Key stat: Replying to comments is the favorite way US creators engage with their audience at 29%, nearly six times the rate of in-person meetups and events (4.9%), according to a January survey from Influencer Marketing Factory.

Beyond the chart:

• The comment-section relationships creators are prioritizing carry real commercial weight. Some 58% of US consumers have purchased a product because of an influencer endorsement, per BBB National Programs.
• Meanwhile, the second-place format may be better suited to community than commerce. Only 11% of creator-driven shoppers have made a purchase from a creator's livestream, per EMARKETER and impact.com.

Use this chart: Drop this in your next creator partnership or influencer strategy meeting to show how creators are actually building audience relationships. Use the 29% comment-reply preference to benchmark your engagement expectations, and make the case for why brand partnerships should value comment sections as much as content briefs.

Related EMARKETER reports:

• Creator Economy 2026 (EMARKETER subscription required)
• Creator Economy Trends to Watch in 2026 (EMARKETER subscription required)

Methodology: Data is from the February 2026 Influencer Marketing Factory report "2026 Creator Economy Report." 1,000 US creators ages 18-65 were surveyed during January 2026.

We prepared this article with the assistance of generative AI tools and stand behind its accuracy, quality, and originality.