August United vs Stryde

Why brands weigh these two influencer agencies

When you search for partners to run influencer campaigns, it is normal to end up comparing agencies like August United and Stryde side by side. Both help brands work with creators, but they lean into different strengths, processes, and client profiles.

Most marketers want clear answers on results, hands-on support, creator quality, and how budgets are used. You may be wondering who will treat your brand like a long-term partner, who is more performance driven, and who can plug into your existing marketing plans with less friction.

Table of Contents

• What these influencer agencies are known for
• Inside August United’s style and services
• Inside Stryde’s style and services
• How the two agencies really differ
• Pricing approach and how work is scoped
• Key strengths and where each may fall short
• Who each agency is best suited for
• When a platform alternative may make more sense
• FAQs
• Conclusion
• Disclaimer

What these influencer agencies are known for

The primary focus here is influencer brand partnerships. Both agencies help brands tap into creators to tell stories, drive awareness, and boost sales across channels like Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and blogs.

August United is generally associated with organized, large-scale influencer programs for consumer brands. They lean into storytelling, long-term creator relationships, and content that fits into broader brand campaigns.

Stryde is more commonly tied to content and eCommerce growth, especially for brands that care deeply about search, blogs, and direct response. Influencer work often supports SEO and online sales goals rather than only broad reach.

In other words, both focus on creators, but the way they plug into your marketing engine and growth goals can feel quite different.

Inside August United’s style and services

August United positions itself as a full-service influencer marketing partner. They tend to work with mid-market and larger brands that want strategy, execution, and reporting handled under one roof, often across multiple campaigns per year.

Core services and campaign support

While offerings can evolve, you will usually see services such as:

• Influencer strategy tied to brand messaging and seasonal plans
• Creator discovery, vetting, and contract negotiation
• Campaign management and communication with creators
• Content planning across social platforms and sometimes blogs
• Usage rights coordination for paid ads and owned channels
• Measurement and performance reporting

For many marketing teams, the appeal is not having to manage dozens of creators directly. August United often serves as the bridge between your internal goals and the day-to-day work of influencers.

Approach to campaign building

Campaigns tend to center on brand story and emotional connection. Instead of a one-off post, August United often designs program structures with multiple touchpoints, such as teaser content, launch moments, and follow-up reminders.

They usually emphasize alignment between creator values and brand values. For instance, if you are in wellness or family products, they may prioritize creators whose lifestyles naturally showcase your product in context.

Expect mood boards, content guidelines, and a clear narrative theme for each wave of content. This can be helpful when you have several internal stakeholders who want to see brand-safe, on-message work.

Creator relationships and talent mix

August United works across tiers, from micro to larger influencers. While big names may appear in certain campaigns, a common pattern is a mix of creators so that you get both reach and engagement at different audience sizes.

They often cultivate ongoing relationships with creators, bringing them back for multiple campaigns. That can lead to more authentic, repeat exposure where influencers feel like real brand advocates rather than paid endorsers.

From a brand’s view, this can reduce the risk of inconsistent messaging or awkward one-off mentions that feel disconnected from a creator’s usual content style.

Typical client fit

August United tends to be a natural match for:

• Consumer brands seeking large, story-driven influencer programs
• Marketing teams wanting white-glove management and reporting
• Companies planning multi-channel campaigns with paid amplification
• Brands valuing long-term creator relationships and ambassador-style content

If you already invest heavily in brand creative and want cohesive creator content that mirrors that level of polish, this agency’s approach usually aligns well.

Inside Stryde’s style and services

Stryde is often recognized as a digital marketing agency with deep experience in content and eCommerce growth. Influencer work is part of a broader focus on attracting and converting buyers online, especially for niche and direct-to-consumer brands.

Core services and marketing support

Services typically extend beyond creators and may include:

• Content strategy and blogging for organic search growth
• SEO and on-site content optimization
• Paid media support for eCommerce brands
• Influencer outreach tied to content and revenue goals
• Email or lifecycle support for nurturing traffic into buyers

Influencer campaigns here often connect closely with written content and search-friendly assets. For example, a creator might produce a review video and also support a blog feature that ranks for high-intent keywords.

Approach to influencer campaigns

Stryde tends to view creators as part of a broader acquisition and retention engine. Instead of treating influencer content as an isolated awareness play, they often track how it drives traffic and sales to your store or site.

Campaigns may prioritize measurable outcomes like new subscribers, checkout conversions, or specific funnel actions. You can still get storytelling and creative content, but the lens often tilts more toward performance.

This can be attractive for brands that must justify budgets through clear, direct impact on revenue rather than softer awareness metrics.

Creator relationships and outreach style

Because Stryde leans into content and SEO, they may work frequently with bloggers, niche experts, and creators whose platforms include strong written or long-form assets. This is useful for link building and long-term search visibility.

Micro and mid-tier influencers often play a key role. They can offer focused audiences and are sometimes more open to deeper collaborations, including product education and detailed reviews.

The relationship structure may feel more modular than ambassador-style programs. Campaigns often line up with specific launches, promotions, or content sprints.

Typical client fit

Stryde is usually a strong fit for:

• eCommerce brands focused on online sales and measurable growth
• Companies wanting SEO, content, and influencers under one plan
• Marketers who prioritize performance metrics and attribution
• Brands comfortable with experimental testing and iteration

If your CEO routinely asks how influencer spend connects to revenue or repeat purchases, Stryde’s performance angle may match your internal pressure.

How the two agencies really differ

At a glance, both services revolve around creators, but they often feel different once you are deep into a campaign. The contrast usually shows up in strategy, focus, and how content is used after it goes live.

Brand storytelling versus performance emphasis

August United often leans into narrative and lifestyle storytelling. Their campaigns are commonly framed as brand experiences, focusing on emotional connection and long-term brand lift.

Stryde usually leads with measurable growth. Influencer content tends to support clear acquisition, SEO, and revenue targets. Creative still matters, but it is always linked back to performance goals.

Scale and program structure

August United may be a better match for larger, multi-wave programs that tie into national launches or broad media efforts. Think product rollouts, seasonal pushes, and cross-channel storytelling.

Stryde may lean into smaller, test-and-learn waves tied to new keywords, landing pages, or promotional windows. Campaigns can be more iterative, adjusting based on early results and funnel data.

Channel mix and creator profiles

With August United, you are likely to see strong use of visual-first platforms and social storytelling. Ambassadors may create ongoing series, Instagram Reels, TikTok content, or YouTube integrations over time.

With Stryde, you may see more blog collaborations, YouTube reviews, and creator content that doubles as search-friendly assets. This supports long-term traffic and backlinks, not just short bursts of reach.

How they plug into your internal team

August United often interacts with brand, social, and creative teams that are used to big ideas and long planning cycles. Approvals and creative direction can mirror traditional campaign workflows.

Stryde may align more closely with growth, eCommerce, or digital teams. Meetings may revolve around dashboards, funnel stages, and revenue snapshots, with influencer touchpoints woven into performance reviews.

Pricing approach and how work is scoped

Neither agency typically publishes fixed, SaaS-style prices. Instead, budgets and fees are usually tailored based on your goals, channels, and how much support you need from strategy through execution.

How influencer campaigns are usually priced

Both agencies commonly factor in:

• Number and tier of influencers involved
• Content volume and formats required
• Length of campaign or retainer length
• Usage rights for ads, whitelisting, or repurposing
• Management time for strategy, reporting, and coordination

Creator fees themselves can vary a lot, depending on follower count, engagement, niche, and the level of deliverables expected.

August United’s likely pricing style

August United often works on larger, more structured initiatives. You may see project-based fees for specific campaigns or ongoing retainers that cover strategy, creator management, and reporting across multiple programs.

Budgets can climb as you add more creators, new markets, or extra content formats like short-form video, multi-channel bundles, or paid amplification packages.

Stryde’s likely pricing style

Stryde may bundle influencer efforts into broader digital marketing engagements. Your spend could be split among content production, SEO, paid media, and creator fees under one integrated plan.

This can be cost-efficient when you want every piece of content, whether brand-owned or creator-made, to serve a direct growth purpose and support your organic search footprint.

Key strengths and where each may fall short

Every agency comes with strengths and trade-offs. Knowing them in advance helps you avoid frustration later and shapes better briefs and expectations.

Where August United often shines

• Strong focus on storytelling and brand-safe creative
• Experience with coordinated, large-scale influencer activations
• Ability to build ambassador-style relationships over time
• Helpful when internal teams want high-touch communication

One common concern is whether heavy brand control might limit spontaneity and the natural voice of creators.

Potential limitations for August United

• May feel heavier than needed for very small or early-stage brands
• Big, polished campaigns can require higher budgets and longer lead times
• Metrics may lean more toward awareness than hard revenue in some setups

Where Stryde often shines

• Clear link between influencer content, SEO, and eCommerce growth
• Useful for brands wanting measurable, funnel-focused results
• Good fit when blog content and search are top priorities
• Can work well for specialized or niche product categories

Some marketers worry that a strong performance lens could make creator content feel too promotional if not carefully managed.

Potential limitations for Stryde

• May feel too performance-heavy for brands seeking pure storytelling
• Brands wanting splashy, fame-style influencer moments may feel constrained
• Smaller, iterative campaigns may not match expectations for big launches

Who each agency is best suited for

Thinking about fit in simple terms can make your choice less stressful. Start with where your brand is today and what you can realistically manage in-house.

Best fit scenarios for August United

• Established consumer brands planning national or regional launches
• Companies that already invest in brand campaigns and TV or digital video
• Teams wanting creators to mirror a well-defined brand voice and style
• Marketers who prefer a dedicated team handling most creator details

If you want influencer work that feels like an extension of big brand creative and you have the budget to sustain it, this type of agency is usually a strong ally.

Best fit scenarios for Stryde

• eCommerce brands where every marketing dollar must show ROI
• Companies relying on organic search, content, and email for growth
• Brands selling niche or complex products needing educational content
• Teams that enjoy test-and-optimize cycles and detailed metrics

If your priority is to make influencer work pay for itself quickly and feed long-term organic traffic, a performance-minded shop like this often feels natural.

When a platform alternative may make more sense

Sometimes neither a fully managed storytelling partner nor a performance-focused digital agency is exactly what you need. You may want more control, lower ongoing fees, or the ability to scale up and down quickly.

This is where a platform-based alternative, such as Flinque, can come into play. Instead of hiring an agency, you use software to discover creators, manage outreach, track content, and follow performance directly.

The trade-off is that your team must handle strategy, creator communication, and approvals. The upside is lower retainer costs and greater control over who you work with and how you test ideas.

Flinque can fit brands that:

• Have internal marketers ready to manage campaigns hands-on
• Want flexible, always-on influencer discovery and testing
• Prefer to own creator relationships instead of outsourcing them
• Are not ready for larger custom agency budgets

For some, a hybrid approach works well: use a platform to run always-on micro-influencer tests, and bring in an agency only for major launches or complex programs.

FAQs

How do I choose between these influencer agencies?

Start with your top goal. If you mainly want big, polished brand campaigns, lean toward a storytelling-heavy partner. If you care most about sales, SEO, and measurable growth, a performance-first agency likely fits better.

Can smaller brands work with these agencies?

Yes, but fit depends on budget and expectations. Smaller brands may find fees challenging if they expect high-touch, multi-wave support. In those cases, starting with smaller projects or a platform-based solution can be wiser.

How long does it take to see results from influencer campaigns?

Awareness and engagement can show up quickly, sometimes within days of content going live. Clear revenue or SEO impact usually takes longer, often several weeks to a few months, depending on your sales cycle and content strategy.

Should I prioritize follower count or engagement when picking creators?

Engagement and audience fit matter more than raw follower count. A smaller creator with strong trust and the right niche can outperform a larger personality whose audience is broad and less interested in your category.

Is it better to hire an agency or build an in-house influencer team?

Agencies are useful when you need expertise, bandwidth, and fast access to creators. In-house teams make sense once influencer work becomes a constant channel and you can justify full-time roles to manage strategy and relationships.

Conclusion

Choosing the right partner comes down to how you define success, what your budget allows, and how involved you want to be in the details of influencer work.

If your brand needs sweeping, story-led campaigns and you value high-touch service, a partner oriented around brand experiences is likely the better match.

If your team lives in analytics dashboards and every decision is tied to revenue or search gains, a growth-focused agency will feel more aligned with your culture and goals.

For brands wanting control and flexibility without full-service retainers, a platform solution can be a smart middle ground, letting you scale creators while keeping strategy close to home.

Whichever path you choose, invest time upfront in a clear brief, honest budget ranges, and shared expectations. That alignment is often the real difference between influencer campaigns that fizzle and those that genuinely move the needle.

Disclaimer

All information on this page is collected from publicly available sources, third party search engines, AI powered tools and general online research. We do not claim ownership of any external data and accuracy may vary. This content is for informational purposes only.