There are three common ways to run influencer campaigns: hire an agency, use a creator marketplace, or contact creators yourself. Each suits different budgets, teams and goals. This is a neutral comparison; AFFWORLD is a marketplace, so weigh our view accordingly.
The three options
- Agency: a team plans the campaign, finds and manages creators, and reports results, for a management fee or a margin on creator fees.
- Marketplace: a platform where you search creators, compare listed packages and prices, and book and pay through the platform.
- Do it yourself (DIY): you find creators on social media, negotiate by message or email, and handle contracts and payment yourself.
Side-by-side
| Agency | Marketplace | DIY | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your time | Low | Medium | High |
| Cost on top of creator fees | Management fee or margin | Platform fee (varies) | None, but your time |
| Strategy and creative support | High | Low to medium | Your own |
| Price transparency | Varies | High: packages listed | Negotiated each time |
| Speed to book | Medium | Fast | Slow to medium |
| Payment protection | Through the agency's contract | Often built in (e.g. escrow) | Your own contract |
| Best for | Large, complex campaigns | Regular campaigns, testing creators | Occasional, small deals |
When an agency makes sense
- Large campaigns with many creators, markets or platforms
- You need strategy, concepts and production, not just bookings
- Your team has no time to manage creators
- You need consolidated reporting across campaigns
Ask what the agency charges and how (a fixed fee or a percentage of spend), whether creator fees are passed through at cost, and who owns the creator relationships after the campaign.
When a marketplace makes sense
- You want to see and compare prices before contacting anyone
- You run campaigns regularly and want to build your own creator roster
- You want built-in messaging, contracts or payment protection
- You are testing several creators with a modest budget
Check how creators are reviewed, what fees apply, and how payment and disputes work.
When DIY makes sense
- One-off or very small campaigns
- You already know the creators you want
- You have time and are comfortable writing briefs and contracts
Use our brief template and contract checklist, and agree payment terms that link payment to delivery.
A simple way to decide
- How much time can your team give? Little: agency. Some: marketplace. Plenty: DIY or marketplace.
- Do you need strategy and creative, or just the right creators? Strategy: agency. Creators: marketplace or DIY.
- How often will you run campaigns? Regularly: build your own roster on a marketplace or directly.
- How much risk can you carry on payments? If little, choose an option with payment protection.
How AFFWORLD fits
AFFWORLD is a marketplace: brands search reviewed creators by category, city and platform, compare listed packages and prices, and pay through escrow that is released when the content is approved. It doesn't replace a full-service agency's strategy work. See how it works or check typical prices in the UAE Creator Rates Report.