Influencer marketing isn’t slowing down, it’s scaling up. When Unilever announced plans to work with 20 times more creators this year, it sent a clear message: brands are doubling down on social-first talent.

And you can see why. Social media has blown the gates off traditional broadcasting channels. The most exciting, engaging content on our feeds isn’t made by brands, it’s made by creators. They’re the engine behind platform growth, cultural trends, and increasingly, brand relevance. But here’s the catch: most brands still treat all creators the same. Now’s the time to fix that.

One reason this is important now more than ever is because of how the platforms themselves have changed. Social is no longer just about who you follow, it’s about what you like, search for, and engage with. The shift from the social graph to the interest graph means anyone can go viral from one piece of content. That’s a huge opportunity for brands but only if they have the right creators in place who understand how to play the algorithm and the audience.

At Hello and We Are Social, we talk about two types of creator: Influencers and Makers. Influencers are audience builders. They’ve earned attention consistently and turned it into influence. Their power lies in their personal brand and deep connection with their community.

The distinction matters and blurring the lines leads to missed opportunities, or worse, content that jars. Not every creator is an influencer. And not every influencer is a great content creator

Makers are craft-led creatives. They’re driven by formats, trends and the act of making. They don’t always have a massive profile, but they’re experts in what works in-feed, in real-time. Influencers help you show up in culture, and makers help you show up with culture.

The distinction matters and blurring the lines leads to missed opportunities, or worse, content that jars. Not every creator is an influencer. And not every influencer is a great content creator. So if you’re chasing reach or building trust with a specific community, partner with an influencer. If you need content that feels fresh, relevant and native on your own channels, turn to makers.

In the past brands have been put off by the lo-fi UGC style of maker content, but it’s essential to remember that today’s audiences are socially native. They value authenticity over polish. In fact, 60% of consumers say UGC is the most believable form of brand content. That’s where makers thrive. They bring the creative fluency that makes your content feel like it belongs.

So how should brands navigate this more complex ecosystem? Start by asking the right question. Not ‘how many followers do they have?’, but ‘are they the right creative partner for this job?’ And don’t leave it to the last minute. The most effective creator partnerships start at ideation, not activation. Involving creators early leads to stronger content and higher engagement. The majority of creators say early involvement makes their work more authentic.

The brands making the biggest impact today aren’t just showing up on social, they’re shaping culture from within it. That takes more than transactional partnerships

This means involving creators not just in the execution, but in shaping the idea. Share the brief, yes, but also the business problem. Let them pitch formats or trends you might not have considered. It makes the work more authentic, and the creators more invested. Some of the best content we’ve seen didn’t come from a brief, it came from a shared problem and a blank page.

The brands making the biggest impact today aren’t just showing up on social, they’re shaping culture from within it. That takes more than transactional partnerships. It takes collaboration. The best work happens when creators are part of the process from the start, helping brands speak the language of the platform and the moment.

Influencers or makers? The smartest brands know how to use both, not interchangeably, but intentionally. Because in today’s social economy, attention is rented but creativity is owned. If you want to stay relevant, you need both.

Matt Roberts is UK managing director of Hello, part of the We Are Social Network; thisishello.com; Top image: Shutterstock