Helloooooo creator peeps!

We only have two more issues left in August aaaaaand I have no idea where this summer went… Wasn’t it June like last week?

Small update for everyone, CreatorPad has been getting some awesome traction over the last few weeks and we’ve had the opportunity to connect a ton of creators with some incredible mentors! If you’ve ever considered upping your content game or expanding your creator business, definitely be sure to reach out to me ([email protected]) and I’d be happy to set you up with a seasoned vet in your niche. 😎 

Now onto creator news!

-Luke

Creator Compensation in 2023 💸 

Mavrck is back with another report, this time with a killer amount of data on the current landscape of creator compensation.

Being a creator is no easy work, and getting yourself to the point of monetization can feel like a never-ending road. Understanding that you’re not alone and this is a norm in the industry can be a great motivator to keep pushing, and hopefully, these analytics can give you the insight you need to not give up. It’s tough out there, but the push to continue your craft is the only way you’ll begin to reap the rewards. Keep pushing and never give up! 💪 

Let’s jump into the nitty gritty:

• The main means of creator income are tied to three streams: sponsored content, affiliate links, and ad dollars.

• Just under 82% of creators earn most of their income through sponsored content, aka brand partnerships.

• Nearly 56% of creators earn off of affiliate links

• And about 33% are earning through ads, aka the brands that get showcased on YT videos and other content as ad reads.

• More than 50% of creators earn less than $500 per month through their content creation

• And less than 25% are earning more than $2k monthly.

• They also dive into compensation changes from 2022 to now! Creators are seeing: more brand integration opportunities, earning more money overall through their content, and creators who are full-time are likely to have made more year over year!

• This study also suggests that the best platform to be earning money through these integrations is still Instagram.

• It’s also suggested that the going rate for a sponsored post on IG is around $250 per post if you have anywhere from 5k-15k followers. But that number booms once you reach the 100k follower threshold, allowing those creators to charge $1,000+ for a single post.

• And most of that earning is through their IG Reels rather than a standalone post or story.

• It’s suggested that paywalled content can allow even small creators to earn a steady income off of their content. With $1-$10 being the sweet spot for a subscription.

With all of these points in mind, it always leads me back to the thought of a creator middle class. The more we can establish this group of individuals (the majority of creators), the sooner we will be able to see creators earning a livable income through their creations.

There are some really cool graphics depicting all of these points above in the full report, so I highly recommend checking it out if you want the full scoop and even more little details!

[Link to Full Report]

Creator Economy News 🚨

This week in the creator world, the Numa Numa guy is back, Dude Perfect has a perfect collab, NFL Sunday Ticket offers so updates just in time for football season, Snapchat gets creepier, massive creators sign their content for streaming services, necessary Twitch safety updates, and so much more.

• Maya hooooo, maya heeeee, maya haaaaa, MAYA HA! HA! The nostalgia is back in full swing after the Numa Numa guy uploaded an updated version of the classic numa numa video. I’m not crying you’re crying.

• It’s a dude-centric collaboration between longtime YouTubers, Dude Perfect, and Hey Dude footwear. This collab came about as Hey Dude is apparently Dude Perfect’s favorite shoe brand, making for a fantastic integration. I’m all dude’d out after this one, dude. 😅 

• Have you ever been watching a football game on a crispy Sunday fall afternoon and thought to yourself, “I wish a bunch of strangers could share their thoughts on this in real time.”? Well, weirdo, you’re in luck. YouTube’s Sunday Ticket has added some features, including live chats and highlights in the form of Shorts.

• Snapchat is getting even spookier by allowing the ‘My AI’ to send you pictures. Ready for the weirder part? “Snap will again experiment with AI images — but soon, those images may contain you and your friends in imaginative backgrounds.” Ahhhh good, unsolicited generative images couldn’t spell any trouble, right?

• BeReal still exists and wants to make a feed that recommends strangers to you. I don’t think this will be their saving grace, but I could see it working, especially for celebs & influencers looking to grow their followings.

You should see these 👀

• Even more creators are going the FAST route with their foray into free ad-supported programming (essentially cable with extra steps). Creators like Schlatt, Sam & Colby, Lazarbeam, and more will sign with FilmRise to have their content distributed like a TV show.

• NYC jumps on the TikTok ban train by not allowing government devices to have the app. If only this applied to NYPD, this is what I see them doing 85% of the time - A New Yorker

• Twitch releases an update that feels like it should have been rolled out years ago; You now have the ability to set your options so that blocked users can’t view your stream.

• Tickets for VidSummit 2023 have dropped aaaaaand you won’t see me there unless I hit the lottery because a $1000 ticket before flights, housing, food, and beyond might send me back to a college diet of Ramen and sleep 😂 

• My friend James is hosting a month-long LinkedIn Mastery class to teach you the ins and outs of LI, how to master writing on LI, how to optimize for the LinkedIn Algorithm, and beyond. James has even offered you amazing newsletter readers a discount! Use code ‘CREATORPAD’ at checkout for 10% off!*

Creator Spotlight 🔦

Calling all of my hip hop heads for this one, meet the group bringing old school hip hop back, Coast Contra!!

As a lover of all things hip hop, especially old-school boom-bappy rap, Coast Contra has been an incredible addition to the scene and they’re winning the hearts and ears of millions.

Running with a lyrical style and flow reminiscent of A Tribe Called Quest on their freestyles, the fresh twist on a new sound is super invited in the current sea of trap rappers (don’t get me wrong, I’m all about trap too).

With just over 400k subs and millions of views across each freestyle, it’s clear that I’m not the only one feeling their immaculate vibes.

I’ll let their sound speak for itself, but if you’re not sure where to start, check out my favorite freestyle from the group. HERE WE GO YO!

Want to go even further? 🚀

If you’d like to keep learning about topics like the ones shared above, stick around! But more importantly, check out the links below to further your development as a creator. 😎

1. Sign up for CreatorPad

2. Join our free creator community

3. Find a personal mentor to learn from