Most creators aren’t begging for more brand deals.
They’re begging for better ones.
Snapchat just released new research on what creators actually want from platforms and brand partners.
A few headlines stood out:
Creators rank live-streaming, creative tools, and analytics as top features they want from social apps.
They want brands that align with their values and have a strong online presence.
They’re actively looking for long-term partnerships that allow for more meaningful connections, not one-and-done “post and pray” campaigns.
If you work anywhere near marketing, brand, or creator strategy, this new information is not just “interesting.”
That’s a roadmap.
And it’s not just about Snapchat either.
It’s a signal about where the whole creator economy is heading.
Let’s break it down.
The Signal Hiding in the Snapchat Report
Underneath all the charts and percentages, creators are basically saying:
“Stop treating us like ad slots. Start treating us like partners.”
Live-streaming rises to the top for a reason. It’s the format where:
The creator is fully present.
The audience is fully present.
The brand can be present without it feeling like a pop-up ad.
According to Snapchat’s recap, live-streaming is now one of the most in-demand tools for creators, right alongside creative tools and solid analytics.
That combination is important:
Live = raw connection and real-time interaction.
Creative tools = expression and experimentation.
Analytics = proof this isn’t just a vibe, it’s a business.
Creators want the tools to show up live, make it their own, and prove it works.
Why LIVE Is Becoming Prime Real Estate
On paper, live content looks risky.
You can’t pre-approve every word. You can’t swap out the take. You can’t “fix it in post.”
And that’s exactly why audiences trust it more.
Live is where:
Trust compounds in public
People see how a creator actually behaves, not just how they perform in a polished edit.Objections surface in real time
Viewers can say, “Yeah but does it work if…?” and get an answer on the spot.Communities feel seen, not sold to
When someone’s question or name gets read live, that’s a different level of connection than a like on a post.
From a brand’s perspective, this is gold.
It’s a focus group, a sales call, and a brand-building exercise all in one.
But it only works if you stop treating creators like media placements and start treating them like co-builders of a recurring live experience.
What Creators Are Quietly Screening for in Brands
The Snapchat research backs up what a lot of us are feeling intuitively: creators are getting more picky.
Here’s what they’re really looking for in brand partners:
Values alignment
If your brand is saying one thing in campaigns and doing another in the real world, creators feel that disconnect instantly. They don’t want to be the face of that gap.Legit online presence
“High quality” doesn’t just mean pretty branding. It means:Your site doesn’t look like it was built in 2012.
Your socials aren’t ghost towns.
Your previous campaigns don’t scream “desperate for relevance.”
Long-term partnership potential
Creators want deals that give them security and room to establish and build a narrative, not just a quick hit of cash and a random #ad thrown into their feed.Creative freedom
They want a sandbox, not a script. The Snapchat commentary even calls this out: live-streaming is powerful, but brands have to give creative freedom while being aware of the risks.
So if you’re wondering why your outreach emails to creators get ignored, start here. They’re not just looking at your rate card. They’re asking:
“If I attach my name and community to this brand for six months, do I actually feel good about it?”
If You’re a Brand: How to Design a Live-First Partnership
If you’re still thinking in terms of “one sponsored post per month,” you’re playing last decade’s game, and you’re going to lose.
Here’s a better way to approach it.
1. Build a LIVE format, not just a brief.
Instead of saying, “We want 4 posts and 2 Stories,” try:
A weekly Live Q&A with your product lead + the creator.
A recurring “Product Lab” where the creator tests features live or co-creates with their audience.
A “Behind the Build” series where you pull back the curtain on how things actually get made.
Think show, not asset.
2. Commit for a season, not a week.
Great shows take time to find their rhythm. Audiences need time to:
Discover it
Trust it
Make it part of their routine
Design live partnerships in seasons (8–12 weeks, or a quarter), not isolated bursts.
Let the creator, audience, and brand relationship evolve.
3. Share the sandbox.
Set guardrails, not handcuffs.
Define what’s off-limits (compliance, legal, obvious brand no-gos).
Then give the creator freedom inside that box to run formats, bits, running jokes, recurring segments, and whatever else they want to test.
If you want live to work, the creator has to feel like a host, not a spokesperson reading a pre-cleared script.
4. Measure what LIVE is uniquely good at.
Don’t judge a live show by the same metrics as a static post.
Alongside reach, track:
Average watch time
Live chat participation
Questions asked
Clicks during the live window
Branded search lift after episodes
That’s where you see if the format is actually building momentum.
If You’re a Creator: How to Use This Shift
If you’re a creator, the Snapchat report is leverage.
You can walk into conversations with brands and say:
“Here’s what the data is saying creators want.
Here’s what I’m seeing with my audience.
Here’s the live format we could build together.”
A simple pitch structure:
Context
“Creators are asking for long-term, live-first partnerships that allow real connection. Snapchat’s latest research backs this up.”Concept
“I’d like to host a [weekly / seasonal] live series called [Show Name], where we [format: Q&A, teardown, behind-the-scenes, live builds, etc.].”Why you
“My audience comes to me for [specific topic]. This show would position your brand as the go-to partner inside those conversations.”Why live
“Live lets us handle objections, build trust, and co-create with the audience in real time—something static posts can’t help us achieve.”Season plan
“I recommend a 10–12 week season so we can build a recurring habit and give the data time to compound.”
You’re not selling posts.
You’re selling a live experience that builds a relationship over time.
The Line You Should Add to Your 2026 Plan
Whether you’re on the brand side or the creator side, the takeaway is the same:
The future of creator partnerships isn’t:
“Can you post this?”
It’s:
“What can we build together LIVE?”
Somewhere in your 2026 deck, you need one unapologetic line in bold:
Lean into the LIVE.
Because the brands and creators who build live-first, long-term, values-aligned partnerships are going to own the next era of attention.
Everyone else will be stuck refreshing performance dashboards on campaigns nobody remembers. You don’t want to be “everyone else”.
