The arithmetic
A celebrity post reaches more people and persuades fewer of them. Thirty smaller creators covering the same budget reach a comparable total audience with far better engagement and thirty separate pieces of content to reuse.
Why smaller accounts convert
Audiences in this range still read the comments and expect a reply. A recommendation reads as advice from someone slightly ahead of them rather than an advertisement.
The management problem
Thirty creators means thirty briefs, thirty invoices and thirty chances for an off-brand post. The brands doing this well have either built a small in-house team or accepted looser creative control.
How to spot a fake
Check whether engagement scales with follower count and whether comments are specific. Generic praise in broken sentences is bought, and it is still common.
