We became our own customer. Here is what it taught us.
What we found when GRIN started running its own creator program on GRIN.
By Ben Zawacki, VP of Growth, GRIN
Blog
Practical writing on influencer and creator marketing, from the people doing the work.
Archive
2025
- How to Incentivize Creators to Post Meaningful, Product-Led Content From PR (Not Just Another Unboxing)
- AI in Influencer Marketing: The End of Guesswork
- 12 Last-Minute Ways Brands Can Maximize BFCM Performance with Influencer & Social
- 7 Tools Shaping the Future of AI Visibility in 2026
- Affiliate Marketing Software Explained: Choosing the Best Platform for Your Brand
- AI Affiliate Marketing: How Brands Are Using AI to Scale Their Programs
- The Rise of Affiliate-First Influencer Marketing: Why 2025 Is the Tipping Point
- From Burnout to Efficiency: How AI is Transforming Influencer Marketers’ Workdays
- Proving Influencer Marketing ROI to Your CFO: Metrics That Actually Matter
- Affiliate + Influencer = The Future of DTC Growth
- How Brands Can Build a Simple, Yet Effective Influencer Strategy for Black Friday and Beyond
- The Ultimate Guide to Affiliate Program Optimization (Commission Rates, Tracking, and Recruitment)
- AI Search is Replacing SEO: What That Means for DTC Brands
- How Influencer Teams Can Move at the Speed of Culture
- How One Viral TikTok Can Drive More Sales Than Ads
- What Your Competitors Know About Your Brand (And How They’re Using It Against You in Influencer Marketing)
- Why Most Affiliate Programs Fail (and How to Make Yours a Winner)
- How to Collaborate with Influencers – and When to Let Them Go
- How to Nail Your Father’s Day Marketing with Influencers
- 7 Gym Marketing Ideas for 2024
- The Influencer Marketer’s Guide to Pride Month Marketing
- How Has the Fashion Industry Changed Over Time in the Creator Economy?
- Marketing in a Recession: How to Maximize Budgets and Increase ROI with Creator Content
- How to Hire Influencers on a Budget: Cost-Effective Strategies for Brands
- Top Health and Wellness Influencers of 2025
- Hi, I’m Gia—the first always-on creator marketer. Let’s build something incredible together.
- How to Evaluate Your Influencer’s Audience
- Macro Influencers or Micro Influencers? A Data-Driven Look at Which Performs Better in 2025
- Getting Verified on Instagram: A Complete Guide
- Influencer Marketing vs. Paid Social: Where Should You Invest?
- Top 15 Fitness Influencers of 2025 and Best Practices for Working with Them
- 20 Social Media Trends Every Brand Needs to Know
- Ready to Turn Influencers into Your Ultimate Revenue Squad?
- Partners for Life? Top 15 Lifestyle Influencers to Share Your Brand Story + How to Find Them
- Instagram vs YouTube Influencers – Which Should You Choose For Your Brand?
- Top 18 Food Influencers in 2025
- 23 Influencer Campaign Ideas & Tips to Keep Your Marketing Fresh
- Top Hair Care Influencers for Brand Partnerships
- What Is Social Listening + How to Use it in Your Influencer Marketing Strategy
- Top Makeup Influencers for Beauty Brand Partnerships
- The History of TikTok and Where It’s Going
- How to Design a PR Package Influencers Actually Love (and Post About)
- High-Ticket Marketing: 5 Influencer Strategies to Drive Sales
- The Instagram Algorithm: What’s New in 2025?
- How Partnering with Top Skincare Influencers Can Make Beauty Brands Go Viral
- Always Be Testing: How to A/B Test Your Social Media & Influencer Content
- Do You Have a PhD in Influencer Vetting? Because You Should.
- Top Gen Z Fashion Influencers & Their Style Trend Predictions
- The Customer Love Collection: Top 5 UGC Campaigns that Boosted Brand Sales
- Beauty Influencer Collaborations: A Complete Beauty Influencer Marketing Guide
- The History of Influencers and Why They Matter in 2025
- What Are KOLs in Marketing, and How Can You Use Them in Your Campaigns?
- TikTok Ban: What We Know About the Looming Deadline + How Your Brand Can Prepare
- 12 Influencer Marketing Myths Debunked
- Numbers Don’t Lie: The Importance of Data in Influencer Marketing and How to Use It
2024
- 5 B2B Influencer Marketing Case Studies That Prove the Strategy Works
- 10 Proven Strategies to Influence Consumer Purchase Decisions With Creators
- How to Optimize Your Influencer Campaign in 2025
- The Future of Influencer Marketing: Invest Now, Win Tomorrow
- Instagram Reel Trends for 2024
- How to Use Discount Codes This Black Friday & Cyber Monday + Examples
- How to Increase Brand Awareness With Creators: 6 Strategies to Consider
- What You Need to Run Successful Black Friday Campaigns with Influencers
- Top Cyber Monday & Black Friday Influencer Marketing Trends for 2024 (With Examples)
- How Influencer Marketing Affects the Entire Customer Buying Journey
- 5 Pillars for Building a World-Class Creator Program
- Crafting a Compelling Executive Summary: Your Guide to Captivating Decision-Makers
- A Complete Guide to D2C Influencer Marketing
- Influencer Discount Codes & Affiliate Links in Creator Marketing
- What Is a Media Kit? A Brand’s Guide to Getting Started
- Mastering The Mini: Instagram Size Dimensions for Maximum Impact in 2025
- How Do Instagram Collaborations Work? A Complete Brand Guide
- The Ultimate Guide to Instagram Video Marketing
- What Is a Creator Marketplace?
- Best Practices for Working with the Top Instagram Influencers of 2024
- Top Free Influencer Search Tools: Supercharge Your Marketing Campaigns
- 8 Steps on How to Create a Customer Loyalty Program
- Brand Reputation Part 1: Online Reputation Management for Businesses
- Top 30 Kid Influencers of 2024
- 15 Creative Instagram Story Ideas to Try Out in 2024
- How to Reach Out to Brands as an Influencer [+ Media Kit and Email Templates]
- 12 Email Marketing Trends for 2024
- Film Marketing Strategy: A Complete Guide in 2024
- Top 7 DIY Influencers and Best Practices for Working with Them
- Top 25 Food Influencers and Best Practices for Working with Them
- The Best Sports Marketing Ideas of 2024
- Top 10 TikTok Bio Ideas for Content Creators
- Top 15 Wine Influencers You Should Follow
- 11 Spa Marketing Ideas for 2024
- What Is the Best Time to Post on Social Media in 2024? A Complete Guide for Your Week
- 7 Creative Instagram Post Ideas to Try Out
- LGBTQ+ Influencers to Help Your Brand Show Off Its Pride
- The Complete Guide to Micro Influencer Marketing
- 7 Tips for Fashion Influencers on Instagram to Keep Their Profiles Fresh
- 10 Top TikTok Influencers to Follow in 2024
- Instagram Hashtags 101: How to Use Hashtags on Instagram
- How to Capitalize on Influencer Marketing to Grow Your Business in 2024
- The Male Cosmetics Industry in 2024: Marketing to the Modern Man
- The Real Definition of Influencer Marketing ROI: The Brand Halo Effect & More
- How to Design Influencer Websites (+ Examples)
- The Role of Customer Advocacy in Email Marketing Campaigns
- 8 Best Practices for Working with Finfluencers
- Best Practices for Working with Cocktail Influencers in 2024
- 5 Characteristics of a Good Influencer
- Understanding Social Media Marketing: The Key to Success in the Modern World
- Digital Marketing for Musicians: The Complete Guide
- Instagram Reel Trends for 2024
- How the Most Popular Female Twitch Streamers Are Changing the Game
- The Best Tips to Create a Winning Book Marketing Strategy with Creators
- 9 Ways Influencers Make Money and Diversify Their Revenue Streams
2023
- How Outdoor Influencers Can Bring a Breath of Fresh Air to Your Marketing
- Building Successful Music Marketing Strategies in 2024
- Alcohol Influencer Marketing: The Do’s and Don’ts of Successful Creator Campaigns
- GRIN’s Holiday Gift Guide 2023
- Understanding Influencer Scams: 9 Red Flags and How to Spot Them
- Top 10 Music Influencers of 2023 and Best Practices for Working in Harmony with Them
- Partnering with Gaming Content Creators: The Final Bosses of Influencer Marketing
- 20 of the Best Mobile Gaming Influencers to follow in 2024
- Influencer Marketing Software vs. Influencer Management Agency – Which Is Right for Your Business?
- Mobile Game Marketing: A Complete Guide to Leveling Up and Cashing In
- Iconic App Marketing Strategies and What We Can Learn From Them
- The Best Travel Content Creators of 2023
- 9 Mistakes to Avoid When Working with Luxury Travel Influencers
- 21 Successful Strategies for Food Influencer Marketing
- Wedding Influencers: The Key to Your Next Fairytale Marketing Campaign
- Travel Influencer Marketing: A Complete Guide
- 25 Influencer Marketing Best Practices to Get Higher ROI
- The Platform Formerly Known as Twitter: A Complete Guide to Twitter Influencer Marketing on X
- What Are Influencer Tax Obligations?
- Creating a Fresh Discord Marketing Strategy in 2024
- Dynamic Payouts: All The Information You Need to Know
- How to Measure Brand Reputation (And How to Improve It)
- Everything You Need to Know About TikTok Influencer Marketing
- Top 20 Dad Influencers to Inspire Your Next Influencer Marketing Campaign
- Who Is Your Target Audience? How to Identify and Reach Your Most Likely Buyers
- Snapchat Influencer Marketing: An 8-Step Guide
- The Ultimate Guide to Summer Influencer Marketing Campaigns
- How to Optimize Your Ecommerce Marketing Budget for Maximum ROI
- The Complete Guide to Instagram Influencer Marketing
- Is Going Viral with Nano Influencers Likely? The Answer Lives in Brand Love.
- Own the Conversation with These 11 Tips for Improving Influencer Engagement in Your Marketing Strategy
- The Ultimate Guide to Facebook Influencer Marketing
- 5 Reasons to Use Influencer Marketing for PR
- 11 Influencer Marketing Case Studies with Unbelievable Results
- 15 Influencer Marketing Mistakes You Should Never Make + How to Fix Them
- Top 11 Influencer Negotiation Tips for Landing the Perfect Creator Partnership
- 11 Benefits of Influencer Marketing Automation and When to Move on From Manual Processes
- Content Seeding: All You Need to Know
- Keep It Local: Influencer Marketing for Small Businesses
- 12 Healthcare Influencers With the Prescription for Healthy Marketing Campaigns
- How to Create Instagram Ads that Drive Sales: 7 Best Practices
- 5 Ways to Drive Customer Engagement with Conversational Marketing
- Influencers for Every Stage of the Influencer Marketing Funnel [+ Infographic]
- Understanding the Actual Influencer Marketing Cost
- Influencer Marketing Resources: A Complete Guide of Tools, Case Studies, & Examples
- How Startups Can Use Influencer Marketing to Grow Their Business
- What Is Influencer Seeding and How to Use It to Scale Your Business
- The Complete Guide to B2B Influencer Marketing
- Building a Successful Brand Ambassador Program: Tips and Strategies for Ambassador Marketing
- Shadow Banning: How to Fix It in Your Influencer Marketing Campaign
- Content Creator vs. Influencer: What’s the Difference?
2022
- TikTok Algorithm: What Is It and How Does It Work?
- 25 of the Top Ecommerce Marketing Strategies to Drive Sales in 2023
- Holiday Shopping Guide: Trending Gifts for 2022
- A Complete Guide to TikTok Content Categories
- Top Influencers for Teens in 2023 and What to Know Before Partnering with Them
- Nostalgia Marketing: How to Leverage the ‘Good Ol’ Days’ for More Authentic Influencer Campaigns
- Identifying Your Brand’s Ideal Influencer
- Work in the Creator Economy With These Top Influencer Marketing Jobs
- Understanding the Complex World of Mental Health Influencers
- Social Media Trends Today: Is BeReal the Next Big Thing for Influencer Marketing?
- 10 Top Instagram Models and How They’re Helping Brands Succeed
- 2023 TikTok Trends for Businesses
- The Rise of BookTok: Why Creators Have the Best Book Promotion Ideas
- Why Every Brand Should Partner with Latinx and Hispanic Influencers
- Gabriella Wisdom, Travel Blogger, Traverses the Globe on the Wings of Authenticity
- How Partnering With Influencers for Retail Activations Can Help Your Products Fly Off the Shelves
- Is Influencer Marketing for Music the Key to a Rockin’ ROI?
- 10 Quick Ways to Improve Influencer Relations
- Go from Beginner to Pro with Our Influencer Marketing Glossary
- Influencer Marketing for Ecommerce: A Complete Guide
- Influencer Content Whitelisting – Everything You Need to Know
- How to Sell Your Boss on Influencer Marketing Software [+ Downloadable Pitch Deck]
- 13 Benefits of Influencer Marketing That You Didn’t Know
- Millennial Influencers: Are They Still Alive?
- The Value of Influencer Marketing
- Influencer Marketing SEO Best Practices to Send Your Web Traffic Through the Roof
- 10 Top Jewelry Influencers & Why Content Creators Are the Gold Standard for Accessory Brands
- Not Your Mother’s Ads: How to Leverage Mom Influencers in Your Marketing Strategy
- How Brands Can Reach New Audiences Through LinkedIn Content Creators
- An Affiliate’s Journey: How One Content Creator Went from Unemployed to Six Figures in 3 Year’s Time
- Perfect for Any Season: How Seasonal Brands Use Influencer Marketing to Increase ROI
- Quick Guide to Earned Media Value & Influencer Media Value
- Influencer Reporting Best Practices for Demonstrating ROI [+ Free Influencer Report Templates]
- Ambassador Programs vs Influencer Programs – Which Model Makes Sense for Your Brand?
- The Do’s & Don’ts of User-Generated Content Rights in Influencer Marketing
- Influencer Rates: A Guide to Predicting Influencer Marketing Costs
- What Is Influencer-Generated Content & How to Use It to Help Your Brand
- 9 Short-Form Video Ideas for Social Media
- Self-Care Influencers: The Future of Wellness Brands
- 20 Home Decor Influencers Who Can Elevate Your Brand
- Discover Black Friday Buying Trends This Holiday Season
- Staying Innovative in Influencer Marketing: Ideas, Techniques, and Examples
- How to Connect With Influencers & Cultivate Long-Term Influencer Partnerships
- FitTok: The Future of Online Fitness
- Influencer Marketing Manager Must-Haves: Influencer Management Tools & More
- NFT Influencer Marketing: Cashing in With Top Creators
- A Complete Guide to User-Generated Content: Producing the Best On-Brand Influencer UGC
- A Crash Course on Briefing Creators [+ Influencer Brief Examples]
- 25 Black Influencers Who Are Making History
- 10 Ways to Leverage Social Media to Drive Results for Your Business
- Influencer Couples: The Pros and Cons of Partnering With Actual Partners
- Product Seeding in Influencer Marketing: A Complete Guide
- Craft Influencers and Your Influencer Marketing Campaigns
- How to Collaborate with Influencers – and When to Let Them Go
- DTC Pet Care Brands and Animal Influencers
- What Is Content Commerce: An In-Depth Look
2021
- Esports Influencers and Their Impact on Brands
- The Complete Guide to Athlete Influencer Marketing
- Influencer Relationship Management: The Complete Brand Guide
- 101 Vitally Important Influencer Marketing Statistics You Need to Know Today
- The Total Guide to Influencer Marketing Measurement
- Social Proof: What It Is and How to Leverage It for Your Influencer Marketing Campaign
- Top 10 Automotive Influencers That Brands Should Follow
- Affiliate Marketing for Beginners in 2024
- Top Inspirational Eco Influencers Brands Should Follow
- Top Tech Influencers That Brands Should Keep an Eye On
- College Athlete Influencer Marketing: What the NCAA Ruling Means to Your Brand
- Understanding the Creator Economy
- TikTok’s Creator Marketplace API and What It Means for Influencer Marketing
- A Complete Guide to Social Media Sentiment in Influencer Marketing
- The Complete Guide to Patreon Influencer Marketing
- 25 Influencers of Color That Brands Should Know
- Why Influencer Marketing Is Essential During a Pandemic
- Gen Z Marketing: Top 10 Gen Z Influencers to Follow
- Top 10 Creative Tattoo Influencers on Instagram
- DTC Strategy 2024: Making the Switch from Brick-and-Mortar to Ecommerce
- 10 Quick Wins to Increase Engagement Rate on Instagram
- TikTok vs. Instagram Influencers: What’s the Difference?
- Top 8 Tips to Level-up Your Influencer Marketing on Instagram
- An Essential Guide to Influencer Marketing for Health and Wellness Ecommerce Brands
- How to Recruit Influencers With Instagram DMs [+ Free Templates]
- Instagram Creator Week – Everything You Need to Know for Your Brand
- Influencer Marketing Tools: What Technology Is There & How Do You Use It?
- How DTC Brands Can Create a Frictionless Shopping Experience for Customers
- How to Create Authentic Content
- A Complete Marketing Guide to Influencer Types and Categories
- 20 KPIs For Your Influencer Marketing Campaign
- How to Calculate Your Engagement Rate on Instagram
- Automation and Artificial Intelligence in Ecommerce: How Ecommerce Marketing Is Changing
- Top 10 Equality, Diversity, & Inclusion Influencers to Watch
- How To Use Instagram Reels for Brands and Influencers – Quick Guide
- Diversity & Inclusion with Influencer Marketing
- Instagram Video Analytics Explained: Every Metric You Need to Know
- Influencer Marketing on Pinterest – Everything You Need to Know
- How to Report Influencer Marketing ROI to Your Boss
- Top 10 Pinterest Influencers
- How to Run an Instagram Influencer Audit
- Top Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Brands to Watch
- CGI Influencers: What Are They and How to Work With Them
- How to Run an Instagram Live Campaign With Influencers
- How to Avoid the 5 Biggest Affiliate Marketing Mistakes
- 3 DTC Customer Acquisition Strategies You Need to Succeed
- Top 5 Ways DTC Brands Can Stay Ahead Of The Competition
- What DTC Brands Need to Know About Selling on Amazon
2020
- Cross-Platform Content Marketing on Social Media
- The Future of In-App Shopping on Instagram
- How to Run Brand AR Filter Campaigns
- What Are Influencer Pods? – Everything you need to know
- How to Measure Social Influence
- Top Social Media Channels for Influencer Marketing – How to Find Success with Each
- Influencer Marketing Revenue Tracking
- Best Ecommerce Digital Strategies for the Holidays
- What Is Authentic Media and Content?
- How to Ask an Influencer to Promote Your Product [+ Free Templates]
- Dark Posts – What Is Dark Posting and How to Do It
- Influencer Marketing & Paid Media: How-To
- Shoppable Ads & Influencer Marketing – Quick Guide
- How to Integrate Your Influencer Marketing into Your Social Commerce (s-commerce)
- Influencer Activations – A Quick Guide to Success
- How to Build an Influencer Community
- How to Track Influencer Instagram Stories
- Influencer Contracts & Agreements – How To
- Top 10 Blogger Influencers – for every industry
- How to Integrate Your Influencer Marketing into Your Social Media Strategy
- Influencers and Instagram Takeovers
- How to Run Influencer Marketing Campaigns for Service-Based Businesses
- Ambassadors, Influencers and KOLs – What’s the Difference? And How Should You Use Each in Your Influencer Marketing?
- 20 Brands Using TikTok Influencers the Right Way
2019
- Everything You Need to Know About Instagram’s New Creator Profile
- Instagram Hiding Likes, It’s a Good Thing
- How to Write an Effective Influencer Collaboration Email
- How to Build a Brand from Scratch: Your Complete Guide
- How to Master the Art of Storytelling in Your Marketing Campaign
- Top 10 Business Influencers Who Can Help Grow Your Brand
- A Guide to Branding Yourself on Social Media
- 6 Winning Product Launch Ideas You Never Knew
- What Is Influencer Mapping and Why Does it Matter So Much?
- How to Combine Content Marketing and Influencers for Epic Results
- 9 Brands Who Nailed Influencer Marketing and Got Amazing Results
- 6 Effective Ways to Reach Your Target Audience
- The Top 12 IT Influencers Dominating the Tech Space
- 12 Retail Influencers You Can Partner With to Reach a Larger Audience
- Why Influencer Marketing Is an Important Part of Today’s Businesses
- 25 of the Best Tips and Strategies to Drive Your Small Business Growth
- 10 Types of Social Media Influencers You Can Work With
- FTC Rules for Influencers – Here Are the Key Takeaways for Brands
- The Psychology of Brand Trust to Enhance Your Business
- An Essential Guide: How to Create and Establish a Brand Identity
- Influencer Marketing Ethics – Everything You Need to Know Before Getting Started
- How to Create Content for Social Media That Connects with Your Brand’s Audience
- How Your B2B Online Marketing Strategy Can Help You Improve Your Brand’s Authority
- How Network Analysis Helps in Finding the Right Influencers
- Psychology of Influence – The Reason for the Rise of Influencer Marketing
- 11 Innovative Content Marketing Trends Shaping the Future of Marketing
2018
- What Do Consumers Think of Social Influencers?
- 5 Signs Your Influencer Marketing Strategy Isn’t Working
- Influencer Marketing for Lead Generation: Top Trends
- An Essential Guide to Instagram Hashtags: How to Grow Your Instagram Followers
- How to Use Influencer Marketing to Drive Referral Sales
- How to Use Influencer Marketing to Promote Your Events
- A Comprehensive Guide to Building an Online Brand for Small Businesses
- Influencer Marketing vs Traditional Marketing: Which Is Better?
- 15 B2B Influencer Marketing Case Studies
- 8 Influencer Marketing Campaigns That Brands Should Complement [FREE TEMPLATES & EXAMPLES]