Breaking Through Social Media Walls With Creator Content
What if I told you that we've been keeping creator content locked up in social media prison?
In today’s digital world, creator marketing is key for brands aiming to build real connections with consumers. Yet, despite its success, a major roadblock remains: creator content is trapped within the "walled gardens" of social media platforms. This limitation restricts its reach and impact, preventing brands from fully leveraging their creator partnerships.
As someone who's spent years in this industry, I've often been frustrated to see remarkable creator content not being leveraged to its full potential. Typically, creators post to their social channels, and brands further invest in paid social media ads. But why are we confining content to just social media? What if we expanded its reach?
It's like having a hit song but only playing it at the same venue. Why not share it on other stages where more people can experience it? By restricting content’s exposure, we’ve been missing out on broader engagement and more meaningful consumer connections.
At Acorn, a New Engen solution, we asked ourselves: How can we unlock the true power of creator content beyond social media to drive deeper engagement and conversion?
This question became urgent as consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands faced increasing pressure from retailer media networks, whose ad spend requirements often limited the ability to try innovative strategies. Our goal was to extend creator content across the digital ecosystem, reaching qualified shoppers at every stage of their purchase journey.
Enter Canopy, Acorn's proprietary digital extension. It transforms creator marketing by integrating creator content into premium placements like display ads, mobile platforms and connected TV (CTV). This allows content to break free from social media's confines and reach consumers where they are most engaged.
Here's how Canopy solves the key challenges we saw in the industry:
Expanding Reach Beyond Social Media – Scale creator content across both social and non-social platforms. By placing it in premium, fully viewable ad spots, we ensure content grabs attention wherever consumers are online.
Connecting More Precisely with Consumers – Generic audience targeting weakens engagement. We solve this by using first-party, retailer-verified data alongside third-party sources to deliver precise targeting. This ensures that brands connect with the right consumers at the right moment, maximizing impact.
Optimizing Campaigns in Real Time – Underperforming ad spend can sink a campaign. That’s why solutions such as Canopy leverage real-time, proprietary optimization across channels to maximize Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) and deliver measurable outcomes.
Ensuring Brand Safety and Transparency – In an era of ad fraud and brand safety concerns, we work to guarantee transparent, brand-safe inventory, with less than 1% Invalid Traffic (IVT). This gives our partners confidence in campaign integrity and fosters long-term trust.
By using innovative solutions, brands not only meet retailer ad spend requirements but enhance campaign performance, increasing engagement, awareness, and conversion rates. At Acorn, we've learned there's untapped power in creator content once it's freed from social media's limits. I encourage you to consider how breaking down barriers can unlock new opportunities for your brand.
About the Author
Ali Smith is SVP, head of sales at Acorn. Based in Northwest Arkansas, Ali leads a high-performing sales team at Acorn, where she has driven more than threefold growth since joining in 2022. With more than 15 years in shopper marketing and mobile technology, she specializes in empowering leading tech companies to thrive in the CPG sector. Known for her strategic insight and strong industry relationships, Ali is a recognized thought leader who fosters collaboration and success within her team.
Outside of work, she is dedicated to community engagement, actively supporting organizations like the Children Safety Center and the American Heart Association.