Is Your Org Chart Holding Back Your Creator Program?

You’ve got a killer strategy, a solid roster of creators, and the right tools in place. But your influencer campaign results still feel underwhelming. 

The problem might not be your tactics. It might be your org chart. 

At many companies, influencer marketing gets dropped under Social, PR, or Growth by default. But trying to force influencer marketing into a traditional department creates unnecessary friction, limiting your view, slowing down execution, and often leading to disappointing results.

To unlock the full potential of influencer marketing, it needs to be its own strategic function — one with the autonomy and resources to support every stage of the funnel.

Let’s take a closer look at the impact of team structure on influencer marketing, and how brands can reframe ownership to drive better results.

What happens when influencer marketing gets siloed? 

When influencer marketing lives in Brand/PR

What works: Brand and PR teams shine at storytelling and reputation management. Think: gifting programs, gorgeous content, and buzzy experiential campaigns. These teams know how to elevate your brand’s image and deepen customer affinity. 

Where it falls short: Performance and measurement may take a backseat. Conversion-focused tactics might be viewed as “too salesy” or off-brand. As a result, you may get beautiful content, but very little optimization or scale. And without performance data, it’s hard to know which creators actually moved the needle, and nearly impossible to justify reinvestment beyond subjective KPIs like being “on-brand.”

When influencer marketing lives in Performance/Growth

What works: Performance and Growth teams are built for outcomes, focusing on media buying, optimization, and what it takes to drive revenue. Under these teams, influencer programs often include affiliate marketing, paid amplification, as well as detailed attribution modeling — perfect for showcasing the impact influencer marketing has on your company’s bottom line. 

Where it falls short: If creators are treated like ad units instead of true partners, you risk churn, burnout, and inauthentic content. Over time, your program may become overly transactional and the human element that is crucial to influencer marketing success gets lost.

When influencer marketing lives in Social

What works: Social knows what’s trending, what’s working natively on platforms, and how to move fast. It’s a natural fit for influencer marketing, especially when it comes to UGC creation, trend-based campaigns, and channel-specific strategies. 

Where it falls short: Social teams are often strapped for resources and budget. Influencer efforts become reactive rather than strategic, scrambling to plug holes in the content calendar instead of building a long-term growth engine. And because social isn’t always tied to revenue metrics, influencer success is often measured in likes and impressions instead of true impact.

So, who should own influencer marketing? 

If influencer marketing doesn’t quite belong in Brand, Performance, or Social, who should actually own it?

Spoiler alert: influencer marketing should be its own dedicated team.

Truth be told, influencer marketing is a full-time job, not just 25% of the Social Media Manager’s daily workload. It deserves a centralized team with the autonomy to lead strategy, own relationships, and collaborate across departments.

Influencer marketing sits at the intersection of brand and performance, content and community, awareness and acquisition. It requires its own expertise, its own KPIs, and its own workflows.

It’s both an art and a science, and no single traditional team is equipped to do it all.

A centralized influencer team can:

• Work with Brand to ensure all creator content aligns with visual identity and messaging
• Partner with Performance to test and scale the highest-performing creator assets in paid media
• Collaborate with Social to fill the content calendar with platform-native UGC and spark engagement
• Support PR and Events to amplify launches with strategic creator activations
• Coordinate with Growth to manage affiliate programs and optimize creator-driven conversions

In short, the Influencer Marketing team becomes the connective tissue between siloed marketing departments, supporting multiple business goals — from reach to revenue.

Here’s what a dedicated Influencer Marketing team might look like:

• Influencer Marketing Lead or Head of Creator Strategy to own the function and set direction
• Influencer Campaign Managers to handle sourcing, outreach, negotiation, and project management
• Creator Relations Manager who builds long-term partnerships and community
• Paid Amplification Specialist who works with performance team to scale top creator content
• Affiliate & Reporting Manager to track performance, manage codes/links, and tie influencer work to revenue

Depending on company size, this team can scale up or down. But the structure stays the same: cross-functional, strategically aligned, and laser-focused on both brand value and business results.

Dedicate a team to influencer marketing

Today, influencer marketing is a powerful, full-funnel lever that can drive both awareness and action. But it only works if your team structure reflects the care, creativity, and coordination required to build real, lasting relationships with creators.

Lacking the bandwidth or resources to build a full-fledged team? Get in touch with us to see how Aspire can help you scale smarter.