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Creator Economy
startups
venture capital
What We Learned in Year Two of the Creator Economy Database
By
Mahira Dayal
· Jan. 3, 2023 2:51 PM 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...
Creator Economy
facebook
Creator Economy Year in Review and Our Top Stories
By
Kaya Yurieff
· Dec. 29, 2022 3:06 PM 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...
Creator Economy
Top Creator Economy Moments of 2022
By
Mahira Dayal
· Dec. 28, 2022 3:40 PM 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...
The Year 2022 for Creators in Two Charts
By
Mahira Dayal
· Dec. 27, 2022 3:10 PM PST
Creator Economy
startups
venture capital
The Year 2022 for Creators in Two Charts
By
Mahira Dayal
· Dec. 27, 2022 3:10 PM 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...
Creator Economy
startups
The Price of Being a Creator Is Going Up
By
Kaya Yurieff
· Dec. 22, 2022 1:04 PM 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...
Creator Economy
Deserted Creators Search for New Homes for Newsletters; Twitter Could Break Even
By
Mahira Dayal
· Dec. 21, 2022 2:00 PM 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...
Creator Economy
startups
culture
The Website That Predicts the Next Top Creators
By
Kaya Yurieff
· Dec. 20, 2022 2:00 PM PST
Ten years ago, Evan Britton set out to create a concise version of Wikipedia focused on celebrities. People were shifting from using desktop computers to mobile devices, and he thought Wikipedia pages would be too busy for a phone screen. Then, Britton noticed visitors were instead using his site Famous Birthdays to search for a different...
Ten years ago, Evan Britton set out to create a concise version of Wikipedia focused on...
How Creators Fit Pinterest’s Commerce Goals; Musk’s Brief ‘Anti-Creator’ Policy
By
Mahira Dayal
· Dec. 19, 2022 2:00 PM PST
Creator Economy
How Creators Fit Pinterest’s Commerce Goals; Musk’s Brief ‘Anti-Creator’ Policy
By
Mahira Dayal
· Dec. 19, 2022 2:00 PM PST
On Friday, I published an analysis of Pinterest, where creators post content such as mood boards, clothing outfits and home decor setups. One takeaway: Its new CEO Bill Ready wants to find ways to increase how much time its existing users spend on Pinterest, and earn more revenue from those users. To do that, he wants to make all of the products...
On Friday, I published an analysis of Pinterest, where creators post content such as mood boards,...
Creator Economy
startups
e-commerce
Startup Howl Tries to Upend Influencer Marketing; Senate Passes TikTok Bill
By
Kaya Yurieff
· Dec. 15, 2022 2:40 PM PST
As our Creator Economy Database shows, influencer marketing is a crowded field. The two-year old startup Howl hopes to stand out by focusing on a variety of collaborative tools on its marketplace for creators and retailers, including Samsung and Sephora. The startup has raised $27 million in Series A funding led by venture firm Highland Capital...
As our Creator Economy Database shows, influencer marketing is a crowded field. The two-year old...
Creator Economy
The SEC Slaps Financial Influencers; Seven Seven Six Backs Startup July
By
Mahira Dayal
· Dec. 14, 2022 3:50 PM PST
Financial influencers often like to attach disclaimers on their accounts, advising their Twitter followers and YouTube subscribers that their statements don’t amount to financial advice. Securities regulators have a retort: Those disclaimers are pointless when it comes to plain old fraud. The Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday...
Financial influencers often like to attach disclaimers on their accounts, advising their Twitter...
Creator Economy
facebook
Instagram’s Evolution to Text; Interview With An Attorney-Turned-Influencer
By
Mahira Dayal
· Dec. 13, 2022 2:46 PM PST
Instagram has evolved from photos to videos to… text? On Tuesday, parent company Meta Platforms said it had made Notes, a new format to share short text posts on Instagram, available worldwide. Instagram began testing the feature this summer. It’s an opportune time to roll out a text feature amid turmoil at Twitter. Celebrities, including...
Instagram has evolved from photos to videos to… text? On Tuesday, parent company Meta ...
Could Twitter Boss Musk Really Buy Substack?
By
Kaya Yurieff
· Dec. 12, 2022 2:56 PM PST ·
1 comment
Creator Economy
startups
media/telecom
Could Twitter Boss Musk Really Buy Substack?
By
Kaya Yurieff
· Dec. 12, 2022 2:56 PM PST ·
1 comment
Could Twitter’s new billionaire owner Elon Musk buy Substack? Musk tweeted that he’s “open” to acquiring the newsletter publisher after a Twitter user floated the idea on Friday, suggesting a deal would give Musk control of the “the narrative layer” of the internet.Of course, Musk has other things on his mind, like the...
Could Twitter’s new billionaire owner Elon Musk buy Substack? Musk tweeted that he...
Creator Economy
Twitter’s Apple Workaround Could Inspire Copycats
By
Mahira Dayal
· Dec. 8, 2022 4:37 PM PST ·
1 comment
Jellysmack, a startup that provides the technology for creators to post their videos across social media platforms, has laid off 55 people, The Information is the first to report. The layoffs were conducted across the company, which employs just under 1,000 people.
Jellysmack, a startup that provides the technology for creators to post their videos across...
Creator Economy
facebook
Instagram Cuts Incentives to Some Reels Creators
By
Kaya Yurieff
· Dec. 7, 2022 4:10 PM PST
I’m hearing that Instagram has again cut the amount of money some creators can earn from the Meta Platforms app’s bonus program to spur more short-form Reels. It’s the latest sign that the big social networks are quietly backing away the generous cash payouts they dangled to encourage creators to make content for their apps. One...
I’m hearing that Instagram has again cut the amount of money some creators can earn from the Meta...
Creator Economy
startups
culture
Lensa AI’s Avatars Return Startup Prisma to the Limelight
By
Kaya Yurieff
· Dec. 6, 2022 2:54 PM PST
My social media feeds are full of cartoon selfies of people, thanks to a new feature called Magic Avatars on Lensa AI, a photo and video editing app. Although the app is four years old, the new feature has made it a hit in the past week, with people forking over $8 for 50 different personalized avatars. The app was No. 1 for free apps on Apple...
My social media feeds are full of cartoon selfies of people, thanks to a new feature called Magic...
Pinterest, Grin Add to Creator Economy Layoffs
By
Mahira Dayal
· Dec. 5, 2022 1:59 PM PST
Creator Economy
Pinterest, Grin Add to Creator Economy Layoffs
By
Mahira Dayal
· Dec. 5, 2022 1:59 PM PST
Pinterest has joined the list of social media companies that have let go of workers. Last week, the company cut jobs in its recruiting team and decided to slow down its hiring for the rest of the year, The Information was first to report. A Pinterest spokesperson declined to confirm details on how many people have left the company, which...
Pinterest has joined the list of social media companies that have let go of workers. Last week,...
Creator Economy
startups
culture
Creator Burnout Is So Bad One Started a Podcast
By
Kaya Yurieff
· Dec. 1, 2022 2:20 PM PST
When I interview creators, I often ask them about the downsides of a career that often seems glamorous. They frequently answer: burnout and mental health. From mean comments to the unrelenting pressure to stay relevant and keep producing, it all takes a toll on creators’ wellbeing. The problem inspired Gil Kruger to launch a new weekly...
When I interview creators, I often ask them about the downsides of a career that often seems...
Creator Economy
startups
e-commerce
Live Shopping Startup Firework Lays Off 10% of Staff
By
Erin Woo
· Nov. 30, 2022 3:16 PM PST
Firework, a startup building technology to enable livestream shopping, has laid off 10% of its staff just months after SoftBank led its $150 million Series B round at a $750 million valuation, according to an email sent to employees on Tuesday, which was viewed by The Information. The layoffs come as more tech companies introduce live shopping,...
Firework, a startup building technology to enable livestream shopping, has laid off 10% of its...
Creator Economy
Pinterest Ends Creator Rewards Program; Anonymous App Fizz Raises Series A
By
Kaya Yurieff
· Nov. 29, 2022 2:12 PM PST
Pinterest is ending its creator rewards program, which offered cash bonuses when creators completed goals such as hitting certain engagement metrics, The Information is first to report. It’s the latest example of a social media company pruning initiatives designed to attract creators as tech companies rethink products in the face of an economic...
Pinterest is ending its creator rewards program, which offered cash bonuses when creators...
Musk’s Fight With Apple Is One He’s Likely to Lose
By
Kaya Yurieff
· Nov. 28, 2022 2:46 PM PST
Creator Economy
apple
Musk’s Fight With Apple Is One He’s Likely to Lose
By
Kaya Yurieff
· Nov. 28, 2022 2:46 PM PST
Tensions are bubbling up between Apple and Twitter, rekindling familiar gripes from tech companies that have bemoaned the iPhone maker’s 30% commission on in-app purchases and the power it wields over apps in its App Store. On Monday, the social network’s new owner Elon Musk shot off a series of tweets aimed at Apple and its dominance.My take: ...
Tensions are bubbling up between Apple and Twitter, rekindling familiar gripes from tech...
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