publishers must focus on building strong creator networks to maintain relevance with their audience and enhance visibility.
However, while creating creator networks, publishers must step back from stringent editorial control and let the influencers enjoy creative freedom. While adhering to basic brand guidelines is important, the authentic touch of creator-led content resonates most with the audience. Creator partnerships aren’t primarily a content expansion play. Publishers must treat it as a medium for amplifying reach and conversions.
Publishers must collaborate with creators they trust and analyse whether the content they generate aligns with the broader goals. It doesn’t demand an elaborate tech infrastructure. However, it is important to design a basic relationship management mechanism, and focus on bringing new audiences into the exclusive experiences they own. This will open new doors to diverse monetisation avenues and help them stand out in an audience-first landscape.
Platforms might shift, or trends might change, but authentic partnerships and audience loyalty will help them gain a competitive edge and future-proof their growth.
