Two Campaigns, Two Completely Different Goals
CreloAI lets brands run two types of influencer campaigns: Pay Per View (PPV) and Barter. They look similar in setup — you define a budget, targeting, and brief — but they work very differently and serve different purposes.
Choosing the wrong one won't just waste money. It'll attract the wrong creators and produce the wrong content. Here's how to tell them apart.
Pay Per View (PPV): When You Want Scale
In a PPV campaign, creators earn money based on verified views. You set a rate (e.g. ₹0.50/view) and a total budget. Creators post content, you verify the views, and they get paid accordingly.
Best for:
- Brand awareness at scale — you pay for actual eyeballs, not just the post
- Testing multiple creators without committing to flat fees
- Products with broad appeal where any relevant audience will convert
- Brands with clear performance metrics and a CPV (cost per view) target
Watch out for: PPV campaigns need enough budget to be attractive to creators. If your PPV rate is too low, top creators won't apply. The sweet spot varies by niche — see our guide on setting the right PPV rate.
Barter: When You Want Authentic Content
In a barter campaign, you send creators your product in exchange for content — no cash payment. There are two types:
- Standard barter: You ship a physical product. The creator reviews or features it.
- Digital barter: You offer a code, subscription, or access — no shipping involved.
Best for:
- New brands building a content library without a large cash budget
- Products that are inherently "unboxable" or review-worthy (skincare, food, gadgets)
- Driving authentic UGC that you can repurpose for paid ads
- Brands willing to invest in seeding product to multiple micro-creators
Watch out for: Barter creators aren't paid in cash, so you need the product itself to be compelling enough. If your product is hard to explain, not photogenic, or has low perceived value, barter conversion rates will be poor.
Decision Framework
Ask yourself:
- Do I have budget to pay for views? → PPV
- Do I have product I can ship or a subscription I can give away? → Barter
- Do I need reach fast? → PPV (cash attracts more creators, faster)
- Do I need content more than reach? → Barter
- Am I an early-stage brand testing the market? → Start with barter to build social proof, then layer in PPV
Many brands run both simultaneously — barter for UGC and authenticity, PPV for scale and measurable views. Once you've validated your product with barter content, PPV campaigns perform better because you have proven creative to brief creators with.
Which One Attracts More Creators?
PPV campaigns generally attract more applicants because cash is a universal incentive. Barter works best when the product has aspirational value — creators in skincare, fashion, and food niches are far more likely to accept barter than creators in finance or B2B niches.
💬 Discussed in Creloverse
This is one of the most active debates in our community. Brands in the First Time Brands community have been comparing notes on both models: Should I do barter first or pay cash for my first campaign?
Also see: PPV vs flat fee — what's the difference?