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How brands can partner with Black creators

Posted: Sun Feb 16, 2025 4:32 am
by shaownhasan
If you’re not sure where to start, look within. Your brand’s Black employees will likely recommend their favorite Black creators and influencers. The best part is that if your organization is committed to actual diversity, equity and inclusion, you’ll find that their recommendations will differ. Sure—everyone will be Black, but they’ll also have different niches, community bases, content types and an array of life experiences. Some Black people are queer. Some Black people have disabilities. Some Black people are immigrants. With this in mind, you’ll be sure to have the chance to collaborate with creators who represent the Black community and beyond.
When sharing Black stories, consider the tone. Often, brands tend to go the route of focusing on Black people’s oppression or struggles. While that is a part of many Black creators’ narratives, that doesn’t necessarily fusion data define who we are. There is beauty in Black joy, and to celebrate it is to acknowledge and honor it.
Prepare your purse. Depending on the ask, you may need to set aside $500 – $2,500 per content creator. Pay transparency is more important than ever, which means creators are talking. Trust me. You don’t want to be the brand that lowballs a well-known creator in their community. That said, many creators, especially Black ones, are often unsure how much they should charge brands. Not only should you set the budget aside, but you should also advocate for the creators you want to work with. If you know that a creator you want to partner with is undervaluing themselves, tell them. That allows for pay equity throughout the entire creator economy and further folds these creators into your community.