Popfly

Follow these ski and snowboard creators to get hyped for the season. 🤘 https://lnkd.in/g7pWvNCA Tyler Haven Jess Cohen Austin Becker Jenna Henry Jacob Leach Brynn W. Rachel Engen

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I left Google to become the Founding Account Executive at Popfly. Why? At Google, I sold Google and YouTube Ads to the few companies that don’t already invest millions. I saw first-hand how successful Google Ads campaigns can be. But I also saw something else: the rules are changing. My job was largely to convince Chief Marketing Officers to move budget from Meta, Amazon, LinkedIn, etc. to Google. Many conversations started the same way. “Ads aren’t giving us the sales we need.” I’d hear the same questions over and over: Should we change our content? Switch platforms? Spend more? Consumers are tuning out polished, brand-made ads. They crave authenticity with real people and real experiences. That’s why User Generated Content (UGC) is outperforming traditional ads across every channel: - 4x higher click-through rates - 50% lower cost per click - 50% higher engagement on social media - 84% of people trust brands more when they use UGC That’s not a trend. It’s a shift in how marketing works. I joined Popfly because I believe this shift marks the next evolution of digital advertising: Performance Creator Marketing. People no longer buy because of what brands tell them; they buy because of what people they trust say. In fact, 92% of consumers trust influencers over celebrities and traditional ads (Forbes). Popfly is built for this new era. We’ve built the world’s largest community of outdoor creators and influencers and a software platform that makes working with them effortless. Popfly automates every step of creator marketing, from sourcing and managing creators to delivering professional UGC for organic social and paid campaigns. Our creators can even act as brand ambassadors with affiliate links, turning their audiences into your customers. This isn’t just influencer marketing. It’s creator-powered performance marketing. And it works: brands that combine influencer and affiliate programs can see up to a 46% increase in affiliate-driven sales. Popfly gives brands a way to spend less on traditional ads and content, yet drive more authentic engagement, more trust, and more results.

I’ll never forget meeting Travis Burke in San Diego back in 2018 — the guy who made “living on the road with a camera” look possible. Back then, I was fresh out of high school, chasing the same dream with no clue how to get there. Travis represented a life where you could get paid to make photos. That dream felt huge, but I couldn’t imagine life without creating. I still remember making iMovies on my parents’ old laptop and taking photos on my Nintendo DSi. I had to make it work, because I didn’t know what else I’d do if it didn’t. The journey was anything but easy. At my first market selling prints, another vendor told me, “Photo and video are cool, but you should get a real job — like an accountant or doctor.” Sounds made up, but it happened — and it wasn’t the only time. Thousands of videos and photos later, both for myself and for clients, I’d often see little success. I honestly don’t know what kept me going other than just the love of creating — and a belief that through my work, I could bring a bit of light into the world and make a difference. But the thing is, when I finally reached the goals I thought would make me happy… I wasn’t. I had become obsessed with arriving rather than simply enjoying the journey and the craft itself. After taking a long break from social media, I reoriented my goals and found what truly mattered. There are far more meaningful things in my life than a viral number on TikTok — things that bring me real joy and fulfillment. My faith and my family I am building with my wife is on the top of the list. Everything else is is below. One of those things is helping others on their creative journey. From UGC creators to outdoor brands, I love building with purpose and helping others win. Never in a million years did I think I’d end up here — at Popfly, helping outdoor and adventure brands connect to the creator economy. Dreams evolve. And I’m so glad they do — because where I’ve ended up is a dream too big for 18-year-old me to even imagine.

Popfly makes it easy for brands to connect with ski and snowboard creators. Hit us up and we’ll line up the right partners for your next campaign!

Welcome to the Popfly crew, Demitra Carter. ✌️