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☆ 'Your Rich BFF' finance creator has struck a new deal with Vox Media as the influencer podcasting space heats up
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-03 | by ( Shriya Bhattacharya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Finance creator Vivian Tu's podcast has a new home at Vox Media and wellness brand PS. Vox Media and Tu share why the partnership made sense and what helped seal the deal. Now, 30-year-old Tu is partnering with Vox Media and the newly rebranded wellness brand PS, formerly known as PopSugar, to launch a second season of the podcast. Vox Media was one of many suitors vying for the chance to collaborate with Tu, but they won because of an aligned vision and handing over creative control. AdvertisementAccording to Xu, Vox Media and Tu will work very closely together on the podcast's sales, marketing, and distribution, such as posting teasers of new episodes across Your Rich BFF and PS' social media accounts.

Persons: Vivian Tu's, —, Vivian Tu, Morgan, Tu, Ryan Serhant, Cassey Ho, Ankur Jain, I'm, Alix Earle, Jake Shane, It's, Gen Zers, millennials, they're, Vivian, there's, Lillian Xu, Vox, Xu, Rich BFF, you've Organizations: Vox Media, Service, YouTube, Business, Spotify

☆ A prominent finance creator has struck a new deal with Vox Media as influencer podcasting heats up
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-02 | by ( Shriya Bhattacharya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

☆ DryMerge aims to link your apps in one place. Here's the 8-page pitch deck its Gen Z founders used to raise $2.2 million.
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-19 | by ( Shriya Bhattacharya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Edward Frazer and Sam Brashears have built software together since fourth grade, and that's exactly what they'll start with if you're a venture capitalist listening to their pitch for funding. The two 22-year-old cofounders and longtime friends started developing the API integration software known as DryMerge last year. "Sam and I have spent more time with each other than anyone else except probably our families, so we're just really, really good friends." When evaluating team risk, VCs also look for whether the co-founders can build the product the way they envision it. Here's the eight-page pitch deck that Frazer and Brashears used to secure their $2.2 million seed round for DryMerge.

Persons: Edward Frazer, Sam Brashears, Frazer, Slack, DryMerge, Sam, Brashears, VCs, they've Organizations: Service, Business, Garage Capital, Goodwater, Ritual, Yale University, University of Wisconsin Locations: Madison

☆ Snapchat unveils new features to recruit more creators and land them paid brand deals
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-17 | by ( Shriya Bhattacharya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Snapchat creators can now add user replies as stickers. "Creators go deeper on Snapchat, I think because the money's there," referencing how some influencers have made tens of thousands of dollars directly through the platform . AdvertisementNow, creators in this program can choose what engagement and demographic data they share with companies they want to work with. "I always tell creators that with Snap, you can be a big fish in a small pond."

Persons: —, Brooke Berry, Alix Earle, Berry, Brooke Monk, Snap Berry, they're Organizations: Service, Business, YouTube, School

☆ Instagram is adding comments to Stories, pulling users out of their DMs and back in front of advertisers
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-03 | by ( Amanda Perelli | Shriya Bhattacharya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewA new feature for Instagram's Stories encourages community — the company just doesn't want this activity happening in closed groups away from advertisers. The social-media behemoth is launching a new tool that lets users leave comments under their followers' Stories. Only followers can see these comments, and only the people a user follows back can leave a comment. AdvertisementOne consequence of users spending more time in Instagram DMs is that there are fewer eyeballs for advertisers to target through Meta's powerful marketing platform. If this feature can successfully encourage users to start conversations within a Story instead of in DMs, they'll be more likely to keep swiping through Stories that show ads (a win for Instagram).

Persons: —, Z's, Adam Mosseri, Harry Stebbings, influencer Ariana Nathani, Purohit, I've, I'm, Instagram Organizations: Service, Instagram's, Business Locations: Instagram, DMs

☆ How the Furrha family earns nearly $20,000 a month on Snapchat — from posting 100 times a day to cooking complicated dishes
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-31 | by ( Shriya Bhattacharya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. The app also has a reward program for those who create short viral videos that are featured in the "Spotlight" section of the app, which the Furrha family also takes advantage of. AdvertisementThe Furrhas post at least 100 times a day on the main account, which increases to more than 200 when they share cooking videos. With their earnings increasing, the Furrha family has now ventured into real estate, buying and developing condos near the University of Michigan. Others, like Samah, are setting aside the money for the younger children to have when they grow up.

Persons: —, Samah, we've, Salem, Sammy Furrha, Sammy, who's Organizations: Service, Business, BI, Snap's Talent, University of Michigan Locations: Michigan, Salem

☆ Gen Z UTA execs' daily routines include everything from parties to pitch meetings. See their packed schedule.
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-29 | by ( Shriya Bhattacharya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read previewIn March, Ziad Ahmed and Shaina Zafar made headlines when they sold their marketing agency, Juv Consulting, to United Talent Agency. Juv was known among many US-based influencers and brands as the "go-to expert on Gen Z", one creator told Business Insider. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. AdvertisementFor the first time, Ahmed and Zafar share a peek into their work schedules as they grow UTA's Next Gen.

Persons: —, Ziad Ahmed, Shaina Zafar, Juv, Ahmed, Zafar, , it's Organizations: Service, Juv Consulting, United Talent Agency, influencers, Business, UTA Locations: America

☆ How Pinterest became a secret weapon for a social-media marketer and boosted her revenue by $30,000 a month
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-08 | by ( Shriya Bhattacharya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

That's what 23-year-old Kenda Laney thinks of when she reflects on the start of her career in social media. When Laney was later asked if she could look into Pinterest, which she only used for fun, she was intrigued. In July, about $29,000 of the $109,000 in revenue she made from these purchases was driven by Pinterest. AdvertisementFor creators who want to start using Pinterest, Laney advises them to do their due diligence on search-engine optimization, or SEO, for their content niche. "Hyperfocus on how your content is an answer to someone's question rather than just describing what your content is," Laney said.

Persons: Kenda Laney, Laney, Laney Media's, Pinterest Organizations: Service, Business, Laney Media, Pinterest Locations: Colorado

Business Insider is recognizing influential TikTok talent managers and agents in 2024. These industry players help creators turn TikTok fame into an entertainment career. Social media has undergone many changes recently, and these agents help their talent navigate them. Talent managers and agents can help creators take advantage of sudden fame, identify which brands to work with, find the right time to launch their own products, and explore new ways to break into entertainment. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, Talent, Business

☆ Verizon sees early success using generative AI to answer questions from business customers
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-30 | by ( Erica Sweeney | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Verizon uses generative AI to reduce the workload from its high volume of business-related calls. Debika Bhattacharya, the chief technology-solutions officer at Verizon Business, said Verizon received 170 million calls from business and individual customers every year. Last year, the company added generative AI as another layer to help reduce the demands on customer-service agents and answer clients' questions faster. AI in actionIncorporating generative AI into its business-to-business customer-service strategy helps agents answer questions and resolve issues faster, Bhattacharya said. Bhattacharya said it's too early to share data about how generative AI was improving Verizon's business customer service.

Persons: —, Debika Bhattacharya, Bhattacharya, it's Organizations: Verizon, Service, Verizon Communications, Fortune, Verizon Business, hyperpersonalization, Telecom Locations: New York City

☆ Meet the typical social-media influencer: They make less than $100,000 a year and juggle other jobs
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-29 | by ( Shriya Bhattacharya | Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

A survey of over 2,000 content creators conducted by the influencer marketing agency NeoReach last year found that 48% of creators earned less than $15,000 a year. Since the money that influencers make sometimes isn't enough to sustain their lifestyles, they balance content creation with other jobs. AdvertisementThe typical US-based influencer is likely to be making less than six figures and creating content part-time, according to research, surveys, and influencer interviews. Most of these creators have smaller audiences, according to former influencer marketer Emmy Petit, who is now a full-time influencer. "The idea of full-time content creation is often more glamorous than reality," Mitchie Nguyen, a content creator based in New York, previously told BI .

Persons: —, NeoReach, Colin Rocker, IZEA, influencers, Jessica Ufuoma, Johnson, Jasmine Enberg, Emarketer, Anushka, Petit, Nadya Okamoto, MrBeast, Mitchie Nguyen, Enberg, TikTok Organizations: Service, YouTube, Business, Deloitte, Johnson, Influencer League Locations: Hong Kong, New York

☆ The appeal of being an influencer is so strong that half of US adults would quit their jobs if they could make a living from social media
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-22 | by ( Shriya Bhattacharya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewCreating content online is more alluring than a traditional job for many people, new data by influencer marketing and technology platform IZEA found. AdvertisementThe industry can be financially unstable though, and some full-time influencers BI spoke with recently have pivoted back to the corporate world. "The idea of full-time content creation is often more glamorous than reality," creator Mitchie Nguyen previously told BI. A few months ago, the New York-based influencer left her full-time position at Johnson & Johnson to scale her social-media business. Consumers who spend more than five hours per day on social media are 4.4 times more likely to be compensated.

Persons: —, IZEA, Gen Zers, Ted Murphy, influencers, Emarketer, Mitchie Nguyen, Ariana Nathani, influencer, Johnson, Murphy Organizations: Service, Business, Johnson, BI, Consumers Locations: New York, today's

☆ A fashion influencer is suing another creator, alleging she copied her 'aesthetic.' Lawyers say the case could have big ramifications.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-20 | by ( Shriya Bhattacharya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The two Texas-based creators met up to talk about potentially producing content together given their similar fashion niches, according to a lawsuit filed by Gifford. Lawyers told BI that if Gifford wins any or all of the counts, the case could set a new precedent for the creator economy. It could drastically change how influencers create content online and protect their rights. She said this case could spark a fire in the creator community regardless of whether Gifford wins or loses. "The audience online is really smart though, and they'll figure it who the original creator is eventually," Puri said.

Persons: —, Sydney Nicole Gifford, Alyssa Sheil, she'd, Gifford, Sheil, She's, Kameron Buckner, there's, Buckner, I've, that's, Taylor Tieman, — Gifford —, Tieman, Tiffany Ferris, Haynes Boone, Ferris, Roe, Wade, Brown, I'm, Asmita, Puri Organizations: Service, Business, Meta, Copyright, Business Insider, of Education, Federal Trade Commission Locations: Texas, TikTok, Asmita Puri

☆ A marketer quit her job to become a full-time influencer and has made $210,000 this year. She says 2024 is the year of the midsize creator.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-17 | by ( Shriya Bhattacharya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewInfluencer marketing has been on a growth tear recently , and midsize creators are one of the biggest beneficiaries, said former marketer Emmy Petit. She has over 100,000 followers on social media but under 1 million, which she categorizes as a midsize creator. Advertisement"Most people I know are seeing year-over-year growth" in brand partnership income, Petit told BI, speaking about other midsize creators. One reason advertising budgets are expanding is the demand for cross-platform sponsored content, Petit said — and it's giving midsize creators like her a chance to cash in. Petit said some midsize creators are also achieving success by speaking directly to the camera, as though they're on FaceTime with their audience.

Persons: —, Petit, she's, Today's, Linqia, influencers, She's Organizations: Service, Business, Petit, YouTube, Brands Locations: TikTok

Brands are "shifting from one-time, short-term partnerships to long-term, recurring partnerships," said Olivia McNaughten, senior director of product marketing and partnerships at the influencer firm Grin. Influencer marketing remains a bright spot in the creator industry, whereas companies in other categories have struggled to grow. Influencer marketing, by contrast, is humming along, with billions of dollars expected to pour into the category this year. Influencer marketing may also be outperforming other creator-economy businesses because it taps into an existing market rather than inventing something new. Goldman Sachs analysts forecasted in April 2023 that influencer marketing and creator advertising would help grow the creator economy to a $480 billion industry by 2027.

Persons: —, Olivia McNaughten, Grin, Fohr, Dollar Boy, it's, Lindsey Lugrin, Grace Murray Vazquez, Petit, they've, Ansley Williams, influencer, influencers, Williams, Lugrin, Goldman Sachs, Ed East, It's Organizations: Service, Business, Dollar, Voices, Cannes Lions, Southwest, Ogilvy North, YouTube Locations: London, Emarketer, South, Ogilvy North America

☆ Can Threads survive without Instagram? A year in, the platform is facing an identity crisis
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-05 | by ( Shriya Bhattacharya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewIf you opened Instagram last July 5, the buzz about Threads was hard to miss. Threads plans to become more independent, but Instagram still drives a lot of the trafficRecent data from Emarketer found that Instagram has been a big driver of users to Threads — out of Threads' 29 million US users in 2023, 21% were Instagram users, while in 2024, that share rose to 29% out of 41.7 million users. Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri confirmed in a recent interview with Platformer that a lot of the platform's users were "coming over from Instagram." However, Instagram still reminds Threads users who dropped off to keep using the platform, like Kristin Bousquet, a creator who has 5,412 followers on Threads. "Just having the ability to go to someone's Instagram account from Threads, and vice versa, keeps it top of mind," he said.

Persons: —, Instagram, Jasmine Enberg, Adam Mosseri, Mosseri, Francis Dominic, Kristin Bousquet, Bousquet, Lindsey Gamble, Taylor Swift, Jackie Pimental, Emarketer, Meta Organizations: Service, Business, Meta, Sports, Twitter Locations: Instagram

☆ Seeking nominations for the most influential TikTok talent managers and agents in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-05 | by ( Shriya Bhattacharya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Business Insider is compiling our fifth annual list of talent managers and agents signing TikTokers. Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . You can opt-out at any time by visiting our Preferences page or by clicking "unsubscribe" at the bottom of the email. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Persons: TikTokers, — Organizations: Service, Business

☆ Forget TikTok, influencers say Instagram reels and YouTube shorts are better for creators getting started to grow an audience
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-02 | by ( Shriya Bhattacharya | Amanda Perelli | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewYouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads. Kay, known online as honeybobabear, said YouTube shorts was instrumental in rapidly growing her audience. Others have been making money from ad-revenue sharing on shorts, starting from the program's first month. Related storiesBoth YouTube shorts and Instagram reels have taken a bite out of TikTok's engagement in recent months. "It's doing so well right now, but I think it also depends on the type of content you want to create," she said, adding that for lifestyle content, Instagram is "where it's at."

Persons: —, Janette Ok, Kelly Kay, Arianna Hailey, Kay, Morgan Stanley, Instagram, Hailey, TikTok, she'd, Sofia Bella, couldn't Organizations: Service, Business, YouTube, Brands, Meta, Instagram's Locations: Brazil, Omdia, VidCon

☆ Instagram reels is taking a bite out of TikTok's popularity in the US and abroad, new data finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-26 | by ( Shriya Bhattacharya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

New data found Instagram reels is surging ahead of TikTok in countries like the US, Japan, and Spain. TikTok and Instagram have been competing in short-form video for years. AdvertisementWhen Meta launched its short-form video feature reels on Instagram in 2020, it faced stiff competition from TikTok for people's attention. Today, reels seem to be winning the popularity crown among social-media users, two separate studies published in the past month have found. 37% of Instagram users now use reels daily, and 78% engage with it monthly, Morgan Stanley found based on a March survey of around 2,000 US-based consumers over the age of 16.

Persons: —, Morgan Stanley Organizations: Service, Meta, Business Locations: TikTok, Japan, Spain

☆ How to become an influencer and start making money
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-21 | by ( Shriya Bhattacharya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Maesha Shonar, a micro influencer with 24,000 followers on Instagram, previously told BI she had such a highly engaged audience. Take a look at new data on influencer brand deals in 2024Platforms also pay creators based on their video views and engagement. Read more about how TikTokers can score huge paydays for longer videosOn Snapchat, creators have had success making money from its ad-revenue program. Related storiesAffiliate marketing is another popular way to make money after becoming an influencer. Nino de Guzman said she launched the app to help show others how easy it was to become an influencer and make money from social media.

Persons: —, Ayomi Samaraweera, Samaraweera, Nadya Okamoto, influencers, Stacy Kim, Maesha, Instagram, Nate White, I've, MrBeast, Read, videographer Tej Patel, AJ, Grey, influencer Janesha Moore, Moore, makeups, Paulina Perez, she's, Perez, Slack, Lissette Calveiro, Christen Nino de Guzman's Clara, Nino de Guzman, Christen Nino De Guzman, Alix Earle ., Kensington, that's, Danielle Pistotnik, publicists Organizations: Service, YouTube, Business, Samsung, Verizon, Amazon, Brand, UTA, CAA, Management Locations: California

☆ India wants to be a developed nation by 2047. Here are 4 critical areas Modi can't ignore
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-20 | by ( Charmaine Jacob | In Charmainemariajacob | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

India has undergone a massive infrastructure push and has made significant strides in connecting and modernizing its highways, railways and airports. He's going to double down on that," said Samir Kapadia, CEO of India Index and managing principal at Vogel Group. "Along with creating physical infrastructure, India needs to remain steadfast on the structural reforms ... Increase foreign investmentsFrom veteran emerging markets investor Mark Mobius to global strategist David Roche, market experts remain bullish on India. Foreign direct investments into the country needs to however pick up pace to further drive economic growth and development, analysts told CNBC.

Persons: Vikram Singh, Narendra Modi, Modi, Reema Bhattacharya, Verisk, Modi's, he's, Samir Kapadia, Nirmala Sitharaman, Santanu Sengupta, Goldman Sachs, Sengupta, Richard Rossow, Kapadia, Sumedha Gupta, Vivek Prasad, Prasad, Mark Mobius, David Roche Organizations: Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Infrastructure, India Index, Vogel Group, Nurphoto, CNBC, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Padget Electronics, Dixon Technologies, Bloomberg, Getty, Research, India Electronics, Semiconductor Association, Economist Intelligence Unit, Centre, Monitoring, National Stock Exchange of, World Federation of Exchanges Locations: India, Asia, China, Mumbai, Noida, PwC India, National Stock Exchange of India

☆ Social media has gotten so bad that America's top doctor is intervening
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-18 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

In today's big story, we're looking at the surgeon general suggesting warning labels for social media . The big storyA solution for socialsAnna Moneymaker/Getty Images; Chesnot/Getty Images; Chelsea Jia Feng/BISocial media has gotten so bad that the country's top doctor is intervening. AdvertisementIn his piece, Murthy said social media is a key culprit of the mental health crisis young people are facing. Generative AI adds more fuel to the misinformation fire social media platforms have been battling for years. Many of them are making fast use of social media platforms like TikTok and investing heavily in AI.

Persons: —, Anna Moneymaker, Chelsea Jia Feng, Vivek Murthy, Geoff Weiss, Murthy, It's, Katie Notopoulos, isn't, Adam Kovacevich, Dan Whateley, Mark Zuckerberg, Zuckerberg, Danielle DiMartino Booth, Instagram, Larry Fink, Dave Calhoun, Dan DeFrancesco, Jordan Parker Erb, Hallam Bullock, George Glover, Annie Smith, Amanda Yen Organizations: Service, Business, US, The New York Times, of Progress, Getty, Meta, Bank of America, AIM, Apple, Apple Watch, Adobe, Justice, Marketing's, District of Columbia, DC, Boeing Locations: China, Schonfeld, New York, London

☆ A Pandora executive shares 2 strategies that helped the brand become a better partner to creators of color, including customizing contracts
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-18 | by ( Shriya Bhattacharya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewWhen Nikki Jenkins joined jewelry brand Pandora in the summer of 2021, she was bursting with new ideas on how the company could better partner with creators of color, who are often paid less than their white counterparts for brand deals. "The stories that they want to tell that year are based on the jewelry they're interested in, so we build custom contracts based on that person." For example, a few years ago, Jenkins reached out to Black talent agency Kensington Grey so that Pandora could collaborate with Black creators to promote its products and events. "A lot of Black creators understand how to show up in a way that really resonates with other Black people," she said. Based on the success of the campaign, Jenkins said the team decided to cement year-long contracts with many of Kensington Grey's creators.

Persons: —, Nikki Jenkins, Jenkins, Pandora, Jalisa Vaughn, Kensington Grey, Kensington Organizations: Service, Business, BIPOC, Pandora, Kensington Grey's Locations: Kensington

☆ Instagram's notes feature is growing at a 'wild pace' and part of its plan to make messaging central to the app's future
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-17 | by ( Shriya Bhattacharya | Sydney Bradley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewInstagram really wants you to try out "notes" — its status feature that harkens back to the instant messaging days of the internet. Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, posted about the feature this month with the prompt: "What are notes about?" Meanwhile, creator Walé Oyerinde loves using the notes feature because it's one of the '"lowest effort high impact" ways to boost regular engagement on the app. AdvertisementInstagram launched the "notes" feature in 2022. She wants the notes feature to be visible to everyone who follows her so she can continue building her personal brand and cultivating a more engaged online community.

Persons: —, Adam Mosseri, Mosseri, Instagram, Ashley Yuki Alexander, Celine Mili, It's, Jyoti Chand, Walé Oyerinde, I've, Milli, Khamyra, Avalon Zborovsky, Fenter, she's Organizations: Service, AIM, Business, Facebook, Meta Locations: Instagram's

☆ The influencer-marketing strategies that made brands like Adobe and Google Pixel favorites for creators from underrepresented backgrounds to work with
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-17 | by ( Shriya Bhattacharya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

"Influencer marketing is so personal, it's about the creator," Jenkins said. Several industry experts, including creators, have said this is because brands routinely pay creators of color less than their white counterparts on collaborations. AdvertisementSome companies like Pandora, however, have earned reputations among creators of color for fair compensation, prompting them to develop long-term partnerships spanning years. We also give the creator creative latitude whenever we can and let them co-create the concept based on what is authentic to their experience." "We usually know going into a negotiation where it's going to start and where it's going to end up."

Persons: Inclusivity isn't, Nikki Jenkins, She's, it's, Jenkins, Brandon Shi, They've, Google's, Ava Donaldson, Nneya Richards, she's, Donaldson, We're, we're, Pandora, lowballs, Leah Walker, Walker Organizations: Service, Business, Pandora, Adobe, Google, Heritage

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