Developing excellent technology that helps creators and marketers connect: IZEA

The Silicon Review

IZEA created the influencer marketing industry. In 2006, the company launched the first technology platform that paid bloggers to create content for brands. IZEA is a marketing technology company providing software and professional services that enable brands to collaborate and transact with the full spectrum of today’s top social influencers and content creators. The company serves as a champion for the growing Creator Economy, enabling individuals to monetize their content, creativity, and influence.

IZEA launched the industry’s first-ever influencer marketing platform in 2006 and has since facilitated nearly 4 million transactions between online buyers and sellers. Leading brands and agencies partner with IZEA to increase digital engagement, diversify brand voice, scale content production, and drive measurable return on investment.

Growing leaps and bounds

The premier provider of influencer marketing technology, data, and services for the world’s leading brands, announced that its Managed Services team secured contract bookings totaling $7.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2022, down from $10.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2021. “In Q4, we began the process of parting ways with a singular large client whose bookings equated to margins at forty to fifty basis points lower than the core business paired with no meaningful future growth potential,” said Ted Murphy, IZEA’s Chairman and CEO. “This decision led to lower Managed Service bookings during Q4, and will continue to impact bookings in the short-term.”

“We are carrying approximately $7.8M in revenue backlog for this customer into 2023, which we expect to complete by the end of the year,” continued Murphy. “As we progress into 2023, we expect to see our average margins improve to historical levels through a more diversified client base to balance growth with profitability.” “Toward that goal, IZEA’s core clientele bookings sans the aforementioned client grew both within the quarter and the year at our desired margin profile range. In addition, our Managed Service sales personnel generated record Q4 new opportunity pipeline during the quarter.” Bookings are a measure of all sales orders minus any known or expected cancellations or refunds with respect to such sales orders or refunds. Management uses bookings to inform expectations of total sales activity. Bookings are not always an indicator of revenue for the quarter and could be subject to future adjustments. Revenues from Managed Services bookings are typically recognized over a nine-month period on average.

Revamped features for marketers and creators

First announced during the “SUPERCHANGED” streaming event last month, the newly overhauled IZEA.com allows brands and agencies to easily search and filter creator listings that meet the requirements of their influencer marketing campaigns. Reimagined creator profiles give marketers access to more content and deeper BrandGraph® insights than ever before. Creator profiles bring together a creator’s social handles and the brands and topics they post about, alongside their predictive audience demographics.

The all-new Casting Calls feature gives marketers and creators a two-way marketplace where they can find each other and collaborate. Marketers use Casting Calls to solicit and qualify inbound pitches for everything from influencer marketing sponsorships to full-time employment. Creators can respond to Casting Calls with both video and text pitches, as well as respond to marketer survey questions. “Casting Calls allow creators to warm-pitch brands that are actively seeking their content, creativity and influence,” said Ted Murphy, IZEA’s CEO and Founder. “The Creator Marketplace is designed to be as frictionless as possible. Marketers and creators can work together through the platform or transact outside the marketplace without additional transaction fees.”

Pricing

Access to the IZEA Marketplace is free, allowing anyone to buy or sell listings. Creators can pitch up to three casting calls per month under the free plan. Upgrading to a Pro plan provides additional marketplace benefits.

The Creator Pro plan lets creators respond to unlimited casting calls, reduces fees for all marketplace transactions, and guarantees traffic to their individual listing pages. This plan is $6 per month when purchased annually.
The Marketer Pro plan lets marketers create unlimited casting calls and is $99 per month when purchased annually.

Meet the leader behind the success of IZEA

Ted Murphy is a serial entrepreneur who has founded six companies since 1994. Today he is Founder, CEO and Chairman of IZEA. Murphy has been called the father of paid blogging and is largely credited for creating the influencer marketing industry. In 2006 Murphy launched PayPerPost.com, the first online marketplace that paid bloggers to create content on behalf of brands. Ted’s vision for democratizing content and influencer compensation is now a reality in most marketing strategies, from top brands and agencies to small businesses. Murphy has bootstrapped companies off credit cards, been VC backed and most recently brought IZEA public. His disruptive approach and leadership have enabled him to raise over $55 million in equity for his entrepreneurial endeavors in both public and private markets. Murphy’s backers have included top tier VCs Draper Fischer Jurvetson and Village Ventures as well as multiple billionaires.

Murphy has consulted for some of the world’s largest marketing organizations including FOX, Bombardier, General Motors, and Disney. He has also negotiated sponsorships with celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, Diddy and Mario Lopez. Murphy is a prominent TV commentator on tech and social media marketing trends and platforms. His unique point of view from the intersection of media and technology, has led to frequent appearances on Fox Business’s Varney & Co, CNBC and Bloomberg TV.