SmartSites vs Cloutboost

Why brands look at different influencer marketing agencies

Brands weighing SmartSites against Cloutboost are usually trying to understand which partner will actually move the needle on sales, not just vanity metrics. You may be wondering who understands your niche, who handles everything end to end, and who will be easier to work with day to day.

To make a smart choice, you need clarity on services, how each team runs campaigns, their creator networks, and which one fits your size, budget, and goals. That is where a close look at influencer marketing services really matters.

Table of Contents

• What these agencies are known for
• SmartSites: influencer focus and services
• Cloutboost: influencer focus and services
• How the two agencies differ
• Pricing and how engagement works
• Strengths and limitations of each agency
• Who each agency is best for
• When a platform like Flinque makes more sense
• FAQs
• Conclusion: how to choose the right partner
• Disclaimer

What these agencies are known for

SmartSites is widely recognized as a performance driven digital marketing agency. Its roots are in web design, paid media, and search, but it increasingly plugs influencers into broader advertising funnels to drive leads and revenue, especially for ecommerce and service brands.

Cloutboost is best known for gaming and entertainment influencer work. It focuses heavily on YouTube and Twitch creators, helping game publishers and hardware brands reach engaged gaming audiences through content creators, live streams, and sponsorships.

Both are service based businesses, not software tools. They plan, manage, and optimize campaigns on your behalf, handling the coordination with creators, content guidelines, and performance tracking, then reporting back what worked and what did not.

SmartSites: influencer focus and services

SmartSites positions itself as a full funnel partner. Influencers are usually one piece of a larger mix that can include Google Ads, Meta campaigns, SEO, email, and landing page design, all tied to measurable results like purchases or leads.

SmartSites core services

While SmartSites is not a pure influencer agency, it can fold creators into broader campaigns. Typical related services include:

• Digital strategy that blends paid ads, search, and creator content
• Landing page and funnel design to convert influencer traffic
• Paid media management around creator campaigns
• Analytics setup and performance reporting

Influencers are usually chosen to support a clear conversion path rather than for branding alone. This can work well if you already see traction and want predictable scaling.

How SmartSites tends to run campaigns

Expect SmartSites to think like a performance media shop. The team will map out your conversion journey, then align creators, ad placements, and landing pages so they support one another. Testing and optimization are built in from the start.

Creator content may be repurposed into paid ads, retargeting assets, and email flows. SmartSites often treats influencer output as a creative engine for the rest of your marketing channels, not a one off tactic.

SmartSites and creator relationships

Compared with niche influencer shops, SmartSites is less about deep, long standing creator rosters and more about finding the right partners for each brand’s goals. You are likely to see a mix of micro and mid tier talent, especially on social platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

They tend to prioritize creators who can produce strong visuals and videos that adapt well to ad formats. Communication with influencers is usually handled by the agency team acting as your extension.

Typical SmartSites client fit

SmartSites often fits brands that care about measurable growth as much as storytelling. That might include:

• Ecommerce brands wanting creators to drive traffic into tested funnels
• Local or service businesses using influencers for social proof and leads
• Companies seeking one partner for website, ads, and creator work

If you want influencer programs tightly connected to paid search and paid social, this blended approach can be appealing.

Cloutboost: influencer focus and services

Cloutboost focuses strongly on gaming and entertainment audiences. It is built around creators on YouTube, Twitch, and sometimes TikTok who reach gamers, tech enthusiasts, and related communities, often through long form content and live streams.

Cloutboost core services

Services generally center on matching brands with the right gaming and creator talent, then managing the engagement from outreach through reporting. Typical elements include:

• Creator scouting and shortlisting in gaming, esports, and tech
• Campaign planning for product launches, game releases, or events
• Negotiation of deals, briefs, and deliverables
• Tracking of views, clicks, and in some cases in game actions

Cloutboost is usually activated for launch pushes or ongoing community engagement rather than purely for performance ads.

How Cloutboost tends to run campaigns

Campaigns often revolve around sponsored videos, live streams, integrations, and longer term creator partnerships. The content might include gameplay, reviews, unboxings, or sponsored segments woven into existing creator formats.

Because gaming creators tend to have tight knit communities, Cloutboost usually pays close attention to authenticity. Brand messages must feel natural to the audience, or the results can drop quickly.

Cloutboost and creator relationships

Cloutboost leans heavily on its relationships with gaming and entertainment creators. That means it often knows which streamers or YouTubers can deliver strong engagement around particular genres, platforms, or hardware categories.

For brands stepping into gaming for the first time, this can reduce risk. You are tapping into an existing network rather than starting from scratch with cold outreach and trial and error.

Typical Cloutboost client fit

Cloutboost is naturally aligned with:

• Game publishers launching new titles or updates
• Gaming hardware and peripheral brands
• PC component makers and tech accessories
• Non gaming brands wanting to reach gamers in a credible way

If your audience spends their time on Twitch streams or gaming YouTube, this specialist focus can be a strong fit.

How the two agencies differ

The most important difference is focus. SmartSites comes from a broader digital marketing background, using creators alongside ads, SEO, and website optimization. Cloutboost is centered on gaming and entertainment influencer work as its main offering.

Scale and style of content differ as well. SmartSites often works with a blend of social creators whose content can be repurposed into ads and landing pages. Cloutboost leans into longer form videos and streams, which feel more like media partnerships.

In terms of client experience, SmartSites usually speaks in the language of performance marketing, funnels, and conversion rates. Cloutboost talks in terms of channels like YouTube and Twitch, content concepts, and audience engagement in specific communities.

This difference matters if your internal team is more performance oriented or more brand and storytelling oriented. You will feel more at home with the partner whose language matches your priorities and culture.

Pricing and how engagement works

Both agencies use custom pricing rather than fixed public plans. Cost depends heavily on your campaign goals, number and size of creators, content formats, and how much strategy and reporting support you require from the team.

How SmartSites usually charges

SmartSites often works under retainers or ongoing management fees that cover planning, ad buying, and analytics, with creator fees layered on top. For one off projects, you might see project based pricing tied to clear deliverables and timelines.

Your total outlay will typically include:

• Agency strategy and management fees
• Creator payments and production costs
• Paid media budgets pushing creator content

Because SmartSites often controls several channels, budget planning should cover the entire marketing mix, not just influencers.

How Cloutboost usually charges

Cloutboost pricing typically revolves around campaign scope in gaming and entertainment environments. That includes number of creators, deliverables per creator, video or stream formats, and the timeline for launch.

Key components usually include:

• Agency fee for sourcing, negotiation, and coordination
• Influencer fees, sometimes including performance bonuses
• Optional production or creative support if needed

Brands should expect custom quotes, especially for larger activations like multi creator launch pushes or multi month partnerships.

Strengths and limitations of each agency

Every partner has trade offs. Understanding them upfront helps you avoid misaligned expectations and unpleasant surprises during campaigns and reporting.

SmartSites strengths

• Strong integration of influencer activity with paid ads and web funnels
• Useful if you want one team managing several marketing channels
• Performance focus that emphasizes leads and sales over vanity metrics
• Ability to repurpose creator content into broader campaigns

SmartSites limitations

• Not a pure play influencer agency with deep niche creator rosters
• May feel more performance heavy if you want pure storytelling
• Better suited to brands ready for ongoing, multi channel investment

Some brands worry they will be “too small” for a full service shop focused on measurable growth. Asking directly about minimum budgets and recommended scope can quickly clarify this.

Cloutboost strengths

• Clear focus on gaming, streaming, and entertainment creators
• Deep familiarity with platforms like YouTube and Twitch
• Useful for launches and promotions aimed at gaming communities
• Established relationships with creators across genres and sizes

Cloutboost limitations

• Niche focus may be less relevant if your audience is outside gaming
• Creator heavy programs can lean more toward awareness than strict performance
• May require larger budgets for top tier streamers and channels

If your leadership expects purely direct response style returns from creator campaigns, you will need to align expectations and measurement with Cloutboost before signing.

Who each agency is best for

Thinking in terms of “best fit” instead of “best overall” usually leads to better results. Each team shines with certain brand types and goals.

When SmartSites is usually a better fit

• Brands wanting influencer marketing tied tightly to paid search and social
• Companies needing support on website, landing pages, and analytics too
• Teams that care most about measurable leads, sales, and return on ad spend
• Businesses comfortable with ongoing retainers and multi channel planning

If you see creators as another acquisition channel rather than a standalone effort, this style of partner can be powerful.

When Cloutboost is usually a better fit

• Game publishers or dev studios planning new launches or updates
• PC, console, or mobile hardware and accessory brands
• Non gaming brands testing outreach into gamer communities
• Teams prioritizing content authenticity and community trust

When your audience lives on Twitch and gaming YouTube, a specialist like Cloutboost tends to move faster and with fewer missteps.

When a platform like Flinque makes more sense

Agencies are not the only option for influencer marketing. Some brands prefer to keep more control and manage creator work in house using platforms that streamline discovery, outreach, and tracking.

Flinque is an example of a platform based alternative. Instead of hiring a full service team, you use software to search for creators, manage conversations, handle briefs, and track results inside your own workflows.

This style can be a better fit when:

• You have an internal team willing to manage creator relationships
• You want to run many smaller tests without agency retainers
• You prefer direct visibility into every email, brief, and negotiation
• You plan to build an ongoing creator community around your brand

For some brands, a hybrid model also works well: use a platform for long tail creators while engaging an agency for major launches or big partnerships.

FAQs

How should I decide between these two influencer partners?

Start by clarifying your audience, main platforms, and goals. If you are targeting gamers on YouTube or Twitch, a gaming focused team will likely fit better. If you want creators folded into broader performance marketing, a full funnel agency may be stronger.

Can I work with both agencies at the same time?

Yes, some brands hire multiple partners for different purposes. You might use one for gaming activations and another for overall digital performance. If you do this, define clear scopes and avoid overlapping responsibilities to prevent confusion and duplicated work.

What should I ask during the first call?

Ask about relevant case studies, minimum recommended budgets, how they pick creators, and what success looks like. Clarify who manages approvals, timelines, and reporting. Also ask how they handle underperforming creators or content that misses the mark.

How long before I see real results from influencer work?

Most brands see early indicators within a few weeks of content going live, but meaningful trends often take several campaigns. Plan for at least one full campaign cycle and be ready to test creators, messages, and offers before expecting stable, predictable outcomes.

Do I need an agency if I already know some creators?

Not always. If you have strong relationships and time to manage outreach, briefs, and payments, a platform or internal workflow could be enough. An agency becomes more useful as you scale, enter new markets, or need structured strategy and reporting.

Conclusion: how to choose the right partner

Your best influencer partner depends on audience, goals, and how you like to work. A performance oriented, multi channel agency suits brands that see creators as part of a larger growth engine, not a one off experiment or branding effort.

A specialist gaming and entertainment partner makes more sense when your ideal customer spends hours on streams and game content. You will gain tailored insight into that world and save time avoiding mismatched creators or awkward integrations.

Take time to define budget limits, timelines, and internal bandwidth. Share honest expectations around sales, signups, and brand lift. Then ask each potential partner how they will measure success and what they would do in the first ninety days.

If full service support feels like overkill, explore platform options that keep control in your hands while still organizing discovery, outreach, and reporting. Whichever route you choose, start with clear goals, test thoughtfully, and treat creators as long term partners.

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.