In this short article, I’m unpacking the role of Creative Strategists. No fluff, just straight talk from the trenches of freelance creative strategy.

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Why Creative Strategy Saves Costs

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Economy's a bit shaky lately. Businesses are cutting costs. But, despite all this, spending money on ads on social media is still a big deal for companies that want to grow. In fact, in the U.S., spending on social media ads was expected to be huge in 2022—like, $80.6 billion huge! So, what's the silver lining here? It's actually a good time to figure out how to make your marketing efforts go further, even if you don't have a lot of money to spend. How do you do that? By getting smart about how you use ads and content creation, especially UGC content.

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So, say hello to the Creative Strategist.

This role isn’t about being a jack-of-all-trades. It’s not the same as a CMO, a creative director, or a growth marketer.

Think of it this way: The creative strategist is all about coming up with killer ad content that grab attention and stir emotions. Your media buying team, on the other hand, crunches numbers, tracks ad performance, and keeps an eye on business goals. They’ve got the data but might not have the creative brain to turn those insights into action! That’s where the Creative Strategist steps in.

In short, Creative Strategists mix creativity with analytics to drive marketing success.

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What Creative Strategists are NOT.

Let’s get one thing straight: Creative Strategists are the masterminds behind a brand's content strategy, but they're not the ones placing ads on platforms like Facebook, TikTok, or Pinterest—that's the media buyer's job. Instead, the Creative Strategist focuses on finding and working with content creators to make authentic and engaging content. They put a lot of effort into coordinating with these UGC creators, from developing the initial ideas to making sure everything's ready for the final edit. They're not managing influencers or juggling other tasks; their main goal is to boost the brand's sales by making sure the content hits the ROAS goals.

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Why Creative Strategists work with UGC Creators

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User-Generated Content, or UGC for short, is created by everyday people rather than professional marketers. These creators produce photos, videos, and various kinds of content that share their genuine experiences with products or services. Their authentic stories and recommendations can inspire others to check out and try these offerings too. Creative Strategists work with these creators because their authentic and relatable content can really grab the audience's attention and make them interested in a brand or product. The Creative Strategist's job is to guide these creators on what kind of content to make, making sure it fits the brand's goals and message, and then use that content to help the brand connect with more people and boost sales.

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What Tools To Use?

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Twirl: For those looking to streamline their user-generated content (UGC) strategy, Twirl is the best and most accessible tool, in my opinion. It offers direct access to a wide pool of affordable content creators, simplifying the process of finding the right faces for your brand. You can easily share your creative briefs and scripts there. One video costs between $150-220 which you can then use for your paid ads or socials. Instead of just using the ready-made video only, make sure to ask for the raw material, too, so you can create multiple video variations for your A/B testings.

Foreplay: Ever wondered what your competitors are up to? With Foreplay, you get a peek into their ad strategies, allowing you to identify trends and successful campaigns that you can adapt for your own brand. This tool not only saves you the hassle of starting from scratch but also equips you with AI-generated scripts inspired by your competitors' best-performing ads.

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Workmagic: This AI-driven platform is all about giving you a crystal-clear view of your ad performance. Covering crucial metrics like Return On Ad Spend (ROAS), Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC), and Net Customer Acquisition Cost (NCAC), Workmagic offers a detailed analysis that, in my opinion, is more cost-effective than similar tools like Triple Whale. What sets Workmagic apart is its ability to learn which metrics matter most to your brand, providing tailored insights that can drive better decision-making.

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