Work with 2A Media — T&E, creators, and affiliate programs that compound

Video is where the decision gets made

Google’s shopping research found that more than half of shoppers say online video has helped them decide which specific brand or product to buy, and that more than 55% of shoppers globally use online video while actually shopping (including in-store research moments). Newer Google/BCG work on U.S. shoppers shows digital video does not stop at awareness: among people who said video played a role in their path to purchase, 45% said it helped them choose which product or brand to buy and 34% said it prompted them to buy a specific item. The same study found YouTube was 1.6× more likely to positively influence purchase decisions than social platforms — and shoppers were more than twice as likely to trust content on YouTube versus social.

Sources: Google Think with Google shopping research (often cited from 2019 reporting; “more than half / 55%” lines); Google/BCG U.S. Influence of Touchpoints Survey (Mar 2025 / Think with Google July 2025). BCG sample categories were beauty and electronics — directionally useful for consideration-heavy gear; not firearms-specific.

Why brands need creators — not only brand-owned channels

• Trust transfers. Viewers trust creator recommendations on YouTube far more than the same pitch on other platforms (Google/Ipsos holiday shopping research).
• Proof beats brochure copy. Reviews, installs, and “does it hold zero” content answer the questions a product page cannot.
• Attribution is possible. Codes, links, and tracked T&E → publish loops turn creator coverage into measurable clicks and orders — when someone owns the ops.
• Policy reality. Creator briefing keeps coverage educational and platform-safer in regulated categories.

Prefer creators who also have their own websites

A YouTube video opens the door. A creator’s own site is where the buyer often finishes: specs, comparisons, affiliate links, and long-lived SEO pages that keep converting after the video ends. We prioritize partners who can do both — video for trust and decision, owned web for capture and compounding traffic.

Independent measurement backs that preference: a Nielsen Brand Impact study for creator-site network Raptive found ads on creator websites (blog posts / sponsored content) drove 70% higher ad recall than the same brands on social, with higher purchase intent and affinity. Fans of those creators also showed 40% higher purchase intent and were far more likely to trust creator product recommendations when the story lived on the creator’s site — not only in a feed.

• Video builds preference; the site captures search and “where do I buy” intent
• Evergreen review pages keep working when the algorithm moves on
• Cleaner affiliate and disclosure paths than link-in-bio alone
• Better T&E ROI: one sample can power a video and a durable article

Nielsen Brand Impact / Raptive (2024). Beauty, home, and CPG ad environments — directional for high-consideration gear; not a firearms-vertical study. Nielsen summary.