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Defining Creator Commerce: What Does This Concept Even Mean?

October 4, 2023
Creator commerce is an increasingly used term, that defines the broad intersection of creators and commerce. Wherein content-forward influencers, makers & affiliates are enabled to sell products to their audience (oftentimes on behalf of other brands).

A new creator concept is emerging, so get ready to see X/Twitter, LinkedIn, and Subreddits alike to swarm to it. Creator commerce is a growing and effervescent subset of the expansive eCommerce industry. This new variant of ways to sell is a practice where creators (a specific variant of influencers, digital makers, and affiliates ) take their hand at merchandising products on their own-- whether of their own creation, or on behalf of other brands.

Rewind to 2009, a milestone year where the term "Creator" was birthed in the lexicon of online video content. These individuals, dubbed 'Creators', were the original suppliers of internet content, and they soon transcended to represent an idyllic career path for anyone with a creative and entrepreneurial spirit.

However, a distinction must be drawn. Creators are not to be confused with just any influencer or affiliate, specifically, creators should be considered as individuals who have built a following around their content & skillsets specifically. This is to contrast with those who have built an audience around personal relationships.

Fast forward to today, and you'll see that creators are evolving, embodying their personal brands with a finesse that blurs the demarcation between content generation and the art of business. Within this fusion, opportunities to curate products & guide purchasing decisions are becoming the norm. Creator-led retail strategies have accidentally found a seamless path market, while receiving strong reception from their fans & followers.

Within the burgeoning Creator Economy, an estimated 50 million creators are disseminating content across diverse platforms. In response, a wave of companies are surfacing, to become the back bone of creator commerce. Offering robust support to creators who're building their own brands through content-forward product curation.

Moreover, social media platforms are actively enhancing their features, introducing functionalities that streamline the process of building an audience, and how to tap into new segments at will. The conversation will eventually become one centered on which platforms creators should prioritize, and how they should approach audience ownership. This debate will become a major discussion as creator commerce grows.

Summary

In summary, creator commerce signifies a substantial shift within the eCommerce landscape. In this dynamic, content creators seamlessly wear multiple hats - they are influencers, entrepreneurs, product endorsers, and brand builders, effectively selling products and crafting their brands. This transformation is propelled by the unbridled growth of social media and the innate desire among fans for a deeper, more intimate connection with the creators who's work they passionately follow and support.

CreatorCommerce, the platform, aims to democratize access to this industry, and will continue to publish content on how the industry evolves.

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