Choosing a partner
Influencer platform, agency or hybrid?
Choose the model around the work your team can own. A platform provides tools; an agency provides services; a hybrid combines them. The contract determines the actual division of work, so compare the scope as carefully as the label.
Talk to a strategistCompare the responsibility, not just the feature list
Scroll the table sideways to compare all columns.
| Work | Platform-led | Agency-led | Hybrid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Campaign strategy | Usually owned by your team. | Can be included in the service scope. | Confirm the role of the team and the software. |
| Outreach and coordination | Your team uses the available tools. | Often handled by the agency. | Agree on which work is managed for you. |
| Approvals | Your team sets the workflow. | Agency coordinates the agreed process. | People and software support the review process. |
| Data and reporting | Depends on the product and plan. | Depends on the reporting scope. | Confirm methods, access and exports. |
| Budget | Software plus your operating costs. | Services plus agreed campaign costs. | Check the software, service and campaign components. |
Count the work your team will still do
Creator outreach, contracting, feedback, payment coordination and reporting take time even when software makes them easier. Name the people who will own those tasks and estimate the capacity the campaign needs.
A platform-led approach can suit a team with that capacity. A managed scope may suit a team that needs delivery support. Some campaigns mix the two; the important part is that responsibility is explicit.
Ask the same measurement questions of every provider
Request definitions, sources and reporting windows. If a provider proposes a lift study, ask how it selects the comparison groups, which exposure it covers and how uncertainty is reported.
Neither a software interface nor an agency label establishes that a result is causal. Evaluate the proposed method and the work included in the quote.
Where Beatly fits
Beatly combines campaign delivery with a platform for planning, approvals and reporting. The brief, creator selection and content are approval points for the client.
Bring your intended division of work to the proposal discussion. Ask which tasks, usage terms, distribution and measurement are included, and what your own team needs to provide.
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