Influencers with millions of followers doing dozens of brand deals have lost some of their glow for Gen Z—if they say they like everything in #ads, can they really be trusted to mean it? But as we recently explored in our Influencers Anonymous trend report, there are tons of creators on socials with far lower follower counts making recommendations that hit home, in part because their low-key status equals a believable authenticity. So, brands need to be connecting with those nano- and micro-influencers; but how they connect with them, feature them, and compensate them is as important as doing it at all. And young people have a stance on how these brand relationships should be handled.
In 10 lessons, we break down the foundations of working with small creators. From understanding their value—in Gen Z’s eyes especially—to negotiating creative control, our data shows a clear path to developing affinity through the new creator market.
Watch the replay for our 30-min webinar on Nano-Creators 101 Webinar North America and the Nano-Creators 1010 Western Europe.
Report Length: 36 pages, North America report is based on trend and behavioral surveys conducted among 1500 13-39-year-olds in the U.S. and Canada
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10 Trends to Know 2026 Trend Report
Learn 10 trends Gen Z is fueling now—and how brands can connect to young consumers through them.