Traditional “pay & pray” influencer deals are getting crushed by performance content. In this episode of The TikTok Shop Blueprint, we unpack the shift to creator-led growth—using product seeding, CPM-based deals, and affiliate engines to scale faster (and cheaper) than legacy media buys.

Our guest, Lukas Minkov (CEO, Payper & Media Labs), has worked with thousands of brands and helped drive $100M+ in TikTok Shop sales through his creator community. He breaks down the exact systems he uses to source, brief, and pay creators, then turn winning videos into repeatable GMV.

You’ll learn

• Seeding at Scale: how to pick the right creators, sample efficiently, and post velocity.

• CPM Playbook: when to pay flat CPM vs hybrid CPM + rev-share, typical ranges, and performance guardrails.

• Affiliate Engine: recruiting, setting commission ladders, and keeping creators posting weekly.

• Offer & Briefs: creative angles, hooks, and UGC briefs that consistently convert.

• Pitfalls to Avoid: bad seeding targets, overpaying CPMs, and “single-video” thinking.

  
  

Who this is for
Brands and operators ready to replace guesswork with a CPM + affiliate content system that compounds—on TikTok Shop and beyond.

About the guest:
Lukas Minkov runs Payper & Media Labs, a creator growth machine powering nine-figure sales for brands through performance UGC and affiliates.

About the host:

Sebastian Nelson is the Co-Founder & CEO of Cruva.com (prev. UpTk) which is the leading affiliate outreach and management solution for brands on TikTok Shop.