This Week: Maybe a better TikTok is just 244 days away. A boy can dream, can’t he?
A Ray of Hope in the TikTok Drama: We all know social is broken. Addictive algorithms steal our focus as unhealthy visions cloud our perceptions. But a new TikTok bid attempt from ex-Dodgers owner Frank McCourt could change all that. Built around his ambitious “Project Liberty”, which aims for algorithm interoperability, data ownership and community portability, it could fundamentally rewire the internet as we know it. Let’s be real though – McCourt’s likely tilting at windmills. Even without the algorithm, he’ll have trouble raising enough money and meeting Bytedance’s terms. Even if he can pull it off, TikTok’s users aren’t necessarily known for their patience. But if. If. IF. If he could get it done, our world would be a better place. I’d happily be the Sancho Panza to McCourt’s Quixote – and will eagerly join the crowdfunding. But the realist in me says “fat chance”.
- Related: Inevitable consequences – 8 creators sue the US over the ban/sale.
The End of Google Search: Rely on search results for your business? Better find a new avenue for traffic. Launched at I/O, Google’s new vision imagines a future where it delivers answers, not web links. Analysts predict a 25% SEO traffic drop in just two years. But it raises the question: If web publishers can’t make money, who will create the content those answers distill? AI-generated data, of course. And AI summarizing AI is like Mr Hankey eating his own poop. The good news for video creators? AI can’t produce video summaries of other videos. Yet.
- Related: Google announces new Sora-style video generator called VEO, but it’s not out yet. Sign up for the waitlist here.
- Related: New AI assistant for Android phones lets users query YouTube videos to look for answers. That should kill watch-time for DIY and utility content.
YouTube Carbo-Loads TV: If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it’s a TV upfront. And YouTube’s Brandcast was all duck. I’ve been to a few TV upfronts, including Discovery’s 2014 edition where I hung out with Honey BooBoo’s Mom. There’s a well-trodden formula for these advertiser shindigs. Here’s how YouTube played the classic TV upfront script:
- Top Achievements: YouTube is the #1 Streaming Platform and second most watched media distributor overall on TV.
- State of the Industry: We’re redefining what TV looks like, says Mohan.
- Audience Insights: YouTube #1 TV source – if viewers had to choose just one.
- Programming Highlights: WNBA games coming to YouTube, Travis Kelce and other sports stars too.
- Advertising Innovations: Select Creator Takeovers, Ai Powered Video Campaigns drive 4x better ROAS, TV QR codes coming too.
- Success Stories: Pepsi launched its new brand on YouTube and drove a $4.50 ROAS.
- Top Talent: Zach King, Haley Kalil, Ryan Trahan, Billie Eilish, Stray Kids, Roger Goodell and more
All they missed was Mama June.
SPONSOR: Excited to highlight my manager and friend @Tyler Chou this week. She’s both lawyer and creator, with 31K subs on YouTube. Tyler left a 16-year career in Hollywood, with stints at Disney, Skydance and BuzzFeed, to start her own law firm “The Creators’ Attorney” to protect creators. Tyler now represents some of the biggest creators on YouTube and LinkedIn, along with a fractional GC and COO service where she helps creators build 7-figure businesses. Click here to connect with Tyler and schedule a meeting. You’ll also see her at Open Sauce, VidCon and CreatorFest too!
QUIBIS:
YOUTUBE
- Neal Mohan says, “It’s time a creator won an Emmy.”. Guess he wasn’t paying attention in 2013 when Bernie Su, Jay Bushman, Alexandra Edwards and Hank Green won one for The Lizzy Bennet Diaries. Still, he’s right about one thing. It needs to happen every year.
- Why YouTube will continue to out-compete Hollywood.
META
- EU opens an investigation into Meta over addicting and endangering kids.
- Nice to see a TweetDeck-like interface under development at Threads.
- Instagram continues to expand its creator marketplace globallyas it turns the heat up on TikTok.
- Instagram copies the YouTube Creator channel with its own Creator POV series focused on growth hacks.
TIKTOK NEWS
- TikTok tests hour long videos – could TV aspirations be far behind?
- Trump’s winning the TikTok battle.
- Looks like TikTok wants to get in on the whole “AI Search” thing.
- TikTok effects creators can now sign up for a pre-alpha of new Create with AI tools to enhance development.
OTHER CREATOR ECONOMY
- Here comes Open Sauce, the latest creator convention combining STEM/engineering creators with Maker Faire. I’m programming Friday’s Industry Day (June 14th) and the lineup is pretty darn good! See you in San Francisco.
- How creators, video and AI are reinventing growth hacking. From a16z’s @Andrew Chen
- Roblox bug reveals the true nature of coveted brands on Roblox. Spoiler: It ain’t Gucci.
- Fortnite becomes more creator centric, as Andre Rebelo (Typica Gamer) launches a “super studio” focused on experiences, and LoFi Girl gets a customized map.
- Reviews are in – Singapore loved our “Creator Week”.
- Interesting case study on how a beauty brand leaned into being called a “Dupe” and made it their own.
- Congrats to Cassie Ho for her Swiftie minute – and selling out of a fashionable skirt. Fun fact, Cassie makes less than 2% of her revenue from ad sense and brand deals.
- Brand Army brings in Rob Ryan as Chief Creator Officer, as the SFW Only Fans competitor prepares a big launch.
- The power of a live-stream: Kai Cenat continuously streams Elden Ring for 166 hours, beats the game, and drives a resurgent interest in the notoriously difficult RPG.
- Fascinated to see how having a child will change Logan Paul. Or not.
- Knowing is the new owning – a look into the popularity of “How It’s Made” videos.
- Popular fast-food chicken chain Zaxbys launches a “MrBeast Box” – sort of a happy meal for Feastables fans.
- Another B2B influencer marketing platform launches – called Limelight.
- Alert: Times are tough for some influencer marketing companies. I know of one that’s having trouble paying suppliers and another that’s slowing down creator payments. If they’re not tier one, consider getting paid up-front.
CREATOR TECH – AI, WEB3, VR, MORE
- OK, it wasn’t a search engine – it was a voice-enabled chatbot. OpenAI strikes again (of course you can’t actually USE it yet – even if you are a subscriber like me). Ethan Mollick explains the significance – including that the new GPT4o model is now free.
- “Everyone” in Hollywood is using AI, but are afraid to admit it – according to Hollywood Reporter.
- Instagram founder Mike Kreiger is now running product at Anthropic. This is exciting, as we need better product vision at today’s AI companies. We’ll be exploring this topic at Open Sauce’s industry day June 14th.
- OpenAI and Reddit partner up together on AI moderation tools, ads and data exchange. Your move, Discord.
RESEARCH – Nielsen just released its global 2024 marketing study, showing that optimism is up, two thirds of dollars are flowing to digital, and reach remains essential.
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