????♂? Getting noticed in a crowded social space

Issue #342

So much this week. Check out our hot tip from MKBHD aka Marques Brownlee talking about how they make their phenomenally successful tech review videos - I was particularly interested in the role of context in storytelling. I’ll dwell on that another time. The creator economy continues to grow and creators are flocking to it. Overload is a thing but as media continues to fragment, audiences will be drawn to quality on their terms. Creators that serve their audiences will do best. Equally, platforms that serve their creators will thrive. I’d be watching those that share the revenue fairly. Happy Thursday, Simon.

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Influencers everywhere

Looking at data from 40,000 advertisers and 100,000 creators, a new report on influencer marketing promises big things this year. Influencer marketing is set to grow more than 12% to be worth USD 22.2 billion. The creator economy as a whole is predicted to surge from USD 191 billion this year to just under USD 529 billion by 2030. Another point to note is that there’s been a 93% rise in user generated content, essentially everyday creators without big budgets behind them. Are we seeing the levelling up of the creator economy?

Desperately seeking engagement

With the creator space seemingly open to anyone with an idea and smartphone, which platform should they go to for engagement? The latest social media benchmarks study looked at 125 million posts from 2023 to 2024. If you want big engagement numbers you need to focus on TikTok and Instagram. There is still quite a difference between these two platforms though, with TikTok enjoying a 2.50% engagement rate and Instagram 0.50%. When it comes to organic reach TikTok is number one, while it’s now virtually zero on Facebook and X (Twitter). TikTok also wins on Likes, which means users are engaging with the least possible effort. While Instagram is down on likes there are more DMs, meaning users are more willing to interact. What does it all mean? You can’t rely on one platform.

Content overload and trust

It’s no surprise to anyone who even just glances at a social platform that we’re currently living through the content overload era. Your average user is posting content, as well as brands, influencers, and traditional media. With AI now the norm we can enjoy even more generic content. So how do you establish trust with an audience that is understandably tuning out? While content goes large, creators need to go small. It’s all about targeting the niche audience with messaging they understand—finding your tribe and speaking to them. Oh, and don't let AI do that for you.

Cool Tools

The Hasselblad X2D 100C is the kind of camera that makes other photographers stop and stare. It's basically a USD 8,500 chunk of perfectly machined aluminum housing a 100-megapixel medium format sensor — and that's before you even get to the lenses. The image quality and color science are just ridiculous, especially for studio work and portraits, and everything about it feels like it was engineered to outlast time itself. It's absolutely stunning and complete overkill for anything resembling normal photography. I love that it exists, but I also have to laugh at how beautifully unnecessary it is for most of us.

Hot Tips

Storytelling is not dead. Even while the pressures of virality encourage trendier, fluffier content, and new tools enable faster production with less effort—thoughtfulness matters, intentionality matters, and passion attracts passion. At least that’s the message we are getting from this insider account of how videos at MKBHD (one of the biggest tech YouTubers in the world) are made. The video is packed full of great tips.

Viral Hits

What started as a cheeky TikTok parody has snowballed into 2025's most unexpected social media hit. New Zealand creator Julian Sewell's fictional character Paloma Diamond—supposedly an “18-time Oscar nominee” with a flair for dramatic roles—has sparked a wave of creative spoofs across platforms. His original 2023 video mocking Oscar-bait films not only racked up 3.6 million likes but spawned an entire fictional universe, complete with Sewell playing Paloma's melodramatic rival Lorelai Lynch, as TikTok users eagerly jump in to expand this make-believe awards season.

Stuff from us

Office moves can bring out everyone's true colors - in our case it’s mostly laziness. In our latest work with Prudential those personalities are laid bare. These TikToks are basically a mirror - and I'm not sure whether to laugh or feel exposed.

Happy Thursday

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This week’s newsletter was written by Simon Kearney , Tim Colman and Jeko Iqbal Reza . Edited by Andre Howson . GIF produced by Ilka Tishia D. .