The Shelf vs Audiencly

Why brands compare these influencer agencies

When you start looking at influencer agencies, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Names like The Shelf and Audiencly pop up often, and they can sound similar on the surface.

Yet the way each agency builds and runs campaigns can be very different once you look closely.

Many brand teams want clear answers to a few simple questions. Who understands our audience? Who can manage creators smoothly? Who will actually move the needle on sales, not just vanity metrics?

To help you sort that out, this overview walks through how both agencies work, what they tend to do best, and where each one might not be ideal.

Influencer campaign services overview

The primary phrase here is “influencer campaign services.” That’s what both of these companies ultimately sell, even if they package it differently for different types of brands.

Both agencies help brands tap into creators on social platforms like Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and other channels to reach specific audiences with sponsored content.

They typically support brands from early strategy and creative direction through creator outreach, contracting, content review, campaign reporting, and sometimes repurposing content for ads.

Where things diverge is in the kind of clients they go after, how much they lean into data and storytelling, and how global or niche their creator networks are.

What each agency is known for

Both are recognized names in the influencer marketing world, but they’re not carbon copies of each other. Their public case studies and positioning tell a lot.

The Shelf at a glance

The Shelf often highlights creative, story driven campaigns and data backed targeting. Their messaging leans heavily into matching brands with very specific audience segments rather than just big follower counts.

They tend to feature lifestyle, beauty, fashion, parenting, and consumer brands with detailed narrative campaigns that stretch across multiple creators and channels.

Audiencly at a glance

Audiencly has strong roots in the gaming and entertainment space, often working with YouTubers, Twitch streamers, and other content creators in similar niches.

Over time, they’ve expanded to cover more verticals, but they still speak heavily to gaming, esports, and youth culture brands that want to reach engaged, online communities.

Inside The Shelf’s way of working

While specifics can vary by campaign, The Shelf generally positions itself as a full service influencer partner. They manage the entire process from brief to wrap up.

Services The Shelf typically offers

Common services include end to end influencer campaign management and cross channel planning. That usually spans Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and sometimes blogs or Pinterest.

They also stress audience research, demographic targeting, and matching creators to buyer personas, not just verticals. Creative strategy is often a core part of their offer.

You’ll usually see services such as:

• Influencer discovery and vetting
• Campaign strategy and creative concepts
• Briefing, contracts, and content approvals
• Reporting on reach, engagement, and sales impact
• Long term creator relationship building

How The Shelf tends to run campaigns

The Shelf often showcases campaign “themes” or storylines rather than simple, one off posts. They may connect creators through a common narrative or challenge.

Brands working with them can expect tighter creative direction and coordinated content drops, especially for product launches or seasonal pushes.

Creator relationships and network

The Shelf works with a wide variety of lifestyle and consumer focused influencers, often leaning into visual platforms where storytelling happens through video and photos.

They typically emphasize authenticity and audience alignment, trying to avoid pairings that feel paid or out of character for the creator.

Typical client fit for The Shelf

This agency often appeals to brands that value strong creative ideas and detailed audience targeting. It can suit marketers who want bold concepts, not just basic sponsored posts.

Consumer brands in beauty, fashion, home, family, and similar categories are often a natural match when they’re ready for structured, multi creator campaigns.

Inside Audiencly’s way of working

Audiencly positions itself strongly around creator partnerships in gaming and entertainment, then branches into other verticals and industries.

Services Audiencly typically offers

Like many influencer agencies, they promote full campaign management. For gaming related brands, that often means YouTube videos, Twitch streams, and integrated sponsorships.

Common services include:

• Influencer discovery and outreach
• Negotiating sponsorships and integrations
• Coordinating live streams and in video placements
• Campaign coordination and performance metrics
• Support for game launches and updates

They’ve also expanded to work with more mainstream social platforms, not just gaming specific ones.

How Audiencly tends to run campaigns

Campaigns often center around videos and streams, especially when working with gaming creators. Sponsored segments, shout outs, or gameplay integrations are common.

For non gaming brands, they still lean on creators that are strong storytellers on video platforms, where long form or live content can be more persuasive.

Creator relationships and network

Audiencly has close ties to many gaming influencers, streamers, and esports personalities. That gives them strong reach within gaming culture and online fandom communities.

They also work with lifestyle and entertainment creators, but their standout strength publicly is still in gaming focused content.

Typical client fit for Audiencly

Gaming studios, esports organizations, hardware brands, and apps that speak to gamers are often a natural match. So are entertainment brands targeting young, digitally native audiences.

Marketers who want to show up authentically on Twitch, YouTube, or in gaming communities may find them especially relevant.

How the two agencies really differ

When you put both agencies side by side, the most important difference is not tools or buzzwords. It’s focus and culture.

Core focus and audience

The Shelf tends to highlight lifestyle categories and consumer brands, often marketing to everyday shoppers on visual platforms like Instagram and TikTok.

Audiencly, meanwhile, has a clear gaming and entertainment backbone, especially around YouTube and Twitch creators and their communities.

Creative style and storytelling

The Shelf often frames campaigns around narrative ideas and themed arcs that connect creators under a shared story, challenge, or visual style.

Audiencly’s work is more often rooted in the creator’s usual content format, such as gameplay videos, streams, or long form commentary.

Geography and reach

Both agencies work across multiple regions, but their strongest “cultural fluency” can differ. One may align more with US consumer culture, the other with European gaming scenes.

Brands should look at case studies to see where each agency has the deepest experience with audiences similar to their own.

Client experience and communication

Experiences can vary, but these agencies often attract slightly different marketing teams. Lifestyle brands may want more moodboards and narrative decks.

Gaming brands may value smooth coordination with streamers, understanding of game launch cycles, and integration with events or tournaments.

Pricing and how work is structured

Influencer agencies rarely share fixed price lists. Instead, they adjust fees and budgets based on each brand’s needs, goals, and markets.

How agencies typically charge

Both agencies are likely to work with a mix of campaign based fees and ongoing retainers. Common elements include:

• Strategy and management fees for the agency team
• Influencer compensation, including fees and sometimes usage rights
• Production or content creation costs when needed
• Reporting and optimization time

Factors that influence total cost

Key drivers of total budget usually include the number of creators, platform mix, and countries involved. Bigger markets and more languages mean higher costs.

Creators with large, loyal audiences or niche authority can also command higher fees, especially for exclusivity or tight timelines.

Engagement structure with both agencies

Most brands start with a discovery call, followed by a custom proposal and scope. That might be either a test campaign or a multi month commitment.

As campaigns grow, many brands move into retainer models, where the agency handles a continuous stream of creator activity instead of one off bursts.

Strengths and limitations

No influencer agency is perfect for every brand. Each has standout strengths and some trade offs that marketers should weigh.

Where The Shelf tends to shine

• Creative storytelling and themed campaigns for lifestyle brands
• Visual, Instagram and TikTok friendly concepts
• Audience targeting based on personas and buyer journeys
• Multi creator coordination with consistent brand messaging

Where Audiencly tends to shine

• Deep relationships with gaming and streaming creators
• Experience launching or promoting games and entertainment content
• Familiarity with Twitch, YouTube, and long form video sponsorships
• Access to engaged, niche gaming and fandom communities

Common concerns and potential drawbacks

Many brands worry about losing control or paying a lot for campaigns that don’t clearly tie back to sales. That’s a universal concern across influencer agencies.

With any agency, you’ll also trade some speed and flexibility for process, since campaigns must be coordinated across multiple creators.

Smaller brands may feel priced out if minimum campaign budgets are higher than they expect. Larger brands may want even more data depth than an agency offers.

Who each agency is best for

You’ll get the most from an influencer partner when your brand, audience, and goals align with their proven strengths.

When The Shelf may be the better fit

• Consumer brands in beauty, fashion, home, family, or lifestyle spaces
• Marketers who want visually polished, story driven social campaigns
• Teams focused on Instagram, TikTok, and similar platforms
• Brands wanting multi creator narratives rather than one off posts

When Audiencly may be the better fit

• Game developers, publishers, or esports organizations
• Hardware, software, or accessory brands targeting gamers
• Entertainment and youth oriented products built around fandom culture
• Marketers who prioritize YouTube, Twitch, or video first content

Questions to ask yourself before choosing

• Where does your audience spend most of their time online?
• Are you selling lifestyle products or experiences tied to gaming and entertainment?
• Do you want bold creative storytelling or deep gaming community integration?
• How much of the process do you want to outsource versus keep in house?

When a platform like Flinque makes more sense

Full service agencies aren’t the only way to run influencer campaigns. In some situations, a platform based option might fit better.

What a platform alternative offers

A platform such as Flinque focuses on giving brands tools for finding influencers, managing outreach, tracking collaborations, and handling reporting directly.

Instead of a dedicated agency team, your team stays hands on while the platform provides discovery and workflow features.

When a platform can be a better fit

• Budgets are tight and agency retainers feel out of reach
• Your team wants to learn influencer marketing by doing it in house
• You already have creators in mind and need help with organization
• You prefer long term, always on creator programs over big bursts

Trade offs to consider

Using a platform gives you more control but requires more time from your team. You’ll handle outreach, negotiation, and creative direction yourself.

Agencies, on the other hand, can bring deeper campaign experience, but at a higher cost and with less day to day control for your internal team.

FAQs

How do I choose between these two agencies?

Start with your audience and main channels. If you’re lifestyle focused and heavy on Instagram or TikTok, one agency may fit better. If you’re gaming or entertainment led and rely on YouTube or Twitch, the other is often stronger.

Can small brands work with influencer agencies?

Yes, but minimum budgets apply. Agencies invest time in strategy, creator sourcing, and management, so they usually need a certain level of spend to be effective and sustainable.

How long does an influencer campaign usually take?

Expect at least six to eight weeks from briefing to content going live. Larger, multi market plans or campaigns with many creators can take several months to design and execute properly.

Do these agencies guarantee sales results?

They typically cannot guarantee revenue because many factors influence sales. Instead, they commit to clear goals, creator quality, and transparent reporting on reach, engagement, and tracked conversions.

Should I hire an agency or use a platform?

If you want strategic guidance and minimal internal workload, an agency can help. If you have a smaller budget or a hands on team, managing influencers through a platform might fit better.

Conclusion

Choosing between influencer agencies comes down to fit, not just reputation. Each one brings different strengths around audience focus, creator relationships, and creative style.

Look first at where your buyers spend time online and which creators they trust. Then match that reality to the agency that knows those spaces best.

Weigh your budget and your team’s bandwidth. If you want deep support and bold ideas, a full service partner makes sense. If you prefer control and lower fixed costs, a platform driven approach can be smarter.

In the end, the right choice is the one that aligns with your goals, your timelines, and how closely you want to be involved in daily campaign work.

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.