Founder Friday: Top Online Influencer & Creator Startups

Recently, we came across the Wired article “Meet the Lobbyist Next Door.” It covers the Alexandria, VA startup Urban Legend and describes how their platform uses online influencers to advocate various causes, much like they do when pushing brands/goods. It’s a fantastic read.

However, it got our wheels turning, and we decided to dig and identify some of the top players in the online influencer and creator startup arenas. We won’t be covering the power players like YouTube, TikTok, or other social media platforms. This is about recognizing startups.

Here are some of our favorites…

Urban Legend: We know we already mentioned them, but hey, they helped to inspire this piece, so we felt it was okay to say this online influencer marketplace to push causes a second time.

Grin: With more than 100 million influencers, amazing match functionality, user social research capabilities, and the ability to seamlessly integrate with various eCommerce platforms, Grin is a beast.

Buy Me a Coffee: A platform that gives creators a way to accept donations and offer paid memberships.

Canva: Is there a business out there not using Canva? Canva can make virtually anyone a creator of eye-catching social media graphic content. Oh, and don’t miss this Founder Friday post we did on them a while back (link).