From Demographics to Psychographics: An Archetype-Based Approach to Influencer Marketing

Why do two creators in the same category have such different impact?

For years, we’ve looked for the answer in reach, follower count, engagement rates, and different ways of categorizing creators.

When the numbers don’t tell the full story, we turn to categories. We describe creators as beauty, food, technology, or travel creators. These labels tell us what kind of content a creator produces, but they don’t explain why some creators build much stronger connections with certain communities than others.

People don’t follow categories. They follow people they relate to or aspire to become. Sometimes that connection is built through knowledge, sometimes through inspiration, and sometimes through a shared way of life.

Take two food creators as an example. One answers the question, “What should I cook today?” Every post offers practical recipes, clear instructions, and useful tips. Followers see this creator as a trusted source of information.

The other starts with a different question: “How can we build a more sustainable food culture?” Their content focuses on seasonal ingredients, local producers, and conscious consumption. Both creators belong to the same category and have similar audience sizes. Yet one builds trust through practical knowledge, while the other builds a community around shared values and lifestyle.

The Archetype Model

One-way marketers have tried to understand these differences is through archetypes. Carl Jung’s theory of universal character patterns was later adapted by Margaret Mark and Carol Pearson into a framework for understanding brand identity and the relationships brands build with people.

The model consists of twelve core archetypes, each representing different motivations, values, and ways of connecting with others. It helps explain not only how brands position themselves, but also what they stand for and why they resonate with specific communities.

The same perspective can also be applied to influencer marketing.

Creators don’t just produce content. They also represent values, lifestyles, and personalities. Whether a creator is seen as a trusted expert, a source of inspiration, or a lifestyle reference often becomes clear through their content, the relationship they build with their audience, and the conversations happening in their community.

Archetypes at Hyperiser

At Hyperiser, we also use this approach to better understand creators.

Alongside performance metrics and traditional classifications such as category or demographics, we look at interests, content preferences, publishing habits, audience reactions, and the language people use in community comments.

We bring all of this together to identify each creator’s primary and secondary archetypes. The primary archetype reflects the core relationship a creator builds with their community, while the secondary archetype shows how that relationship is expressed through their content.

This helps us understand what each creator represents, which communities they naturally connect with, and which brands they are most likely to align with. It enables us to build more accurate creator-brand partnerships and plan more effective campaigns.