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UGC, yeah you know me!
Your end-of-the-week gentle reminder to seize the day.
Good morning, angels. Today’s mission? Make your own success. While companies across North America make massive layoffs and with uncertain times ahead, you have two choices: hide under your covers with a bag of chips and another episode of ‘Friends’ until it’s all over, or seize the day, go after your dreams, and also eat the chips (we’d never take those away from you). We can’t tell you what to do, but we can tell you that there’s no time like the present. So, pause that episode and start playing around with something new (UGC is particularly hot right now). You never know what will stick, and subsequently pay your bills.
– The Leap
UGC, Yeah You Know Me
User-generated content creator. Ever heard of it? If you’ve been on TikTok at all lately, it’s likely you’ve noticed creators promoting UGC as a sure-fire way to make some cash, and make it quick. Though we haven’t quite cracked the code as to why things trend online, we can make a few educated guesses as to why everyone is talking about that sweet three-letter acronym (hint: the algorithm is loving it), and how you can start playing around with lo-fi, intriguing content for yourself.
Little Extras
Testing, testing, calling IG’s affiliate commerce program. Turns out the test didn’t yield the desired results, because IG has just announced it will shut ‘er down to focus on its Creator Marketplace. Don’t worry – the app’s still invested in you, creator cuties.
Don’t know what NFTs are yet? Well, pull your head out of your butt and get with it, because Meta is about to expand big time to allow users to display non-fungible tokens.
A new breed of creators called the “nano-influencers” (aka the hyper local, niche voices) is on the rise. Influencers are creating their own brands, and the digital space is shifting towards the metaverse. Is this the end of the internet as we know it?
Move aside Warren Buffet, there’s a new sheriff in town. Humphrey Yang, Gen Z’s favorite finfluencer, only has 1.5 years of finance experience, but that hasn’t stopped him from serving up iconic wealth parables to an audience of over 4 million hungry learners.
IG comes out on top when it comes to influencer marketing spend. Facebook on the other hand? Not so hot. Which comes as a surprise to no one. However, not so hot still means $739 million. Anyway, TikTok is still on track to be the hottest, in case you were wondering.
Teach a person to fish – they will eat for a lifetime. That’s what Amber Fillerup Clark is doing, but instead of teaching fishing lessons, she’s putting her hard-earned cash and knowledge back into the creator economy by investing in micro-influencers. Same-same.
Ever heard of the attention economy? If not, just know you’re living in it, and social media platforms are all vying for the best of your attention. If you’re curious which platforms are spending the most on creator content, here’s a breakdown.
It’s “payola” szn. Did you know podcasters are paying thousands of dollars to interview that person you love? It’s true, but they’ll never tell you about it. Welcome to a golden era of pay-to-play podcasting.
Image courtesy of Georgia Hilmer and Laura Chautin
Ceramicist Laura Chautin on Knowing Your Worth
Lauren Chautin has to put herself first. Listen, we all know what it’s like to freelance or price our own creative products. In short: it’s awkward and uncomfortable, and something every creator deals with at some point. In our interview with New York-based ceramicist Laura Chautin, we hear about her first year as a creator, discussing how important it is to know your worth, the power of community, plus the difficulties of being outside of someone’s budget (hey, it happens).
