My first international conference was held in Lagos, and I took a 6-hour flight to get there. SXSW London. Full disclosure — I had no idea what I was walking into.
South by Southwest’s annual Austin takeover is a great way to get to know the event. There are tech demos all over, debuts of independent films, music breakouts and enough activations for a city. It’s been synonymous with culture-shaping and creative ideas since its launch in 1987.
The festival organizers brought the same passion to the London neighbourhoods of Shoreditch & Hoxton in the first ever European edition, which took place earlier this June.
My two goals were simple:
- Find out more From the people building the creator economies.
- Click Here to Connect Join forces with other marketers and creators.
Reality was more nuanced. There were long queues to attend sessions, the London public transportation system was a bit confusing, and I certainly missed more than I attended.
You can still book the same rooms as before. You can also find out more about the following: The panels delivered by squeeze in were deep dives on AI and the future, with brutally honest discussions about creators’ pay, as well as conversations that changed my perspective about career longevity and content creation.
What’s the most important thing I learned? It’s not just influencers that are driving the creator economy anymore. The creator economy is about everyone who uses the internet in order to build an audience and generate sustainable income. These insights will help you if you have ever wondered about how you can turn your expertise into income, posted your expertise on LinkedIn or pitched yourself, and more.
1. Audiences crave presence over polish — and your “rough drafts” This could be the best of your content
Most audiences will scroll past perfectly crafted posts to stop at anything that is real, in the moment and feels authentic.
“People don’t open Instagram looking for a billboard — they’re looking for someone to hang out with.” — Charlotte Stavrou, SevenSix Agency
- Highlight reels are outperformed by behind the scenes footage. Charlotte Stavrou, founder of SevenSix Agency, said her client, who has 15,000 Instagram followers, routinely outdoes creators with six-figure followings in engagement because she posts raw, day-to-day snippets — not glossy shoots.
- Brands have become a thing of the past. Briefing For imperfections. Max Fosh Tell me about it Think like a Creator crowd that shaky, hand-held clips of his filming process spark more comments than his fully produced pieces — and clients have started requesting that vibe on purpose.
- The content that’s low-fi signals trust and not carelessness. Many speakers pointed out that bad audio and camera footage that is shaky are indicators that the content was created by a person, which then encourages engagement.
What does it mean in practical terms?
If you’re a creator
- Display the entire process: Post rough sketches or whiteboards that are messy, as well as bloopers.
- Use captions to narrate live in real-time “Testing two intros, tell me which one resonates.”
- Leave minor flaws — shaky footage or your “ums” The following are some examples of how to get started: “ahs” Make content relatable.
You are a brand
- You can rethink the short if you wish. “authentic,” Skip the lighting requirements for studios
- Conversation (shares, comments, and saving) is a good way to measure reach.
- Budget for multiple touchpoints — teaser, main post, follow-up Q&A — so the story feels organic.
Quick exercise
Take one off the polish “work-in-progress” This week, you can clip. Compare your latest polished video with the number of views, comments, likes and shares you received over the past seven days.
2. Brands need to be authentic but have better methods of measuring it
Brands love to use the word “brand” according to panelists authentic Yet, we still measure a campaign based on the number of followers and double taps.
“Creators will deliver when there’s a single bull’s-eye, but if the brief says, ‘Mention us in the first 30 seconds, stay 100% authentic, go viral and drive all the week-one sales,’ you’ve given us four different targets — and nobody hits a bull’s-eye on four targets at once.” — Callux, YouTuber
- Mis-matched metrics: Charlotte Stavrou describes pitching to a creative with a stellar click through data, then being asked: “But is 80 % of her audience in the UK?”—ignoring that most of the buyer traffic actually came from the U.S.
- One-post verdicts: Comedian Grace Campbell Shared a deal which failed because the brand was expecting instant sales. (“A warm-up story? Not in the budget.”)
- Billboard mindset: Max Fosh joked that some briefs are written as: We bought 60 seconds of your video — please treat it like a Times Square screen.
What does it mean in practical terms?
If you’re a creator
- Ask the brand for two metrics that define success (awareness/engagement, and conversions).
- Explain the value of your data: geography, return viewers, conversion windows typical.
- Pitch a mini-funnel (teaser → main post → recap) and price the whole journey.
- Collect your receipts — screenshots of DMs or long comments that show the depth of connection your audience has to your content.
You are a brand
- The audit brief: Does it match your request? “authentic” content?
- Before filming begins, set clear goals and let the filmmaker optimize for those goals.
- Budget for warm-up content — cold audiences rarely buy on day one.
- As seriously as you would track Likes, it is important to keep tabs on sentiment (questions or mentions of purchases).
Quick exercise
You can find your sponsored posts by clicking on the link. Sort your first 20 comments.
- Emojis / “Love this!”
- Asking real questions and telling stories
- Buy Intent (“Just ordered!”)
If Category 1 dominates, your next partnership needs a warmer build-up—or clearer metrics—before anyone calls it a win.
3. Trust is more important than virality
While quick wins are nice, long-term growth is what really drives the engine.
“Audiences want to support creators, absolutely, but they need to feel it’s real.”— Max Fosh, YouTuber.
- Even if the projects are lucrative, creators will pass on them if it is not aligned. You can also find out more about the following: Think like a creator, Callux He skips expensive briefs that are off-brand. “One mismatched ad can undo months of goodwill.”
- Brands undervalue runway. A panel on pay revealed that a deal was cancelled because a post failed. “move numbers,” Ignoring that it takes time for the community to buy in.
- AI’s keynote included this sentiment. Deepak Chopra Trust is a scarce resource for our industry, which has become increasingly automated.
What does it mean in practical terms?
If you’re a creator
- Pitch campaigns as a mini-series (teaser, main post, follow-up Q&A).
- You can add a short explanation. What is the best way to get in touch with you? You use the product and not that you have.
- Track loyalty through returning viewers, repeat buyers, thoughtful DMs — alongside reach.
You are a brand
- One post is often not enough. Trust builds over time.
- Not just the impressions of your audience, but also their sentiments.
- Give creators control of pacing — they know when their community is ready for a CTA.
Quick exercise
Your next partnership should be run as a 2-step process:
- Warm-up: Reel teaser or story.
- Post: The sponsored article, as well as a pinnable comment that invites questions.
Comparing meaningful responses (questions or purchase intentions) with your previous one-and done ad is a great way to gauge the effectiveness of an upcoming campaign. You’re not only building traffic, but also trust with a longer thread.
4. AI won’t take your job — but it will change how you do it
AI emerged in every single session. Yet the consensus was grounded. The technology removes friction, but it does not replace the artist.
“AI can make you faster; it just can’t make you you.” — David Page, Founder at Viewture
- The speed of substitution. You can also find out more about the following: What is the future of talent and companies?, panelists rattled off use-cases — auto-captions, script outlines, multi-language dubbing — that shave hours but don’t take over your unique voice.
- Human intuition still wins. You can also find out more about us on our website. Think like a creator, speakers agreed the best-performing posts hinge on timing, nuance, and tone — instincts that no LLM (large language model) can fake.
- Those who create are in danger of becoming the same. Grace Campbell warns that AI can flatten personality. “If ChatGPT writes everyone’s jokes, everyone tells the same punchline.”
What does it mean in practical terms?
If you’re a creator
- You can use AI for tasks that you feel are tedious, such as captions, rough sketches, and thumbnail ideas.
- It’s time to feed it The following are some of the ways to get in touch with us. Posts so that the output is a reflection of your voice.
- Double-check cultural nuance or humour—models still miss tone.
You are a brand
- Expect creators to use AI in their workflow — judge them on insight, not keystrokes.
- Do not shorten for “AI-generated content.” It is useless to produce a lot of output if the result feels generic.
- You can ask the creator how they maintain their voice and speed up delivery.
Quick exercise
Pick one repetitive task — say, 60-second captions.
- You can also time yourself manually.
- The same clip can be run through the AI captioning tool and lightly edited for tone.
- Compare saved minutes. Use the time you saved to respond to feedback or refine your hook.
The tool is still useful if it saves you 15 minutes while delivering the same message (or even better). If, however, the captions don’t feel like your brand, then throw it out. If you want to become more productive, editing prompts might not be your best option.
5. Small-business owners are the new creators
Think like a founder, and not a freelancer.
“You’re not hiring a person for one post, you’re partnering with a company.” — Liam Parkinson, Co-Founder at inflverse
- It is common to have multiple words in a phrase. Grace Campbell manages to juggle stand-up performance, a podcast and an independent TV pilot. Callux runs a sneaker label alongside YouTube.
- Popularity is not more important than profit and loss statements. Future’s CEO said full-time creators now seek growth capital the way startups do — hiring editors, renting studios, even financing feature-length docs.
- Virality is not the best way to spread a message. Alex Segal (founder of Intertalent), described it in this way: “ten lanes at 110 km/h” — when ad CPMs dip, courses, live shows, or licensing carry the load.
What does it mean in practical terms?
If you’re a creator
- Map your revenue pillars. Try to get at least 3 (brand deals/digital products/community subscriptions/live events)
- Do not simply cash in. Track your costs. Software, gear, freelancers—all hit margin. Knowing your monthly spend is important.
- Early protection of your intellectual property is important. Register trademarks, lock down usage rights, store raw files—future licensing depends on clear ownership.
- Invest in systems before scale. A simple set of SOPs to edit, post, and provide customer support is much better than scrambling in the aftermath of a viral surge.
You are a brand
- Treat outreach like a B2B deal — expect scopes, timelines, and debriefs.
- Flat fees are often more effective than shared benefits (affiliate or revenue-sharing).
- Acknowledge the creator’s back-office team — project managers, editors, community mods — and pay for that infrastructure.
6. Last-minute hustle is not the way to go for creators. They rely on systems.
Longevity is achieved by creating predictable posting routines and protecting creative energy.
“A good system beats a good mood. If I only created when motivated, I’d publish once a month.” — Max Fosh
- Breathe, and then batch. Speakers Think like a creator Then, they compared their notes and arranged the release of several videos.
- Clear “off” windows. Even during the launch cycle, some creators suggested taking regular screens-free days (weekly or twice-weekly).
- Lists are better than guesswork Several talked about simple templates—file-naming rules, caption formats, export presets—that turn every new project into a rinse-and-repeat flow.
What does it mean in practical terms?
If you’re a creator
- Fix a pace you will be able keep. You can block out time in your calendar to post as many times as you like. Treat it just like any other client-work.
- Once you have documented your workflow, it will be easy to repeat. Notify yourself of your preferred caption style, file format, and editing steps so that you can start each piece at the third step, not zero.
- You can also batch and store your content. Plan your work so that you don’t miss a day due to travel or fatigue.
- Review every month If you still feel heavy, automate or delegate any steps.
You are a brand
- You should respect the production rhythms of your creator. The system can be broken (and so is the relationship) by short-notice briefs.
- Provide assets — logos, product shots, key messages — in one tidy folder to slot straight into their workflow.
- In the end, a consistent creator partnership will perform better than a one-off viral sensation.
Quick exercise
Next time you post, track each step between idea and publication. Make a mini checklist using Notion or Google Docs and follow it through the The Next Generation of adversity piece. This checklist should become your standard procedure if you can reduce the time by even 20%.
It could be the best post yet.
SXSW London was a reminder that no one — creators or brands — needs More information about the product Posting pressure We need better questions, more clear systems and better indicators of what is actually working.
The smartest moves, whether you are a creative rethinking your success metrics or an entrepreneur experimenting with different partnership formats, may not always be the most flashy. These are the moves that will make you more likely to continue.
Whether it’s rethinking how you measure success, experimenting with new formats, or finally building a workflow that protects your energy — the best moves aren’t always the flashiest. It’s the best way to stay motivated.
You may be inspired to experiment after reading the article. Here are a couple of quick ideas to get you started.
- You can post a slideshow instead of just a single video or photo.
- Repurpose A top-performing blog post using a new format or hook
- Ask your audience to give their opinion on an idea that is in progress.
- Batch-create Schedule three posts to be published in Buffer in one go
- Create an “Trial Reel” Test a new concept without putting your life at risk
And if you’ve already tried something from this list — or plan to — I’d love to hear how it went. Find me on ThreadsOr come and say hello at the Buffer Discord.
Remember: your next post doesn’t need to be perfect — it just needs to move you forward.
