Guide to Building Sustainable Creator Partnerships for DTC Brands

In the last decade, influencer marketing has grown from a niche experiment to a multi-billion-dollar industry. Yet, for many DTC brands, the returns remain inconsistent. Campaigns spike briefly, then fade. Partnerships that look promising on paper fizzle after a single post. The core problem? Most influencer-brand partnerships aren’t designed to last.

Rabii Babou, CEO of Livano Agency, believes the future lies not in one-off influencer deals but in sustainable, performance-aligned creator partnerships. Drawing on his work with fast-growing DTC brands, Babou outlines how businesses can shift from transactional campaigns to long-term affiliate relationships that consistently drive revenue.

Why most partnerships fail

The first obstacle is misaligned incentives.

This traditional approach leaves creators disengaged and brands frustrated. Without data-backed iteration and performance-based rewards, both sides lack the motivation to sustain the partnership.

One-off influencer model vs Sustainable affiliate model

From one-off influencers to long-term affiliates

The shift begins with treating creators as partners, not vendors. One-off influencers deliver a post for a fee. Long-term affiliates, by contrast, embed themselves into the brand story:

They learn the product deeply.
They align with shared KPIs.
They get coaching and feedback to improve performance.
They earn through commission plus modest retainers, keeping incentives aligned over time.

“Long-term affiliates act like part of your team. Incentives stay aligned and results improve over time.”

Designing the right incentives

Sustainability requires systems that keep creators motivated beyond their first campaign. Babou recommends a performance ladder approach:

Start with a solid base commission.
Auto-bump commission at sales milestones.
Add a small retainer tied to monthly content output.
Layer in bonuses for launches or campaign bursts.
Reward loyalty with early product drops and fast payouts.

Balancing reach and authenticity

A common mistake is over-investing in macro influencers for reach while ignoring the power of smaller creators and their authenticity. Babou suggests a barbell strategy:

A few macro influencers for reach and social proof.
A wide bench of micro and nano creators for authenticity and conversion.
Most of the budget allocated to always-on micro or nano influencers on retainer.
Macros used for tentpole moments and amplified with paid ads.

Content as the glue

Content is what keeps partnerships alive. UGC, reviews, and storytelling create a loop of social proof and reusable assets.

The more content that circulates across ads, emails, and product pages, the more valuable both the partnership and the creator become.

Building trust through communication

Sustainable partnerships depend on how brands communicate with their affiliates. Babou encourages treating them like teammates:

Warm onboarding and private communication channels.
Weekly updates with offers, hooks, and campaign dates.
Quick coaching after posts to refine performance.
On-time payments and transparent performance snapshots.
Celebrate wins and show a clear growth path toward higher commissions or retainers.

From one-off post to long-term growth driver

Sustainable growth is possible when brands invest in relationships. Babou recalls one scenario when a motivated creator, initially hired for a one-off post, became a long-term ambassador:

The team shared brand values and culture during onboarding.
Her first post drove strong sales, sparking her own momentum.
The brand formalized her role, repurposed her content across channels, and supported her growth.

From one-off post to long-term growth with creators

Over time, she evolved into a consistent revenue driver, proving that long-term partnerships can begin from small, authentic starts.

The future of creator partnerships

Looking ahead, Babou predicts that micro and nano creators will dominate sustainable partnerships in 2025 and beyond.

For brands, this means shifting budgets toward performance-aligned, smaller creators who bring authenticity and measurable ROI.

Build sustainable creator partnerships with confidence

For DTC brands, the path forward is clear. Stop betting on one-off influencer spikes and start investing in long-term, performance-driven partnerships. With aligned incentives, consistent communication, and a smart mix of creators, partnerships can evolve into sustainable engines of growth.

This is where Social Snowball adds value. With automated onboarding, commission tracking, and seamless affiliate management, Social Snowball helps you transform influencer campaigns into scalable, sustainable affiliate programs.