Everyone’s Talking About TikTok’s Surprising New Way to Compete with YouTube – plus US Government TikTok Bans Pick Up Steam

Last newsletter of 2022!? Thanks again to everyone who’s subscribed and enjoys this newsletter.? Don’t forget to share it with your friends, and we will see you January 2nd!

TikTok and Instagram Embrace Everything:? An inexorable march towards uniform monotony continues as TikTok tests a Go90 mode, while Instagram adds BeReal features and group and individual messaging. ? Building scale is fine and as Mike Shields explains, TikTok is building infrastructure to rival Google, Amazon and Meta as well.? I fear, though, that our video platforms will become as boring as network television in the 80s, or the reality-TV wasteland of today.

TikTok Ban in US Picks Up Steam:? In a legislative version of last-minute shopping, numerous TikTok bans have been proposed and enacted around the US.? 18 states have taken action against TikTok, with 16 banning it outright on state supplied devices.? The US looks ready to ban TikTok on federal devices, while a bipartisan bill was introduced to ban it completely.? What’s going on?? Is this just saber rattling? ? I don’t think the US will ban TikTok completely, but a gradual hobbling of TikTok's distribution and audience is more likely, scaring off advertisers and parents too.? It’s not new advice, but it’s even more salient today – creators and brands need to diversify NOW, and build direct connections with top fans as well.

QUIBIS:?

• A Holiday Gift from Geekout creator Matt Navarra – a new super-informative WhatsApp news feed.??
• Yay transparency – now you can see WHY TikTok pushed a video to your FYP (nicely done TT!).
• Interesting data on the ecommerce platforms used by Instagram creators – Etsy FTW!
• YouTube testing emojis in live streams.? Will the innovation never stop?
• New YouTube features aim to cut down on abusive and trashy comments.
• Cocomelon and Cameo team up on Cameo Kids.? What’s next?? OnlyCoco? CameoFans?
• Everyone’s still downloading TikTok – but we might be running out of everyones.
• April Fools in December!? Alas Donpen we hardly knew ye.
• Interesting essay on how top social networks eventually fail.
• Legendary LA VC Mark Suster talks about how the valuation fixation of the last 7 years is ebbing – and why that’s a good thing.
• A Shorts creator shares his latest payout info, and it’s appalling (under $2,500 for over 50 million views). TikTok creator Luke Miani shared a similar miniscule payout calculation too. ? Shorts revshare can’t come soon enough.
• Great while it lasted – Meta shuts down innovative Super app.? Experimental drone and satellite division too.
• How much does it really cost to be a creator??
• New Snap study explores the relationship between GenZ and Brands – and of course positions itself as the best answer.
• The revival of Tumblr continues with new livestreaming capabilities.
• Irony alert: After a few months, Derek Yang releases #5 in his series of 7 Habits of Highly Effective Creators – Creating is Combining.?

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CRYPTIS:?

• Binance might be next – as the Web3 world waits creators should take heed.
• Boston Museum of Science enters the Metaverse with Roblox Mars experience.
• Congrats to Revel.XYZ – social collectibles app launches and announces $8M seed round.

GENIES:

• HBR weighs in on Generative AI.
• This McKinsey report on the state of AI – fielded in May and August -- feels outdated, even though it was released 10 days ago.?
• You’re much better off reading VC firm Antler’s new report on Generative AI – created over the last few weeks through research and interviews with industry leaders – includes 170+ platforms!
• Some of my favorite resources to keep up with this rapidly changing market.? First, VC firm NFX is “all in on Generative Tech” and just released an open-source market map of 450+ startups.? ? And my favorite newsletter by far is “Ben’s Bites” – comprehensive and fun to read!

Tip of the Week:? Tim Schmoyer with tips and secrets on building an effective Shorts strategy.

What I’m Watching:? Marques Brownlee on whether he can be replaced by an AI.

See you around the internet, and feel free to share this with anyone you think might be interested, and if someone forwarded this to you, you can sign up?and subscribe on LinkedIn for free here! And don't forget to listen to The Creator Feed - the weekly podcast Renee Teeley and I produce - get it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher!

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