we’re at the point where we need to scale our UGC campaigns, but the creator search process is killing us. right now, we’re mostly finding creators through Instagram hashtags and then manually reaching out, which works but it’s slow and inconsistent.
our biggest concern is authenticity. we want creators who actually resonate with our brand and their audiences, not just influencers who’ll shill anything for a check. we’re especially trying to balance creators from both the Russian market and US-based talent, since we’re selling across both regions.
i know there are platforms and agencies that can help, but i haven’t had great luck with the generic creator marketplaces. they feel a bit mercenary, and the creators don’t seem genuinely invested.
how are other DTC brands finding quality creators? and how do you vet them before you partner up? what’s your process for actually connecting with them, especially when you’re working across different languages and markets?
oh, i love this question because it’s exactly what i spend my days thinking about! authenticity is everything, and you’re right to be cautious about the mercenary approach.
here’s what actually works: build relationships, not just transaction lists. yes, it takes longer, but the creators who feel valued become genuine brand advocates, and their content performs way better.
my process is grassroots. i follow communities, not just individual creators. find where your audience hangs out (Discord servers, Reddit threads, TikTok communities), get to know the culture, and identify creators who are already loved there. when you reach out to someone who’s genuinely embedded in a community, they’re more likely to create authentic content.
for cross-market work, it helps to have local connectors. find someone in Moscow who knows the Russian creator ecosystem, get someone in NYC who understands US micro-creator networks. they’ll make introductions that algorithm-based discovery just can’t.
my biggest tip? when you reach out to a creator, lead with genuine interest in their work, not with a campaign brief. ask them what they’re working on, what they care about, what their audience needs. if the fit is real, the collaboration will sing.
piggybacking on Svetlana here—as a creator, i can tell you exactly why the generic marketplaces feel weird. when a brand comes through one of those platforms, it feels like i’m just a line item on a spreadsheet. but when someone reaches out because they genuinely follow my work and think we could do something cool together? that’s when i actually care.
i’m way more likely to produce higher-quality UGC for brands that make me feel like a partner, not just a vendor. and honestly, the UGC is usually way better as a result because i’m putting actual thought into it instead of just churning out content.
if you want authentic creators, especially across markets, look for people who are already creating content in your space. follow the hashtags, see who’s making videos about products similar to yours, reach out directly. offer to collaborate on something that serves their audience, not just your sales goals.
one more thing—micro-creators are way more responsive than macro. if you’re looking for genuine partnerships, the 10k-100k range is usually where the magic happens. those creators are hungry for good partners and their audiences are engaged as hell.
and if you want to make this scalable without losing the authenticity angle, consider building a formal creator program. give creators structure, resources, and clear incentives, but also give them freedom on the creative side. we’ve seen brands do this really well by creating a “creator collective” that feels like a community, not just a roster.
i’d actually love to see more cross-border creator networks where Russian and US-based creators collaborate. there’s so much potential there for authentic, organic partnerships that just hasn’t been tapped yet.