Who is HireInfluence for?
The agency builds campaigns for established brands and enterprise quick-service restaurant chains.[1][2] HireInfluence says it has served brands since 2011.[3] HireInfluence structures its services to fit into that complex corporate environment.[2] Clients use the agency to launch new menu items or run seasonal promotions.[2]
HireInfluence develops a custom strategy across multiple social media platforms.[1][2] The agency plans physical brand activations and on-site event promotions.[3][1] Clients can buy credits for a series of micro-campaigns run across 6 to 12 months.[1] Long-term ambassador programs keep a restaurant brand in front of consumers.[2] HireInfluence manages user-generated content programs to build a library of social assets.[2] A restaurant chain can repurpose those assets for digital out-of-home and in-store environments.[2] The agency also offers paid media management and content production.[3]
HireInfluence lists FTC compliance management among its services.[2] Clients rely on the agency to navigate the fast pace of restaurant promotional calendars.[2] The agency handles influencer whitelisting and dark posting for paid media amplification.[2] HireInfluence integrates directly with the marketing organization of a national restaurant brand.[2] HireInfluence says enterprise QSR brands face more restrictive brand guidelines and more intensive legal review.[2] A national chain uses the service to introduce new products to specific consumer demographics.[2]
How do CreatoRain and HireInfluence compare?
Who finds the creators?
HireInfluence uses a talent team to source creators for a campaign.[1] HireInfluence selects creators using a manual review process that goes beyond popular databases.[3] HireInfluence analyzes past brand partnerships and audience interests during the selection process.[1] HireInfluence ranks creators using a metric called an Audience Quality Score.[1] HireInfluence says its talent team has built creator relationships over the past decade.[1] HireInfluence also uses tech tools to guard against fake followers.[1] HireInfluence provides curated creator options to the client in a presentation format.[1] For national QSR brands, HireInfluence activates national creator pools alongside geo-targeted creator networks in key markets.[2] HireInfluence states a standard campaign lead time takes five or six weeks.[1] HireInfluence can reduce that wait to eight or ten days for recurring micro-campaigns.[1]
CreatoRain is built for restaurants, not for every kind of business. CreatoRain works with food creators who review restaurants. CreatoRain has a food-creator network, ready before you sign up. CreatoRain uses an in-house team to invite creators from its food-creator network.
HireInfluence uses a talent team to curate creators, while CreatoRain uses an in-house team to invite creators from its network.[1] HireInfluence states a standard campaign lead time of five or six weeks, while a CreatoRain campaign does not wait for creators to be found.[1]
Who contacts the creators?
HireInfluence handles influencer negotiation and contracting for each project.[1] HireInfluence takes care of schedule control for the content.[1] HireInfluence also manages payments and tax forms for the creators.[1] HireInfluence oversees content scheduling and renewal decisions for long-term ambassador programs.[2]
CreatoRain's in-house team runs the outreach, so you don't send a single email. CreatoRain's in-house team handles every creator reply. CreatoRain's in-house team pays the creators and follows up until each video is posted.
HireInfluence handles influencer negotiation and contracting for each project, while CreatoRain's in-house team runs the outreach.[1] HireInfluence manages payments and tax forms for creators, and CreatoRain's in-house team pays the creators.[1] HireInfluence takes care of schedule control, while creators book their own visit in the CreatoRain app.[1] HireInfluence briefs creators through established processes, while CreatoRain's in-house team handles every creator reply.[2]
How does a campaign get set up?
HireInfluence designs influencer campaigns around the objectives of each client.[3] A brand brings a campaign calendar and objectives to start the conversation.[2] HireInfluence handles strategy development and influencer curation for full-service campaigns.[1] The agency team plans itineraries and reservations for on-site brand promotions.[1] HireInfluence's on-site event work includes what-if planning for a Plan B.[1] A long-term partnership using credits reduces campaign lead time to eight or ten days.[1] HireInfluence pages do not explain how a client adds a new location to an active campaign.
You add a location, and the in-house team invites and pays the creators. A new location can join a running campaign any day. Creators book their own visit directly in the CreatoRain app.
HireInfluence designs custom campaigns around client objectives, while a client adds locations to one campaign on CreatoRain.[3] A standard HireInfluence campaign takes five or six weeks of lead time, while a location can join a running CreatoRain campaign any day.[1] HireInfluence's recurring micro-campaigns run on credits over 6 to 12 months, while CreatoRain has no monthly fee.[1]
Who runs the day-to-day work?
HireInfluence operates as a full-service influencer marketing agency for brands.[3] HireInfluence engages from the first day of each project to manage the work.[3] HireInfluence's recurring campaigns use A/B testing to keep improving based on results.[1] HireInfluence says its team handles the operational velocity, audience targeting and creative direction for QSR campaigns.[2] It keeps ready creator rosters and established briefing and approval processes for QSR brands.[2]
CreatoRain's in-house team runs the marketing campaign for every client. What's left for you: host the visit, and confirm bookings unless auto-confirm is on. Nothing is paid to the creator in cash on top of the price.
HireInfluence manages schedule control for campaigns, and on CreatoRain you host the visit and the in-house team handles the creators.[1] HireInfluence plans reservations and itineraries for its on-site promotions, while a CreatoRain client covers 1-2 meals from its own menu per creator visit.[1]
What do you see afterwards?
HireInfluence designs project analytics around your specific objectives and goals.[3] Based on your key performance indicators, HireInfluence offers customized reporting.[3] Throughout the duration of each project, HireInfluence monitors campaign performance.[2] HireInfluence's project analytics include earned media value and sentiment.[3] Through retail purchase integrations, HireInfluence tracks link clicks for you.[2] At the platform and individual creator level, HireInfluence tracks performance.[2] During a campaign, HireInfluence uses these analytics to adjust budgets.[2]
CreatoRain does not measure foot traffic for your brick-and-mortar locations. CreatoRain does not measure reach or views for a campaign.
HireInfluence reports earned media value and sentiment, while CreatoRain's report counts each creator's booked visit by location.[3] HireInfluence builds analytics around your specific objectives, whereas CreatoRain does not measure foot traffic or sales.[3] HireInfluence's full-service campaigns include tailored analytics, while CreatoRain's report counts the videos submitted and approved.[1]
What does it cost?
HireInfluence does not offer canned packages for its influencer campaigns.[3] HireInfluence has a minimum engagement of about $100,000.[2] Its on-site event work comes with all-inclusive pricing that covers planning, reservations and itinerary management.[1] HireInfluence's cost guide lists general market rates of $500 to $3,000 for micro creators and $10,000 to $30,000 for mid-tier creators.[4] HireInfluence's homepage advises buyers to get an agency's fee structure in writing, separate from creator spend.[3]
CreatoRain charges $300 a video, the creator's pay included. CreatoRain charges no monthly fee. The price remains the same for any number of locations. The restaurant hosts the visit and covers one or two meals per creator.
HireInfluence builds each campaign with no canned packages, while CreatoRain's in-house team runs the campaign for every client at the same price per video.[3] HireInfluence's cost guide says follower counts help set creator fees, while nothing is paid to a CreatoRain creator in cash on top of the price.[4] HireInfluence warns that some agencies mark up creator fees, while CreatoRain charges $300 a video, the creator's pay included.[3]
When is HireInfluence the better pick?
HireInfluence is a better fit when an established brand wants an agency to stage activations, manage paid media and run long-term ambassador programs.[1][2][3] HireInfluence has a minimum engagement of about $100,000, so it suits a brand with that budget.[2] Campaigns on HireInfluence include influencer whitelisting and dark posting for clients.[2] Analytics on HireInfluence are designed around the specific objectives of each client.[3] The HireInfluence team tracks performance at the platform and creator level throughout a campaign.[2] HireInfluence calculates earned media value and tracks sentiment for a campaign.[3] HireInfluence develops campaigns to drive trial on new menu items.[2] HireInfluence maintains the operational infrastructure to source and deploy creator content at speed.[2]
HireInfluence curates creator options and delivers them in a presentation format.[1] HireInfluence builds and manages long-term ambassador programs for brands seeking a sustained social presence.[2] The HireInfluence team handles contracting and content scheduling for these sustained programs.[2] HireInfluence also suits brands that want photo shoots, product demos or grand opening events.[1]
Why does a restaurant chain pick CreatoRain?
A CreatoRain campaign does not wait for creators to be found. HireInfluence curates creators manually for each project, while CreatoRain's food-creator network is ready before you sign up.[3] HireInfluence designs each campaign around your specific objectives and key performance indicators.[3]
Bookings confirm automatically by default for a new location. HireInfluence handles negotiation and contracting, while CreatoRain's in-house team pays the creators and follows up until each video is posted.[1] CreatoRain's report counts each creator's booked visit by location. The report also counts the final videos submitted and approved.
CreatoRain charges the same per-video price for every client, the creator's pay included. CreatoRain is a done-for-you restaurant influencer marketing service. The service is built for restaurant chains, franchises and multi-location food and drink businesses.