7 MAY 2024 · Today we'll dive into YouTube's latest test of an AI Ideas Generator designed to amplify your clip creativity. We'll look at Tubi's innovative approach, launching a 'fan-fueled' studio aiming to empower up-and-coming filmmakers. Wondering about TikTok's influence on shopping habits? We'll explore new insights on its impact in product discovery. And lastly, we'll discuss YouTube's expanded testing of the AI-driven 'Jump Ahead' feature, changing how viewers interact with video content. Stick around for these exciting updates! === YouTube is stepping up its game for content creators with the live test of a new AI-driven tool that provides ideas for new videos. If you've ever been stumped about what your next YouTube clip should be about, this tool could be a game-changer. You see, by using data on viewer trends, the AI suggests not only topics but offers full content outlines to help creators come up with their next viral hit. While the tool aims to tap into what viewers are looking for, there's a bit of concern it could lead to repetitive content, based on what's already popular rather than innovative ideas. Despite that, the potential for creators to engage with their audience by following trends is an exciting aspect of this feature. As of now, YouTube has rolled out this new feature to a select number of English-language channels, with plans for wider access in the future. So, keep an eye out creators, because it sounds like YouTube's new tool might just be the creative spark you've been looking for to craft your next sensational video. === Tubi is shaking things up in the world of streaming with the introduction of Stubios, a brand new 'fan-fueled' studio. This initiative isn't just for kicks; it's a real game-changer aimed at cultivating fresh talent in the filmmaking scene. Tubi has teamed up with Issa Rae's Color Creative to kickstart an incubation platform that's going to offer a ladder up to budding filmmakers trying to make a name for themselves. The heart of Stubios is all about collaboration. Filmmakers step into the ring with their visionary ideas and pitch them to an audience who gets to chip in with their level of interest. If their ideas hit the mark and fan support pours in, Tubi steps up and provides those creatives with the resources to move their ideas from mere concepts to actual production. Issa Rae is throwing her support behind this initiative, drawing on her experience mentoring participants on HBO's "Project Greenlight." Meanwhile, Tubi's CEO Anjali Sud is touting Stubios as a way to create culturally resonant films that speak directly to a diverse and youthful audience. By flipping the script on the traditional studio system where execs call all the shots, Stubios hands some of the reins over to online fan engagement to determine a project's fate. With Stubios, creators pitch directly to fans via the platform, and if the crowd is wild about it, Tubi provides the greenbacks for preproduction. It's a bit like crowdfunding, with a twist – creators can use polls to engage their supporters on key creative decisions along the way. Should a creator strike gold with their first project meeting specific engagement and viewing targets, they're guaranteed an automatic go-ahead for their next venture. Beyond just getting their work out there, creators under Stubios earn a flat fee for their original intellectual property, rake in an executive producer credit and fee, and nab additional fees if they take on deeper roles in their projects, like acting or producing music. Already, Tubi has shortlisted three creatives for the inaugural run of Stubios, with rapper Lady London set to produce a docuseries about the launch of her debut album. But Tubi's catching on to something more – the behind-the-scenes action is just as much of a draw. Tubi's Nicole Parlapiano has highlighted how videos detailing the making of a film can sometimes pull in more eyeballs than the finished film or its trailer. Thus, Stubios is also cleverly providing a behind-the-scenes look at the creative journey. Despite the potential pitfalls of public feedback in an often volatile online world, Tubi is confident in its community management and the design of Stubios to navigate these waters. The focus is on young creatives who have yet to have their shot and are building their communities on social media. Prepare to see some Stubios projects hitting screens later this year as Tubi tests the waters of this fan-driven incubator model that's all about pushing the boundaries of storytelling while amplifying the voices of the next generation of filmmakers. === In the face of questions about its future, TikTok has released some compelling data highlighting the platform's influence on product discovery. A study by Material, in partnership with TikTok, demonstrates that a whopping 61% of the app's users find new brands and products while scrolling through their feeds — that's 1.5 times more product discovery happening on TikTok compared to other social media platforms. But TikTok isn't just where people find new products; it has also become a habitual search destination. The platform claims users don't just passively watch content; they actively seek out more related content, turning to TikTok as their go-to for not just entertainment but also for search needs. Moreover, when compared to other platforms, users find TikTok searches to be more entertaining, authentic, and concise. And if you're wondering about conversion rates, listen to this: 91% of users who were inspired by something they searched for on TikTok followed through with the related action. This information is particularly relevant as prospective American buyers eye TikTok, which is currently under pressure likely to sell off its operations due to its Chinese ownership. The value of TikTok’s intuitive algorithm is becoming more apparent as it plays a pivotal role in keeping users engaged — by curating content, including products that align with users’ preferences. Any potential buyer of the app is likely to insist that this algorithm be part of the package deal. So, what's the bottom line here? As TikTok’s younger audience matures, there's a clear opportunity for brands to align their strategies with where consumers are increasingly turning their attention. Companies keen to stay ahead of the curve will need to consider how they can leverage TikTok, not just for ads, but as a tool for product discovery and search. === YouTube is taking a bigger leap into AI with the expansion of its Jump Ahead feature. The AI-powered option is designed to let viewers skip right to the most engaging parts of a video. It uses machine learning to analyze which parts of a video are the most watched and then highlights these sections so viewers can jump straight to them. Originally tested with a small group of YouTube Premium subscribers, this feature is now rolling out to all Premium users in the United States. The way it works is quite user-friendly: if you're watching a video and start double-tapping to skip ahead, YouTube will present you with a 'Jump Ahead' button. This is meant to help you reach the parts of the video that have gathered more interest, without having to watch the entire thing from start to finish. While it's a relatively simple application of AI, it could be particularly useful for educational content or long-form videos, allowing users to efficiently access the most relevant sections. Content creators can also gain insights from it by observing which parts of their videos are being jumped to the most. As of now, YouTube hasn't specified if or when this feature will be available to all users beyond Premium subscribers, but it's clear that they are continuing to explore ways to enhance video viewing with the help of AI. === That's a wrap on today's episode of Creator Daily. I'm your host, Michael, and I just want to say thank you for tuning in. We covered a lot today, and I hope you found it as enlightening as I did. Remember, you can check the show notes for links and more information on all the topics we discussed. And hey, if you have a minute, why not shoot us an email with your thoughts, or tell us what you'd like to hear about in future episodes? Just drop us a line at creatordaily@podcraftr.com. We really do love hearing from you – it's your insights and ideas that help make this community so special. Don't forget to hit that subscribe button, leave a review if you enjoyed the show, and share it with your fellow creators who might benefit from our discussions. Until next time, keep creating, keep innovating, and remember – you're the heartbeat of this incredible creator landscape. Catch you on the next episode of Creator Daily. Take care! = = = =

6 MAY 2024 · In today's episode, we'll dive into how TikTok and Universal Music Group have finally settled their differences with a fresh contract. Then, we'll explore how Kajabi is empowering creators by enabling them to create their own branded apps. Don't miss our coverage on Instagram's new interactive stickers designed to make Stories even more engaging. We’ll also discuss X's latest feature for premium subscribers - AI-generated news summaries to keep you informed at a glance. Lastly, we'll look into how Threads is boosting user control with the new option to manage who can quote their posts. Stick around for all this and more on Creator Daily. Universal Music Group and TikTok have just turned a new page in their relationship. After a bit of a tiff, which saw UMG pulling its music from TikTok when their contract ran out in early February, the two have reached a new "multi-dimensional" agreement. Music from UMG's powerhouse lineup, including stars like Taylor Swift, Drake, and Olivia Rodrigo, is set to make a comeback to the app and its massive user base. What stands out in this deal is the emphasis on safeguarding artists in the age of generative AI. Both TikTok and UMG are putting their heads together to protect the rights of artists and songwriters while ensuring that AI's evolution in the music industry doesn't trample human artistry. That means keeping AI-generated music that's unauthorized off the app and even rolling out improved attribution for artists and songwriters. In the words of TikTok's Global Head of Music Business Development, Ole Obermann, the collaboration aims to responsibly develop AI tools. This partnership is not just about protecting creativity, it's also about embracing it, with new ways to monetize content tied to TikTok's e-commerce scene. The platform is also committed to enhancing the artist toolkit with better analytics and seamless ticket integration. The teams are working hard and fast to make sure your favorite artists are back on TikTok. Given that the app has more than a billion users, this spells not just a truce, but potentially a whole new frontier for artist and fan engagement on TikTok. Kajabi, known for enabling content creators to sell online courses, is stepping up its game by launching a new no-code solution that allows users to create their own branded mobile apps. This new offering puts the power in the hands of creators, letting them customize their app's appearance and content, from the icon to the layout, and even the push notifications. It’s an extension of their current mobile app capabilities, but with this update, creators get to craft a more personalized user experience. With feedback that suggested a strong desire for branded apps among its user base, Kajabi took note—62% of creators felt a branded app was key to their business, and more than half were ready to spend up to $100 a month for one. After beta testing with over 800 users, it's now available to all Kajabi customers. What makes Kajabi's app service particularly enticing is its affordability and efficiency. Traditional app development can be a long, costly journey—often taking six months and running upwards of $60,000. Kajabi condenses this into a matter of weeks, at a fraction of the cost, sparing creators the risk of heavy investments that might not pay off, as was testified by nutritionist Raquel Britzke, who had a less-than-satisfactory experience developing her own app before switching to Kajabi. However, it's not all smooth sailing—building a branded app with Kajabi is still a commitment, available only to creators on the platform at an extra cost of $89 to $199 per month, depending on the plan. These costs come on top of Kajabi's existing subscription fees.—and there’s the additional cut that Apple and Google take from in-app purchases. As Kajabi competes in the no-code space with the likes of Wix and Thinkific, the platform plans to evolve by adding community and coaching products, along with other features like offline viewing and interactive quizzes. And for those nervous about coding, no worries—Kajabi doesn’t require any. It's all part of their mission to help creators turn their knowledge into commerce, all through a branded experience that looks and feels uniquely their own. Instagram's rolling out some new features for Stories, including a couple of pretty interactive stickers to mix things up. First up, there's this 'Reveal' sticker. Put that on your story and it blurs everything out. If your friends want to see what's behind the blur, they'll have to send you a direct message. This move plays right into Instagram boss Adam Mosseri's vision. He's been saying for a while now that private messages and Stories are where Instagram's seeing the most action. And it looks like this feature is expected to be a hit with creators to get more engagement on their posts. Then there's the 'Frames' sticker. It gives your images that good old Polaroid feel — starts off in a gray scale, shake your phone, and the photo pops up. Funny thing is, shaking's not really recommended for actual Polaroids, but hey, this is the digital world. They first showed off this feature at Coachella. They've also got a new thing called 'Add Yours Music'. It's a music-based template allowing you to attach songs to your stories with prompts like 'your favorite track from this album' or 'one song you'd listen to for the rest of your life'. Instagram’s really pushing for more original content lately. Just earlier this week, they announced they'd be downplaying reposted or aggregated content over fresh, original posts in their recommendations. And for creators, there's a bit of unease because, despite wanting original content, Instagram is putting more weight on recommended content from accounts even if you don't follow them. So, with these additions, Instagram's clearly aiming to keep its platform fresh and engaging for both everyday users and creators alike. The social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, has rolled out a new feature for its premium subscribers: AI-generated news summaries. These summaries are crafted by X's Grok AI engine, which scans posts on the platform to create real-time overviews of the current trending conversations. This means that subscribers can get a succinct digest of what people are talking about without needing to sift through a stream of posts or click through to a website for a deeper read.  While this could be convenient, there are some potential pitfalls to be aware of. For starters, the summaries rely solely on X posts, raising concerns about the accuracy of the information and the AI's capability to interpret nuances like sarcasm. There have already been instances where Grok AI has misinterpreted posts, leading to incorrect or misleading summaries. Furthermore, by keeping users engaged directly within X's ecosystem with in-stream articles and long-form posts, and altering the appearance of link previews to make them less prominent, there's a risk that news publishers could see a decline in traffic driven from X. Considering that news publishers are a significant source of the content on X, if they decide to pull away from the platform, it could impact the variety and vibrancy of the discussions on X.  This is especially concerning given that a majority of X users are passive consumers of content, with only 20% of the user base actively creating posts. The concern is if news outlets reduce their presence on X, these passive users might start looking elsewhere for content.  Elon Musk, the owner of X, is championing AI as a way to improve user experience on the platform. Still, the success of AI-generated story summaries remains to be seen as they now become available to all premium subscribers of X. Hey, have you heard about the latest update from Threads? They've just rolled out a new feature that lets you control who can quote your posts. Now, when you tap on the options menu of any Threads post, you'll see a "Who can reply and quote" option. You can pick from three options - "Anyone", "Profiles you follow", or "Mentioned only". This is a bit more advanced than what X offers. On X, users can limit who can reply to their posts, but there isn't a way to control who can quote them. Threads' chief, Adam Mosseri, announced this update hoping that it would contribute to a more positive space and give users more control over their experience. The feature rolls out after some users already had a sneak peek during the early access phase. But now, it's available for all. Besides this, Threads has introduced other tools to help you manage your in-app interactions. You can hide replies, mute specific words, phrases, numbers, and emojis, and mute notifications from interactions on your posts. All these updates align with a broader push to make Threads a go-to app for positive interactions, especially as social conversations increasingly move into private spaces to avoid negative public interactions. So, if you're someone who values control over your social media presence, this update from Threads might be right up your alley. It's all about making the digital space a little friendlier and giving you the reins when it comes to engagement. Keep your eyes open for these new options on your Threads app! That's a wrap on today's episode of Creator Daily. I'm your host, Michael, and it's been a total blast bringing you the latest and greatest from the ever-evolving world of content creation. Remember, if you're itching to dive deeper into any of the stories we chatted about today, you can find all those juicy links and resources right in the show notes.  Got thoughts, quest

3 MAY 2024 · Welcome to another episode of Creator Daily - I'm your host Michael, covering the top news stories, latest strategies, and emerging trends in the overall creator landscape. Today, we'll dive into Instagram's latest update where the original content shines over copied material. We'll also discuss the staffing challenges X is facing with its moderation team compared to its peers. Plus, we're breaking down TikTok's new report on the expansion of TikTok Shops, and we'll explore how TikTok is cleverly bypassing those hefty App Store commissions. Stick around for all this and more, right here on Creator Daily! Instagram is rolling out a new algorithm tweak that will shake up the way content is recommended to users. The platform is cracking down on aggregator accounts—these are the accounts that repost content from other creators without creating or enhancing it significantly. The change means that if an aggregator account reposts content more than ten times in a thirty-day period without materially adding to it, they'll be removed from Instagram's recommendations. But here's the interesting bit: Instagram will be replacing these reposts with the original creator's post in recommendation spaces, giving credit to where it's due. However, this only happens if the original content is fairly new and the system is sure both posts are identical. Also, creators will even get notified when their post replaces a repost in recommendations. To support smaller creators, Instagram is changing up the recommendation system. It'll test content with a small audience first and if it performs well, it'll show it to more users, regardless of how big the original creator's following is. This gives every creator an equal shot at going viral, similar to TikTok's appeal. These updates are part of Instagram's broader shift towards prioritizing Reels and other recommended content, which has been a topic of discussion among creators who fear their content isn't reaching their followers. Instagram hopes these changes will level the playing field and give more attention to original content. The rollout is expected to happen over the next few months, so creators and users alike should keep their eyes peeled for these changes. Recent European Union transparency reports reveal that the social media platform X now has significantly fewer moderation staff compared to other social media networks. This is following a massive reduction in staff, where X cut about 80% of its employees in 2022. The reports provided by the E.U. under the Digital Services Act allow for comparisons in terms of the ratio between moderation staff and users for each major social app. X is at the bottom with one moderator for every 60,249 users. For context, LinkedIn has a ratio of 1 to 41,652, TikTok is at 1 to 22,586, and Meta, which includes both Instagram and Facebook, has a ratio of 1 to 17,600. However, these figures aren't entirely straightforward. For instance, Meta's number might effectively be doubled since the reported 15,000 content reviewers work across both Facebook and Instagram, each with 260 million E.U. users. Still, even with that adjustment, Meta's ratio would be more favorable than X's. Also, unlike other platforms, X's user count includes logged-out guests, but their ability to view content is less than logged-in users on other platforms, so this may not be a significant factor. Moreover, it's not entirely clear how many moderators are designated for E.U. concerns for each platform. Examining X's overall global user base, the moderation workforce to user ratio becomes one moderator for every 297,458 users, if all 1,849 moderators are taken into account. In comparison, even with all of Meta's reported 3 billion users, the ratio remains 1 to 200,000, without including the additional 25,000 people tasked with safety and security. This marked reduction in manual moderation at X has concerned various online safety experts, who often criticize the platform's "Community Notes" crowd-sourced fact-checking program as an inadequate safety measure. Moreover, despite X's intention to build a new moderation center in Texas, no significant updates have been made on the progress since the initial announcement. These data points highlight potential weaknesses in X's content moderation system, which may have implications for its capacity to detect and enforce rules against violative content, as also indicated by third-party reports of more rule-breaking content visible on the platform. X's latest E.U. report, along with those of other platforms, offer important insights into the current moderation landscape of social media. TikTok has released a report detailing the progress of its shopping marketplace and its safety measures. The report emphasizes TikTok Shop's aim to create a new shopping culture based on discovery and connection between sellers, creators, and the TikTok community. Starting in Southeast Asia and expanding to the UK and recently the US in 2023, TikTok Shop has grown to over 15 million sellers globally. A focus on safety and authenticity, TikTok requires sellers to provide documentation for identity, business type, and eligibility verification. Newly approved sellers undergo a probation period to learn platform rules. TikTok has also been stringent with policy enforcement, preventing the listing of 37 million products that breached policies, removing 133,000 individual products post-listing, deactivating accounts of over a million sellers, and stripping eCommerce features from half a million creators due to violations. Despite these efforts, TikTok's shopping expansion faces hesitancy from brands, primarily due to uncertainty surrounding the U.S. TikTok sell-off bill. The bill, which could potentially result in TikTok being sold to a U.S. company or being banned from the American market, has caused brands to reconsider their reliance on the app, taking into account the implications of U.S. restrictions and possible similar actions in other regions. While TikTok shows growth in its Asian markets, confidence in its commerce tools might be challenged by the unfolding political and regulatory landscape. However, for those interested, TikTok’s full report is available for further insight into its shopping platform's growth and future potential. TikTok is making some intriguing moves that skirt around App Store guidelines in a way that may remind you of the Epic Games versus Apple saga. Here’s the scoop: It appears that select TikTok users are being nudged within the app to purchase TikTok coins, but not just anywhere—they're being sent to TikTok's own website. This maneuver allows users to sidestep the hefty 30 percent commission Apple would normally take from such in-app purchases. David Tesler, the co-founder of the Sendit app, has highlighted instances where iOS users were encouraged to "recharge" their TikTok coins directly on TikTok.com. This comes with a price incentive, as users are informed they could save around 25 percent by avoiding in-app service fees. This isn't a subtle hint; it's pretty straightforward, but it seems to be targeted at users who spend more on the app as the screenshots came from an account that had bought a significant amount of TikTok coins in the past. This practice raises eyebrows because TikTok does list coins for sale in the App Store amongst other places, and offers in-app purchases—a scenario that does not align with Apple's ground rules for using such External Link Entitlements. Remember, back in 2022, Apple allowed select 'reader' apps to use such links for account management, but not apps that have in-app purchases like TikTok. Where does this leave TikTok in relation to Apple's policies? Well, TikTok hasn't made any official comment about this feature on its support page, and neither has Apple issued any statement in response as yet. Given Apple's history of prompt action when it comes to such breaches, this is somewhat surprising. The consequences for TikTok, with its massive user base, of being removed from the App Store could be significant for both parties, hinting at why no action has been taken. It's a bit of a high-stakes dance around the rules, showing that the tension between app developers and the financial models enforced by platform holders like Apple is still very much an ongoing issue. That's a wrap on today's episode of Creator Daily. I'm your host, Michael, and I hope you've enjoyed our dive into the latest strategies and trends shaking up the creator landscape. Don't forget to peek at the show notes for all the juicy links and detailed info we chatted about today. Got thoughts, questions, or a story you're itching to share? Shoot us an email at creatordaily@podcraftr.com. We love hearing from you and who knows? Your insights might just spark our next big discussion.  Until next time, keep creating, keep innovating, and stay connected. Remember, this community thrives on sharing and support, so spread the word about Creator Daily to fellow creators. Hit that subscribe button if you haven't already, drop us a review if you're feeling generous, and hey, give us a follow on our socials for all the behind-the-scenes fun.  Thanks for tuning in, and we'll catch you on the next episode. Keep crafting your dreams into reality!

29 APR 2024 · In today's episode, we'll discuss TikTok's legal fight against a potential ban in the US, and how they're not taking it lying down. Then, we'll look at how Meta's betting big on AI after posting some solid growth numbers. We'll also touch on Snapchat's continued success with user growth and revenue. Plus, we're diving into how YouTube Shorts is driving a major lift in ad revenue. And finally, we'll explore why Meta is dishing out bonuses to influencers for using Threads.

25 APR 2024 · Today we're diving into the implications of President Biden's signature on a bill that commences the process for ByteDance to divest TikTok. We'll explore how Reddit is revamping its app with a spotlight on comments. TikTok's decision to halt their incentive for daily video views is also on our discussion list, along with the growth of Threads, which is boasting a whopping 150 million monthly active users. And finally, we'll touch on strategies for staying pertinent in the rapidly evolving AI-centric world. So buckle up for a content-rich ride through the dynamic terrain of digital creation. Let's get started!

24 APR 2024 · Today we're diving into X's big move to enter your living room with a brand new TV app for video content. We'll also touch on Instagram's latest feature rollout that gives more control and earning potential to creators through subscriptions. We'll glance at how Snapchat is gearing up for the 2024 Election with new civic engagement tools. Then, a heartwarming tale as Nigerian chess phenom Tunde Onakoya turns a 60-hour chess marathon into a fundraising success. And finally, we're discussing the implications of the Senate's decision to ban TikTok as the bill heads to President Biden. Stay tuned for all these stories and the insights they bring on today's episode of Creator Daily!

23 APR 2024 · In today's episode, we'll be discussing how Discord's CEO, Jason Citron, envisions a more intimate internet experience. We'll also dive into how Taylor Swift is shaking up TikTok with her 'The Tortured Poets Department', in spite of an ongoing dispute with UMG. Plus, we'll talk about Instagram's new subscription options for creators, TikTok's launch of a new STEM content competition aimed at fuelling education, and we'll wrap up with the latest YouTube updates, including shopping features, creator tools, and how they're handling AI disclosure. Stay tuned!

22 APR 2024 · Welcome to another episode of Creator Daily - I'm your host Michael, covering the top news stories, latest strategies, and emerging trends in the overall creator landscape. Today we're diving into the House's latest move to pass a 'TikTok ban', now heading to the Senate. We'll also talk about the Twitter alternative, Post News, announcing its shutdown. X is shaking things up with a new, AI-driven ad set-up to simplify marketing. Walmart+ is getting creative, bringing in celebrity moms to tackle TikTok questions for Mother’s Day. And we'll give a quick look at Search Engine Journal's list of the Top 30 Social Media Influencers around the globe. Stay tuned for all this on Creator Daily.

19 APR 2024 · Welcome to another episode of Creator Daily - I'm your host Michael, covering the top news stories, latest strategies, and emerging trends in the overall creator landscape. Today, we're discussing Meta's foray into the world of AI as it takes on ChatGPT. We'll also dive into Meta's new move, integrating real-time AI image generation into WhatsApp, and how it could change the messaging game. Plus, YouTube is rolling out a Premium Placement Option for Shorts Ads, aiming to give creators and brands more visibility. Over on TikTok, there's a major cleanup underway, with the platform tightening its grip on "problematic" content to refine the For You Page experience. And lastly, we'll skim through Snapchat's latest insights on the impact of Direct Response and Brand Campaigns within the app.

12 APR 2024