“There’s still so much runway with creator marketing, and I think a lot of brands probably aren’t investing enough,” said our analyst Minda Smiley during EMARKETER's Creator Summit.

While the value of creator partnerships feels like an inescapable marketing take, it’s still not a universal tactic. Some 48% of marketers say creators are a must-have investment, found Q4 2025 data from the IAB.

While less than half of marketers consider creator marketing crucial, investment in the space isn’t slowing down. US social media creator revenue this year will more than double since 2022, EMARKETER forecasts.

To wrap up the summit, Smiley and our analyst Emmy Liederman broke down how panelists spent the day making a case for creator marketing, highlighting new approaches they’re testing in 2026.

LinkedIn has leverage across brands, verticals

Gap is increasingly focused on LinkedIn, shared head of influence Cory Weaver during aSmiley’s session on creator commerce.

Authenticity and credibility are the top criteria for selecting B2B creators (58%), according to an April 2025 Linkedin and Ipsos survey. But B2B creators can be valuable to more than just B2B brands.

“LinkedIn has had a lot of momentum lately, partly because of creators, but also because people are spending more time there,” said Smiley. “The B2C brands that aren’t looking into it are missing out.”

Partnering with a software as a service (SaaS) company that a B2B creator uses during the workday might be the most obvious choice, but B2B creator content can be spun to include the clothes they wear to conferences or the coffee they drink.

“We have this whole generation of B2B creators on LinkedIn who people deeply trust because they have that knowledge and expertise,” said Liederman. “[The pivot to B2C partnerships] is something I’m watching.”

Brands are extending creator marketing to store employees

Dick’s Sporting Goods has broad criteria for creator partnerships. Through its ambassador program Varsity Team, the brand recruits both employees and external creators for paid campaigns.

Store employees’ proximity to products and the brand can give them an edge over creators, said Nicole Marcus, manager of influencer strategy at Dick’s Sporting Goods.

Using employees as B2B creators is still a budding initiative. While Dick’s compensates these employees for their content, this is not the case across the board, said Liederman.

“If [marketers] can figure out a way to do it that’s ethical and fair, it’s an opportunity to have someone that truly knows your brand speak about it,” said Liederman.

TikTok Shop is winning brand approval

TikTok Shop will reach $23.41 billion in US ecommerce sales in 2026, a 48% increase YoY, EMARKETER forecasts. That means the retailer is poised to outperform Target, Costco, Best Buy, and Kroger. Retailers like Gap, Skims, Disney, Samsung, and Victoria’s Secret have taken notice and set up storefronts.

“TikTok is really trying to rebrand as this super solid, reputable commerce option,” said Liederman.

The platform has clear sales momentum, but it’s the brand storefronts that encourage consumer trust.

“Gap and Stanley 1913 are both on TikTok Shop, and it’s super interesting to see household names like that talk about being on the platform,” said Smiley. “There’s still a lot of uncertainty around TikTok and its US ownership, but it’s definitely having a lot of momentum in the shopping front.”

Creator marketing calls for both short and long-term partnerships

Marketers are embracing long-term partnerships to build stronger relationships with creators and offer them creative oversight.

While the push for ambassadorships is strong, marketers often don’t want to limit their work to one type of partnership. Choosing one type “oversimplifies what [creator] marketing can do,” as brands turn to this channel for goals from product sales to brand awareness, said Liederman.

“Best Buy has this roster of long-term partners, but sometimes you have a product launch and there’s a creator who speaks to the perfect demographic for pushing that product,” she said.

A layered approach to creator marketing and using creators throughout the funnel is now necessary for enterprise brands, said Smiley.

“Creator marketing has just become so dynamic. We’ve moved past the days of ‘We have a splashy 360 campaign coming out and here are the four influencers we’re partnering with,’’’ she said. “Small and medium-sized businesses are going to have their limitations, but when we’re talking about bigger brands, I don’t think you have to think about it in a more tiered capacity.”

Watch the full session

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