ClickUp

The Challenge

At ClickUp's scale, influencer marketing can't be ad hoc. They needed a systematic, high-volume program — one that could identify and qualify the right creators across SaaS verticals, negotiate partnerships efficiently, and run campaigns that actually moved the needle on signups and brand awareness. The internal team didn't have the bandwidth or the creator network to do it alone.

Building the Creator Network

Cactus built a curated, tiered creator network from the ground up — identifying influencers across YouTube, LinkedIn, and niche SaaS communities whose audiences matched ClickUp's ICP. We focused on genuine fit over vanity metrics: creators who were actually trusted by productivity-obsessed professionals, not just people with large follower counts.

• Sourced and vetted hundreds of creators across productivity, business, and SaaS verticals
• Built a tiered partnership model — from nano-influencers for targeted reach to macro for brand scale
• Developed creator briefs, content guidelines, and brand alignment frameworks
• Negotiated partnership terms, deliverables, and performance benchmarks at volume
• Built a tracking system to measure creator-driven signups, trials, and conversions

Campaign Execution at Scale

Running influencer marketing for a unicorn isn't just about volume — it's about consistency and efficiency. Cactus managed the full campaign lifecycle: briefing, content review, publishing cadence, and performance analysis. We built repeatable playbooks so the program could scale without proportional increases in overhead.

• Managed ongoing campaigns across multiple SaaS and productivity creator verticals
• Built campaign playbooks enabling rapid creator onboarding and brief execution
• Coordinated cross-platform publishing schedules for maximum reach and timing
• Ran A/B testing on messaging angles to identify highest-converting creator narratives
• Delivered weekly performance reporting tied to trial signups and attributed revenue

Why Influencer Works at This Scale

For a product-led growth company like ClickUp, influencer marketing is one of the highest-leverage acquisition channels available. When the right creator recommends a tool to an audience that trusts them, the conversion rate dramatically outperforms paid ads. Cactus's job was to systematize that dynamic — turning it from a one-off tactic into a scalable, measurable growth engine.