Two Million Creators Making Six-Figures. Forbes covered a new report by investment firm SignalFire that found globally, there are over 50 million people who consider themselves online creators, with two million of them earning six-figure salaries on YouTube, Instagram, Twitch and other platforms. These numbers are significant considering the majority of content on these platforms is created by individuals and not corporations. Yuanling Yuan, senior associate at SignalFire said, “It’s in the last 10 years, after the birth of these media platforms like YouTube, Snapchat, Instagram, etc. that has given rise to this new sentiment of, ‘I am going to be in control of my own destiny and I will work for myself.’” With the help of Gen Z, the number of creators globally making six figures is predicted to increase to at least 100 million.
Viral Video Earns TikTok Star A New Ride. As a thanks for all of the free publicity it earned the company, Ocean Spray awarded an Idaho man a new truck after featuring its beverage in a video that became a viral sensation. After his car broke down on the way to work, Nathan Apodaca posted a video of himself riding a longboard down the road, lip-syncing Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” while drinking Ocean Spray. The video has more than 21 million plays, and Mick Fleetwood even posted his own version of the video as his first TikTok post. “Aside from making him an instant star, the video brought Ocean Spray a tidal wave of free publicity. Now, the juice company’s giving back — this week it surprised Apodaca with a new ride,” reported CNN.
Zoom Launches A Marketplace For Content Creators. This week Zoom launched ‘OnZoom,’ a marketplace designed to improve virtual events and content monetization for small businesses. In a blog post, Zoom described the new feature as “a one-of-a-kind online events platform and marketplace that supports – and salutes – the creativity, perseverance, and innovation that enabled so many people to adapt their in-person events to virtual or hybrid experiences.” Paid Zoom users will be able to create, host and monetize a variety of events such as concerts and workout classes.
Education During The Pandemic. A New York Times article outlines some of the positive outcomes of virtual education and the importance of the internet during the pandemic. From a ‘coronavirus syllabus’ that went viral on Twitter, to team teaching, to increased student mental health monitoring — virtual education has heightened creativity and innovation in a number of ways. “I absolutely believe that we are going to come out of this pandemic having learned a great deal about how to deliver quality instruction to students,” said Chris Cerf, former deputy chancellor for New York City’s Department of Education and founder of a nonprofit called Cadence Learning.