Picture a suburban Chicago homemaker armed with only a smartphone and a few thousand loyal followers becoming the next big thing in brand marketing. 

That’s the future industry vet Marc Snyderman envisions with Ukreate, a startup poised to shake up the multi-billion influencer industry by tapping into the often-overlooked power of the little guys – micro-influencers. 

The platform focuses on connecting brands with creators with modest but engaged followings, contrasting with many competitors who prioritize top-tier influencers.

In an exclusive interview with Net Influencer, Marc shares his plans for AI-driven matching, integrated shipping solutions, and a profit-sharing model for platform users.

Legal Expertise Meets Tech

Marc co-founded Ukreate along with Robert Torres and William Young to bridge the gap between brands and micro-influencers. 

The entrepreneur recognized an untapped market opportunity that aligns with his philosophy of supporting underrepresented creators while addressing transaction safety and efficiency concerns in influencer marketing.

“We’re democratizing the creator economy,” Marc tells us.

William Young, Robert Torres, and Marc Snyderman

Ukreate’s approach differs from other platforms by focusing on smaller creators, often overlooked by larger marketplaces. 

The company’s filtering system lets brands quickly find specific influencers based on detailed criteria.

Marc’s legal background has informed the platform’s development, particularly in asset protection and risk management. 

“We were cognizant of building something that would protect both the creator and the brand in the transaction so that they feel comfortable,” he explains.

The platform incorporates safeguards for both parties, including a watermarking system for content and secure payment processing. 

“We’re protecting the creator to make sure that they get paid. And we’re protecting the brand and the agency because they’re not paying for anything until they get the product,” Marc notes.

Ukreate’s business model includes plans to share profits with users who help grow the platform. The company also aims to provide educational resources and events for creators.

“If [our clients] use Ukreate and earn enough money to get rid of their job, we’ve won,” Marc says, referring to their target user.

While Ukreate has officially launched with a working product and several hundred creators on the platform, Marc acknowledges the challenges ahead in scaling the business and achieving their goals for creator empowerment.

Building a Two-Sided Marketplace

Ukreate is a two-sided marketplace connecting creators and influencers with brands and agencies. 

The platform aims to distinguish itself by focusing on smaller creators and a user-friendly approach.

“We’re not looking only to grab the top influencers, and we’re going to keep costs as low as we possibly can,” Marc explains. “You could be a creator and be on the profile and the system for free. You’ll only pay a per-transaction fee.”

According to him, this strategy contrasts with competitors, who often require demos or have opaque pricing structures. 

Ukreate emphasizes transparency and accessibility, with Marc noting, “We want to make it as easy to use and clean as possible for everybody.”

The company faces typical startup challenges, including capital constraints and development hurdles. 

“Being a little capital-constrained has slowed us down a bit,” Marc admits. Despite these obstacles, the team has bootstrapped the product, validating the market before seeking external funding.

Ukreate also faces the classic marketplace dilemma of building both sides simultaneously.

“There’s a chicken and egg issue,” Marc says. “You’re not going to get the brands to come until there are enough creators, and you can’t get the creators [to] come until there are enough brands.”

Looking ahead, Ukreate plans to expand its offerings beyond the core platform. Marc outlines ambitions for educational initiatives, including a potential “kreator university” and college tours. 

“We’re looking to do a college tour and get to [reach creators in colleges],” he reveals.

These efforts aim to educate aspiring creators about opportunities in the industry beyond high-profile success stories. 

“What opportunities exist besides trying to be [Call Her Daddy host] Alex?” Marc asks, referencing the popular podcaster.

While Ukreate faces significant competition, Marc sees recent industry developments, such as Publicis’s $500 million acquisition of Influential, as validating the market’s potential.

Empowering Micro-Influencers, UGC Creators

Ukreate’s focus on micro-influencers and user-generated content (UGC) creators forms the cornerstone of its market strategy. 

Drawing from his experience with small businesses, Marc sees this segment as underserved by existing platforms.

“There are many underrepresented people and economies,” Marc explains. “Those micro-influencers will not get support from any bigger products because they don’t care about them.”

The company’s approach is to actively involve creators in platform development. 

“We’re bringing in creators to be co-founders with us and to participate in the program so they can tell us what they like about the product and what they want to see in it,” Marc says.

This collaborative strategy has already yielded insights. For instance, creators expressed concerns about linking their social media accounts to platforms, leading Ukreate to explore alternative data collection methods.

Marc emphasizes the often-neglected potential of micro-influencers: “You don’t have to have 100,000 people following you to be an influencer. In many ways, you can influence at a lower level, probably more effectively than somebody with 100,000.”

Facilitating Transparent Influencer Campaigns

Ukreate relies on robust search and filtering capabilities to help brands find suitable creators. As more data becomes available, it plans to incorporate AI-driven matching.

“We’re going to leave it to the brand and the creator to determine whether that’s the right match,” Marc explains. 

The platform includes a built-in communication system, allowing parties to discuss campaign details before committing.

Ukreate is continuously refining its features based on user feedback. 

For instance, they’re implementing options for creators to specify additional services, such as drone footage, in their pricing. “We met with a creator who said she sometimes uses drones in her [content]. I asked her if she was charging more for that, and she started considering it,” Marc recounts.

The platform facilitates secure transactions through PayPal, with funds held in escrow until the agreed-upon content is delivered. Marc believes this system protects both creators and brands throughout the process.

While still in its early stages, Ukreate has already facilitated successful campaigns. 

Marc shares, “We had a client who needed about 20 micro-influencers to push a product. We were able to find influencers and transact business through the platform.”

As Ukreate continues to grow, the team remains focused on improving the platform based on user insights. “We have a long-term tech roadmap of all the features we want to add,” Marc tells us.

Rising Influence of UGC on Brand Marketing

Marc sees a significant shift in advertising, with content creators playing an increasingly crucial role. 

He predicts that “UGC creation for brands and agencies will take over much of what traditional advertising was.” 

The business attorney argues that UGC and influencer marketing often provide better value and authenticity than traditional advertising.

Ukreate is developing features to streamline the content creation process, including integrated shipping solutions. 

“We’re working on connecting the shipping so that we can create labels and track product,” Marc reveals, addressing a common logistical challenge in influencer campaigns.

Marc advises creators to maintain a professional online presence: “Make sure it’s as professional as you can make it.” 

He recommends using tools like Linktree to showcase various projects. He also encourages creators to join platforms like Ukreate to increase visibility and facilitate transactions.

Brands are advised to consider the potential of micro-influencers. “Consider using micro-influencers and smaller influencers in a value-based transaction,” Marc recommends, suggesting that the return on investment can be significant.

However, he acknowledges the lack of comprehensive data on influencer marketing effectiveness. 

“Until you have the data, I don’t think anybody has a really good handle on the data yet,” he notes, highlighting an area where Ukreate aims to contribute insights.

Tackling Social Media’s Bot Problem

Marc identifies a significant issue plaguing the creator economy: the proliferation of bots and fake accounts on social media platforms. 

“If I could change only one thing in the industry, I guess I’ll go after the social media industry itself and say they have to find a better way of getting the bots and the junk out,” he states.

Marc explains how this problem affects both creators and brands. It diminishes creators’ visibility to potential brand partners and reduces brands’ perceived value of social media marketing. 

“The more cloudy and the more junk out there, the less the brands want to do business on social media,” he states.

Marc believes that addressing this issue would significantly benefit the creator economy. It would enhance the authenticity of interactions and improve the efficiency of influencer marketing efforts.