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How Moment Built 4,000 Creator Partnerships Without Paying for Posts

How Moment Built 4,000 Creator Partnerships Without Paying for Posts

TGTC Content Team 4 min read

In this episode of The Future of Consumer Marketing, Brett Stapper interviews Alec Ploof, Head of Growth at Moment. Moment began as a mobile lens manufacturer for iPhones before evolving into a curated marketplace for creators, selling everything from camera gear to digital products. After scaling quickly with investor funding, Moment strategically downsized from 50 to 20 employees, refocusing on organic growth and their core mission of supporting creators. Alec shares how they’ve built a thriving ecosystem where creators aren’t just customers but partners who build on top of their platform through courses, presets, content, and co-created physical products.

Topics Discussed:

  • Transitioning from a DTC lens manufacturer to a curated marketplace for creators
  • Building a successful creator partnership ecosystem beyond traditional influencer marketing
  • Shifting from investor-driven growth to sustainable organic marketing
  • Developing a multi-channel content strategy through YouTube residencies and contributor programs
  • Creating fair compensation models for creator partners
  • Setting strategic boundaries with AI in marketing and content creation
  • The future of niche communities and the evolution of camera culture

Lessons For Consumer Marketers:

Transform Creators from Influencers to Business Partners

Rather than paying creators for one-off sponsored posts, Moment has built long-term partnerships where creators actively build on their platform. Through their marketplace, creators sell courses, presets, and even co-develop physical products, creating mutual investment in success. This partnership model has proven more sustainable and authentic than traditional influencer marketing.

Build Compensation Models That Foster Trust and Loyalty

Moment developed innovative compensation structures that feel fair to creators, including 100% affiliate commission on creator-written articles and revenue-sharing on YouTube content. These models have helped them attract top talent—receiving over 1,000 applications for just five YouTube residency positions—while avoiding the “slippery slope” of bidding wars for sponsored content.

Develop a Strategic Content Ecosystem Across Multiple Channels

Moment operates a sophisticated multi-channel content strategy with clearly defined roles: their main YouTube channel for entertainment and upper-funnel awareness, a separate tutorials channel for in-depth educational content, and written articles that convert both into searchable, shoppable content. This approach ensures consistent content output while maximizing SEO and conversion opportunities.

Establish Clear AI Boundaries That Align With Brand Values

As a marketplace built to support creators, Moment has drawn a clear line on AI usage: they leverage it for efficiency in operations and product descriptions but never for content creation. This principled stance reinforces their brand values while still capitalizing on AI’s benefits in appropriate contexts.

Focus on Curation Over Scale in Marketplace Development

After initially pursuing rapid scale in their marketplace, Moment refocused on curation, realizing the “80/20 rule” applies strongly to creator partnerships. By focusing on relationships with the right creators rather than maximizing total numbers, they’ve built a more valuable platform for both consumers and creator partners.

Recognize the Evolution of Consumer Hobbies into Identity Markers

Moment has observed photography transforming from primarily a professional pursuit to a lifestyle and identity marker—”more of a vibe” as Alec describes it. This insight has reshaped their marketing to focus on community and personal expression rather than just technical specifications or professional applications.

Embrace Community Micro-Segmentation as the Future of Marketing

Alec predicts consumer marketing will increasingly revolve around micro-communities, with consumers becoming deeply loyal to niche brands that speak directly to their specific interests. For Moment, this means positioning themselves not just as a retailer but as the natural gathering place where creators connect, learn, and shop.