# What is a creator marketplace?

> A creator marketplace is a brand-deal platform run by a content platform itself, where brands find creators, place orders, pay and see the results. An agency that wants to take deals for creators usually has to qualify on each platform separately.

- URL: https://www.mvpdata.net/en/glossary/creator-marketplace
- Updated: 2026-09-30
- Also known as: Brand-deal platform, Influencer marketplace, 达人商业合作平台
- 简体中文: https://www.mvpdata.net/glossary/creator-marketplace

A creator marketplace is run by the content platform itself and connects brands, creators and agencies; each content platform has its own, with its own rules. This entry explains what these marketplaces are and what each platform calls its own; fees, settlement rules and agency requirements are not covered here. Each platform's rules, with the date they were checked: [brand-deal platforms and agency rules](https://www.mvpdata.net/en/platforms).

## What are the creator marketplaces of China's content platforms called?

| Content platform | Official marketplace | Roles on it |
|---|---|---|
| Douyin | Xingtu (巨量星图) | Clients, creators, MCNs, service providers[^1] |
| Xiaohongshu (RedNote) | Pugongying (蒲公英) | Brands, agencies, MCNs, creators[^2] |
| WeChat Channels and Official Accounts | Tencent Huxuan (腾讯营销互选) | Clients, creators, agencies[^3] |
| Weibo | Weirenwu (微任务) | Advertisers, creators[^4] |
| Bilibili | Huahuo (花火) | Uploaders, service providers[^5] |

## What does a creator marketplace do?

From what the platforms publish, these marketplaces usually do three things: let brands find creators by criteria, take orders and payment inside the platform, and produce or share the data on each collaboration. In YouTube Creator Partnerships, for example, creators answer a brand's inquiry in YouTube Studio with "Interested" or "Not interested", and can turn on insights sharing so advertisers see more of the channel's data;[^6] the Instagram creator marketplace lets brands filter by creator and audience attributes, send a project to several creators and run the resulting content as partnership ads;[^7] and Xingtu sets separate fees and settlement terms for clients, individual creators and creators with an MCN.[^1]

## What are the North American equivalents?

TikTok's is TikTok One: for creators, a platform to find business opportunities, work with advertisers through TikTok and get paid;[^8] creators must be at least 18 and in a country or region where it has launched, and can join through their agency's invitation link.[^9] YouTube's is Creator Partnerships, formerly BrandConnect.[^10] Instagram's creator marketplace is now reached through Meta's Creator Marketing Hub, where brands discover and evaluate creators and manage partnership ads permissions.[^11]

## Further reading

- How brand deals are sourced and priced: [Partnerships & opportunities](https://www.mvpdata.net/en/services/partnerships)
- How established creators work with a management firm: [Creators & influencers](https://www.mvpdata.net/en/ip/influencers)

## Related terms

- [What is an MCN (multi-channel network)?](https://www.mvpdata.net/en/glossary/mcn): An MCN (multi-channel network) is a company that works with many creators or channels, providing content, operations and monetization services for a share of revenue. The term began on YouTube; in China, MCNs usually sign creators to management contracts.
- [What is a KOL (key opinion leader) in marketing?](https://www.mvpdata.net/en/glossary/kol): A KOL (key opinion leader) is a person whose expertise or reach in a field shapes the opinions and purchase decisions of others. A KOC (key opinion consumer) reaches fewer people but feels closer to ordinary users.
- [What is an influencer (wanghong)?](https://www.mvpdata.net/en/glossary/influencer): An influencer is a person who has gained a large online audience through content, livestreams or online events and can sway its views or purchases. Influence measures reach; a personal brand measures lasting trust, and not every influencer has one.
- [What is creator monetization (IP commercialization)?](https://www.mvpdata.net/en/glossary/ip-commercialization): Creator monetization is converting the attention and trust a creator or public figure has built into income: brand deals, endorsements, livestream selling, licensing and owned products. It is broader than platform programs such as the YouTube Partner Program.

[^1]: 《巨量星图结算管理规则》 (Xingtu Settlement Management Rules), Xingtu (Ocean Engine). Effective 2026-01-01. https://www.xingtu.cn/help-center/author/133057 (Checked 2026-09-30, Unofficial translation)
[^2]: 《欢迎入驻小红书蒲公英》 (Joining Xiaohongshu Pugongying), Xiaohongshu Pugongying. https://pgy.xiaohongshu.com/role-introduce (Checked 2026-09-30, Unofficial translation)
[^3]: 《机构入驻互选指引》 (Tencent Huxuan help: how WeChat Channels agencies join), Tencent Huxuan marketplace. https://huxuan.qq.com/trade/free/help_detail?post_ids=9960 (Checked 2026-09-30, Unofficial translation)
[^4]: 《广告主功能简介》 (Weirenwu help: features for advertisers), Weibo Weirenwu. https://weirenwu.weibo.com/wrw/?c=index.helpDoc&p=2 (Checked 2026-09-30, Unofficial translation)
[^5]: 《bilibili花火功能详解》 (Bilibili Huahuo: features explained), Bilibili. https://www.bilibili.com/blackboard/activity-xdVoJN-7g.html (Checked 2026-09-30, Unofficial translation)
[^6]: Get started with YouTube Creator Partnerships, YouTube Help. https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/9385307 (Checked 2026-09-30, May be unavailable in mainland China)
[^7]: Making it Easier for Brands and Creators to Collaborate on Instagram, Meta Newsroom. Published 2024-02-21. https://about.fb.com/news/2024/02/creator-marketplace-for-brands-and-creators-to-collaborate-on-instagram/ (Checked 2026-09-30, May be unavailable in mainland China)
[^8]: About TikTok One for creators, TikTok Business Help Center. https://ads.tiktok.com/help/article/about-tiktok-one-for-creators (Checked 2026-09-30, May be unavailable in mainland China)
[^9]: How creators can sign up for TikTok One, TikTok Business Help Center. https://ads.tiktok.com/help/article/how-creators-can-sign-up-for-tiktok-one (Checked 2026-09-30, May be unavailable in mainland China)
[^10]: Discover a new era of brand and creator partnerships on YouTube, YouTube Official Blog. Published 2026-03-23. https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/youtube-creator-partnerships-newfronts-2026/ (Checked 2026-09-30, May be unavailable in mainland China)
[^11]: About Meta Creator Marketing Hub, Instagram Help Center. https://help.instagram.com/337707278243327 (Checked 2026-09-30, May be unavailable in mainland China)