New Study Reveals Creator Marketing’s Shift Toward an Infrastructure-Driven Industry
MARKETING
LTK, the pioneer of Creator Commerce™, released findings from the fourth annual Creator Marketing Study in partnership with Northwestern University.
Creator marketing is no longer an experimental channel or a series of one-off influencer partnerships. According to the fourth annual creator marketing study released by LTK in partnership with Northwestern University, creator marketing has entered what researchers call its“infrastructure era,” a phase where creator programs have become a foundational part of how brands operate, engage consumers, and drive sales.
The study highlights a significant shift in the marketing landscape, showing that brands are moving beyond testing creator partnerships and are now focused on building scalable, always-on systems that support long-term business objectives.
Always-On Creator Marketing Becomes the New Standard
One of the report’s most notable findings is that creator marketing is no longer centered around isolated campaigns. Today, 91% of brands operate creator programs with an always-on component, signaling that creators have become a permanent element of modern marketing strategies. At the same time, the average number of creators brands work with has increased 275% year over year.
As programs scale, creator marketing is reaching beyond traditional social media teams and becoming integrated across multiple departments. The study found involvement from:
Marketing teams (74%)
Social teams (65%)
Media teams (61%)
Brand teams (60%)
Meanwhile, participation from public relations and affiliate teams continues to rise as organizations seek broader ways to leverage creator-generated content.
Trust Remains the Driving Force
While technology and data are helping programs scale, trust remains at the center of creator marketing’s value proposition.
The research found that creators are considered the most trusted source of consumer information, surpassing both traditional advertising and celebrity endorsements. Brands increasingly view creators as effective at building confidence throughout the customer journey, particularly at conversion and loyalty stages where purchase decisions are made.
According to Frank Dudley, Professor at Northwestern University and Associate Director of its Retail Analytics Council, the conversation has shifted from whether creator marketing works to how organizations can manage it effectively at scale.
The Rise of Specialized Creators
The study also shows an evolution in the types of creators brands prioritize.
While lifestyle creators remain highly sought after, organizations are increasingly investing in category-specific experts and subject-matter specialists. Certified experts such as chefs, trainers, and dietitians experienced the largest increase in importance, rising 18 percentage points compared with the previous year. Category-niche creators also gained momentum as brands seek trusted voices capable of delivering deeper expertise and more authentic recommendations.
This trend reflects changing consumer expectations for credible, informative content rather than purely aspirational promotion.
Creator Content Expands Beyond Social Media
Another major finding is that creator content is no longer confined to social platforms.
Brands are increasingly repurposing creator-generated content across multiple channels, including:
Social advertising
Retail media networks
Digital marketplaces
Email marketing
Display advertising
AI-driven search experiences
Connected TV
The study found that 41% of brands already use creator content to support AI-driven search visibility, highlighting the growing role creators play in content discovery beyond traditional social feeds.
AI and Intelligent Infrastructure Shape the Future
As creator marketing grows more sophisticated, technology is becoming a critical component of its success. The study reports that 95% of marketers consider AI capabilities either important or essential, underscoring the industry's focus on automation, optimization, measurement, and performance insights.
Researchers suggest that the next competitive advantage will come not simply from working with creators but from building intelligent systems that help brands operate creator programs more efficiently and effectively.
New Chapter for Creator Commerce
The findings make clear that creator marketing has matured into a core business function. What began as an emerging tactic has evolved into marketing infrastructure that influences awareness, consideration, conversion, and customer loyalty.
As brands continue to invest in creators, the focus is shifting toward scale, operational excellence, and technology-enabled growth. For marketers, the question is no longer whether to participate in creator marketing, it is how to build the systems needed to make it work at enterprise scale.
Access the complete study here.
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