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- Influence Weekly #400 - Private Equity Firms Accelerate YouTube Channel Acquisitions
Influence Weekly #400 - Private Equity Firms Accelerate YouTube Channel Acquisitions
Creator Economy Calendar For September 2025
Nii Ahene
August 01, 2025
Spotlight Stories
Podcast Consumption Reaches Record Levels With Over 50% Of Americans Tuning In Monthly, Report Finds
TikTok, IHeart Join Forces To Find The Next Music Star
Creator Economy Calendar For September 2025
How InStreamly Is Helping Brands And Creators Capitalize On Audience Attention In Gaming
Great Reads
Private equity firms invested approximately $4 billion in YouTube channel acquisitions, according to research from Micro, a microeconomics-focused YouTube channel. SoftBank, Amazon, Disney, Goldman Sachs, and Blackstone backed these acquisitions as strategic investments.
Acquired channels included educational brands Veritasium and Fireship, automotive channel Donut Media, and entertainment properties Dude Perfect and Cocomelon. The private equity industry grew from under $1 trillion to over $12 trillion in managed assets over two decades, prompting firms to seek new acquisition targets beyond traditional businesses.
Post-acquisition changes included increased content production frequency, algorithm-optimized strategies, and reduced dependency on individual creators. Veritasium introduced new hosts alongside founder Dr. Derek Muller as part of this trend. Channels implemented "rolling up" strategies, replicating successful formats across portfolio properties.
Current regulations do not require public disclosure of these acquisitions, potentially masking the full extent of private equity involvement in digital content creation.
Podcast Consumption Reaches Record Levels With Over 50% Of Americans Tuning In Monthly, Report Finds
Podcast consumption reached record levels in 2025, with 55% of Americans listening monthly and 40% tuning in weekly, according to Edison Research's "The Podcast Consumer 2025" report. Weekly listening time increased 355% since 2015, reaching 773 million hours from 170 million hours a decade ago.
Video podcasts drove growth, with 51% of Americans consuming video podcast content and 37% watching monthly. Video viewers showed different patterns, discovering content through YouTube at higher rates and consuming across more devices including televisions.
Black Americans reached 58% monthly consumption, up from 33% in 2020, while Latino Americans rose to 51% from 24%. Female monthly listening tripled over the decade to 45%. Advertisement effectiveness strengthened, with 44% of weekly listeners purchasing products after hearing sponsorships, up from 34% in 2020.
The report documented 210 million Americans have tried podcasts, with 158 million monthly and 115 million weekly consumers, establishing podcasting as mainstream media.
The creator economy prepared for a busy September 2025 event calendar across three continents following momentum from August gatherings. Industry professionals had opportunities to attend specialized conferences targeting diverse niches from travel content to financial media.
Key September events included Press Publish NYC on September 4, bringing together 400 creators and industry leaders in Brooklyn for a curated one-day summit. HubSpot's INBOUND conference ran September 3-5 at San Francisco's Moscone Center, marking its first West Coast appearance with AI-driven marketing strategies.
Multiple events occurred September 9-12, including IAB Connected Commerce Summit in New York City, eMarketer Summit at City Winery New York featuring digital forecasts, TBEX Europe 2025 in County Donegal Ireland for travel creators, and FinCon 2025 in Portland focusing on financial content creators. Content Marketing World took place September 15-17 in San Diego with over 100 sessions.
International events included DMEXCO 2025 in Cologne Germany September 17-18, featuring a dedicated Creators' Summit, and PodSummit YYC September 19-20 in Calgary Canada. Meta Connect 2025 offered a virtual experience September 17-18 showcasing AI and metaverse innovations..
Industry Roundtable
YouTube has expanded creator data sharing, enabling creators to share comprehensive channel and audience metrics directly with potential brand partners.
Despite this progress, industry experts suggest the creator economy still faces significant hurdles on its path to maturation: fragmented performance tracking across platforms, opaque pricing standards, limited cross-platform strategy insights, and an over-reliance on vanity metrics rather than conversion data.
Campaign Insights
Unilever's March 2025 announcement to allocate 50% of its annual advertising budget to influencer marketing triggered creator rate increases of approximately 30% across the industry. Fernando Fernandez, Unilever's CMO, stated the company wanted "a brand influencer in every postcode."
The announcement prompted other consumer goods companies to follow suit. Premier Foods announced a similar pivot during its quarterly investor update, while Nescafé said it planned increased sector investment. Billion Dollar Boy reported a 22% rise in client spending from May to July 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.
Micro-influencers with 10,000 to 50,000 followers experienced the largest rate increases, with many now commanding fees previously reserved for macro-influencers. Hello Franses, an agency working with Disney and Aston Martin, reported rates increased 30% year-over-year. The shift affected specialized content creators including dermatologists, dentists, and chefs who began charging premium rates for access to their engaged audiences.
Rockstar Games expanded its creator platforms division by recruiting a senior product manager and associate compliance manager ahead of Grand Theft Auto VI's planned May 2026 release. The positions will oversee existing products like the FiveM user-generated content platform and develop creator monetization tools.
The strategic expansion follows Rockstar's 2023 acquisition of FiveM, a modification platform for GTA V that attracts approximately 200,000 active daily players. Earlier this year, Rockstar held discussions with creators from Roblox and Fortnite about potential collaborations within GTA VI's virtual environment.
The move positions Rockstar to capitalize on the growing UGC market, which reached $27.44 billion with a 29.20% compound annual growth rate. Research shows 66% of creators now offer UGC services, up from 26% the previous year, while 79% of consumers say UGC impacts purchasing decisions more than influencer posts.
Chipotle Mexican Grill partnered with Snapchat to launch the "AvoLotto Sweepstakes" augmented reality campaign, running from July 28 through July 30, 2025. The promotion allows users to scan real avocados using Snapchat's AR lens for a chance to win free guacamole for a year, with up to 1,000 daily winners.
The AR lens was programmed to recognize only authentic avocados, requiring participants to use their cameras on real fruit through Chipotle's Snapchat profile. Winners received on-screen notifications and had five days to enter provided codes into their Chipotle Rewards accounts. On National Avocado Day, July 31, Chipotle offered free guacamole to loyalty members purchasing regular-priced entrees.
The campaign coincided with Chipotle's "Summer of Extras" loyalty program running through August 31. CEO Scott Boatwright reported 5 million members participated in the summer program, with 40% completing transactions and enrollment increasing 14% year-over-year. The promotion represented Chipotle's continued investment in AR marketing, joining brands like Nike, Warner Bros., and Taco Bell in leveraging Snapchat's AR technology for customer engagement campaigns.
TikTok and iHeartRadio launched "Next Up: Live Music," a singing competition running through September to identify emerging artists. The three-phase contest includes auditions from July 28 through August 11, semi-finals August 25-29, and a live finale at iHeartRadio Theater in Burbank on September 26.
Contestants advance based on TikTok engagement metrics including likes, views, comments and shares, plus judges' scores. Participants must be U.S. residents aged 18 or older with at least 50,000 TikTok followers and consistent engagement. Artists must own rights to at least one original song and remain unsigned by labels or secure clearance.
The partnership builds on TikTok's music discovery influence. A TikTok-commissioned Luminate study found 84% of songs entering the Billboard Global 200 in 2024 achieved viral status on TikTok before charting. TikTok users spend 48% more time streaming music than average listeners and are 68% more likely to subscribe to paid streaming services. The platform's "Add to Music App" feature generated over one billion song saves since launching in 2024.
Content creators expanded their in-person event businesses in 2025 to attract brand sponsorships as advertisers increased their influencer marketing budgets. YouTubers Sam Golbach and Colby Brock organized five events this year after holding seven in 2024, including meet-and-greets and an escape room experience in Los Angeles.
Creator collective Dude Perfect launched a 21-event national tour across 20 cities this summer after not touring in 2024. CEO Andrew Yaffe said the tour nearly sold out all venues and drew the group's largest live audience to date. Event sponsorships became Dude Perfect's second-largest revenue stream for the tour after ticket sales, bringing in partners including IHG Hotels and Resorts.
Brands like Hot Topic and Samsung expanded their creator event partnerships in 2025. Samsung integrated its Galaxy phones into Dude Perfect's interactive onstage segments, while Hot Topic's Katherine Miller said creator activations became a growing focus for the second half of 2025. These events appeal to brands because they provide measurable performance metrics through foot traffic and conversions, plus additional digital content as creators film before, during and after experiences.
Behr launched its largest influencer activation to promote Hidden Gem, its 2026 Color of the Year. The paint company brought 29 DIY influencers to a two-day immersive event in New York, marking a strategic shift from its traditional earned media approach. Participants created real-life Pinterest boards featuring the smoky jade color, which they'll upload to their accounts and incorporate into future projects over three to four months.
Behr increased its Color of the Year marketing investment 15% year-over-year, partnering with Pinterest for a 24-hour homepage takeover. The collaboration targets Pinterest's project-minded DIY audience, with influencers selected based on platform performance and previous partnerships with Behr and Home Depot. The campaign represents Behr's most significant influencer marketing effort for Color of the Year, designed to reach mass audiences through diverse creator content.
Amaze, a commerce platform for creators, went public on the NYSE in March 2025 through a merger with Fresh Vine Wine, trading under ticker AMZE. The California-based company operates 13 million creator storefronts and processes visits from 200 million unique fans.
CEO Aaron Day, who joined in September 2021, pivoted the company from targeting high-profile influencers to serving millions of creators at scale. Amaze integrates with YouTube, TikTok, Twitch, Discord, and OnlyFans, allowing creators to sell products directly where their audiences consume content. The platform offers 27% net margins to creators.
The company operates globally across 104 countries with supply chains in North America, Europe, Australia, and India. Amaze recently announced stablecoin plans to support cross-border payments. The platform has recorded 2 billion unique visitors since launch.
Day chose the public route after observing private funding dry up for creator economy companies in early 2023, positioning Amaze to acquire complementary technologies in the space.
Cottage cheese sales jumped 20% in US retail in the 52 weeks through June 15 compared to the previous year, according to Circana data. The surge followed annual increases of roughly 17% in both 2024 and 2023, reversing a decline in 2021.
TikTok drove the resurgence as food influencers created viral recipes for cottage cheese ice cream starting in spring 2023. Users now share recipes for buffalo chicken dip, bagels, and biscuits using the protein-rich dairy product.
Some brands reported even higher growth rates. Organic Valley's cottage cheese sales grew over 30% in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period last year. Good Culture, a cottage cheese brand featured prominently in TikTok videos, acknowledged product shortages on Instagram in July, stating demand had been "WILD."
Manufacturers struggled to meet demand as most production facilities reached capacity. Daisy Brand broke ground on a new Iowa facility, while Westby Cooperative Creamery invested in new cottage cheese vats expected to be operational by fall 2026.
Polish gaming platform inStreamly raised its profile by expanding to 15 countries and partnering with brands including Netflix, Samsung, HBO, PlayStation, and Durex. The company, founded in 2019, operates a contextual advertising technology that places brand overlays directly into gaming livestreams based on real-time triggers.
inStreamly reported over 150,000 registered streamers and claimed its campaigns deliver 14% average brand affinity increases and 6% top-of-mind awareness gains. The platform allows creators with as few as 10 viewers to monetize through brand partnerships, with payouts starting at €20 via PayPal.
The company launched New Game Plus, a new agency brand targeting the U.S. market. inStreamly works with media partners including OMD in Germany, Publicis in Central Europe, and WARRIOR in Brazil. The platform's largest campaign included over 2,000 streamers across France and Poland, demonstrating its ability to scale brand partnerships across multiple creators simultaneously rather than requiring individual negotiations.
The Big 3 Podcast - June Recap Podcast Now Out!
Join us for The Big 3 by Influence Weekly, where hosts Ceci Carloni and Nii Ahene deliver expert commentary on the creator economy's most impactful business developments. Each month, they offer insider perspectives on industry-shifting stories, unpacking what these changes mean for brands and marketing professionals in the creator economy
Interesting People
YouTuber MrBeast announced the launch of an animated series called "MrBeast Lab" set to debut in October 2025. The 2D animated sci-fi comedy targets children aged 6 to 13 and builds on his existing collectible toy line "MrBeast Lab Swarms" produced with Moose Toys.
Stoopid Buddy Stoodios, known for "Robot Chicken," is producing the series with Sam Levine directing. The first 20 episodes will launch as animated shorts on Moose Toys' YouTube channel.
This expansion follows MrBeast's success with "Beast Games" on Amazon Prime Video, which attracted 50 million viewers in its first 25 days and received a two-season renewal. The animated series represents a strategic shift into family-friendly content, contrasting with the controversy surrounding "Beast Games" production.
The move reflects a broader trend of digital creators entering animation. Comedy creator Adam Waheed is developing content with Frederator Studios, while Emily Brundige transitioned to showrunning "Goldie" on Apple TV+. Animation studios are increasingly partnering with online creators to leverage their established audiences.
Samsung TV Plus announced its first original content deal with creator Dhar Mann, commissioning 13 exclusive episodes for the free ad-supported streaming platform. Mann produces content that generates over 300 million monthly views on YouTube, with his team creating seven weekly videos that average 5-10 million views each.
The partnership represents Samsung TV Plus's expansion beyond existing creator content into original programming. While the platform launched exclusive channels featuring creators including Mark Rober, Michelle Khare, Smosh, The Try Guys, Epic Gardening, The Sorry Girls, and Donut Media, these primarily showcase existing videos rather than new productions.
Samsung TV Plus, led by SVP Salek Brodsky, positioned the move as building "a home for today's top Creators on FAST." The dedicated Dhar Mann TV channel will launch later this year exclusively on Samsung devices including Neo QLED 8K, Neo QLED 4K, OLED, and The Frame models, plus Galaxy phones and Smart Monitors.
Content creator Sandie Cameron built her following through character-driven content, gaining 200,000 followers in one year primarily through her character "Christina." Cameron leveraged her communications degree and theater background to develop relatable personalities that foster community engagement rather than chasing viral moments.
Cameron's breakthrough came when a perfume company offered her $150 for two videos, leading to cascading brand partnerships. She emphasizes maintaining creative control in brand collaborations, citing Urban Decay as her preferred partner for allowing creative freedom. Cameron uses live streaming to transform passive viewers into active community participants, with followers contributing content ideas and forming real-world friendships.
Cameron maintains consistent posting across TikTok and Instagram, preferring TikTok's community-oriented culture for character work. She posts later at night on TikTok for viral potential while Instagram allows flexible timing. Cameron is developing a television show and expanding into voice acting, planning collaborations with celebrities she has previously impersonated.
Eugene Healey, a Melbourne-based brand strategy consultant, founded Studio EH in August 2024 after working at agencies including PUSH Collective and The Contenders. The consultancy works with global brands including Google, Spotify, Red Bull, and Chick-fil-A, focusing on uncovering consumer motivations that drive brand loyalty.
Healey operates a diversified business model with revenue from three sources: brand strategy consulting, keynote speaking, and paid content creation across Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Substack. He rejects 70% of paid content opportunities to maintain selectivity and delivered the highest-rated keynote at Snapchat's annual EMEA conference.
His content creation began as a portfolio substitute when confidentiality prevented sharing client work. Healey identifies two trends impacting the creator economy: users moving from public social media to closed networks, requiring different brand-building approaches, and continued growth in B2B creator marketing where customer lifetime values exceed B2C contexts.
Connor Hubbard, creator behind TikTok account Hubs.life_, faced backlash after announcing in February he quit his Fortune 500 analyst job to create content full-time. Hubbard had grown his account to nearly 1 million followers by posting daily videos about his mundane corporate routine.
The backlash highlighted ongoing tensions in the creator economy around day job transitions. Callie Wilson, a law school graduate turned creator, lost 30,000 followers when she announced she wouldn't pursue law after passing the bar. Her follower count dropped below one million, a milestone she's still working to regain.
Other creators experienced different outcomes. Fashion creator Miranda Sanchez and lifestyle creator Eni Popoola successfully transitioned from social work and corporate law respectively. Tim Chiusano, who had 1.1 million TikTok followers, avoided his comment section for a year after leaving his VP advertising sales role.
Cornell University professor Brooke Erin Duffy said audience acceptance depends on perceived authenticity and whether creators are making changes for the "right reasons."
Chad Franke launched apparel brand REEZN in May 2024, positioning it as a direct-to-consumer fashion line focused on emotional expression rather than traditional influencer merchandise. The brand emerged after a Hulu docuseries about Franke's family prompted him to create clothing that helps people process feelings and express authentic selves.
REEZN's debut "FREED" collection featured summer-appropriate items including tank tops with light colors. The launch strategy centered on social media storytelling, with Franke's launch video reaching millions of viewers across TikTok and Instagram platforms.
The Creator Society represents Franke, with Mary Kate McClaran serving as Head of Design. McClaran invested time understanding Franke's personal trauma to develop designs with intentional messaging rather than typical creator merchandise.
Future expansion plans include lifestyle products, accessories, potential retail partnerships, and collaborations with other creators. The brand maintains its direct-to-consumer model through its website to control the complete brand experience and customer interaction.
Industry News
BeReal launched a comeback strategy to regain Gen Z users after its viral popularity declined. The photo-sharing app, which won Apple's "App of the Year" in 2022, was acquired by French company Voodoo Games for €500 million in 2024.
Ben Moore, the platform's new Managing Director and former TikTok executive who joined in April 2025, led the revival effort. BeReal introduced new features including a "nearby" function for local user discovery and a recommendation system that connects users based on photo content similarities.
Despite accumulating 126 million downloads since 2020, BeReal faced declining momentum with global downloads dropping 50% year-over-year in 2025. The platform reported 85% of its user base consists of Gen Z users, with the United States, Japan, and France as its largest markets.
In April, BeReal launched its US advertising platform, attracting over 200 advertisers including Levi's, Netflix, Nike, and Amazon. Levi's reported five times higher engagement compared to other social platforms.
Rocksalt, a San Francisco startup that helps executives build professional credibility through AI-powered social media engagement, raised $3.5 million in seed funding. Lightspeed Venture Partners led the round with participation from Defy.vc and angel investors including Gokul Rajaram, Mike Volpe, and Atlassian President Anu Bharadwaj.
Founded in October 2023 by siblings Arjun and Anita Moorthy along with Ajoy Sojan, Rocksalt operates on a SaaS model serving customers including Tamr, Zocks, HedgeFlows, and NinjaCat. The platform has nearly 15,000 free users across its Slack and LinkedIn products.
The company uses AI to monitor keywords and identify relevant conversations for executives to engage with authentically in approximately 10 minutes daily. Rocksalt plans to expand to Reddit and Discord while adding content creation capabilities. According to Crunchbase, venture investment in AI marketing startups reached $344 million globally in the first half of 2025, exceeding 2024's total of $252 million.
Seattle-based startup Nectar Social raised $10.6 million in July to expand its AI-powered social media management platform for consumer brands. The company, founded in 2023 by sisters Misbah and Farah Uraizee, provides unified social listening, community engagement, and revenue generation tools for beauty brands, CPG companies, health and wellness businesses, and airlines.
True Ventures partner Tony Conrad and Google Ventures partner Frederique Dame led the funding round, which closed within two weeks without a formal pitch deck. The company serves brands struggling with fragmented social media workflows across multiple platforms.
Nectar's platform uses AI to replicate brand voices and analyze video content for product mentions and sentiment in real time. The company reported that customers typically achieve over 85% AI-assisted engagement within their first month, with some CPG brands seeing 45% conversion rates through direct message campaigns - higher than traditional email marketing.
The funding will support product development, team expansion, and establishment of a New York office to complement their Seattle headquarters.
Illuminate Social, a Los Angeles-based creator management company, raised $4.3 million in March 2021 to address payment transparency issues in the creator economy. Founded by CEO Becca Bahrke, the company developed Spark, a proprietary app that gives creators access to contracts, campaign details, and real-time payment tracking.
The platform emerged to tackle industry payment delays, where brands typically set 60 to 120-day payment terms that often extend another 30 days past due. Illuminate implemented an immediate payment policy, sending payment receipts to creators on the same day funds are received. The company partnered with DUPAY, a payment recovery service, to address delayed brand payments.
Illuminate hosted its first creator retreat in 2023 at Palm Springs' Ace Hotel with 63 attendees and now conducts quarterly roster roundtables. The company reported near-zero manager turnover and has received acquisition offers, which Bahrke declined while seeking the right partner. Bahrke plans to license Spark technology to other management companies.
YouTube changed its profanity guidelines on July 29, now allowing creators to earn full ad revenue despite using strong profanity in the first seven seconds of videos. Connor Kavanagh from YouTube's Creator Insider channel announced the policy reversal, which previously restricted monetization for content containing words like the F-word early in videos.
YouTube cited changing advertiser expectations and improved ad targeting technology as drivers for the update. The platform said advertisers can now select their comfort level with profanity-containing content, moving away from traditional broadcast standards.
Several restrictions remain in place. Strong or moderate profanity in titles or thumbnails will still limit monetization. High-frequency profanity throughout videos remains ineligible for full ad revenue, and Community Guidelines continue to apply to all content.
YouTube positioned the change as a response to creator feedback about previous policy implementations, acknowledging past communication shortcomings from similar updates two years ago.
Tubi launched its "Tubi for Creators" program in June to connect digital creators with traditional streaming distribution. The program grew from six creators to 30 creators producing several thousand episodes within its first month. Rich Bloom, GM for Creator Programs at Tubi, said the platform provides production funding and creative freedom to creators who already produce high-quality mid-form and long-form content.
The program operates on a non-exclusive basis, allowing creators to maintain their existing platform relationships. Tubi plans to introduce exclusive content partnerships by the end of 2025. Initial creator partners include Dan and Riya from "Beverly Valley High," FunnyMike, Kinigra Deon, and Watcher, selected to align with content categories already popular among Tubi's 100 million users.
The program builds on Tubi's previous creator initiatives, including "Studios" with Issa Rae and the success of "Sidelined: The QB and Me," which featured TikTok star Noah Beck. Tubi expects to add more creators and launch exclusive content by end of 2025.
TikTok integrated YouTube Music into its "Add to Music App" feature on July 30, 2025, allowing users to save songs discovered on TikTok directly to YouTube Music playlists. The feature displays an "Add Song" button next to track names in videos, with saved tracks appearing in a dedicated "TikTok Songs" playlist on YouTube Music.
The integration follows TikTok's partnerships with SoundCloud in May 2025 and Deezer in December 2024. TikTok reported over one billion track saves globally since the feature's 2024 launch, with hundreds of millions of saves translating to billions of streams on music services.
The timing aligns with YouTube's position among younger users, as 79% of American teenagers listen to music on video-sharing sites according to Precise TV and Giraffe Insights research. TikTok's music influence grew in 2024, with 84% of songs entering the Billboard Global 200 achieving viral status on TikTok before charting. TikTok users spend 48% more time streaming music than average listeners.
Talent agency Kensington Grey has developed a business model around converting reality TV contestants into professional influencers, working with alums from shows like Love Island and The Bachelor. Director of campaign management Tamika Rose manages former contestants including Love Island's Aïssata Diallo and Justine Joy Ndiba.
The financial potential drove this pipeline's growth. Hannah Brown from The Bachelor franchise reached 2.7 million Instagram followers and earned between $5,260 and $8,767 per sponsored post as of 2020. Love Island USA's Leah Kateb accumulated 4.6 million Instagram followers and generates over $100,000 monthly from sponsored content according to creator platform Hafi.pro estimates.
Rose's strategy focuses on securing representation before contestants appear on shows, then developing sustainable personal brands beyond initial TV exposure. The agency helped Diallo pivot from beauty content to modest fashion content aligned with her religious background. Rose emphasized intentional brand partnerships over speed, prioritizing long-term brand perception over immediate monetization opportunities.
Bigo Live, a social livestreaming platform with over 500 million users across 150 countries, hosted its first creator event in Latin America on July 16, 2025, in Mexico City. The event at La Roma Centro de Negocios brought together creators from the United States, Canada, and Latin America for cross-cultural collaboration.
The five-hour event featured notable creators including Semaj Coleman, the platform's top broadcaster, singer Halo, and Colombian digital creator Maria Angelica Ramos. Attendees participated in "PK battles" showcasing real-time creativity, with fans gifting $100,000 total to their favorite creators during the event.
The Mexico City event represents Bigo Live's first in-person activation in Latin America as the platform expands its regional presence. The company plans additional creator economy events in the second half of 2025. Bigo Live recently served as official streaming partner for the Esports World Cup 2025 in Dubai and expanded to Uzbekistan, strengthening its global market position.
Instagram chief Adam Mosseri stated that using "link in bio" in captions does not affect post reach, responding to creator concerns about algorithm penalties. Mosseri said users are welcome to use the phrase and noted he uses it regularly himself.
Many creators reported lower engagement when referencing external links, leading to theories that Instagram discourages outbound traffic. Creators conducted informal tests, though no conclusive data exists proving the platform demotes such content.
The issue affects creator monetization strategies beyond sponsored content. Creators increasingly rely on platforms like Substack, paid communities, and affiliate marketing that require converting followers through external clicks. This dependency has heightened attention on how social platforms handle content directing users elsewhere.
The confusion around algorithm mechanics has led to creator self-censorship and altered posting behavior, despite official guidance. As creators diversify revenue streams across multiple platforms, friction around link usage represents a business concern rather than just user experience issues.
TalkShopLive launched alcohol sales through its livestream shopping platform, becoming the first North American video commerce platform to offer legally compliant beer, wine and spirits purchases during live streams. The company, which hosts shoppable streams with celebrities including Dolly Parton and Martha Stewart, developed a compliance framework with real-time age verification at checkout and delivery.
CEO Bryan Moore said several brands lined up to launch alcohol sales soon, targeting the celebrity liquor market that grew from fewer than 40 brands in 2018 to over 350 by late 2022. TalkShopLive previously worked with Kevin Hart, Jimmy Fallon and Cynthia Erivo on product launches.
The move comes as TalkShopLive's marketplace sales more than doubled year-over-year in Q1, with total shoppable syndications growing 60%. The company achieved profitability for the first time in 2024 and doubled its audience, with "Add to Cart" actions increasing over 120%. TalkShopLive operates both consumer marketplace and enterprise divisions serving retailers including Walmart and Amazon.
Kick crossed the 1 billion Hours Watched threshold in Q2 2025, generating over 1.1 billion Hours Watched and joining YouTube Live, TikTok Live, and Twitch as the industry's fourth platform, according to Streams Charts. The streaming platform showed 28.1% growth from Q1 2025 and now claims 3.74% of the livestreaming market.
The global livestreaming industry generated 29.61 billion Hours Watched in Q2, down 0.6% from the previous quarter. YouTube Live maintained its leadership position with 14.83 billion Hours Watched, representing just over 50% of total industry viewership. TikTok Live held second place with 8 billion Hours Watched, showing minimal 0.06% growth.
Twitch faced continued pressure with 4.64 billion Hours Watched, declining for the third consecutive quarter as its decision to allow multistreaming split creator audiences across platforms. Gaming content comprised 76.1% of Twitch's total viewership, while Kick's gaming content now represents the majority of its watch time, with "GTA V" remaining the most popular game.
VTuber agency VShojo ceased operations following revelations that $515,000 in charity funds raised during VTuber Ironmouse's September 2024 subathon were diverted for operational expenses instead of being donated to the Immune Deficiency Foundation. CEO Justin Ignacio confirmed the company's closure amid mass talent exodus and financial irregularities.
The crisis began when Ironmouse announced her departure on July 21, alleging unpaid income and missing charity funds. Within 48 hours, 12 of 13 VShojo talents departed, citing months of unpaid earnings from sponsorships and merchandise revenue. The company's $11 million seed funding from 2022 had depleted as fundraising attempts for additional capital stalled in early 2025.
VShojo's financial obligations at shutdown included an estimated $1.2 million in talent back-pay, the $515,000 charity obligation, and approximately $200,000 in vendor invoices. The company lacked segregated accounts for charity proceeds and operating funds, and had no independent board despite venture backing.
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YouTube mega-streamer IShowSpeed drew over 115,000 live viewers during his whirlwind tour of Lithuania, generating millions of additional views across social platforms. The 20-year-old creator, who commands 120 million followers across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, received a $23,500 honorarium from Lithuanian tourism officials plus security and transportation support.
His visit sparked debates over government spending on influencer marketing, with critics questioning public funds spent targeting economically inactive minors. Supporters argued the investment delivered unprecedented global exposure at bargain rates compared to traditional advertising.
The Baltic tour follows Speed's viral China trip, which Chinese state media praised as countering anti-China propaganda. His international tours represent governments' growing recognition of creators as soft power assets, with China recently launching an expenses-paid program for American influencers with 300,000-plus followers.
Right-wing YouTuber Tim Pool operates an eight-figure media empire from his West Virginia compound, commanding over 2.4 million subscribers on his flagship show Timcast IRL. The 33-year-old former Democrat streams four hours daily across six shows while building a business that includes skateboard sales, coffee branding, and sponsored content. Pool draws roughly 200,000 live viewers per broadcast by questioning mainstream narratives and promoting conspiracy theories, hosting controversial figures like Alex Jones and James O'Keefe. His influence extends to Washington, where he received White House briefing room access and consulted with Representative Ro Khanna on legislation. Pool faces reputational challenges after Justice Department charges revealed Russian operatives secretly funded his content, though prosecutors indicated he was unaware of the foreign influence operation. His anti-establishment messaging resonates with millennial and Gen-Z audiences who helped power Trump's 2024 victory.
Netflix searched for an executive to lead video podcast efforts as it competed with YouTube's dominance in the space. The streaming platform explored deals with podcasters and sought someone to create video-first content for large audiences, according to two sources close to the company.
The role would likely sit under Netflix's TV and film licensing division led by Lori Conkling rather than original content, suggesting the company planned to license existing shows alongside creating original programming. Netflix already featured creator-originated shows including "The Sidemen" and "Pop the Balloon."
The move came as podcast consumption grew, with Edison Research reporting 73% of Americans aged 12 and over listened to or watched podcasts in 2025, up from 55% in 2020. Video podcast viewing reached 51% of that demographic.
Podcast advertising revenue increased 26.4% to $2.4 billion in 2024, with projections exceeding $2.5 billion in 2025. Competitors made similar investments, with Fox acquiring Red Seat Ventures in February and Amazon purchasing Wondery for $300 million in 2020.