Case Study
From paid placements to co-creation labs
How we transformed Agent.ai's marketing strategy from traditional advertising to innovative creator partnerships, driving authentic engagement and scalable growth.
Client Overview
Agent.ai is a marketplace and professional network for AI agents and the people who love them. You can discover, connect with and hire AI agents to do useful things. Builders can create advanced AI agents using an easy, extensible, no-code platform with data tools and access to frontier LLMs.
The Challenge
Finding Product-Market Fit in Early AI
When Agent.ai first partnered with us, the challenge wasn't just about marketing — it was about identifying and reaching audiences who would understand what an AI agent was and actually use it. In the early days of consumer AI, this represented a significant lift.
"We could see initial engagement through ad clicks and even platform sign-ups, but converting those visits into sustained agent usage was proving difficult. We realized that to unlock real scale, we needed publishers and creators to build agents they were genuinely passionate about. Only then would their audiences get excited to use them."
Harry Hawk, Paid Media & Sponsorship, Agent.ai
The Evolution of Approach
Our initial success came from identifying pockets of early adopters who showed both engagement signals (clicking ads) and platform engagement (signing up and running agents). However, to achieve meaningful scale, the strategy needed to evolve beyond traditional audience targeting.
The Breakthrough Insight
Creator passion drives user adoption. Rather than trying to convince audiences to use generic agents, we developed a playbook focused on empowering creators to build agents that solved real problems for their specific communities.
The Agent Creation Process
When developing agents, we employed a flexible support system:
Professional Builder Partnerships
For complex agents, we partnered with experienced developers
Creator-Led Development
We supported creators who wanted to build their own agents
Always-On Support
We provided technical guidance and ideation throughout the creation process
Paid Media Integration
We promoted completed agents through targeted advertising campaigns
Our Strategic Pivot
From Endorsements to Co-Creation
Rather than simply scaling the existing approach, we identified a foundational flaw in the strategy. The Agent.ai team agreed, and proposed a radical shift from traditional paid placements to co-creation partnerships. We established collaborations where influencers and creators would build, test, and launch their own agents on the platform. Then we would negotiate media buys to promote these agents.
The New Framework
Replace one-off endorsements with sustained creator partnerships
Transform influencers into power users who genuinely understand and advocate for the platform
Generate authentic user-generated content through real creator experiences
Create scalable, creator-led momentum that builds over time
Focus on repeat usage rather than just initial trial
Educational Challenge
This transformation required a fundamental shift in how we worked with creators. Moving from simple email sponsorships or one-off endorsements to having creators build actual AI agents demanded extensive education and support:
Technical Education
Creators needed to understand LLMs, AI agents, and the platform's capabilities
Ideation Support
We guided creators through brainstorming sessions to identify agent concepts that would resonate
The Core Principle
Every agent should only be built if the creator has genuine excitement about creating it and their audience will be excited to use it
Success Metric
The ideal outcome wasn't just initial engagement, but users who return to re-use the agents multiple times
Campaign Execution and Results
Campaign highlight: Dev.to technical challenge
Objective:
Engage the technical community to build and showcase AI agents, creating the first class of Agent.ai builders
Our approach:
Partnered with Dev.to for a comprehensive hackathon experience
Created tiered challenge prompts to accommodate different skill levels
Implemented multi-channel promotion strategy
Results delivered:
Record breaking community engagement that extended well beyond the challenge period
Agents that were created from the hackathon helped pave the path for future Agent.ai products
Campaign highlight: Sell Better workshop series
Objective:
Transform a sales-focused influencer into an Agent.ai evangelist through hands-on experience
Our strategy:
Designed 4-part workshop series teaching Agent.ai through practical application
Integrated competitive elements and user-generated content
Created sustained engagement through community building
Results:
Real-World Impact: Creator Showcase
See how campaign participants leveraged Agent.ai to build powerful tools that solve real business problems, generating authentic advocacy and sustained engagement.
AI Sales Discovery Coach
by Erol Aykan
Why This Strategy Works
Authentic Advocacy
Creators genuinely learn and use the platform, creating authentic testimonials that resonate.
Compound Content
Each partnership generates dozens of pieces of user-generated content, multiplying campaign value.
Community-Driven Growth
Creates engaged communities that continue generating value long after campaigns end.
Measurable Impact
Higher quality leads, improved retention, scalable advocacy network, and substantial cost efficiency vs traditional media.
Services We Provide
Campaign Strategy & Execution
Based on this successful transformation, we offer comprehensive campaign strategy and execution:
Strategic Planning and Creator Education
Campaign strategy development beyond traditional advertising
Creator partnership identification and vetting
Multi-channel campaign architecture design
Technical education programs to help creators understand complex platforms
Ideation workshops to develop creator concepts that align with audience interests
Quality assurance frameworks ensuring creator excitement translates to user value
Full-Service Execution
Creator negotiation and booking
Workshop and event design and management
Content creation oversight and quality control
Community building and management
Performance Optimization
Real-time campaign monitoring and adjustment
A/B testing of messaging and formats
Creator performance analysis and optimization
ROI measurement and reporting
Relationship Management
Long-term creator relationship development
Ongoing partnership optimization
Cross-campaign creator network building
Our relationship-first approach ensures sustainable, long-term success through trusted partnerships that evolve with your business needs.
Why Choose Us
Proven Results & Strategy
Strategic Innovation
We don't just execute your existing strategy — we identify fundamental improvements that drive better results.
Creator Education Expertise
We excel at transforming complex technical concepts into creator-friendly education programs, enabling authentic partnerships even with sophisticated platforms.
Full-Service Capability
From initial strategy through final measurement, we handle every aspect of creator partnerships and campaign execution.
Measurable Results
We deliver campaigns with clear, quantifiable business impact — not just vanity metrics.
Scalable Systems
Our co-creation partnership methodology can be adapted across industries and platforms for sustained growth.
Ready to transform your marketing strategy?
Contact us today to discover how we can engineer co-creation partnerships that build lasting momentum for your brand.