Happy Wednesday creators & creator nerds!

It was a blast getting to meet some of you in person while I was in NYC this past week. Shout out to OT, Alex, & Lukas, you guys gave me some much needed newsletter encouragement and let me know this isn’t just being sent into the ether 😅, I appreciate you guys!

Also, have fun at VidCon I GUESS. No but for real, I’m bummed that I couldn’t make it this year, but I’m hoping to make it to VidCon Baltimore! Here’s my mood towards all of you VidConners this week. 😂

Have fun everyone, can’t wait to hear the all the stories!

- Luke

Reuters Weighs In On the State of Digital News 📰

Ok this one is insanely long, so I definitely suggest reading the whole report! While it’s a beefy one, I’ll be sure to break down my biggest takeaways for the creator space below. 😎

So this report from Reuters is aiming to shed light on the ways people educate themselves in the digital landscape, why engagement in certain news coverage is low, and more. I’ll mainly be covering the education/news portion of this report as I find it’s the most intriguing, but I’ll be sure to toss some extra goodies in here. Let’s dive in:

• Younger generations prefer influencers and celebrities over traditional news media (but honestly, is there a difference nowadays?).

• Trust in news has decreased overall, and traditional news orgs are facing the repercussions.

• Consumption of traditional media (TV, print) is declining, and interest in news is decreasing, overall.

• While a few brands dominate digital subscriptions, multiple subscriptions are becoming more common.

• Younger users consume news through social media rather than news websites or apps.

• Facebook's influence on journalism is declining, and other platforms like YouTube and TikTok are gaining more popularity among younger media consumers.

• People tend to avoid news they don’t enjoy, and people are increasingly skeptic about algorithm-based news feeds.

• Consumption of news through video is growing, especially through platforms like YouTube and Facebook.

• The report highlights the increasing complexity of the platform environment and the challenges faced by publishers.

• Social media preferences and networks used for news vary by country and age group.

• Content based on previous reading/watching history is still preferred over selection by journalists.

• Participation in news on social media has declined overall.

• Publishers are facing business pressures, cost-cutting, and declines in advertising revenue because of these declines.

• Concerns about identifying real vs. fake news on the internet have increased.

• Subscription and membership models have become a focus for traditional publishers, which may be another reason why consumers look to creators that they enjoy & want to support enjoy rather than more “traditional” news.

• Subscriptions to newsletters, podcasts, and YouTubers are more common in the United States.

• Cost pressures have led to cancellations, negotiation for cheaper prices, and new subscriptions.

These are my biggest takeaways from this unit of a report, but I’m curious if you’ve interpreted any of these graphs or text differently. If I missed anything, definitely let me know on the LinkedIn version of this newsletter! 

What are your thoughts on the findings from the report? Definitely be sure to check it out below, and let me know!

[Read the Full Report]

Saying Goodbye to Content Collaborators 😪

This piece has been repurposed from my LinkedIn post from yesterday, so if you enjoy content like the below, definitely be sure to give me a follow for daily posts like this! And if you already read this on LI, you can give it a skip, I won’t mind. ❤️

After working with Yes Theory on their pod, I fell in love with the idea of pushing yourself out of comfort zones and making unintended connections. So when I found Discover Connection, I was immediately hooked. That’s why this announcement was a bit of a bite.

Brad created Discover Connection four years ago with the mission to, well, discover connection! Through his journeys such as hitchhiking cross country, getting matching tattoos with strangers, cooking dinner in strangers homes, and more; Brad hoped to find more human connection through his wild video ideas, and boy did he.

On this four year journey, he had a recurring character, Liam, in his videos that ended up becoming a staple of the channel. Taking on many missions together, Brad and Liam seemed like an inseparable pair of creators that would keep pushing the envelope.

But now, Liam has landed his dream job working with a creator he’s always loved, and Brad is now creating alone once again. While this isn’t the end of Discover Connection, it did make me realize that even large creators are producing content in a Silo. Solidifying the fact that content creation is a very lonely game, seemingly all the way up the ladder in some cases.

This is one of the main reasons we built CreatorPad.

While the career of a content creator is sometimes lonely, it doesn’t have to be. Find a community, find some friends to create with, find a mentor who understands the trials and tribulations of what you’re going through, just don’t silo yourself!

If you are a creator who has felt as though you were alone on this journey, just know that there are literally hundreds of thousands of us that are right here alongside you.

Whether you are a fully established creator, or just starting out, you don’t have to do this alone.

And if you’re looking to create some meaningful connections, please reach out, I’d be more than happy to intro you to other creators who are doing some awesome things across all platforms and niches!

Let’s make the creator space less lonely, together. 😌🤝

[Get Matched with a Mentor]

Creator Economy News 🚨

This week in the creator world, a YouTuber gets a TV show with The Weather Channel, PewDiePie releases some not so new gear (it’s still sick), Patreon cutting out the video middle men, a YT pod goes down the comedy special route, and so much more.

• I covered this a few weeks back, but the show has aired! YouTuber & treasure hunter Brandon Jordan (better known as Jiggin’ With Jordan) has launched a show with The Weather Channel dubbed ‘Search Party.’ This collab reaffirms creators breaking into the mainstream, or is it mainstream breaking into the creators? 🤔

• Longtime creator PewDiePie has launched a new merch line that’s paying homage to his past content and gear while also giving a peek into what’s to come for the superstar creator.

• A platform is coming for YouTube’s crown with this new update. TikT- wait, wait, no, not this time. Patreon has just announced that it will allow creators to upload directly onto the platform, cutting out middle men such as YT & Vimeo (do people still use Vimeo?).

• I was going to write a full post on this, but I’m pressed for time, so a quick rundown will have to do 😅. Call Her Daddy’s own, Alex Cooper, is teaming up with Matt Kaplan to start an entertainment brand exclusively for creators. Let’s not sign any bad deals here please!

You should see these 👀

• Creator led podcast The Yard has launched a full comedy special for their friend and oh my god the intro just brought me all the way back to giving my family computer the plague. Sorry mom!

• Lil YouTuber Ryan’s World has teamed up with Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr. (yet again) by bringing the animated superhero(es) from Ryan’s videos to kid’s meals across the US. Confession: I’ve never had Carl’s Jr. or Hardee’s. I know, I know, prepare the guillotine.

• Jellysmack is making massive moves (as always) by acquiring Rick Lax’s killer network & brand. The big picture? Collaboration, community, & helping creators. Now that’s something I can get onboard with.

• Calling NY creators yet again! If you’re around NYC on June 27, I have a sick event for you to check out. If you want to learn more, hit me up on LI! 

Creator Spotlight 🔦

Meet Beatrice Gutknecht!

Beatrice is an absolute pro at branding strategy who runs Badassery by B, a badass, kick-ass, branding consultancy.

I had the pleasure of meeting B this week and her story, passion, & energy on the call was absolutely infectious and made me ready to tackle the day.

While B runs her killer branding company, she also produces a podcast all about branding for entrepreneurs and businesses alike. Dropping knowledge and tips on how to efficiently brand yourself and stand out from the competition.

On top of her podcast, B also drops some insane insights on LinkedIn, so definitely be sure to give her a follow there!

Keep up the stellar work, B, I’m so glad we had the opportunity to connect and I’m so pumped for future convos. 😎

[Be sure to check out B’s pod!]

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