Recent Editions

Photo: Bloomberg
Creator Economy

Problems Inside Facebook Gaming’s Black Creator Program; Meta Expects Revenue to Drop

By Mahira Dayal · Jan 30, 2023 4:01pm PST
On Monday, I reported that Meta Platforms has reduced the contracts it paid out to creators on its game-streaming service Facebook Gaming. As part of my reporting, I confirmed that Meta let its Black Gaming Creators Program, a $10 million fund, sunset at the end of last year. That brings up an important question of how successful this fund and... On Monday, I reported that Meta Platforms has reduced the contracts it paid out to creators on...
Keren Baruch, LinkedIn’s director of product management. Photo: Courtesy of subject
Creator Economy

LinkedIn’s Newsletter Subscribers Quadrupled as Meta, Twitter Axed Products

By Kaya Yurieff · Jan 26, 2023 2:26pm PST · 2 comments
LinkedIn is the only big social media company that’s sticking with newsletters. This month, Facebook parent Meta Platforms and Twitter both shuttered their respective newsletter products as these tech companies cut costs, including shutting down products for creators, after overspending during the tech boom. But for LinkedIn, newsletters are... LinkedIn is the only big social media company that’s sticking with newsletters. This month,...
Photo via Shutterstock
Creator Economy

TikTok Expands Direct Messaging; Twitch Pens Letter To Creators

By Kaya Yurieff · Jan 25, 2023 1:51pm PST · 2 comments
TikTok is quietly expanding its use of direct messaging, a feature that’s become a mainstay of rival Instagram. It’s just the latest way TikTok is grafting social network features onto its entertainment feed, as it tries to boost time spent on the app.On Tuesday, TikTok sent an email to some users to highlight changes it made in November to... TikTok is quietly expanding its use of direct messaging, a feature that’s become a mainstay of...
Jack Conte. Photo: Bloomberg
Where Patreon Goes From Here
By Mahira Dayal · Jan 24, 2023 3:03pm PST
Jack Conte. Photo: Bloomberg
Creator Economy

Where Patreon Goes From Here

By Mahira Dayal · Jan 24, 2023 3:03pm PST
Patreon, a nearly 10-year-old startup, became a pandemic success story when lockdowns left artists dependent on online sources for income. But its newfound stature and freshly minted, $4 billion valuation, masked years of mismanagement by founder and CEO Jack Conte and his inner circle, my colleague Paris reported Tuesday. The report covers... Patreon, a nearly 10-year-old startup, became a pandemic success story when lockdowns left...
Photos: Dulma Altan. Art: Shane Burke
Creator Economy

What TikToker Dulma’s Success Says About Instagram and Videos

By Mahira Dayal · Jan 23, 2023 4:56pm PST
Dulma Altan has attracted 100,000 followers on her TikTok account (@iamdulma) by fashioning an online “business school for women” with videos on how creators make VC investments, how to measure brand success and which influencer brands are retreating. But Altan, who founded online fragrance store Potion, would be happy to post more on rival app... Dulma Altan has attracted 100,000 followers on her TikTok account (@iamdulma) by fashioning an...
via Bloomberg
Creator Economy

What Creators Really Want From Twitter

By Kaya Yurieff · Jan 19, 2023 2:16pm PST
Since taking over Twitter, billionaire Elon Musk has made some efforts to court creators, from speaking with them over Zoom to telling staff about his aspirations to turn the social network into a home for video creators. Musk has even indicated he’s open to a potential acquisition of newsletter publisher Substack. But he faces an uphill... Since taking over Twitter, billionaire Elon Musk has made some efforts to court creators, from ...
Photo: Getty
Creator Economy

Why YouTube’s Plan to Share Ad Revenue on Shorts May Disappoint

By Kaya Yurieff · Jan 18, 2023 3:03pm PST
YouTube made a splash when it announced last fall it would begin sharing ad revenue with creators who make short-form videos known as Shorts, starting February 1. But I predict that creators will be disappointed by the payouts they receive. Creators have long considered the Google-owned video sharing site the most consistent and lucrative... YouTube made a splash when it announced last fall it would begin sharing ad revenue with creators...
Photo: Bloomberg
TikTok’s Leadership Ties to China; Influencers at Davos
By Mahira Dayal · Jan 17, 2023 2:24pm PST
Photo: Bloomberg
Creator Economy

TikTok’s Leadership Ties to China; Influencers at Davos

By Mahira Dayal · Jan 17, 2023 2:24pm PST
For the past two years, TikTok has been positioning itself as an entity with decision-making that’s independent from its Chinese parent company ByteDance, as it tries to convince U.S. lawmakers that China’s government will not access American user data or use the app to influence Americans. The app has had mixed success placating U.S. security... For the past two years, TikTok has been positioning itself as an entity with decision-making that...
Photo: Shutterstock
Creator Economy

The Creator Startups That Tapped Extension Rounds; Introducing SBF, Substack Writer

By Mahira Dayal · Jan 12, 2023 4:08pm PST
One thing that stood out to me as I analyzed The Information’s Creator Economy Database for our latest story was the increase in the number of rounds that were extensions to previous rounds, which means investors poured more money into existing investments while generally maintaining prior deal terms. Those rounds have murky labels, like... One thing that stood out to me as I analyzed The Information’s Creator Economy Database for our...
VSCO President Eric Wittman. Photo: VSCO
Creator Economy

The Startup Popularized by ‘VSCO Girls’ Tries a New Tack

By Mahira Dayal · Jan 11, 2023 3:38pm PST
Oh, the challenges of viral fame. By 2019, VSCO’s photo-editing app had become a byword for a certain hyper-trendy style, as high school girls and tweens photographed themselves sporting casual gear such as Birkenstocks and scrunchies, then posted them using VSCO filters reminiscent of Kodak snapshots. Fast forward to 2023: the VSCO girl... Oh, the challenges of viral fame. By 2019, VSCO’s photo-editing app had become a byword for a...
Writer Elle Griffin. Photo courtesy of subject
Creator Economy

The Writer Who Serialized Her Novels on Substack

By Kaya Yurieff · Jan 10, 2023 3:12pm PST
Elle Griffin's Substack career over the last two years is a testament to how tech platforms have transformed what it means to be an aspiring novelist. The former content marketing writer found success on Substack by taking a page from Alexandre Dumas and Charles Dickens: starting in 2021, she serialized her gothic and utopian novels to her... Elle Griffin's Substack career over the last two years is a testament to how tech platforms have...
Graphic: Mike Sullivan
Our Creator Economy Summit Kicks Off April 20
By Kaya Yurieff · Jan 9, 2023 2:22pm PST
Graphic: Mike Sullivan
Creator Economy

Our Creator Economy Summit Kicks Off April 20

By Kaya Yurieff · Jan 9, 2023 2:22pm PST
We are kicking off today’s newsletter with an exciting announcement: Our annual Creator Economy Summit is happening for the first time in person on April 20 in Los Angeles at The London West Hollywood. We’ll have a jam-packed day of fireside chats, masterclasses and panel discussions, with lots of time to ask questions and network with... We are kicking off today’s newsletter with an exciting announcement: Our annual Creator Economy...
Aleen Dreksler, CEO and co-founder of Betches Media. Photo: Claire Esparros
Creator Economy

‘We Cannot Control’ the Social Platforms: Instagram-Famous Betches Looks Beyond the Apps

By Kaya Yurieff · Jan 5, 2023 3:12pm PST
Betches Media started in 2011 as a blog focused on millennial women. As Instagram gained traction, its three co-founders—Aleen Dreksler, Jordana Abraham and Samantha Sage— shifted to building a presence on the app. That paid off in terms of followers, which now number more than 8 million on its main account. But the experience drove home a... Betches Media started in 2011 as a blog focused on millennial women. As Instagram gained...
Photos by Getty Images; Shutterstock. Art by Mike Sullivan
Creator Economy

Four Ways the Creator Economy Will Change This Year

By Kaya Yurieff · Jan 4, 2023 2:18pm PST
What will 2023 bring for the creator economy? For creators, I expect more opportunities to make money from offline businesses, but lower payouts as advertising rates fall. For the big apps, expect cool features like Netflix-style dubbing to become more popular. What will 2023 bring for the creator economy? For creators, I expect more opportunities to make...
What We Learned in Year Two of the Creator Economy Database
Creator Economy

What We Learned in Year Two of the Creator Economy Database

By Mahira Dayal · Jan 3, 2023 2:51pm PST · 1 comment
For the first time since The Information launched its Creator Economy Database in mid-2021, we now have two straight years of funding for startups that serve online influencers. The numbers show both the exuberance that energized founders and investors—and some of the wariness that set in late last year.First, the headline numbers: total funding... For the first time since The Information launched its Creator Economy Database in mid-2021, we...
Illustration by Shane Burke/Shutterstock.
Creator Economy Year in Review and Our Top Stories
By Kaya Yurieff · Dec 29, 2022 3:06pm PST
Illustration by Shane Burke/Shutterstock.
Creator Economy

Creator Economy Year in Review and Our Top Stories

By Kaya Yurieff · Dec 29, 2022 3:06pm PST
This year, we published 201 editions of this newsletter. We covered the shift from boom times to funding shrinking for creator economy startups and brought you news about layoffs and major social platforms rethinking which creator initiatives make the most sense. We’ve also regularly profiled creators and how they’re building businesses,... This year, we published 201 editions of this newsletter. We covered the shift from boom times to...
Creators are welcomed to a YouTube Shorts policy event in October 2022. Photo: Getty Images
Creator Economy

Top Creator Economy Moments of 2022

By Mahira Dayal · Dec 28, 2022 3:40pm PST
Super-tweeter Elon Musk buys Twitter. Facebook’s parent fires 11,000 workers. MrBeast tries to become a creator-unicorn. Those are some of the most remarkable moments for the creator economy in 2022, a year that’s had plenty of wild headlines even while some the buzz—and funding dollars—has faded. Here are our favorites, in descending... Super-tweeter Elon Musk buys Twitter. Facebook’s parent fires 11,000 workers. MrBeast tries to...
Chart: Shane Burke
Creator Economy

The Year 2022 for Creators in Two Charts

By Mahira Dayal · Dec 27, 2022 3:10pm PST
When we look back at 2022—and ahead to next year—two trends stick out. First, it’s become even more clear that social media executives find some of their best ideas by copying rival apps, from giants like TikTok to upstarts such as BeReal. Plus, a table of the biggest creator funds shows how these pools of cash, designed to entice creators to... When we look back at 2022—and ahead to next year—two trends stick out. First, it’s become even...
Chart: Shane Burke
Creator Economy

The Price of Being a Creator Is Going Up

By Kaya Yurieff · Dec 22, 2022 1:04pm PST
First came the layoffs, now come price hikes on creator tools. Startup Gumroad last week announced it would increase the cut it takes from creators’ sales of digital goods such as e-books, courses, memberships and newsletters on its platform. Online course platform Teachable also recently raised the prices of its monthly subscription plans... First came the layoffs, now come price hikes on creator tools. Startup Gumroad last week...
Photo: Shutterstock
Deserted Creators Search for New Homes for Newsletters; Twitter Could Break Even
By Mahira Dayal · Dec 21, 2022 2:00pm PST
Photo: Shutterstock
Creator Economy

Deserted Creators Search for New Homes for Newsletters; Twitter Could Break Even

By Mahira Dayal · Dec 21, 2022 2:00pm PST
Both Meta Platforms’ newsletter feature Bulletin and Twitter’s service Revue have announced plans to shut down next year. That means the creators who use those products need to find alternatives—and fast.Meta recruited some creators to write newsletters for the first time. Greg Mania, a comedy writer who published the book “Born to be Public”... Both Meta Platforms’ newsletter feature Bulletin and Twitter’s service Revue have announced plans...