Can you still make it as a creator?

For the next four weeks I'll be sharing what I want to do each week and what actually got done. You can join this public accountability clan via LinkedIn or Threads

Next week April 1-7 I already have a lot I want to get done.
⭕ Publish podcast with Elsa Scola 
⭕ Edit, export and publish 5 shorts from Elsa's podcast
⭕ Record and publish an update video
⭕ Collect all notes from Q1 and make a solid plan for Q2
⭕ Prepare for and film a studio tour at cined.com 
⭕ Write and publish the Orbit newsletter on Friday

What’s on your list? 💛 Valentin

The Death of the Follower

Jack Conte (CEO Patreon) might be the single most influential person when it comes to shaping the creator economy as we know it. Without his company, Patreon, many creator careers would’ve been completely impossible, including his own.

If anyone understand the forces at play it is him and one trend he is concerned about is the shift away from building a loyal audience via the subscribe button to the increased distribution of content via algorithms. As that leads to a less direct connection between creator and fan.

In his talk at SXSW, Conte passionately presents a compelling case for the implications of this shift on both creators and their supporters. He articulates his vision for empowering creators and fostering authentic connections with their fan base, stressing the necessity of preserving direct engagement amidst the evolving digital landscape.

Sharing Posts Instead of Reels

Every month I’m trying to run at least one experiment aimed at testing different strategies to expand and engage the audience for Orbit.
In March that meant to post almost uncut interviews as podcasts only and promoting them with vertical clips on all the social platforms. This effort to create awareness did create some engagement and brought some momentum to the YouTube channel but overall this type of swipe content is still very unpredictable and feels more like gambling than anything else.

As an alternative to that I also tried a slightly different approach inspired by Justin Espejo. Instead of posting reels I collected few moments of the conversation with Aprilynne Alter and put them together in a carousel post. Which might not have the reach of the most popular reels but seems to resonate much more with people that want to start and grow on YouTube.

What do you think? Are we going to see a shift away from video on Instagram?

Chasing an Impossible Dream

Sam Newton is one of those creators who may not adhere to a consistent publishing schedule, but when he does release content, it's an absolute must-watch. It could be a parody music video, a travel film or a story about his life that is going to inspire creators across the globe.

His latest upload is just that—a poignant medley tracing his evolution from videographer to filmmaker to Canon Ambassador. However, with Sam, nothing unfolds quite as expected; there's always an unexpected twist waiting to surprise viewers in more ways than one.

If you are stuck in a creative rut right now I bet this video is going to give you inspiration to get out of it.

Fun stuff to click on

Watch

The Browser Company started a series on why they might fail with Arc

Lost in Admiration made a video about being laid off before it was cool

Listen

Colin and Samir talk about Nebula’s move towards news

Read

Jay Clouse shares what he learned in four years of podcasting

Danny Desatnik explores the closure of 368

Sarah Adam gives you a pitch template for brand outreach

Marketing Harry gives you the truth about social media growth

Try

Opus Clips can now automatically add captions to your videos for free*

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