For the second year running, Raptive has made a splash at IAB NewFronts! After unveiling our new brand in 2023, Raptive was back on the main stage in 2024 with an important message about the power of human connection.
Raptive CEO Michael Sanchez and EVP, Sales Marla Newman were joined onstage by five incredible Raptive creators for an insightful session on harnessing the power of human connection:
- Bola Sokunbi, founder & CEO of Clever Girl Finance
- Camille Styles, founder and Editor-in-Chief of CamilleStyles.com
- Gina Homolka, creator and founder of Skinnytaste
- Darin Blue, co-founder and CFO of Country Rebel
- Kevin Blue, co-founder and CEO of Country Rebel
Singer Tony Jackson—a Country Rebel fan favorite!—closed out the presentation with a fantastic version of his song She’s Takin’ Me Home.
The creators shared how they’ve spent years building relationships with their audiences, a unique, personal connection that faceless media companies are unable to replicate.
We have built a personable, relatable brand, which makes us unique—especially in a world of generic information.
Bola Sokunbi, founder and CEO of Clever Girl Finance
Listening to the creators’ stories made it clear that readers come to their content seeking a human connection they aren’t finding elsewhere. Even with all of the social platforms available to them, audiences are finding the most fulfillment from creator websites.
Websites still matter
At Raptive, we’ve long believed that creator websites are a powerful, compelling way to engage with an audience—and now we have the data to back it up. Raptive commissioned a Nielsen study to determine how much more effective it is to advertise on creator websites compared to other channels, and we shared a sneak peek at the results at NewFronts:
- Advertising on creator websites achieves a 70% higher recall rate than social media
- Creator websites are seen as more engaging than Instagram—over 50% more inspiring, useful, and trustworthy
- Creator fans are 40% more likely to have purchase intent for brands they saw advertised on creator sites
Creators have cultivated trust with their audiences through human connection and authenticity, something no AI can take away. By advertising on creator websites, brands can tap into this inherent trust, which leads to higher brand loyalty.
Authentic, tested, relevant content will always be a welcome antidote to the anonymous, one-size-fits-all of big faceless media brands.
Marla Newman, EVP Sales at Raptive
Creator and independent publisher websites also resonate with diverse audiences, giving voice to under-represented groups. By supporting these sites, advertisers contribute to a richer, more varied media landscape that better reflects society as a whole.
Which leads us to the next exciting NewFronts announcement!
Raptive Represents
Raptive is the #1 source of diverse-owned media, and at NewFronts we shared how we’re making it easier than ever for advertisers to buy verified diverse or minority-owned media.
Introducing: Raptive Represents.
Raptive Represents is a turnkey solution that unlocks direct access to diverse-owned media at scale. In addition to premium content programming, we’re providing confidence in diverse ownership through our new verification partnerships with BOMESI and MAVEN.
BOMESI brings industry partners together to work for equitable progress, a shared internet, and the right for representative stories to exist across all screens. MAVEN, a diversity discovery and reporting platform, has the most comprehensive and validated diverse-owned media database in the industry.
Through these partnerships, we’ll build collaborations between brands and diverse creators, opening new pathways to success. And with Raptive Data Studio, advertisers can tap into these powerful audience connections, leveraging emerging trends with precise ad placements to deliver optimal results.
As we emphasized at NewFronts: Human connection is an infinite resource. And with the power of creators, we’re making it infinitely easier to get connected.
Connect your brand with engaged audiences through the Raptive creator network! Contact us today to talk about how we can work together.
