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☆ How making money as an influencer has changed in a decade
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-08 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Making money as an influencer has changed a lot in 10 years, with multiple potential income streams. Ten years ago, one estimate from the influencer marketing agency Billion Dollar Boy placed the industry's value at just $200 million. Making money as an influencer has changed a lot since then, both in terms of how much individual creators can make and how. Related storiesLiam Parkinson, the cofounder of Inflverse, a financial management platform for creator agencies, made a name for himself as a content creator on YouTube. AdvertisementThere's also a push for authenticity in creator marketing, with audiences getting tired of relentless ads.

Persons: —, It's, Nirozen Thav, Liam Parkinson, Parkinson, Katya Varbanova, Varbanova, Jacob Lucas, Lucas, Savannah Britt, Britt, There's, Dominic Smales, isn't, Logan Paul Organizations: Forbes, Service, YouTube, BI, Brittprint Agency, Brands, Gleam Futures, GloMotion Studios, Inflverse, D'Amelio Locations: Feastables

☆ MrBeast launching a new product amid controversy may be a good PR move, marketing experts say. But it's risky.
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-21 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Go to newsletter preferencesSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read previewTop YouTuber MrBeast is being criticized, but he seems to be focusing on a new product launch instead of making statements. Jimmy "MrBeast" Donaldson is the biggest creator on YouTube, with 316 million subscribers. Advertisement"Generally, launching a new product amid controversy can be a very good strategic move since it shows resilience and shifts the overall predominant narrative," Perlova said. Varbanova said it's hard to know how many of Donaldson's 300 million YouTube subscribers are even following the negative news.

Persons: —, Jimmy, MrBeast, Donaldson, Logan Paul, Kraft Heinz's Lunchables, Paul, he's, hasn't, Katya Varbanova, Ava Tyson, Tyson, X, Zoya Perlova, Perlova, Varbanova, Donaldson's, Pam Lyddon, it's, Lyddon, Natalie Yorke Organizations: Service, YouTube, Business, The New York Times, Dyninno, Bright Star Locations: Turkey

☆ Internet celebrities are facing an era of reckoning — and their fans are tired of forgiving them
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-23 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

An era of cancel culture in the late 2010s saw creators rise and fall, most notably with what was dubbed "Karmageddon." Fans feel dupedOver the past few weeks, some major internet stars have come under fire. "Fans are no longer passive consumers of content; they are active participants in holding creators accountable for their past and present actions," she said. This, she said, reflects "a broader cultural fatigue with the constant churn of content creators who appear authentic only to later reveal problematic pasts." AdvertisementRecovery is a delicate balanceCessie Cerrato, a publicist and influencer marketing strategist who founded Cessie C. Communications, told BI that fans are tired of forgiving their favorite online celebrities.

Persons: —, They're, Cody Ko, Tana Mongeau, Ko, cohost Brooke Schofield, Schofield, Katya Varbanova, MrBeast, Jimmy, Donaldson, Ava Tyson, Kevin Mazur, Varbanova, else's, Alix Earle, Natacha Rousseau, influencers, Rousseau, he's, Cessie, Mikayla Nogueira, mascara, Cerrato, Michael Buckner, Jasmine Bloemhof, Bloemhof Organizations: Service, Business, Communications, Brands, PR Locations: LA

☆ MrBeast needs to overhaul his company culture to bounce back, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-12 | by ( Mikhaila Friel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Go to newsletter preferencesSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. YouTube's biggest creator — whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson — has been embroiled in a series of controversies in recent weeks. AdvertisementA spokesperson for Donaldson told The Times that the shoot "was unfortunately complicated by the CrowdStrike incident, extreme weather and other unexpected logistical and communications issues." What Donaldson needs is a complete overhaul of his company culture. At the time of writing, MrBeast has 308 million subscribers on YouTube, making him the most popular creator on the site.

Persons: —, Jimmy Donaldson —, it's, Donaldson, Mart, Don Arnold, Getty, YouTube megastar, Evan Nierman, Banyan, Nierman, Lucas Botzen, Botzen, MrBeast, didn't, Katya Varbanova Organizations: Service, New York Times, Business, Times, Associated Press, AP, YouTube, Viral

☆ One of MrBeast's oldest friends quit his operation in a scandal. It could hurt him too.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-25 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Read previewOne of MrBeast's oldest friends quit working with him after allegations were made about her messaging a child. YouTube superstar MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, has been adept at dodging criticism and controversy in his career. AdvertisementTyson has been accused by several YouTubers of messaging a young fan when he was 13 and Tyson was 20. BI asked Donaldson and Tyson for further comment but did not receive a response. Donaldson posted a statement on the night of July 24, saying he was "disgusted and opposed" to Tyson's behavior and had hired a third-party investigator.

Persons: —, MrBeast, Jimmy Donaldson, Ava Tyson, Tyson, Donaldson, Adrox, Prism42, Ava, I've, Don Arnold, Colleen Ballinger, Miranda, Katya Varbanova, Donaldson hasn't, hasn't, Varbanova Organizations: Service, Business, BI, Getty

☆ Parenting influencers in Illinois must now pay their children if they feature in videos. Experts say it's about time.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-05 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Read previewA new law passed in Illinois on July 1 requires parenting influencers to set aside 15% of their earnings for their kids who appear on camera. But, there is a market for family content because it gets good engagement, Varbanova added. "If people stopped watching family content, family vloggers wouldn't exist." Because family content is so successful, it's also tough to give it up. Advertisement"If they appear in all of the videos, they should get at least 50% of the revenue," Varbanova said.

Persons: —, Shreya Nallamothu, Jessica Maddox, Naomi Cahn, Katya Varbanova, shouldn't, Varbanova, influencer Jordan, Lilly Davis, Paul, Momfluencer Ruby Franke, Ruby Franke, Wren, Jacquelyn Paul, TikTok, it's Organizations: Service, YouTube, Business, Associated Press, University of Alabama, AP, The New York Times, University of Virginia's Family Law, School of Law, UVA, Disney Locations: Illinois, Washington , Maryland, California

☆ Gen Zers are starting to tease Gen Alpha tweens, saying they have a 'blue light stare'
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-12 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

But Gen Z has a new target: Gen Alpha. Zoomers are starting to tease Gen Alpha tweens, saying they are stunted when it comes to socializing because of what they say is their addiction to screens. Nicholas Drake, a content creator, described the blue light stare as a "nonchalant, just unbothered look on their face." A TikToker called Hannah said she was recently served by a "Gen Alpha kid" and that the "blue light stare is so real." Terms such as "blue light stare," Varbanova said, "makes people feel more in control."

Persons: —, boomers, Gen Z, Alpha, Gen Alpha tweens, They've, Gen Alpha, Nicholas Drake, They're, Zers, Katya Varbanova, Lyndsey, Hannah, Flora Wells, Brenda Christensen, Christensen, Wells, Gen, Varbanova Organizations: Service, Business, Stellar Public, Inc, Alpha Locations: millennials

☆ MrBeast says his copycats won't succeed, and experts agree
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-31 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | ) 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. Read previewMrBeast is the most successful YouTuber of all time, but copying him isn't likely to yield the same results. Some have the same type of thumbnail, same overlay text, and even visit the same places Donaldson does. "His content doesn't succeed because of what you can see on the surface or flash-in-the-pan trends. Copying Donaldson will also not work because he has such vast resources that almost nobody else has access to, so any copycats are likely to be underwhelming.

Persons: —, YouTuber Jon Youshaei, Jimmy Donaldson, Donaldson, Youshaei, Ryan Trahan, Ryan, Gilbert Flores, Xavier English, Supermix, he'd, Katya Varbanova, copycats, aren't, Varbanova, you'll, It's, Kaye Putnam, Putnam Organizations: Service, YouTube, Business, Getty, Xavier

☆ TikTok is becoming a new GoFundMe, with views replacing donations to help people get out of debt
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Read preview"We are paying off each other debt on TikTok," a creator recently declared. The creator, named Yolanda, was gushing about the "pay off each other's debt" trend that seems to have become popular on the app. More than 4,000 videos have been posted under the #payoffdebttrend hashtag on TikTok, with creators asking for help for various reasons including medical bills, student debt, and unexpected costs. The requirements for earning money on TikTok are to have at least 10,000 followers and to have amassed 100,000 video views in the previous 30 days. AdvertisementAccording to creators who previously spoke with BI in 2022, the amount TikTok pays creators varies widely from a few pennies to $17 per 1,000 views.

Persons: —, Yolanda, TikTok, Katya Varbanova, Jake Heisenburg, Heisenburg, commenter, didn't, he'd, Markia Brown, Mark Tilbury, Varbanova, it's, Brown, isn't Organizations: Service, Business, New York Federal Reserve Bank, TikTok, Facebook Locations: TikTok, Experian

☆ MrBeast's breakup with his talent manager is a wakeup call that influencers won't always need middlemen
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

YouTube star MrBeast has parted ways with his talent manager after six years. AdvertisementMrBeast broke up with his talent manager of six years, and it's a wake-up call. YouTube's biggest star striking out alone could signal that creators may not always need middlemen. "He's just taking control of his brand," Varbanova said. An in-house team would likely have a narrower network than a talent agency and be able to offer less support with other tasks.

Persons: MrBeast, —, Jimmy Donaldson, Donaldson, Reed Duchscher, Semafor, Duchscher, Donaldson's, influencers, Nikita Walia, Walia, Katya Varbanova, Gleam, Alfie Deyes, Jim Chapman —, Raff McDonald, Varbanova, Burger, He's, It's, he's, Courtney Bagby Lupilin, Lupilin, doesn't Organizations: Service, Night Media, Bloomberg, Blank, Inc, YouTube, Little Red Management Locations: Dallas, —

☆ 'Intellectual influencers' will soon be taking over your social-media feeds
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Audiences are favoring authentic and knowledgeable content creators over follower count. It's the "intellectual influencers," or "thought leaders," who are likely to thrive. AdvertisementNya Étienne, who is a journalist and TikTok content creator, refers to this concept as the rise of "the intellectual influencer." People want 'edutainment'This new breed of influencer could outlast all the rest and may soon be dominating social media feeds. AdvertisementBack when posting on social media was novel, the audience of an aspiring content creator would grow exponentially simply because they were entertaining to watch.

Persons: —, Nya, Katya Varbanova, Varbanova, who's, Dubuisson, Keith Lee, Kaye Putnam, Putnam, they're Organizations: Service, YouTube, Matter Communications Locations: Bazaarvoice, Boston

☆ History is repeating itself as MrBeast and T-series battle for YouTube's top spot
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

MrBeast is set to surpass T-Series as YouTube's top channel. Kjellberg was in the midst of a battle for YouTube's number one spot because another channel — the Indian music label T-Series — was closing in. Now, for MrBeast, history is repeating itself, except this time, he is the one closing in on YouTube's biggest channel, T-Series, And it looks like he's soon going to win the top spot. Amid an expected mass exodus from the platform, a win for independent creators could have a positive ripple effect. "This breakthrough will show independent creators that they can be more successful than large corporations," she said.

Persons: —, MrBeast, YouTuber Felix Kjellberg, Kjellberg, he's, Donaldson, Jimmy Donaldson, He's, Gabe Gordon, Donaldson wasn't, Gordon, Donaldson hasn't, Moon, Katya Varbanova, Varbanova Organizations: Service, YouTube, YouTube's, Kjellberg, Reach Agency Locations: Burger

☆ People online took less than 24 hours to find a man accused of ghosting his pregnant wife. The law seems to be on their side.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewIt's been a big week for internet sleuths, who took less than 24 hours to find a man who apparently ghosted his family. On April 7, an X post went viral, containing screenshots of a Facebook post by a woman named Ashley McGuire. McGuire determined that Withers was "unreachable," but it took less than a day for the internet to uncover where he had been. AdvertisementIn a follow-up post, McGuire said she wished Withers no "ill will." Andrew Zashin, a professor of law at Case Western Reserve University and co-managing partner of Zashin Law, where he practices family law, told BI there are distinctions between the stories of Murrey and Withers.

Persons: —, Ashley McGuire, McGuire, Charles Withers, Withers, I'm, TMZ Withers, Caleb, Katya Varbanova, Varbanova, Stewart Lucas Murrey, Gregory Keosian, Vanessa Valdez, Andrew Zashin, Murrey, Zashin, That's Organizations: Service, Business, Facebook, Los Angeles Superior, Case Western Reserve University, Zashin Locations: Dallas , Texas, New York City, Illinois, Chicago

☆ The mixed response to Jojo Siwa's rebrand shows just how hard it is for child stars to stay relevant
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-05 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Child stars always struggleIt's proven to be challenging for any child star to transition to mainstream entertainment. "Child stars often build a brand around their youthful persona," he said. "Child stars may find themselves typecast into specific roles or genres, making it difficult for the industry and audience to see them in a new light." Advertisement"I feel like a lot of child stars started as a character then they grew into an adult as themselves," she said. "I think she's smart enough, and she will probably realize, OK, I might need to do something creative now," she said.

Persons: —, JoJo Siwa, Gene Simmons, Siwa, JoJo, It's, Miley Cyrus, it's, David Olusegun, Danny Moloshok, She's, she's, Katya Varbanova, Varbanova, I've, Cyrus, Hannah Montana, I'm Organizations: Service, Business, Nickelodeon, Disney, Creative Control Ventures, Reuters Siwa, YouTube, Forbes, Olusegun, BI Locations: Siwa

☆ How taking a break can help save an influencer's dying career, even when it seems like there's no hope
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementLast year, Gabbie Hanna took an extended break from the internet, with some thinking she would never come back. The shift in perception is not guaranteed by stepping away, but it does help, experts say. Advertisement"The public tends to be more forgiving of celebrities and influencers who come back and show genuine change," Varbanova said. How getting 'canceled' has changedHanna, like many influencers, has been "canceled" multiple times over her career.

Persons: Gabbie Hanna, influencers, —, Hanna, David Dobrik's Vlog, Toni Ferrara, Varbanova, It's, Colleen Ballinger —, earthness, Sophie Wood, it's, Wood, Gen Zers Organizations: Service, YouTube, Ferrera Media, Business

☆ Even MrBeast doesn't think everyone is cut out to be a content creator
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

MrBeast said it's not smart to drop out of school or quit a job to create content full-time. AdvertisementMrBeast doesn't think just anyone has what it takes to be a content creator. AdvertisementSophie Bishop, an associate professor at the media and communications school at Britain's University of Leeds, told BI that content creators must also contend with having no employment benefits like holiday pay or maternity leave. For example, while it's a perfectly good strategy to be influenced by Donaldson, there will never be another creator who is the same as MrBeast. AdvertisementInstead, she tells people what not to do and seeks to be honest about "the things we think are tacky, overpriced, and boring."

Persons: MrBeast, he's, —, Jimmy Donaldson, Donaldson, He's, Katya Varbanova, Varbanova, it's, isn't, Burger, Sophie Bishop, Bishop, Jessica Dante, Dante Organizations: Service, YouTube, Britain's University of Leeds, Love Locations: London

☆ A TikTok-famous hairstylist went viral for fixing bad dye jobs for free. It soon backfired.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Lewis, who has 1.4 million followers on TikTok, told Business Insider he enjoys having the "opportunity to positively impact how someone feels about themselves." Lewis said in the video they kept the length the same, rather than putting in extensions and suggested that was what Madison wanted. But things soured when Lewis responded to some comments under the video, saying they were "disappointed" and "underwhelming." Lewis told BI this was the first time he heard Madison wasn't entirely happy with her hair. In a follow-up video, Madison said she felt "used" by Lewis because he would make so much money from the TikToks she featured in.

Persons: —, Alfredo Lewis, influencer, Lewis, TikTok, Philip Wolff —, Samantha Zink, Zink, Taylor Madison, Madison's TikTok, Madison, Lewis couldn't, I've, Madison wasn't, it's, @taylormadisonofficial, Taylor 💜, orth, ake, ike, rama, ines, etween, ove Organizations: Service, Business, LA —, Zink Talent, Madison, ust Locations: LA, Madison's, Minnesota

☆ Gen Zers want you to know they are sick of extravagant influencer brand trips
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Gen Z is growing disinterested in the extravagant brand trips influencers are sent on. The generation that has grown up with social media says the lavish lifestyles of the internet's rich and famous no longer thrill them. Tarte brand trips are famed in the influencer worldFor years, brand trips have been a way to solidify a company's name among the young people who watch YouTube and scroll TikTok and Instagram. Varbanova said there are some young people — mostly millennials and DINKs — who still see over-the-top, out-of-touch brand trips as aspirational. If Gen Z's spending money is the goal, brand trips are missing the mark.

Persons: influencers, Katya Varbanova, Maureen Kelly, Tarte, Bora, Shein, Tahrea Sherman, Sherman, Phil Treagus, Evans, Influencers, Varbanova, It's, DINKs —, Rather, she'd Organizations: Service, YouTube, Walmart, Giraffe Social Media, BI Locations: Bora Bora, China

☆ MrBeast has grown up. He thinks his YouTube videos should too.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

In his latest post on X, the YouTube megastar said wants to leave frantic, energetic personas in his videos behind. "This past year I've slowed down our videos, focused on storytelling, let scenes breathe, yelled less, more personality, longer videos, etc. The formula for YouTube successMrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, has 242 million subscribers on YouTube, and his numbers are still growing rapidly. In his videos, Donaldson shreds Lamborghinis, gives away massive amounts of cash, and performs ambitious, over-the-top stunts like recreating the Netflix phenomenon "Squid Game." This past year i’ve slowed down our videos, focused on story telling, let scenes breathe, yelled less, more personality, longer videos, etc.

Persons: —, YouTube megastar, Jimmy Donaldson, he's, Donaldson, He's, ince, lew, alkan Organizations: Service, YouTube, Business, uts, ust

☆ 'Trad wives' have blown up online since Roe v. Wade was overturned, but that's only half the story
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-25 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Read previewTikTok has a question: Have trad wives gotten more popular since Roe v. Wade was overturned? Nara Smith, the second most popular trad wife account, has gained 2.2 million followers since she set her account up in September 2022. Williams told BI she thinks people are fascinated by traditional wife content because it is "nostalgic," "wholesome, and fulfilling." Williams said she's not surprised trad wife content has picked up since Roe v. Wade was overturned. "You get to choose what makes you happy, and no woman should be forced to be a trad wife, and no woman should be forced to not be a trad wife."

Persons: —, Roe, Wade, Caroline Burke, Hannah Neeleman, Burke, Estee Williams, Gwen, Rachel Joy, Neeleman, Nara Smith, Smith, Williams, she's, David Neeleman, Tyler Bender, Bender, Katya Varbanova, Varbanova, I'm, doesn't, Bettie Organizations: Service, Business, Fox News, Fox Locations: Utah, United States, TikTok

☆ I made $1.4 million in revenue selling Canva templates. Here's how I scaled my business in less than 3 years.
▼ + stars: | 2022-07-15 | by ( Kimanzi Constable | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Here's how she started selling Canva templates for viral content, as told to Kimanzi Constable. I decided to presell my Canva templates to ensure it was a viable product. Before creating any templates, I asked my followers whether they'd buy a pack of 100 templates to help them create viral business content. I created the first iteration of the Viral Content Templates alongside Jamie. Since the templates launched in December 2019, my template business has brought in $1.4 million in revenue and continues to grow.

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