How creators earn revenue is changing

“Deaf girl lip reads” candid celebrity chats - and we’re obsessed. Jackie Gonzalez, a San Antonio native and deaf content creator, lip reads candid celebrity chats, from Elle Fanning and Camilla Cabello at a fashion show to Zendaya and Tom Holland at a sports match. Initially recognised from Netflix's Squid Games (Nov 2023), her viral content has settled celebrity beef and humorously revealed how mundane celeb small talk really is. This 'they're just like us' element to her content only makes it more relatable! 

I think the main reason, however, that we’re addicted is that Gonzalez offers a peek into a content that feels secretive. As non-deaf people, the celebrities in the content are aware of the paparazzi’s visual invasion, but they're often too far to be heard physically. That’s where Gonzalez’s lip-reading superpower comes into play; she gives us, the ordinary viewer, an insight into the candid exposure of a celebrity when they’re almost 100% unaware of the fact that their conversation can be recorded in a non physical way - the default for able-hearing people.

Gonzalez is providing us with candid, often hilarious content while also giving huge visibility to the deaf community. Slay.

-Rosa Gosling & Nikita Verma

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How creators earn revenue is changing according to new data

Creators’ earnings are on the rise, set to hit $13.7 billion in 2024, up 16.5% from last year - but how they’re earning is changing. 

Brand partnerships still play a major role, of course, but affiliate marketing is definitely gaining traction espeically when it comes to offering smaller creators opportunities. 

Platforms like TikTok and YouTube are driving this shift as YouTube remains the top earner, with predicted payouts of $3.2 billion. 

Whereas TikTok Shop and Instagram see affiliate marketing (expected to exceed $1 billion) thrive. 

Livestreaming, though small, is also growing, with TikTok embracing tipping culture. 

Overall, creators are diversifying income streams beyond brand partnerships, benefiting both big names and emerging talents.

Taylor Swift is Back on TikTok: What this means for label-artist relations

Taylor is back on TikTok following a hiatus prompted by a contract dispute between her record label (UMG), and TikTok's parent company. 

Being one of the world’s largest female music artists, the absence of Swift's music on TikTok has severely  impacted promotional efforts for UMG’s artists’ releases. As a result, Swift's team was able to negotiate her own terms due to owning her masters (a whole ordeal Swift outlined in her documentary a couple years ago, if you haven’t heard about it, where have you been!?). 

This likely facilitated her return to the platform, possibly weakening UMG's position in the ongoing dispute. 

While Swift is an exception due to the weight she carries as a major player in the music industry, this incident nevertheless highlights the growing trend of artists seeking greater control over their music amidst industry battles. 

For other artists like Hit-Boy, the ordeal underscored the importance of independence in a landscape dominated by major labels, motivating them to establish their own platforms for promotion and creative control

Google intensifies fight against YouTube adblockers

Google ramps up efforts against ad blockers on YouTube, prompting users to disable ad blockers or subscribe to YouTube Premium. 

This crackdown follows previous anti-adblocking measures and targets third-party apps violating YouTube's terms. Google warns users of potential disruptions in viewing experience and emphasizes the importance of ads for creators' revenue. However, it faces criticism for its revenue share and the limitations of YouTube Premium. 

The battle between Google and adblockers persists, impacting user experience and highlighting the value of alternative platforms.

Key updates & reads:

• Top 10 link-in-bio tools in 2024 (link)

• Strategies for US TikTok creators to grow (link)

• Spotify is developing a remix feature to rival sped-up TikTok tunes (link)

• TikTok is paying users in France 38 cents to spend an hour on its platform (link)

• TikTok may add AI avatars that can make ads (link)

• Kickstarter is adding the ability to collect money indefinitely (link)

• Adobe struggles to stay creator-friendly in AI push (link)