I’m still making mistakes on creator selection, and I think it’s because I don’t have a good framework for assessing whether someone actually gets my market before I hire them.
Our DTC brand sells a pretty niche product—let’s call it a premium bathroom fixture that’s been around for a while but targeting a younger, design-conscious demographic. Not exactly sexy content material, but it’s possible to make it interesting.
I’ve hired creators based on follower count and engagement rate, and sometimes they nail it, but other times I realize halfway through that they don’t actually understand the product category or the audience we’re trying to reach. They’re good creators; they just don’t speak the language of this particular market.
I’ve tried asking creators directly about their experience with similar products, but that doesn’t always tell you much. Someone might have worked with home goods brands but have no actual understanding of how design-conscious millennials shop or what they care about.
How do I actually vet this before hiring? Are there questions I should be asking? Should I be asking for samples of previous work in adjacent categories? Should I do a small test project first?
I’m looking for a faster way to separate creators who genuinely understand the market from creators who are just good at making content.
This is exactly why I always start with an informal conversation before any formal collaboration. Not a pitch, just a chat.
I ask creators questions like: “How would you describe this product to a friend who’s never heard of this category?” “Who do you think would actually use this, and why?” “What would make you personally consider buying it?” Their answers tell you so much about whether they actually understand the market or just understand how to make content.
Creators who understand the market will ask you questions. They’ll probe into the competitive landscape, the brand story, the customer journey. Creators who don’t truly understand will just ask “what do you want me to say?”
That distinction alone is a huge red flag or green light.
I work with creators across different categories, and I’ve built a simple scoring system that helps: (1) Have they worked in this category before? (2) Do their followers match your target demographic? (3) What’s their engagement rate specifically on product-adjacent content vs. their baseline?
The third metric is key. A creator might have 8% engagement overall, but maybe only 4% on product-related content. That’s a signal they’re not resonating with this type of content.
For a small additional cost, I always do a test project first—nothing big, but enough to see if they actually understand the market. That test is usually worth it.
We’re running into this problem right now with our expansion. We’re looking for US-based creators who understand our product category, but we also need them to understand that we’re a foreign brand entering the market. Some creators get that and lean into it; others completely miss it.
What I’ve started doing is asking creators about their own experience as consumers in this category. “When’s the last time you actually used a product like this? What did you think?” If they can’t answer authentically, they probably can’t create authentically either.
Does that approach work for you, or are you looking for something more systematic?
We built a creator brief template that actually helps us filter for understanding without being obvious about it. Instead of asking “do you understand this market,” we ask open-ended questions that require market knowledge to answer well.
For example: “Describe three different customer personas who might buy this product and what matters to each of them.” If a creator can’t articulate that, they don’t understand the market. If they can, they probably do.
We also look at what creators have actually bought themselves. If they’ve invested their own money in this category, they’re much more likely to create authentic content about it.
Honestly? Ask us if we actually like the product. If a creator is willing to use it themselves and genuinely recommend it, that’s huge. If we’re just creating content for a paycheck, it shows.
I turn down brand partnerships when I don’t actually believe in the product, even if the money is good. And the brands who understand that and only want to work with creators who are genuinely interested? Those are the ones who get the best content.
So maybe the vetting tactic is: “Would you actually buy this if we didn’t pay you to promote it?” Real answer matters more than the diplomatic answer.
At a strategic level, I’d separate this into two questions: (1) Does the creator understand the product category? and (2) Does the creator understand your specific positioning within that category?
Those are different things. Someone could understand bathroom fixtures in general but not understand your positioning as a premium, design-forward brand. I’d vet for both.
Tactically, a small test project is always worth it. Spend $500-1000 on a test with 3-4 creators who pass your initial filter. See which one actually delivers market-aware content. Then you scale with the ones who prove they get it.