Parasocial relationships are driving purchasing
+ why Pinterest is the best
quick summary ⚡️
Why brands need to prioritize creator marketing
Cultural Gems: Timothée Chalamet’s wild press tour, AI comes to Reddit and more
Why Pinterest is the Elle Woods of social platforms
3 trends dominating creator marketing
It finally [finally!] feels like most people understand that if you’re not on-board with creator marketing, you’re behind.
We know how it really is, though. If you work for a brand, the higher ups can say they want to prioritize creator work, but when they see the budget ask, they want to put the money where it still feels like a safe bet [to them].
That’s why we’re diving into LTK’s new Creator Marketing Trends Report. LTK—a platform for creators to easily share all of their recommendations with their followers—may be big for fashion, but this report is packed with tips and takeaways for any creator marketing strategy. More importantly, it has tons of proof that creators can convert their followers into customers when the partnership is right.
A quick note about the research: LTK conducted this survey with its own users last month. While not everyone you know may be using LTK—they report that 25% of all adult women are users—the platform attracts influential, successful individuals who have a significant impact on driving sales. We’d guess these users are likely micro trendsetters who follow creators and then influence their own communities in meaningful ways.
So, whether you’re a social media manager looking for budget, a creator in search of collabs, or someone who just wants to bring a smart idea to the table, the LTK report has so much great info. Let’s dive into our top three highlights:
Creators are trusted over ads and celebrities: Trust has been trending in this direction for years, and while we may still look to ads and celebs for inspo, our parasocial relationships with our favorite creators have the most power.
84% of LTK users trust creator recommended brands most.
Trust grows sales: Brand trust should be a top priority for everyone. If a creator-brand partnership is in the works, and a creator can show that their community trusts their recommendations, a lot of the work has already been done.
91% of LTK users are more likely to try a new product or brand after seeing a creator post.
Video is still the top format: Video has been 👑 for awhile, so investing in it via creators is worthwhile. Working with creators in this way can be especially helpful if you’ve got a small social media team who can’t spend every day on video concepts and editing.
93% of consumers say they watch video content on social.
read LTK’s full report here
💎cultural gems💎
The cultural moments and news that caught our attention this week:
HAVE YOU SEEN TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET’S PRESS TOUR FOR A COMPLETE UNKNOWN?, Litty Samuel via linkedin
“This entire tour feels like a blueprint for how press circuits are evolving. Traditional routes—magazine covers and talk shows—are no longer enough. Platforms like Theo Von’s podcast and TikTok clips allow actors to connect with audiences in an authentic way.”
IS THIS HOW REDDIT ENDS?, the atlantic
“The platform has quietly started beta-testing Reddit Answers, what it calls an ‘AI-powered conversational interface.’ In function and design, the feature—which is so far available only for some users in the U.S.—is basically an AI chatbot.”
TRY ‘PHONE FREE FEBRUARY’ TO REDUCE SCREEN TIME AND IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH, the washington post
“Reducing your cellphone use by just an hour a day instead of going cold turkey can have a great impact on your quality of life and levels of depression.”
FINANCIAL ADVICE ON SOCIAL MEDIA IS GROWING. AND RISKY, ny times
“Content creators are branding themselves as money experts, endorsing a range of financial products from credit cards to cryptocurrencies, and earning a sleek moniker: fin-fluencers.”
we ❤️ pinterest
Does Pinterest feel like the Elle Woods of social platforms to anyone else?
Last month we talked to Sydney Stanback, Pinterest’s Global Trends & Insights Lead, and she gave us a peak at how her team created their Pinterest Predicts 2025 report. It’s the perfect inspo for anyone working on their 2025 content.
check out our conversation with Sydney here