In the second part of our influencer marketing series, we shift focus from the marketer to the creator. Host ⁠⁠⁠Will Francis⁠⁠⁠ chats with ⁠Ben Kaluza⁠, a former Twitch ad ops professional turned full-time content creator. Ben shares his candid journey into content creation—from gaming streams and OBS tutorials to building a trusted multi-platform presence across TikTok, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Ben gets into what creators really need to succeed, how to balance authenticity with monetization, and how marketers can partner with them successfully. With honest takes on influencer compensation, content production, and building trust in a noisy digital space, this episode is a must-listen for anyone working with—or aspiring to become—a creator today.

Listen to Part 1 with Sarah Adam who directs the B2B influencer marketing team at Wix Studio.

Ben's top 3 tips for content creators:

1. Prioritize ideas over everything
2. Don't fuss over the details like hashtags or captions
3. Keep experimenting with formats

Ben's top 3 tips for marketers:

1. Match the content with your product, not just your audience
2. Build great affiliate programs
3. Use creators for unique insights and strategy

Timestamps:

• 03:00 – What Ben learned about value and CPM from Twitch and healthcare display ads
• 06:30 – Starting content creation and streaming on Twitch
• 08:45 – Discoverability struggles on Twitch and why TikTok became his growth engine
• 11:00 – How monetization culture differs across Twitch and TikTok
• 14:10 – Creator fatigue and why streaming isn't sustainable for most
• 16:30 – Pivoting to TikTok tutorials: from opinion to practical value
• 20:15 – High vs. low production content and platform fit
• 28:00 – Creator vs. influencer: defining the roles
• 30:00 – Making a living: how brand deals, pricing, and scheduling actually work
• 38:15 – What marketers should understand when working with creators
• 41:30 – Why paid media should back creator content
• 46:00 – Smart strategies for gifting vs. paid partnerships
• 51:00 – Ranking platforms: TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn
• 58:30 – Tailoring content by platform for trust and reach
• 1:05:00 – Top 3 tips for aspiring creators and top 3 tips for marketers working with them

-------------------

The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digital Marketing Institute and is available on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Check out the DMI’s extensive digital marketing library of ebooks, toolkits, webinars, guides, templates, and more! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join for free today⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review so others can find us!

On the DMI podcast, we're devoting the next 2 episodes to going deep into influencer marketing. First from the marketer's viewpoint and then from the creator's.

In this first episode host ⁠Will Francis⁠ chats with ⁠Sarah Adam⁠, Head of Partnerships and Influencer Marketing at ⁠Wix⁠. Sarah shares a behind-the-scenes look at how Wix has navigated the branding challenge of launching its B2B solution, ⁠Wix Studio⁠, in a market that traditionally sees Wix as a consumer-first platform. From influencer strategy to performance metrics and the role of AI, Sarah offers an unique view into B2B influencer marketing in today’s creator economy.

Listen to part 2 with content creator Ben Kaluza.

Key tips from Sarah:

1. Pick influencers for their professional relevance, not follower count
2. Focus on organic discovery over so-called influencer tools
3. Invest in long-term relationships, not just one-off campaigns

Timestamps:

• 00:00 – Introduction to Sarah Adam and her role at Wix

  02:27 – What is Wix Studio and how it differs from classic Wix

  04:10 – The branding challenge: shifting from B2C to B2B

  07:21 – Why influencer marketing is a long-term game

  08:36 – Metrics that matter: brand awareness vs. acquisition

  10:24 – Choosing the right platforms based on marketing goals

  13:00 – How to budget and benchmark for influencer campaigns

  18:14 – Finding the right influencers: tools vs. organic discovery

  22:28 – The rise of B2B influencer marketing on LinkedIn

  29:40 – Platform breakdown: what each one does best

  35:51 – Reposting and ad usage of influencer content

  40:49 – Advice for aspiring full-time creators

  47:11 – Sarah’s career journey and advice to her younger self

• -------------------

  The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digital Marketing Institute and is available on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

  Check out the DMI’s extensive digital marketing library of ebooks, toolkits, webinars, guides, templates, and more! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join for free today⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

  If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review so others can find us!

In this episode of the DMI podcast, host ⁠Will Francis⁠ speaks with ⁠Mark Kilens⁠, CEO and co-founder of ⁠Tack⁠, a community and consultancy focused on helping companies go to market. Mark shares a fresh perspective on how go-to-market strategies must evolve by putting people, not companies, at the heart of everything. From building trust to leveraging networks over traditional channels, Mark offers plenty of insights that challenge the status quo and equip marketers to thrive in a rapidly changing landscape.

Mark's top 3 insights:

1. Focus on People-First GTM built around relationships, storytelling, and partnerships.

2. Build an owned audience through value-led content and free tools, not just blog posts.

3. Prioritize network leverage over channels: think people, places, and brands as your new marketing reach.

Timestamps

0:00:25 – What is People-First Go-To-Market (GTM)?
0:03:02 – Common challenges: Positioning and Ideal Customer Profiles
0:06:54 – The importance of ecosystems and partnerships
0:09:47 – Distribution leverage and marketing in noisy environments
0:12:31 – Channels vs. Networks: A mindset shift
0:18:24 – The role of AI in GTM strategy and marketing careers0:23:56 – Why build a community? The power of owned audiences
0:27:58 – Using free tools to deliver value and collect data0:34:00 – Real-world client scenarios and solutions Tack provides
0:36:38 – The over-reliance on paid media and what to do instead
0:41:23 – What product metrics reveal about GTM effectiveness
0:42:27 – Mark’s GTM checklist: ICPs, messaging, networks
0:45:45 – Career reflections and advice for marketers-----------------------

The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digital Marketing Institute and is available on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Check out the DMI’s extensive digital marketing library of ebooks, toolkits, webinars, guides, templates, and more! ⁠⁠⁠⁠Join for free today⁠⁠⁠⁠.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review so others can find us!