The Goat Agency vs Goldfish

Why brands look at these two influencer teams

Brands often weigh up influencer-focused partners that feel very different in style. One may lean into scale and always-on content, while the other favours tighter, story-led work with carefully picked creators.

When people compare The Goat Agency vs Goldfish, they usually want to know who will actually move the needle for their brand, not just win awards or pitch well.

The primary keyword for this page is influencer agency selection, because that’s really what you are trying to solve: finding a partner that fits your goals, budget, and way of working.

What each agency is known for

Both groups sit in the influencer marketing camp, but they are not carbon copies of each other. Their history, style, and client mix give them different flavours.

Understanding those differences will help your own influencer agency selection feel less like guesswork and more like a clear choice.

Goat in simple terms

Goat is widely recognised for high-volume influencer campaigns that focus on measurable outcomes. Think lots of creators, lots of content, and heavy use of data to track what works.

They often highlight performance, paid media amplification, and always-on campaigns rather than one-off stunts.

Goldfish in simple terms

Goldfish, by contrast, is usually associated with more curated influencer work. Instead of mass outreach, they might prefer picking fewer creators who fit the brand very closely.

Their reputation leans towards creative storytelling, closer creator relationships, and campaigns that feel personal rather than purely performance-led.

How Goat tends to work

This section focuses on the overall style you can expect from Goat as an influencer partner, based on publicly known patterns and typical agency behaviour in this space.

Services typically offered

Goat positions itself as a full-service influencer outfit. That usually means they can handle the whole journey from planning through to reporting.

Common services include:

• Influencer discovery and shortlisting
• Campaign strategy and content ideas
• Contracting and influencer negotiations
• Content review and approvals
• Paid social amplification and whitelisting
• Reporting on reach, clicks, and conversions

Approach to running campaigns

Their campaigns often use a bigger pool of influencers, spread across different tiers and platforms. That can help brands test many styles of content quickly.

Data tends to drive decisions. If a certain creator or format performs well, the team can double down and push more budget there.

Relationships with creators

Goat’s model usually relies on a broad creator network. Rather than managing a tiny fixed “roster,” they reach into a large pool of possible partners.

This can give you a wide variety of voices and quick access to talent in new niches or regions as your brand expands.

Typical client fit for Goat

Goat often makes sense for brands that want to see influencer marketing at scale with strong performance tracking. It can be a fit if you want clear reports, testing, and optimisation.

Larger budgets usually unlock more experimentation, more creators, and deeper data insights across markets.

How Goldfish tends to work

Now let’s look at how Goldfish tends to support brands, again focusing on broad patterns in how more curated influencer shops usually operate.

Services typically offered

Goldfish is also in the full-service space, but often with a more boutique style. They still cover planning, creator outreach, and reporting, yet may lean harder into creative direction.

Services may include:

• Brand and audience discovery workshops
• Influencer sourcing focused on deep brand fit
• Creative concept development with story arcs
• Hands-on production support for certain shoots
• Content adaptation for different channels
• Performance tracking with strong qualitative insights

Approach to running campaigns

Goldfish may prioritise fewer, carefully chosen creators over a huge roster. The content often feels more like mini brand films or story series than pure product spots.

Timelines can be a bit more creative-led, with more back-and-forth on scripts, visuals, and brand tone.

Relationships with creators

Because they work with fewer creators at once, relationships can feel closer and more personal. Some influencers may return across several campaigns.

This can help with consistency and brand safety, since everyone knows each other’s expectations and style.

Typical client fit for Goldfish

Goldfish tends to suit brands that care deeply about storytelling and visual identity. If your product needs more explanation, or your brand voice is very specific, that mindset can help.

It is also a good match for teams who value depth of collaboration over volume of posts.

How the two agencies really differ

On the surface, both are influencer partners. Underneath, they can feel very different to work with day to day.

Style of campaigns

Goat is often more performance and volume-focused. Campaigns may feature many creators testing different hooks, formats, and calls to action.

Goldfish campaigns might look more like a series of crafted stories with a smaller group of creators, each closely tied to the brand message.

Scale and reach

If you’re chasing reach across multiple countries or many segments at once, a scale-focused team can help.

Goldfish-style shops can still reach big audiences, but they may prioritise fit and impact per creator over pure numbers.

Client experience and communication

Both sides aim to communicate clearly, but the rhythm can differ. A performance-heavy team may share more dashboards, metrics, and regular testing updates.

A more boutique outfit may spend more time focused on scripts, visual mood boards, and content feedback sessions.

Pricing style and ways of working

Neither agency sells like a simple software subscription. You are buying people’s time, creative thinking, and creator relationships, so pricing is shaped around your needs.

Common pricing elements

Pricing often includes a mix of agency fees and influencer costs. The agency fee covers strategy, management, and reporting. Influencer costs cover talent fees and production support.

Both usually quote based on scope rather than fixed public packages.

How Goat typically charges

A performance-focused group like Goat may structure work around campaign budgets, with clear allocations to creators, paid amplification, and management.

As budgets grow, you can usually add more creators, more content, new markets, or deeper testing.

How Goldfish typically charges

A more curated partner like Goldfish may also use custom quotes, but with greater weight on concepting and creative development.

Your investment influences how many creators they can involve, how complex the ideas are, and how much production support they provide.

What most impacts final cost

• Number and size of influencers involved
• Platforms used, such as TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube
• Need for travel, shoots, or studio production
• Length of partnership, one-off burst versus ongoing program
• How much content you can reuse in your own channels

Strengths and limitations of each option

Each agency type shines in different situations. The key is matching those strengths to your goals.

Where Goat-style teams shine

• Running bigger, data-driven influencer programs
• Testing many creators and formats quickly
• Supporting performance marketing teams and paid social
• Serving brands that want clear, numbers-focused reporting

A recurring concern many brands have is whether influencer work will actually drive measurable results, not just views.

Where Goat-style teams may fall short

• Brands that want very hands-on, founder-level storytelling
• Products needing slow, educational content rather than fast hits
• Smaller budgets that cannot support testing at true scale

Where Goldfish-style teams shine

• Brands with a strong visual identity and story to tell
• Complex products needing thoughtful explanation
• Long-term creator relationships and consistent brand voice
• Campaigns where depth matters more than sheer volume

Where Goldfish-style teams may fall short

• Brands expecting huge creator counts on modest budgets
• Heavily performance-led teams needing rapid A/B testing
• Companies that prefer a very structured, dashboard-first approach

Who each agency is best for

Now let’s zoom out and look at which types of brands are likely to feel at home with each partner.

Best fit scenarios for Goat

• Consumer brands already investing in paid social and tracking conversions
• Companies comfortable with bigger campaign budgets and testing many creators
• Teams wanting influencer activity tied closely to performance targets
• Brands entering multiple markets and needing scalable reach fast

Best fit scenarios for Goldfish

• Brands with strong creative direction, or those wanting to build one
• Products where trust and education matter more than quick clicks
• Teams who enjoy hands-on creative collaboration with an agency
• Founders who care about brand safety and long-term creator partners

When a platform like Flinque can work better

Sometimes you do not need a full-service agency at all. You may just need better tools and some internal capacity.

What a platform offers

A platform like Flinque helps brands find influencers, manage outreach, and track campaigns without paying for agency retainers.

Your team controls strategy, briefs, and relationships, while the software keeps the process organised.

When a platform makes sense

• You have an in-house marketer ready to manage influencers directly.
• Your budget is tight, but you still want structured campaigns.
• You prefer owning creator relationships instead of outsourcing them.
• You want to test influencer marketing before committing to an agency.

When you still need an agency

If your team is stretched, or you need heavy creative direction plus deep reporting, a full-service partner can still be the better path.

Think of platforms as tools and agencies as hands-on teams. Some brands use both at different stages of growth.

FAQs

How do I choose the right influencer partner for my brand?

Start with your goals and capacity. If you want scale, data, and testing, a performance-focused agency fits. If you want deeper storytelling, a boutique partner works. If you have in-house time, a platform may be enough.

Do I need a big budget to work with an influencer agency?

You do not need a huge budget, but you should have enough to cover both agency fees and fair influencer payments. Smaller budgets can still work if you narrow your goals and focus on a few well-chosen creators.

Can I work with both an agency and a platform?

Yes. Some brands use a platform for always-on, smaller campaigns and bring in an agency for major launches. The key is being clear about who owns strategy, creator relationships, and reporting.

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

Simple campaigns can show early signs in a few weeks, especially for awareness. For deeper results like sales lift and brand trust, plan for several months of steady testing and refinement.

What should I ask in the first call with any influencer agency?

Ask about their process, past work with brands like yours, how they pick creators, how they measure success, and what typical timelines look like. Also ask what they need from your team to do their best work.

Conclusion: choosing the right path

Your decision comes down to three things: goals, budget, and how hands-on you want to be. Performance-led outfits suit brands chasing scale and measurable returns.

More curated partners suit brands focused on story, tone, and deeper creator ties. Platforms empower in-house teams willing to manage the work themselves.

List your must-haves, nice-to-haves, and limits on time and money. Then speak openly with each option about what is realistic. The best partner is the one whose everyday way of working actually fits your world.

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.