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☆ How 'YouTube's resident librarian' built his business around book content, from hosting an award ceremony to a brand deal with Valentino
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Marta Biino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. As the self-proclaimed "resident librarian" of YouTube, Edwards has amassed 1.3 million subscribers on his main channel and almost half a million on a second one with videos discussing books and reading. But while he's recently built a reputation as a BookTuber, Edwards didn't start his YouTube career with book videos. Between 2015 and 2020, he was more of a college YouTuber, publishing content about university life and studying tips. "The content people were generally making on BookTube was 'Books I want to read in April,' and then 'Books I read in April.'

Persons: —, Booker, Jack Edwards, Edwards, Edwards didn't, BookTok, BookTube, Harry Styles, Taylor Swift, that's, he's, I've, Valentino, It's, AdSense, — Edwards, I'm, David Nicholls, livestream, Kate Green, Universal Pictures It's, Edwards hasn't, — he's, There's, it'll Organizations: Service, BBC's, YouTube, Business, Netflix, Universal Pictures Locations: London

"I'm thinking about marketing myself as a TikTok Shop creator," Jayy told BI in July. Outside its in-house team, TikTok also deputizes official third-party TikTok Shop agency partners to work with creators and merchants on e-commerce strategies. And the company offers advice to all affiliate creators on its website via its TikTok Shop Academy. Someone who is not popular or famous going on TikTok Shop and offering products, or someone who is very popular and famous now getting products?" "I think the shortest path to more volume through TikTok Shop is really that second group."

Persons: D'Amelio, TikTok, Remy Beaumont, it's, Joy Mangano, Beaumont, playbook, Rick Watson, Sharon Jayy, Jayy, Watson Organizations: Business, Shop, Z Media, intel, Training, RMW Commerce Consulting, TikTok Shop, Shop Academy Locations: London, China, Douyin, TikTok's Culver

☆ I'm a man who created a sexy female AI influencer to make extra money. It's been harder and weirder than I thought.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Marta Biino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A man created a female AI influencer in order to make money after losing his job. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with the male creator behind AI influencer Kimochii. I thought an AI influencer would be the easiest and quickest way. Kimochii is an AI influencer with 43,000 Instagram followers. Even though I'm not making that much money with Kimochii, I'm too invested in her life now.

Persons: influencer, Kimochii, hasn't, haven't, she's, —, I'm

☆ Fanvue, an OnlyFans competitor, is betting big on AI-generated adult content. But some creators worry about its tactics.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Marta Biino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

These influencers, generated using AI, have amassed thousands, or sometimes hundreds of thousands of followers — like Sika Moon and Aitana. Unlike its competitors, which largely ban adult content generated with AI, Fanvue is bullish on it and is investing heavily in its community of AI influencers. But as Fanvue continues to build its user base and business model on AI-generated explicit content, some of its practices have prompted concerns among creators. For many creators behind these AI influencers, however, the hiccups and doubts about Fanvue don't outweigh the attention the company is giving them, and they continue to nurture their relationship with it. "The way they treat us AI creators is good," a third creator said.

Persons: —, they've, Fanvue, Will Monange, Monange Organizations: Service, Business, BI

☆ Inside the rise of true-crime podcast empire MrBallen, from TikTok and Amazon to live events
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Marta Biino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

In the four years since he began creating content, MrBallen has become a fixture in the true-crime world and built an empire that spans video content, podcasts, live events, and a talent-management company. "I realized that I had first-mover advantage on TikTok," Allen told Business Insider. "This is a 50-50 partnership through and through, where he has his side of the business, and I have my side of the business," Witters said. "I'll never run out of content," Allen said. Now, Ballen Studios publishes four weekly podcasts, with more shows to be released this year, as well as weekly content across all social platforms.

Persons: Doja Cat, MrBallen, John Allen, Addison Rae, Allen, Nick Witters, Witters, John, Cadence13 Zak Levitt, Joe Rogan's, Nick, we've Organizations: YouTube, Business, Ballen Studios, Amazon Music, Spotify, Ballen

☆ I Love You, but I Hate Your Cooking
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-12 | by ( Ella Quittner | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Food and love go hand in hand. When Marta Hurgin first met Lisa Wolford, she loved Ms. Wolford’s sharp legal mind, her sense of humor and her empathy toward animals. And Ms. Hurgin even accepted that Ms. Wolford’s favorite food was chicken, though, as a vegetarian, she couldn’t quite understand it. And blissful it was — until Ms. Wolford began to volunteer for dinner duty. “It always had to be a really complicated recipe,” Ms. Hurgin, 37, said.

Persons: Marta Hurgin, Lisa Wolford, Hurgin, Wolford, Ms Locations: New Hampshire

SOLDEU, Andorra (AP) — Marta Bassino edged out Federica Brignone for an Italian one-two finish in a tight opening run of a women’s World Cup giant slalom Saturday. Mikaela Shiffrin sits out this weekend’s races to nurse a left knee injury and the American star could lose her lead in the overall World Cup standings to Lara Gut-Behrami. The Swiss skier won the previous GS and trails Shiffrin by 95 points. In Saturday's race, Bassino showed glimpses of her best as the Italian skier looked for her first podium result of the season. She won the World Cup title in the discipline in 2021 but has won just one World Cup race over the last three years.

Persons: — Marta Bassino, Bassino, Alice Robinson, Norway’s Thea Louise Stjernesund, Mikaela Shiffrin, Lara, Shiffrin, Petra Vlhova, Canada's Valerie Grenier, ” Organizations: Swiss, Cortina d’Ampezzo Locations: SOLDEU, Andorra, Italy, France

☆ Influencers are landing paid brand partnerships and UGC deals in an unexpected new way: Slack groups
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Marta Biino | Shriya Bhattacharya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

That Slack group? While many of the other Slack groups creators said they'd used were free, this particular one charges membership fees of $41 per month or $588 a year. Like the existing Slack group, this one will also charge users. AdvertisementCalveiro is excited about this because of the group's potential to create a safe, engaged community where all questions are welcomed. "I haven't yet seen a truly successful Slack channel just for creators, and I think it's so needed," she said.

Persons: —, Ogilvy, Slack, I've, Kristen Bousquet, Bousquet, she's, Patricia Redulla, Redulla, She's, Calveiro, they'd, Jessy Grossman Organizations: Service, Influencer, Business, Messaging, workspaces, UGC, Adolescent

☆ Why influencer-marketing firm Izea is betting big on AI campaigns with a new image-generation tool
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Marta Biino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewIf you can't beat them, join them — that's the mantra that influencer-marketing firm Izea has adopted when it comes to AI. AdvertisementAs a first step in bringing its own AI framework to reality, Izea recently launched AI "Mixers" as part of its AI offering (which it calls "FormAI"). The concept behind "Mixers" is to offer creators and brands the ability to train their own AI models. Influencers will create digital representations of themselves, while marketers can train AI models of their products. Around the same time, another survey found that over half of creators had been asked to use AI by brands.

Persons: —, Izea, Ted Murphy, Murphy, I'm Organizations: Service, Business, Dollar

☆ How the creators of AI influencers are making money and building their audiences, from private groups on Discord to adult content
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Marta Biino | Amanda Perelli | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Aika's creator, for instance, founded an AI community on Discord, "Generative Dreamers," which counts over 100 popular AI content creators. "Currently this is the only viable way to make money from AI images," the creator of Iskira said of adult content. The server members said the mutual support they'd found had been pivotal in continuing to pursue AI content. And while monetization has been off to a slow start, AI creators said they're here to stay — and several of them hope to eventually move away from adult content. "I think 2023 was a big year for people to wrap their heads around what is AI," said the creator of AI influencer Zoe Fox.

Persons: doesn't, She's, Alexis Ivyedge, Kim Ochii, we'll, Aika, there's, influencers, they're, Iskira, it's, they'd, Kim Ochii's, monetization, Zoe Fox Organizations: Business Locations: Instagram

That's why the company adds suggested search terms above and below TikTok videos to encourage users to find and click on related posts they might enjoy. AdvertisementWhy does the TikTok search bar tend to amplify drama? The suggested search phrases on TikTok are determined algorithmically, not by a human, based on relevance and engagement factors, a spokesperson told Business Insider. The search results reflect what users are saying about the TikTok video. AdvertisementWhen inappropriate or unwanted search phrases slip through its content-moderation system, the company has a feature that lets users report a recommended search that violates its policies.

Persons: —, Christian Vierling, TikTok, who's, influencers, Joel Bervell, we're Organizations: Service, Business, Women's Health

☆ 13 innovative AI tools that are changing content creators' work processes, from ideation to production to editing
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Marta Biino | Shriya Bhattacharya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Following ChatGPT's launch in late 2022, several new AI tools have emerged for creators to use. Many tools use generative AI to create more dynamic images, transcribe text, and edit videos. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . Since then, hundreds of AI tools have popped up, helping with anything from writing cover letters during job searches to translating text into different languages. "With the increasing number of AI startups, creators have numerous ways to speed up their processes and workflow.

Persons: —, ChatGPT, Nick Chen, Amber Venz, Chen, Lia Haberman, Lindsey Gamble Organizations: Service, UCLA

☆ Brazil State Prosecutor Urges Vale, BHP to Settle Over Dam Disaster
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

By Marta NogueiraRIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Miners Vale, BHP and their joint venture, Samarco, should strike a deal to compensate for a deadly dam disaster in 2015 or risk paying a lot more in court, the Minas Gerais state prosecutor general told Reuters. Last week a federal judge ruled that the firms must pay up to 47.6 billion reais ($9.67 billion) in damages, in a decision still subject to appeal. "The total will be very high," he said, adding that the firms should strike a deal when talks resume in February, to avoid more costly litigation. Soares Junior is one of the many officials that would have to sign off on a deal that could settle lawsuits on state and federal levels involving the disaster. ($1 = 4.9437 reais)(Reporting by Marta Nogueira, writing by Fabio Teixeira; editing by Sandra Maler)

Persons: Marta Nogueira, General Jarbas Soares Junior, Soares Junior, Samarco, Vale, Fabio Teixeira, Sandra Maler Organizations: Marta Nogueira RIO DE, Reuters, Vale, BHP Locations: Marta Nogueira RIO DE JANEIRO, Minas Gerais, Mariana

☆ Boomers are not moving out of their big homes. Here’s why
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Many Boomers whose homes have surged in value now face massive capital gains tax bills when they sell. Plus, smaller homes or apartments in the neighborhoods they’ve come to love are rare. Taxes on capital gains drain profits from a saleFederal and possibly state capital gains taxes can be significant for long-time homeowners who have seen their property values soar over several decades. They paid the capital gains and moved because their home was isolated and they wanted to be closer to conveniences, health care and other people as they aged. Few smaller homes in areas they’ve long livedMany neighborhoods where older homeowners have long lived are zoned for single-family homes and have few smaller homes or multi-family properties like condos or rental buildings.

Persons: Baby Boomers Marta, Octavian Dragos, ”, Dragos, ” Dragos, —, they’ve, “, Peter Poulsen, Poulsen, Jimmy Panetta Organizations: DC CNN, Savings Locations: Washington, El Cerrito , California, California, Livermore , California

It wasn't just because TikTok users love to gossip — the platform suggested names of popular models as related searches at the bottom of Paré's video. When Business Insider viewed the video, TikTok suggested searching for "devon windsor suitcase" and "Taylor Hill" in different search bars. As TikTok looks to boost search activity , the company is automatically generating suggested queries in the search bars on videos. AdvertisementSince user comments help feed recommended searches, trolls flooding a creator's comments section with rude phrases or false claims can impact what the app recommends their followers view next. AdvertisementLike Bervell, several other TikTokers expressed frustration at their lack of control over the recommended searches, which can end up being "gossipy," he said, or completely unrelated to their content.

Persons: —, TikTok influencer Taylor Paré, Devin Windsor, TikTok, Taylor, Paré, Julia McNamee, she's, Katarina Terentieva, influencers, Joel Bervell, Bervell, we're, Jahleane, It's, it's, Brett Dashevsky, Dashevsky Organizations: Service, Business, Industry, Group, Adobe Express, Google, BI, Economy, YouTube Locations: New York

☆ A leaked email from YouTube to creators outlines the new rules for joining its exclusive short-form community program
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Marta Biino | Amanda Perelli | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Read previewYouTube is introducing stricter rules for joining its exclusive community support program for short-form creators. This month, members of the creator community were notified that the support would get more exclusive, to ensure "the most engaged and interested creators" were being managed, according to an email viewed by Business Insider. The creator asked to remain anonymous to protect their relationship with YouTube, but their identity is known to BI. The decision to make the shorts community more exclusive didn't come as a surprise to many creators, given the increased popularity of the feature. AdvertisementAnd according to data from the creator-marketing platform CreatorIQ, brands increased their influencer-marketing spend on YouTube shorts by 700% in 2023.

Persons: —, Sundar Pichai, we're Organizations: Service, Business, YouTube, Google

☆ Coco Gauff reaches first Australian Open semifinal with battling win against Marta Kostyuk
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( George Ramsay | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Coco Gauff overcame a significant first-set deficit to reach her first semifinal at the Australian Open, defeating Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk 7-6(8-6) 6-7(3-7) 6-2 on Tuesday. The American star has now won 12 consecutive grand slam matches following her victory at the US Open last year. The pair traded breaks throughout a tight second set, and this time it was Kostyuk who triumphed in the eventual tie-break to force a decider. Gauff raced into a 5-0 lead but, despite dropping a serve late on, saw out the match to advance to the third grand slam singles semifinal of her career. Kostyuk pushed Gauff all the way in her first grand slam quarterfinal.

Persons: Coco Gauff, Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk, Gauff, Kostyuk, “, ” Gauff, “ Marta, Aryna Sabalenka, Barbora Krejčíková, Julian Finney, –, ” Organizations: CNN Locations: Melbourne, American

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Coco Gauff beat Marta Kostyuk 7-6 (6), 6-7 (3), 6-2 in an error-strewn match at the Australian Open on Tuesday to claim a place in the semifinals. The fourth-ranked Gauff saved two set points as she came from 5-1 down to take the opening set on the tiebreaker but was pushed to a deciding set before clinching victory after 3 hours, eight minutes. Gauff hit 51 unforced errors, nine double faults and just 17 winners but survived to set up a meeting with defending champion Aryna Sabalenka or No. The American has now won 12 straight matches in Grand Slam tournaments after winning the U.S. Open last September. 1 Novak Djokovic is in action later, taking on Taylor Fritz for a place in the semifinals.

Persons: — Coco Gauff, Marta Kostyuk, Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka, Novak Djokovic, Taylor Fritz Organizations: U.S Locations: MELBOURNE, Australia

Read previewTikTok's owner ByteDance is pushing a new campaign this week to promote its Pinterest-like app, Lemon8, according to three sources familiar with the effort. AdvertisementThe "100 Bucket List Ideas" promotion is the latest in a series of pushes by Lemon8 to pay influencers to plug the app. AdvertisementThe company has been using influencer promotions for Lemon8 since early 2023 when ByteDance sought to jump-start app downloads as it rolled out in the US and UK. While Lemon8 has by no means achieved the usage levels of its sister app TikTok, it has gradually gained an audience in the US and abroad. AdvertisementByteDance is also trying to grow other content-creation apps outside of TikTok and Lemon8, including its widely popular CapCut video-editing tool.

Persons: —, ByteDance, influencers, they've, Lemon8 Organizations: Service, Business, Apple, Lemon8, TikTok Locations: Lemon8, TikTok

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Novak Djokovic held off Taylor Fritz 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 in 3 3/4 hours to reach the Australian Open semifinals for the 11th time on Tuesday. After Fritz held in the 11th game, Djokovic was agitated and gesturing to get the attention of his support team, calling for salts. After all that resistance, though, Fritz was broken in the second game of the third set when Djokovic converted his 16th chance. He hit back immediately, converting his second break point with a forehand that clipped the net and dropped for a winner. Djokovic had beaten Fritz in straight sets in all but one of their previous eight encounters, including last year's U.S. Open quarterfinals.

Persons: — Novak Djokovic, Taylor Fritz, Djokovic, he’s, Andrey Rublev, Fritz, Taylor, ” Djokovic, Coco Gauff's, Marta Kostyuk, Aryna, ___ Organizations: Melbourne Park, U.S Locations: MELBOURNE, Australia, Ukraine

☆ When YouTuber Lizzy Capri pivoted away from kids' content, she took a big financial hit. She says it was worth it.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Marta Biino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

In early 2023, YouTuber Lizzy Capri felt trapped in "creator prison." Starting in 2017, Capri became known online as "Lizzy Sharer" (she became "Lizzy Capri" in 2019). In the world of influencers, having a "niche" — specific content geared toward a specific audience — is often praised as an asset. In March 2023, she published a video titled "Goodbye to the old Lizzy..." to announce her content would change. Lizzy CapriThe hard pivot was tough financiallyWhen she pivoted, Capri did it more for herself than for the business.

Persons: Lizzy Capri, she'd, Capri, she's, Lizzy Sharer, OnlyFans, I've, it's, Bryce Adams, Adams Organizations: Business, Mattel, — Locations: Capri, OnlyFans, States

☆ Colombia: US warns about dating apps following suspicious deaths
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-21 | by ( Stefano Pozzebon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Colombia was playing Mexico and we decided to watch the second half at mine,” the single father recalls. “Numerous US citizens in Colombia have been drugged, robbed, and even killed by their Colombian dates,” it added. US officers have also seen an increase in reports of robbery cases involving online dating apps in the last 12 months, the alert notes. While he hasn’t been on any dating apps since then, Carlos does not blame the apps for his experience. “Unfortunately, people around me essentially said it was my fault for doing this (going on a dating app).

Persons: Carlos, ” Carlos –, —, scopolamine, ‘, ” Carlos, Federico Gutierrez, Gutierrez, ” Gutierrez, ”, hasn’t Organizations: Bogota CNN —, US State Department, US, Colombian, Embassy, US Overseas Security Advisory Council, CNN, US Embassy, Medellin, Police Department Locations: Bogota, American, Colombia, Mexico, Medellin, Caribbean, Santa Marta, Bogotá, Colombian, Cartagena, Colombian Caribbean

☆ Novak Djokovic drops just three games and equals Roger Federer record as he reaches Australian Open quarterfinals
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-21 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Novak Djokovic produced a stunning performance to reach the Australian Open quarterfinals with a 6-0 6-0 6-3 victory over France’s Adrian Mannarino on Sunday. It is the 58th time the Serb has reached the last eight of a grand slam, equaling Roger Federer’s all-time record. Taylor Fritz reached his first ever Australian Open quarterfinal. Asanka Brendon Ratnayake/AP“The last three games of the match I really, really turned it on, almost like [I] was in a trance and everything,” Fritz said afterwards, according to the tournament’s website. “Yeah, I definitely do forget my age a lot.”She become the youngest woman to reach the Australian Open quarterfinals since Agnieszka Radwanska in 2008, where she will face Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk.

Persons: CNN — Novak Djokovic, France’s Adrian Mannarino, Roger Federer’s, Djokovic, “, I’ve, ” Djokovic, Taylor Fritz, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Fritz, Asanka Brendon Ratnayake, ” Fritz, It’s, Coco Gauff, Poland’s Magdalena Frech, Magdalena Frech, Eloisa Lopez, Reuters Gauff’s, ”, Agnieszka Radwanska, Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk Organizations: CNN, ATP, Australian, Poland’s, Reuters

☆ Australian Open: ‘Part of … war machine hurting my country and my people’ says Ukrainian of Russian and Belarusian opponents
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Matias Grez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —For Ukrainian tennis players Marta Kostyuk and Lesia Tsurenko, focusing on tennis continues to be challenging. Kostyuk and Tsurenko have continued to avoid the usual post-match handshakes with opponents from either Russia or Belarus, which is being used as a staging ground for the invasion. “My mother sends me videos when there are missiles flying over their house,” Kostyuk told reporters. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka and said playing against players from Russia or Belarus is still “tough.”“They’re part of that … war machine hurting my country and my people,” Tsurenko said. “She said: ‘Great play,’” Sabalenka told reporters.

Persons: Marta Kostyuk, Lesia, Tsurenko, Kostyuk, Russia’s Elina Avanesyan, “, ” Kostyuk, it’s, ”, “ It’s, It’s, Sabalenka, ” Tsurenko, Lesia Tsurenko, Phil Walter, what’s, ’ ” Sabalenka, Maria Timofeeva Organizations: CNN, “, ” CNN, Getty, Kostyuk Locations: Ukrainian, Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Melbourne, Russian

☆ The pioneering influencer firm Gleam Futures is shutting down its talent-management arm
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Marta Biino | Lara O'Reilly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

It's the end of an era: the pioneering influencer agency Gleam Futures has sunset its talent-management arm, the company confirmed to Business Insider. Ad giant Dentsu Aegis acquired a majority stake in Gleam in 2017 and took over as sole owner in 2020. On the talent side, Gleam Futures had been undergoing changes for some time. In 2023, Gleam Futures managers slowly began an exodus toward other UK talent firms, including InterTalent, Insanity, and HLD, bringing their talent with them. The company's website went from showing a roster of over 60 talent in 2022 to just 20 in late 2023.

Persons: Gleam, Dom Smales, Zoe Sugg, Tanya Burr, Melanie Kentish, Gleam's, Julie Chadwick Organizations: Gleam, Business, Gleam Futures, Studios, Dentsu Locations: Gleam

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