SmartSites vs Incast

Why brands look at these two influencer agencies

When you compare SmartSites and Incast, you are really weighing two different ways of getting results with creators. Both help brands reach new audiences, but they lean into different strengths, regions, and campaign styles.

Most marketers want to know three things: who will understand their brand, who can deliver reliable creators, and who will make reporting clear enough to justify spend.

This overview focuses on practical choices, not hype, so you can decide which partner, if any, fits your current stage of growth.

Table of Contents

• What these agencies are known for
• SmartSites in plain language
• Incast in plain language
• How their approaches feel day to day
• Pricing approach and engagement style
• Strengths and limitations to consider
• Who each agency is best for
• When a platform like Flinque can work better
• FAQs
• Making the right call for your brand
• Disclaimer

Understanding modern influencer marketing agencies

The primary focus here is influencer marketing agencies. Both companies connect brands with creators, but they fit into different parts of the broader marketing world and may not be direct substitutes for every brief.

To keep things useful, we will look at what they are actually known for, not just how they describe themselves on sales pages.

What SmartSites is mainly known for

SmartSites is widely recognized first as a digital marketing agency. Its reputation was built around services like web design, search engine optimization, and paid media rather than only influencer work.

Over time, SmartSites has added social media and content services that can overlap with influencer outreach or creator partnerships.

For many brands, SmartSites feels like a full funnel partner that can run ads, design landing pages, and support broader performance marketing, while occasionally tapping into influencers as one tactic.

What Incast is mainly known for

Incast positions itself more directly around creators, content, and social reach. The company is commonly associated with influencer campaigns across Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and other social channels.

The agency is often linked to global campaigns and cross-border work, pairing brands with creators in different markets or niches.

Where SmartSites leans into digital performance as a whole, Incast leans into social reach, creative formats, and influencer partnerships as a central offering.

SmartSites services and how it tends to run campaigns

Because SmartSites is not purely an influencer shop, its service mix usually covers several areas at once. That can be useful if you want creators to be only one part of a larger marketing push.

Services you can usually expect from SmartSites

SmartSites often supports brands with an integrated setup that may include:

• Website design and landing page development
• Search engine optimization and content strategy
• Paid search and paid social campaigns
• Email and CRM focused marketing support
• Social media management and content production

Influencer work here is often tied into performance goals, such as generating leads, sales, or booked consultations.

SmartSites approach to creator collaborations

When SmartSites works with creators, it typically treats them as one traffic or content source among several. The focus tends to stay on measurable goals.

The agency may help with creator selection, brief development, and tracking, while also supporting ad amplification, like whitelisting creator posts for paid media.

This approach suits brands that care deeply about conversion metrics and are willing to treat influencers as part of a broader performance mix.

What SmartSites looks for in client relationships

SmartSites tends to fit brands that need a multi-channel partner more than a niche influencer specialist. Typical clients include:

• Ecommerce brands wanting paid traffic plus conversion optimization
• Service businesses needing local SEO and ads
• B2B companies aiming for search and lead generation
• Founders who want one main agency instead of several vendors

If you want a deep, always-on influencer network with heavy creator management, SmartSites may feel more generalist than you need.

Incast services and how it tends to run campaigns

Incast leans more heavily into creator and content partnerships. The work usually centers on social reach, branded content, and storytelling across multiple channels.

Services you can usually expect from Incast

While offer details can shift, Incast commonly supports brands with:

• Influencer discovery and outreach across major social platforms
• Campaign strategy and creative direction for creator content
• Contracting, briefing, and content approvals
• Campaign coordination and timelines
• Measurement of reach, engagement, and sometimes sales impact

The center of gravity is creator content, not broader performance channels like search or display ads.

Incast approach to creators and partnerships

Incast often maintains relationships with a wide range of creators, from micro influencers to larger personalities. The goal is usually to match brand voice with the right communities.

Brand teams often lean on Incast for help translating campaign ideas into creator friendly briefs and video or post formats that feel natural.

This works best for marketers who see influencers as front line storytellers, not just one more media channel.

What Incast looks for in client relationships

Incast is a better fit for brands that already handle parts of their performance marketing, but want a dedicated partner for creators and social reach.

• Consumer brands aiming for awareness and buzz
• Apps and tech products chasing installs or signups via creators
• Entertainment, gaming, or lifestyle brands needing social proof
• Companies expanding into new countries or regions using local influencers

If you are expecting deep help with web design, SEO, or non social channels, you may still need another agency alongside Incast.

How their approaches feel different in practice

On the surface, both may say they work with influencers, but the day to day experience can be quite different. The main split is between full service digital marketing and creator first work.

Focus: performance marketing versus creator storytelling

SmartSites usually enters a relationship talking about traffic, conversions, and return on ad spend. Creators are one tactic in that wider conversation.

Incast usually leads with creator stories, content formats, and matching your brand tone to audiences on YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram.

If you want deep help beyond influencers, SmartSites might feel more complete. If you want influencer heavy launches, Incast may feel more specialist.

Campaign rhythm and communication style

A SmartSites engagement often includes regular performance reports, split testing, and optimization across several channels, which may include some creator content.

An Incast relationship often centers on campaign cycles tied to product launches, seasons, or specific pushes, with more hands on creator coordination.

How your internal team is structured matters. Performance focused teams may feel more at home with SmartSites. Social and brand teams may click faster with Incast.

Geography and audience reach

SmartSites often supports brands focused on specific countries or regions, especially where performance channels matter heavily for lead generation.

Incast, by contrast, is frequently associated with international reach and cross border campaigns, leaning on creators in different markets.

If global reach via creators is your main need, a creator centric partner often makes more sense than a pure performance shop.

Pricing approach and engagement style

Neither agency usually sells simple monthly software plans. Instead, they use service based pricing aligned with scope, markets, and campaign scale.

How SmartSites typically structures costs

SmartSites often works on a mix of retainers and ongoing management fees. These can wrap several services together, including ad management and creative support.

Influencer work, if included, may show up as a line item inside a broader marketing program, alongside ad budgets and production costs.

Costs are influenced by channels used, number of markets, and how much creative or technical work your site and funnels require.

How Incast typically structures costs

Incast usually prices around influencer campaigns themselves. That often includes both management fees and creator payments, which may be bundled or separated.

Budgets are shaped by factors like number of creators, platform mix, content formats, usage rights, and campaign duration.

For some brands, creator fees can become the largest part of the spend, especially when working with bigger personalities or video heavy campaigns.

What affects cost with either agency

• How many markets and languages you need covered
• Number and size of creators involved
• Content formats, especially video or multi episode series
• Need for strategy, research, and creative concepting
• Reporting depth and attribution expectations

Most brands end up requesting custom quotes after an initial call, since packaged pricing rarely fits advanced influencer programs.

Strengths and limitations to keep in mind

Every agency shines in some areas and falls short in others. Being clear about tradeoffs up front can save months of back and forth later.

Where SmartSites tends to shine

• Integrated digital marketing beyond creators alone
• Ability to support websites, SEO, and paid media under one roof
• Focus on measurable outcomes like leads and sales
• Useful if you need funnels and ads ready before scaling creators

One common concern is that a full service shop may not go as deep on influencer relationships as a specialist agency.

Where SmartSites may feel limited

• Less focused on day to day creator relationship building
• May not offer the largest curated influencer network
• Best suited when influencers support, not drive, your plan

Where Incast tends to shine

• Creator centric thinking and social first planning
• Access to talent across multiple platforms and regions
• Experience coordinating multi creator, multi market efforts
• Helpful for launches that rely heavily on social buzz

Brands that already run strong performance marketing can plug Incast in as an add on partner for creator heavy work.

Where Incast may feel limited

• Less focused on your website, funnels, or SEO
• May require separate partners for ads or technical work
• Reporting may emphasize reach and engagement more than full funnel revenue

Make sure your internal analytics setup can connect creator activity to downstream outcomes if revenue attribution matters deeply.

Who each agency is best suited for

The right fit often comes down to your in house skills, current marketing stack, and how central influencers are to your plans.

When SmartSites is usually a better fit

• You want one partner handling website, SEO, and paid traffic.
• You see influencers as a helpful add on, not the core engine.
• Your primary goal is leads or sales through measurable funnels.
• You need help building landing pages and testing offers.

When Incast is usually a better fit

• You want creators at the center of your marketing efforts.
• You already handle performance channels with another team or partner.
• You are launching in new markets and need local creator voices.
• You value social proof and community engagement alongside sales.

When a platform like Flinque might make more sense

Not every brand needs a full service agency or wants to pay for retainers. Some teams prefer to keep strategy in house and only need tools for discovery and coordination.

How Flinque fits into the picture

Flinque is a platform based option that helps brands discover influencers, manage outreach, and coordinate campaigns without hiring a full service agency.

Instead of handing everything to an external team, your in house marketers use the software to run programs themselves, which can reduce recurring agency fees.

This can be attractive if you already have junior marketers ready to own creator relationships, or if you want tighter control over briefs and approval cycles.

When a platform can beat an agency for you

• You have limited budget but plenty of internal time and energy.
• You prefer direct relationships with creators instead of layers.
• You want to test influencer marketing before committing to retainers.
• You need flexibility to scale activity up or down by quarter.

An agency still makes sense if you need heavy creative help or lack staff to run outreach, negotiation, and campaign organization.

FAQs

How do I decide which influencer partner to talk to first?

Start from your biggest gaps. If you need help with websites and ads plus some creator work, talk to a full service agency. If your funnels are solid and you mainly lack creator relationships, a creator centric shop or platform is usually better.

Can I work with more than one agency at the same time?

Yes, many brands use one partner for performance channels and another for creators. Just be clear about ownership, goals, and reporting so partners are not duplicating work or claiming the same results.

Do these agencies only work with large brands?

No. Both can support mid sized companies, though minimum budgets often apply. Smaller brands with limited spend sometimes start with a platform or pilot program before moving to larger retainers.

How long does it take to see influencer results?

Simple campaigns with a few creators can go live in weeks. Larger or multi market efforts may take several months to plan, produce, and measure. Budget, approvals, and product readiness all influence timelines.

Should I pay influencers in product, cash, or both?

It depends on creator size and expectations. Smaller creators may accept product plus small fees, while larger ones usually require clear monetary compensation. Agencies or platforms can help you benchmark what is reasonable in your niche.

Choosing the right influencer partner for your brand

If you need a broad digital marketing partner that can handle your website, search, ads, and some creator work, SmartSites aligns with that direction. It suits brands that think in full funnel terms and want one main point of contact.

If creators and social storytelling sit at the heart of your plans, Incast may make more sense. It suits teams that already manage other marketing channels but lack deep influencer relationships or campaign coordination capacity.

For marketers who prefer staying hands on and limiting agency fees, a platform like Flinque offers another path. You keep strategy and relationships closer to home while using software to scale the workload.

Look at your budget, team size, and appetite for involvement. Then choose the setup that will keep campaigns moving consistently for the next year, not just the next launch.

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.