#also. I don’t support the co-creator of this game chat

[crescentdream3r]

dandy’s world kinsona time let’s go

[cartograffiti]

Kinds of fan creation events and how they work!

Challenges, including calendars and bingo

This is the broadest event type. Many challenge types have distinct own names and format designs, but all involve a time limit and a theme. The best way to organize one is to pick a subject or format with a medium degree of specificity, like supporting characters or drabbles, but big fandoms can get more granular and still have a great turnout. I recently ran a 6-week challenge encouraging a fandom with a lot of new growth to “weird the tag,” and that was a blast!

One popular subtype is calendar challenges, mostly aimed at artists. These are classically daily prompts for a month, like Inktober and its many riffs, but some more narrow prompts like mermaids for Mermay have widely been reinterpreted to make a single, substantial piece during the right time. Bingo cards are also fun for all mediums, though they can be tricky to balance—whether you’re issuing everyone the same card or letting them be generated from a pool (like in Bad Things Happen Bingo), a funky distribution of difficulty can make a line hard to complete.

There are very few stumbling blocks in a challenge. If you don’t finish, you just try again another time! They’re also easy to run, as most of the work is preparation. They tend to be less social than many events, but that can be a blessing, and they’re very new creator-friendly.

Prompts, including timed events and kinkmemes

Timed events with prompts work a lot like challenges, but with works being submitted under a given prompt instead of simply responding to the general theme. Usually multiple people can fulfill the same prompt, and nobody is assigned to any particular one.

Sites with nested commenting, especially LiveJournal and Dreamwidth, work best for hosting prompt lists with no deadline or end date. People list prompts they’d like to see in the fandom, and when someone has posted a work fulfilling it, they reply directly to let OP know. These can be called promptmemes, but they’re more often called kinkmemes, even when not specifically sexual.

Bangs, including big bangs, mini bangs, and reverse bangs.

In a big bang, a group of writers submit summaries of a wip to the event mods, and the mods anonymize them for a group of artists to name their favorites. The mods match them into pairs so the writer-artist team can collaborate to complete an illustrated fic. Everything gets posted on a set day or period of days, so it’s like an explosion of new work (“bang!”)

Big bangs usually have word count minimums in 5 digits and sometimes ask artists to complete multiple pieces, while mini bangs do the same process with a lower minimum, usually a 4 digit number, and consistently ask artists for a single piece. Reverse bangs have artists create an artwork first, and then writers are paired with them to write an accompanying fic inspired by the piece.

All types of bang really shine for pulling together different corners of a fandom. In addition to introducing people who work in different mediums, because submissions for matching are anonymized and wips are kept secret until posting, there’s a leveling effect: big name fans and newcomers share the shine, and it’s hard to game the system to get paired with your friends. Most bangs make a chat group for co-working (Discord or elsewhere), so it’s easy to bond with other participants!

They’re a bit complex to run (matching is real work!), and deadlines matter a lot, since there’s at least one other person relying on you to finish. I’ve seen the bang format criticized for reminding participants of business transactions by emphasizing these timetables as a commitment. Good mods always frame it as fun, but if you don’t have a handle on how fast you work, or how to gauge the size of a new project idea, it’s easy to bite off more than you can chew.

Exchanges

These are often fic-for-fic or art-for-art, but many are mixed. In all exchanges, participants choose some tags (subjects they’re willing to offer), and some they’d like to receive. They then create a work for their assigned recipient, respecting wants and do not wants (DNW), and receive a work from the person assigned to them. These are almost always different people, but it’s common for people with shared interests to get assigned into “loops” (A wrote for B, B wrote for C, C drew for A) even when matching is done by Ao3 code.

Exchanges are really exciting since there are waves of anticipation—what have I been assigned? What did I get? Who wrote my fic, if authors were kept anonymous for a week? They work great for any size of group, and for multi-fandom or single-fandom events. The tags to choose from can be assembled by event mods, or submitted by interested folks and then approved, so it’s easy to see what directions people are interested in before you sign up, and solicit people to join you. Exchanges also have a strong culture of “treating,” writing additional fics for requests that caught your eye, or your friends, even if you didn’t formally sign up.

Like bangs, there’s a greater degree of commitment to finish on time because someone else is counting on you. Well-run bangs have rules about when you can default without penalty and let a ��pinch-hitter” take over the assignment, how to get off the blacklist if you didn’t follow through, and what they’ll do if anyone doesn’t have a gift when the collection is meant to open. Sometimes exchanges that are having trouble finding a pinch-hitter for someone whose assigned gifter had to drop will delay reveals (“hold the collection hostage”). If you struggle with things not happening on time, stick to larger exchanges, since they’re less vulnerable to this.

Fandom parties

In a party, everyone is grouped into teams to make the greatest number of fanworks during the event. They usually run for a week, with broad daily prompts (like a character name, season number, or motif), and every work submitted is a point. These works must be put together, from beginning to submission, within the 24-hour period of the prompt.

The first time I did a party, it rewired my brain chemistry for the better, because it pushed me to let go of some perfectionist and self-critiquing habits. I’ve put out more fics I’m proud of ever since. Better still, the party culture emphasizes inclusion of fan creations beyond the big two: Gifs! Edits! AMVs/fanvids! Cosplay! Crochet! Filk songs!

The competition and short turn-around can be hard on those with a tendency to overwork or blame yourself if your team falls behind, so they require some self-awareness to stay fun. Parties often allow submissions to count for points without being publicly posted, which can help! (For example, you might submit an unpolished fic and post the revision later, or submit a cosplay despite not wanting your face on that blog.) My experience with team rivalries has only been low-stakes and appropriate, but it’s another unusual element to not be caught off guard by.

Jams

These are most popular with any kind of project or fan labor that involves the word “edit.” Video, gif, and screenshot editing; podfic recording; fandom wiki and resource brush-ups; sharing your wips around and leaving each other feedback.

They usually run between a few hours to a week, and often don’t carry any expectation of being done at the end. They’re more about making progress, camaraderie, and sharing techniques.

Zines and e-zines

This is the trendiest event format right now! They spun off the broader culture of zines: self-published arty magazines and short books, popular for sharing ideas in the diy, punk, and queer scenes as well as fandom spaces. Outside of fandom, they’re usually printed by the creator physically operating the machinery in limited runs. In fandom, they’re usually digital (e-zines), and when they’re physical, the organizers have usually paid a printer to do the run for them.

Unlike any other format on this list, fandom zines usually work on an application and approval process. Instead of signing up and being for sure in, the mods choose a selection of interested people to proceed with their pieces and be included in the zine. Unfortunately, this means the barrier to participate is higher, with big name fans and personal favorites or friends prioritized. I do like that they’re more art-forward than many formats, even often art-only, and it’s fun to be in a group exploring an interest or making a point together.

E-zines are often free, and physical zines almost never are. Either way, profits might be given to charity, donated to the creators of the canon (such as in the case of indie podcasts), or split among the contributors. Whether you’re applying or buying, read carefully about paid zines to make sure you’re comfortable with where it’s going, and know that there’s always risk involved. Scams and mismanagement do happen.

Auctions

Fandom auctions are charity events, raising money for organizations or sometimes the fandom’s own community members in need. Like parties, auctions put more than usual emphasis on fan edits, and also labor such as bookbinding, sensitivity reading, and proofreading.

Usually, participants donate their time by offering a small number of tasks and fandoms, and their resulting work is a gift in acknowledgement of bidders’ donations, with their preferences in mind. It’s a lot like exchanges, but instead of getting a gift back, the creator gets satisfaction from raising money for a good cause.

Like with paid zines, when there’s money involved, you need to read the details with care. It’s also easy to fall into the trap of thinking of bids as what your work is “worth” to people, and you really need to have a backlog of completed projects for bidders to see your style, so this is better attempted after you’ve been around the block a few times and feel confident in yourself.

Other games (masquerade, round robin, art rotations, exquisite corpses...)

A lot of other fun games are worth knowing about if you’re thinking about an event for a small or existing group! One I love the sound of is masquerades like this one, in which people disguise their styles and even imitate each other, and then have a round of guessing. Round robins involve sending a fic wip to a succession of people, who each write a suggested amount of words (usually in the hundreds) to further the story that’s there. Have people volunteer to be the beginning and end before you start! Art rotations aren’t actually a coined name, I’m inventing it on the spot. This is when a pair or trio of artists each do a different layer of a drawing (like one does lines, the other does colors, or a trio does pencils, inks, colors) so that they have the same number of finished collaborations as people in the team. Exquisite corpses are drawings, stories, or image sets where you only see what the previous person did (or a sliver of it) when adding your part.

~~~

I’m sure there are others I’ve overlooked, but hopefully this helps inspire you to look out for or organize some new events in your fandoms!

[gaming]

We’re back with another Pride 2019 Spotlight. This time we had the pleasure of interviewing Twitch Ambassador and role-play content creator Nikatine (@nikatineprime). Nikatine is a full-time streamer and co-founder of Transmission Gaming, a community for trans people to get together and play games. We caught up with her about the video game community and what pride means to her.

How would you describe yourself in just a few sentences?

I’m Nikatine, Twitch Ambassador and role-play content creator. I play a lot of over-the-top characters, and I’m a full-time Twitch streamer. I’m also a trans woman!

What is Transmission Gaming? 

Transmission Gaming is an awesome community for trans people to get together and play games. I helped found the server a couple of years ago. We were featured on the big HBomberguy charity stream, and now have around 2.5k people in our community. There’s also a Twitch Stream Team!

How have video games allowed you to help others in your community? 

Video Games were my very first introduction to exploring my gender identity; getting to play a female character in games was so important to me as a kid. As an adult, Transmission Gaming has allowed me to connect and play with other trans people in a safe environment where we don't have to worry about our voices or appearances. It is extremely fulfilling!

What does Pride mean to you? 

Pride is about strength. It’s about finding that drive inside you to walk tall for those who can’t just yet. It’s about setting an example and being proud of what makes you unique. Pride is, and always has been, about love.

How can we continue to support the LGBTQIA+ community?

Unfortunately, the LGBTQ+ community is still silenced in many parts of the web. The best thing anyone can possibly do for us is to simply listen, and take action in service of, not against, the queer community.

Want to follow Nikatine? Point and click on whichever link you fancy:

Watch | Read | Support | Chat | Treasure | Savor | Collect | Own

And be sure to check out some more awesome LGBTQ+ gaming content creators on our other Pride Spotlights!  

[ask-drunk-wheeljack]

About Wheeljack!

[[mun post]]

I thought it might be helpful to people RPing with me for me to have an about thingy with some stuff specific to my iteration of Wheeljack, so here it is! This includes character development from previous rp I’ve done as well as my personal headcanons and backstory.  I will update as necessary.  Since a lot of these hc’s are angsty and possibly triggering to some readers, I’ll put everything under a read more.  It’s also gon be heckin long.  

CW: mental illness, abuse and neglect mentions, miscarriage mention, drug/alcohol use mentions, NSFW mentions

Backstory

Early life:

Jackie was abandoned by his creators when he was less than a month old.  He was unwanted, so they dumped him at an orphanage.  He didn’t even have a designation (name).  He was neglected heavily and required nursing back to health upon arrival

He was adopted, then returned several times.  His broken spark bond made him difficult to bond with.  He also cried a lot and was an emotionally fragile sparkling.  He ended up with abusive families as well, who refused to be patient with him.  He was made fun of by other sparklings for being a “crybaby” and for being plain (he was white without any detailing when he was a sparkling, he’s had detailing added because he’s self conscious of his coloration even today), as well as being taken back by several families

he had his first crush on a homeless sparkling residing near where he was at the time.  He was returned yet again and lost contact with him, meaning he lost yet another person he cared about.  He stayed out of relationships for quite some time after that, believing he would never find love again

He got a job at the human equivalent of 14-15 to get out of the system.  It was illegal for him to have a job of the sort he had (he worked in a chemistry lab without proper training), so he was subjected to abuse from his superior.  He was used almost daily, to “return the favor” of having a job that could support him at such a young age.

He began doing a lot of drugs and he drank a lot once he entered academy to become an engineer.  He stayed out of relationships but did a lot of interfacing not only because he was needy, but to forget about his other, negative experiences.  He regrets doing this now since there’s pictures/films of him on the data net somewhere.

He played with spark play with someone he was hooking up with at the time.  He messed it up and got sparked, but when the sparkling was supposed to drop into his gestational chamber, it didn’t form correctly and re-merged with his spark.  His spark is now irregularly shaped due to the partially formed bitlet merging back with it.

Due to this, his spark beat will occasionally be irregular.  It scares him at times, but he fully believes his sparkling is trying to speak to him through the irregular beating.

Younger years:

he met Ratchet and fell very, very hard for him.  He never wanted sparklings since he was treated so badly as one, but he wanted nothing more than to have a family with Ratchet.  He was going to propose to him, but his fear of commitment still lingered

He and Ratchet were friends with benefits for a while and partied together a lot.  He fell very hard for the medic in that time.

He left to join the wreckers during the war, unknowingly leaving Ratchet sparked.  He couldn’t figure out why his spark hurt constantly during his absence, attributing it to having his spark broken from leaving Ratchet, not knowing his sparkling was trying to obtain spark energy from him.

He sank back into a cycle of drinking and partying, doing his best to forget about his spark break.  He didn’t really interface much since he missed the way it was when he was in love.  It hurt (since Jackie is a very needy mech in that aspect) but it just wasn’t the same without Ratchet.

General Facts

He still parties, but he is far less self destructive than he used to be (he needs to work on not drinking when he’s sad).  He always has a cube of high grade around for anybot wanting to party with him or simply relax and chat.

He is still a little bit internally fragile; he has flashbacks occasionally, and he suffers from night terrors and sleepwalking.

He’s an excellent cook.  Boy can cook and bake just about any sort of thing you can imagine.  

He loves spicy snacks.  He doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth but won’t turn down some good sweets.

He’s terrible at comforting people, but will do his best.  He’ll likely offer you a cube of high grade cos that’s how he deals

He will joke and tease you endlessly.  That’s just how he shows affection.  Tell him to back off and he will

Jackie doesn’t really stick in one relationship all that much, but when he does, he’s literally the best boyfriend.

WheelRatch au (main au you will see come up on my timeline):

He was reunited with Ratchet and became conjunx with him.  Ratchet was still in love with him, and he was still in love with Ratchet, so their flame was reborn quickly.

Jackie has adopted several children as his own.  He loves giving a good family to bots that don’t have one, just like he didn’t.

Having Ratchet (and now pharma) to cuddle him at night greatly reduces his night terrors.

He reunited with Pharma (whom he had been with when he was young), not knowing who he was, and fell for him.  They are now conjunx as well and have recently found out who the other is (that pharma is Jackie’s first crush he knew all those years ago)

SG! AU

Horrible boy.  Do not trust this mech

He is a hitman and deals drugs on the side, as well as selling parts from his victims.

He has been to medical school and has a medical degree

He will play your mind, either for fun or to get information about his next victim.  If he’s playing for fun, you’re screwed.  Because if you become wise to his twisted game, you join his victims in the scrap heap.

His methods of killing are varied, but normally he befriends the victim and asks them to come over.  Usually he’ll play a bit before he finishes them (he has a torture room in his base of operation, Ratchet runs a torture room in the basement), but if he’s pressed for time he usually tears out their vocalizer and tears out their spark.  Everything else is Ratchet’s doing.

He is conjunx with Ratchet, but has no sexual loyalty whatsoever (granted neither does Ratchet).  He will interface with anyone and everyone.

He and Ratchet can hardly be considered “lovers”.  They merely have an unwritten contract that they don’t turn each other in, ever, nor do they kill each other.  They bail each other out, but at a great cost.  They are fairly regularly experimenting on each other while the other is in recharge.  They don’t have to trust each other; they know full well what’s happening but revel in each other’s sickness.

He gives off a warm aura, which causes people to trust him.  Since he makes so much money in his business, he has the money to buy them drinks or spot them when needed.

He thrives off of having power over others.  Some of why he loves his job so much.

I repeat.  Do not trust him.

Human AU

As a young boy, Jackie was abandoned at an orphanage.  He did get adopted but his parents didn’t generally care about him.

He became a notorious troublemaker at school, but he only ever got into fights with the bullies and defending the kids that got picked on

He barely scraped by with his grades, instead opting to use his parents’ lack of caring to grow and sell drugs, as well as hook people up with other goods and services

He was that kid who always “knows a guy” and made money as a middleman

As he got older, he got into playing with computers and hacking, as well as fixing things.  He became quite good at fixing things on his own, and started making money fixing things for people.

As an adult, Jackie went on to become a mechanic.  He generally enjoys what he does

He’s very similar to his robot counterpart otherwise.

[halloweeniseveryday-blog1]

She has bathed in beetroot

She has bathed in beetroot, set her nipple on fire and has spent 16 hours at a time on camera. Domino wakes up at 8 am every morning and performs booked shows for clients paying between $US90 and $US120 an hour. That's about sixteen times her state minimum wage, and she doesn't have to leave her bedroom. If a client wants to book through MyFreeCams rather than sending money directly, Domino charges double. There's not a cent lost to a middle man. It seems like a pretty swell setup: "I love my job," Domino gushes. "I can work when I want to, as much as I want to, [and] nobody can tell me how to do my job." She's right. At her strip club, she was required to come in four to five days a week, spinning on a pole. Now, she can work all day. Or not at all. The last time we spoke, she was working on an ebook project, spending her time as she pleased.For the unfamiliar, camming is where clients pay to either watch a livestream of or have an individual video chat with a sex worker. It can’t be pirated and watched for free because the whole point of it is that it’s intimate and personal—you’re actually interacting with the person behind the screen.Model, producer and co-creator of YouTube channel ComeCurious, Reed is essentially the physical embodiment of sex positivity, which she defines as trying to make people feel like what they’re doing and what they’re into isn’t wrong, it’s normal and it’s absolutely fine.” She’s a huge advocate for removing stigma and taboos around sex, and we caught up with her to learn more about webcamming, a line of sex work that is seldom talked about.

It is true that when I am up on stage I feel powerful. In my 7-inch heels and latex leotards and frilly skirts, my body feels beautiful in a way that I don’t see it in everyday life, and I feel confident and empowered. When the music comes on, I go with it, when I dance it is natural and it’s fun. The money is ultimately what I am here for, but this isn’t just something I do just to pay the rent. This is my art, and whilst I am making myself sexually desirable, nobody can objectify me, as I hold that power. I am in control, because I objectify myself, if you like.She started in the German porn game at 17, and moved on to cam modelling years later in Bangkok. Two years ago she was the number one rated model on MyFreeCams �� meaning her link was at the very top of the site's barren layout — bringing in around $US37,000 per month. These days, girls in those top slots can earn up to an insane $US75,000 per month. The competition is cutthroat. The MFC ratings battle is ruthless, as tips beget more tips: if you're being paid well, you move up the totem pole, ensuring a snowball effect of even more attention and money.Eventually I got a bit more adventurous. I hula­-hooped in my underwear while listening to the Arctic Monkeys. I also did yoga, live­painting with my back to the webcam in only a thong. I racked up a couple hundred bucks over a few days and cashed the cheque sent the next month. By this time I’d masturbated on camera for a few guys, but I was starting to get a little bit paranoid about my face appearing in an advert on another website somewhere and someone I knew seeing it. I have nothing against sex work, having worked in the industry three times now, but I don’t like the idea of say my boyfriend's brother or housemate or one of my own family members opening a webpage to a moving image of my face mid-­orgasm purely because well, I don’t think my family would support that decision."There's a lot of burnout in this industry," Domino tells me over the phone from one of the three houses she owns in Wisconsin — one of them a lakefront property outside of Madison. She says it with a serious voice that sounds a little tired.

Even so, it’s clear that Ona Artist really likes her job. People get into sex work for various reasons, but I think that what’s left out of the conversation around sex work a lot of the time is that some girls get into sex work autonomously because they want to, because they enjoy it, and because the money is good. Ona Artist got into camming because a photo of her butt went viral and she realized she could capitalize off of it.Studio 20 is the largest studio webcam franchise in the world. It has nine branches in Romania, including one employing "cam-boys" who service the gay market. Its other branches are in the Colombian city of Cali, Budapest and Los Angeles. "Not your average female. I'm the fabled nerdy, intelligent woman who plays video games, loves all types of movies and music, books, and other women. I'm hyper, I have a dry, dark, sarcastic sense of humour, and I quote movies. A lot. Imagine Wednesday Addams, Daria, Liz Lemon and Darlene Connor having an orgy. I'm the result.""Mostly they're nice guys, not crazy men," she says. "There are a lot of members looking for love. They want the connection. Some members want you to call their name. Or to talk to them while you dance and strip. I'm very honest with them - they know I have a boyfriend, and they know we are not going to have sex in real life." CONTINUED BELOW...

[lovenikkilibrary]

the great, big popnikki contributors post

Greetings from Miraland! Love, the POPNikki Team

That’s all of us. All 30+*. This is the team that’s worked (for a lot of us daily) since May to brainstorm, draft, and bring life to this crazy vision-turned-project. 

Now that we’re literally 30 days from Zine launch (and two weeks away from launching Site + our YouTube channel), I want to introduce you to everyone because POPNikki is not just the simple FanZine Project I started out asking fans to join. It’s since become a collective of like-minded creators, and don’t you think you’d like to meet all of us? 

*NOTE: Our FanArt Team Co-Lead Kira is technically missing from this group shot, but she’s with us in spirit and despite a busy schedule WILL make an appearance in our Summer Zine after all! ^^ Also not pictured is Site Team’s periidote and IRL Team’s Luna-- also with us in spirit!

Team Leads

POPNikki is divided into three divisions and each has its own subdivs requiring, well, WORK. The following group of Contributors help me keep each sector running smoothly (including a Contributor named Lilly who you’ll meet in the next section!).

The Librarian: Editor-in-Chief of POPNikki Zine and the founder of this operation, I have a toe in every division if I really think about it. But my personal skillset lies in brainstorming, cheerleading, and editing, which is why I head up the FanFic Zine Team and Co-Lead FanVid with Sea. ^^ Follow my blog for LN Resources. I archive them neatly so we can find them all again later ^^

Clow: Site Team Co-Lead, Developer, and Zine Editor (read: my partner-in-crime), Clow is a great collaborator who can take a vision, no matter how messy and turn it somehow into exactly what you need + want. Clow’s creative but modern style (and way of thinking) is reflected in the Site she’s helped design (can’t wait for y’all to join and see! ^^). You’ll want to follow Clow’s blog for all sorts of LN related posts, my faves being the lovely Starry Corridor photos found from all over.

Yoko: Unfortunately Yoko is taking a break from Tumblr, but when Site opens, we’ll update with a way to reach her! Yoko is the other Site Team Co-Lead and Developer whose incredible patience and research skills have helped bring Site to fruition. 

Ms. Loki: Ah, Loki... What can I say that you don’t already know? When I can’t find my head or my glasses (which often leads to me consistently uploading the wrong things), Ms. Loki is right there going above and beyond the call of IRL Team Co-Lead. Not only does she manage a group of Contributors (and I swear, most days, me!), but she also finds time to Contribute, herself! Look forward to her art and articles as she’s become a key part of our FanArt and IRL Teams. (And if you’re not already following for ALL OF THE LN THINGS... ^^ Ms. Loki is usually the OP!)

Val: FanArt Team Co-Lead Val has really had to step up this season due to an unexpected scheduling conflict. "Single-handedly” juggling a whole team of artists using a collaborative leadership style, Val has shown not only her skill as an artist but as a leader this term. Follow her art blog for a peek at her versatile art style or her personal blog to reciprocate the support she’s shown to POPNikki this Summer~

Sea: My FanVid Co-Lead and one of our three video editors, Sea is just amazing to work with. Perhaps it’s her eye for beauty (or the fact that she can find the beauty in everything), but every conversation ends in laughter and every problem finds a solution. She’s always ready to cheer our team on, so please do the same for her (and we’ll be sure to link you to her personal YouTube channel after Zine Launch!).

Dayan:  IRL Team Co-Lead and Artist, Dayan’s ideas and participation have both played integral parts in the fruition of this project. Dayan almost bursts with creativity and an energy that really keeps you going. Did you know that in addition to her LN Blog, she also has another blog for her art? I’m such a fan of all our Contributors, but there’s something so lovely about Dayan’s style that I can’t help but share every post. I feel so lucky to have her on board, and y’all are lucky too because you won’t have to wait for Zine before seeing some of her work. She’s also been working on a very fun Site Feature that will meet you guys once we launch! ^^

*Kira: FanArt Team Co-Lead (and supposed to be on break for this issue, Kira did a few of the background illustrations for Zine articles I know you are going to LOVE! If you don’t follow her LN blog, you’re missing out on a wealth of .png and background resources.

Site + Social Media Contributors

Lilly:  Despite a busy schedule offline this season, our Social Media Manager Lilly still managed to pull off a very special project, complete IRL and FanFic write ups, edit, and head the Social Media subdiv by some miracle over the past few months (thank you so much). Lilly’s eye for detail has been extremely valuable and so when you go to follow her LN blog, be sure to note how you’ll only be getting the good stuff over there ;) You may also get to chat with Lilly at some point if you follow us in her domain-- the POPNikki Tumblr (and soon, our other social media).

Red: Our IRL, Site, and Social Media Contributor, Red, has been such a gift to this project. In Fall, we can’t wait to show you the fun project he’s been working on, but in the meantime, look forward to his Game Guides. Are you counting down the minutes with us? Red can be found here and here on his LN specific blogs! 

Royce: Royce recently joined POPNikki but has hit the ground running. Now our go-to for Site graphics, we can’t wait to hear how you like the awesome visuals Royce has whipped up! You may already know to follow his LN blog for only the best Royce RP aesthetics on the block. Blue roses to anyone who does XD (or check out his OCs RP blog)  

Clark: Part of our Social Media subdiv and working on a super fun, super secret FanFic project for a future Zine edition (why yes we are thinking about Fall...), Clark’s been a supporter of this project from the get-go. Follow him for fun from a slew of different fandoms (Monster High meets LN, anyone? I’m just sayin’).

periidote: periidote is a Site Team Contributor who will be helping with Site FanPOP Features starting end of Summer/ early Fall! Follow periidote’s LN blog here and get ready for great content from her~

YouTube Contributors

Legs: My go-to video editor in a pinch (whether it’s for advice or for help or to make sense of this vision I had in a dream...), Legs always returns a product above and beyond expectations. July 18th, y’all. Be ready! And in the meantime, follow Legs, for game-related jargon (including but not limited to Love Nikki)

Haley: FanVid Team Contributor and YouTube Channel manager. Haley is always full of great ideas, but when YouTube opens, feel free to drop us comments with even more! 

Brittany:  FanVid Team + FanFic Team Contributor Brittany is also one who’s always brainstorming. We can’t wait for you to see her tutorials and meet her ideas in Zine when it drops this August! 

LittleAvalonia: I’m very excited for what the future holds with an actress like LittleAvalonia on our team. Funny (and having fun), LittleAvalonia brings a new element to LN FanPOP that we can’t wait to share with you. 

Witchy: IRL + FanVid Team Contributor, Witchy, is a gem in the POPNikki Contributor pool. Look forward to Halloween (feels so far, I know!) when we debut their sketch(es ^^) and articles. In the meantime, follow Witchy to check out their art and more.

Joltik: Our newest video editor thanks to her enthusiasm and helpfulness after our latest Open Call, Joltik is already hitting the ground running in her new role! Full of ideas and ready to work, I feel so grateful she’s joined our team! ^^ Don’t forget to give her a follow for LN related tips, tricks, and info. 

twinklebear: Joining us with awesome content come Fall, twinklebear helps out where needed, particularly in Site Team and of course, here in the FanVid group. ^^ 

Zine Contributors: 

Donsveertje: Donsveertje (known as Beetle to me) is a phenomenal artist who answered a POPNikki Open Call. Happy to help with any project when time allows (and actually working a few zines at the moment!), Beetle has great energy, ideas, and can really bring your vision to the page. The laughs are a blessed bonus. ^^ 

Fishbone: The more I work with Fishbone, the more I fall in love with her work. An artist who’s willing to try different things (no matter how crazy they sound) until they work, Fishbone is such a dedicated and positive team member. With like a million Tumblr accounts XD (follow them all here and here and here as well!).

ArtisticArmoury: Another Open Call gem, ArtisticArmoury has been so great to work with. Every part of the process is not only well done but also fun as we’ve been having a blast adding even more expression and visual color to the FanFic Feature he’s now a part of. Check out ArtisticArmoury’s art or personal blogs to get a sense of his work. 

Inky: Also finding the time between a tight schedule, Inky has jumped into this project as an artist from an Open Call. You may recognize Inky as the artist of that awesome piece re: the doctor. But Inky has another, strictly LN blog that I hope you’re following because it is full of fun LN stuff (like important update infos but also MEMES y’all). 

Zemiki: Zemiki is a Feature Artist in the POPNikki Zine Summer Issue. Already known for her great work, Zemiki’s providing several original pieces for fans to enjoy to accompany our second FanFic Feature! Get a feel for her style by following her art or personal blogs. 

Astie:  IRL Team Contributor Astie has an unstoppable energy that brings life and joy to the POPNikki Team. Look forward to the article Astie has prepared for y’all in Zine this Summer (while we work on finding the link to the Tumblr-- we’ll update you on Site after the launch! ^^).

Roulette:  Roulette is such a hardworker for Zine I cannot. Contributing content to both IRL and FanFic Teams, Roulette writes articles and provides Spanish translations for our guides. Give her a follow! (EDITED TO UPDATE: her blog link! Here’s the best account to reach her at~)

Sophie: My writing buddy, I could honestly send all of the virtual hugs to Sophie. Working together on her FanFic Feature story has shown me both her dedication to the game and being a writer-- two of my favorite things in the whole wide world! XD We also share a love of tea (which is besides the point, but still). While you await Zine launch to get a taste of her words, check out her Tumblr and say hi to my hardworking team member (whose mind and articles are split between FanFic and IRL)~

Yasjupe: Another FanFic Team Contributor (and Feature writer), Yas is a writer whose gorgeous ideas flow into gorgeous thoughts and words on paper. I think you’ll truly enjoy the story she’s been working on. Check out her Tumblr while waiting for Zine to drop! 

Megaera: After reading a fic by Meg re: Prehistory Lord, I knew she HAD to be a part of POPNikki’s FanFic Team this first issue. Megaera’s Summer Feature does not disappoint, and I count my blessings that I get to work with so many talented writers-- and read their work early, of course ;) Be sure to follow Megaera’s LN blog in the event she posts more fiction! She also has a personal blog you’re welcome to follow.

Rev: For this summer’s issue, IRL Team Rev teamed up with FanVid Team to create a sweet tutorial for you all. Honestly, you’ll be amazed, I think when Zine drops! In future, we might also see articles by this Contributor as Rev is known for helpful guides and great Starry Corridor pics! You can also check out Rev’s personal blog. 

Iri:  Many of you might recognize Iri for her helpful event guides and suit breakdowns on YouTube. We know her as apart of the team (and seriously, what a joy ^^)! Despite a hectic schedule, Iri has Contributed an article and exclusive interview for you guys this summer. Can you imagine what Fall will bring? If you’re already hype, subscribe to her YouTube channel to hold ya over to Aug. 1st ^^

Contributors Debuting this Fall 

Jace-Darkheart: Officially part of FanFic Team as a comic writer and artist, we hope you’ll get to see Darkheart’s work come Fall!

Ile: Though scheduling conflicts mean you won’t be seeing our Artist, Ile’s work this Summer, we hope you can find some in Zine this Fall! 

Luna: Though scheduling conflicts mean you won’t be seeing IRL Team Contributor Luna’s work in Zine this Summer, we hope you’ll be able to see her fun article on Site or in Zine by Fall!

Our Team is huge so following everyone might seem like A LOT. But don’t forget that you can follow @popnikkiofficial​ on Tumblr now to ask questions about the project and officially become part of the POPNikki Community here on Tumblr. In all honesty, y’all already are part of that Community, and I mean, so are we! So if you can’t follow all, here’s the best one! We’ll see your lovely comments and someone will be checking the POPNikki Ask box later this week to answer questions. (And, I mean, I’m always down to fangirl about this project lol!)

To all of the Contributors on this list (and to come), thank you all so much for making this thing happen. ^^

[shirlleycoyle]

Why This Teen Walked Away From Millions of TikTok Followers

This is part of a special series, The Future of Fame Is the Fan, which dissects how celebrity became so slippery. It’s also in the latest VICE magazine. Subscribe here. 

Sixteen-year-old Ava Rose Beaune was hanging out at a friend’s house on an otherwise unremarkable mid-July afternoon when her cell service briefly shut off. She tried to text her dad, but it wouldn’t send—definitely odd, she thought, but not alarming.

Then people started messaging her: Did you see what’s on your Twitter? Your Instagram? What’s going on? She logged on to her social media accounts and saw that her new Facebook status alluded to suicide—but she hadn’t posted it.

“My whole family thought I was going to kill myself,” Ava said.

Suddenly, a man she’d never met was calling her parents, demanding to speak to her. He had control of all her contacts, texts, emails, and social media accounts. The next day, he texted her: I just want to talk to you. (Spoken and written quotes from Ava’s alleged stalker are italicized to indicate they are not necessarily direct quotes but are as she remembers them.) He called her, and she answered, begging him to do whatever he wanted to her Instagram account, if that’s what he was after. “Delete it. Delete it and leave me alone if that’s what you want,” she told him. You don’t want that, he said. “I do,” she replied. I just want to meet up with you and have sex with you, he said.

“That’s when I hung up the phone, and I was like, this is getting weird,” Ava told me. This stranger had managed to hack her accounts using a method called SIM swapping, in which he contacted her wireless service carrier and convinced them that he owned the account and needed them to transfer access to the SIM card to the phone in his hand—effectively taking over her digital life.

In screenshots viewed by VICE, the hacker can be seen posting a Story to her Instagram about being Ava’s new boyfriend, issuing rape threats, and writing things like “I can’t wait til I impregnate you and marry you. you only live 5 MIN away from me.” She got her social media accounts back in her own possession and resolved the problem with her carrier. “OK, this is, you know, the end, whatever,” she recalled thinking.

With more than 2 million followers on TikTok, Ava was a minor celebrity in her own circles. So, she said, she was used to men being creepy, or even hostile. This was extreme, she thought, but it was over.

But it wasn’t. This was only the beginning of weeks of daily harassment so severe it would uproot her life entirely.

As of this year, TikTok likely has more than 1 billion monthly active users, and the market research firm Statista estimates that adolescents between 10 and 19 years old make up 32.5 percent of those users. The spiritual successor to Vine, TikTok is a micro-video sharing platform that favors an off-the-cuff, do-it-yourself style: People of all ages lip-sync to movie clips and songs, mimic elaborate dances in their living rooms, and use filters to edit the 60-second videos into tiny works of art. It’s also something of a fame lottery.

All this manic, frenetic energy combined with massive audiences is addictive in the same way any social media platform is: with casino-style scrolling and a notification system and the looming chance at virality. Normal teens like Ava—who signed with a talent agency in January 2020—become voracious consumers as well as unstoppable creators, hoping to strike it big, get discovered, or at the very least, make it to the For You feed, where one video plucked by some mysterious algorithm from a user’s feed can get in front of millions of eyeballs instantly.

“I’d rather not give those people the satisfaction of being noticed.”

Despite all this, cyberbullying experts say that TikTok isn’t the worst social media app for harassment. “The way that TikTok is built reduces the likelihood of cyberbullying when compared to other apps,” said Sameer Hinduja, the co-director of the Cyberbullying Research Center. Features like direct messaging that only allow mutual followers to contact each other, and the inability to add images or videos to comment sections, set it apart from other apps. “To be sure, cyberbullying can manifest itself in hurtful TikTok videos directed towards others, as well as in comments and in livestream chats—but these possibilities are no different than on any other social media app,” Hinduja told me.

According to TikTok’s transparency report from 2020, 2.5 percent of videos the platform removed were for bullying or harassment. But there are some features unique to TikTok that make it prone to a different, more personal kind of harassment. “Duet” allows other users to repost your video with a split-screen video of their own. Most of the time, it’s used innocently, for singalongs or miniature skits. But some users say it opens a portal for disturbing abuse. In 2018, BuzzFeed News reported that people—often young children—would duet their videos with a video of them acting out suicide, putting plastic bags over their heads or belts around their necks, to show their disgust at the original post. And a Duet from a more popular account can send a wave of attention from their followers to your page, not all of it positive.

Nick, who runs a TikTok account with his five-year-old daughter Sienna (the family goes by their first names publicly, to protect their privacy), told me that they experience Duet-based harassment on top of the usual comment section cruelty. “Some users would duet our videos and say mean, nasty things that were just not true,” he said. “In the beginning, it made us second-guess the path we were going down.”

It hasn’t stopped since they started the account, in October of 2018—and they’ve since gathered more than 14 million followers. But they have gotten better at managing it, Nick said. “Sienna is luckily very intelligent and knows that this is not OK. I made sure to sit down with her, emphasizing how special she is and that people may not see that right away.”

Nick believes TikTok does a good job of handling harassment, and giving creators the tools to handle it themselves. “If there is consistent harassment from a specific account, I block and delete their hateful comments,” he said. “For the negative comments in general, I tend to just ignore them. I’d rather not give those people the satisfaction of being noticed.”

TikTok does allow users to opt out of Duets. But these are the features that foster that slingshot fame; opting out of them means opting out of your chance at going viral or just growing your audience.

Fatima and Munera Fahiye, who are sisters and TikTok creators with around 3 million followers each, told me that they also find the platform to be responsive when they need support. “There were multiple accounts on TikTok impersonating me on the app, and TikTok helped me by verifying my account to let people know that my account is the real one,” Munera said.

Whatever harassment they do receive—which often means racist comments—they say is outweighed by the support of fans. “I have been on TikTok for a year now, and I have not experienced any harassment, but after gaining some followers I have seen some mean comments about my hijab every now and then, but I try to not give it any attention, because the love and support that I am getting from my fans is more than the little hate, so it does not matter,” Fatima said.

The harassment that happens on TikTok doesn’t stay there, however. On Reddit, whole communities are devoted to catching women and girls on social media in the middle of wardrobe slips, where you can see down their shirts, up their skirts, or anytime they shift and move and reveal a glimpse of more skin. Standalone websites are made for this purpose, too, and for doxxing and harassing women who might have a TikTok in addition to an OnlyFans or other separate adult platform.

In 2020, a server on the gaming chat platform Discord took requests for TikTok creators to be made into deepfakes—AI-generated fake porn. Although child pornography is against Discord’s terms of use, even in the form of deepfakes, one of the most requested targets was only 17. A request for another deepfake noted, “by the way she turns 18 in 4 days.”

Creators also find their content, clothed as in the originals or deepfaked, reposted to porn sites. In concert, the people on each of these platforms work together to create an overwhelming environment of virtual assault for many young women.

Until TikTok, Ava had never really been into social media, she told me on a Zoom call in her parents’ house. She was taking a break from high school distance learning; this was her senior year, spent over video chats because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I always told myself I’d never make a TikTok because my friends all had it and I was like, that’s so cringe,” she said. “Like, I’ll never start that. But they were like, ‘Come on make one,’ so I did.”

She said she made her first account when she was 15, and posted the usual stuff: trend dances, makeup videos. Within a few days, her audience went from the friends who talked her into joining to 150,000 followers—a leap in popularity that she still doesn’t entirely understand. The sudden attention startled her; she deactivated the account.

She accidentally reactivated the account later, and at this point, having gotten over the initial shock of attention, decided to give it another try.

A rock smashed through her mom’s car window with a threatening note tied to it: I want to take you and impregnate you.

Once Ava started posting new videos, the hateful comments started. “I thought that was like the worst it could get,” she said. “It was like, body shaming and hate—the body shaming especially never bothered me, and the normal hate comments were just like, whatever.” A few users created accounts to post rape threats about her, and this did disturb her, but she took it as par for the course as a young woman online.

That is, until one of her followers started stalking her and her best friend, Gabriel. That follower messaged Gabriel, mentioning her home address and demanding to know who she was dating. “So, we’re both kind of like laughing like this guy’s obviously just some weird fan,” she recalled.

I have something planned for Ava. You’ll see in the next three months. I’m planning something big, Ava says he told Gabriel. He hacked her phone three months later, on Gabriel’s 18th birthday. After that, the man texted Ava every day.

“It was stuff about how he wants to rape me, how he’s going to get me, how I can easily stop this—he was texting my dad saying, She’s not allowed to hang out with her friends, if she goes out I’ll know. Saying he’s watching over us and stuff like that.” Every time Ava thought the situation was as bad as it could get—that this man she’d never met was going as far as he could go—he went further.

Then a rock smashed through her mom’s car window with a threatening note tied to it: I want to take you and impregnate you.

Cyberbullying has proven long-lasting effects on teens and young adults. As Hinduja noted, studies show that it’s tied to low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, family problems, academic difficulties, delinquency, school violence, and suicidal thoughts and attempts.

“So at this point I was like, ‘OK, this is getting a little serious.’”

“Most important to me is how negative experiences online unnecessarily compromise the healthy flourishing of our youth at school,” he said. According to his and his co-director Justin Patchin’s research at the Cyberbullying Research Center, over 60 percent of students who experienced cyberbullying reported that it “deeply affected” their ability to learn and feel safe while at school, and 10 percent of students surveyed said they’ve skipped school at least once this past year because of it.

“That cannot be happening,” Hinduja said.

“In general, I hope people will remember that everyone is a human being just like them. We are all capable of feeling hurt and disappointment, and just because there are numbers and a platform attached to our lives doesn’t mean we are impervious to hurtful words or harassing comments,” Nick said. “TikTok is a space where everyone should feel safe to express their creativity, and in order to do that we need to be kind to others.”

Maxwell Mitcheson, Ava’s agent and the head of talent at TalentX Entertainment, told me that he’s seen harassment take a direct toll on young people. “A lot of creators are growing up in front of millions of people, and that involves making mistakes and learning and growing from them,” he said. “The hateful rhetoric definitely weighs on them; some don’t even look at their comments section anymore just to try and stay positive.”

“It’s the inability to make mistakes, being attacked for being authentically yourself, and the sudden lack of anonymity,” Mitcheson said.

Ava’s experience was on the extreme side, he explained, but creators at his agency have had instances of hacking and stalking, or fans randomly showing up at creators’ homes. “We’ve had to involve security and PIs before, but Ava’s was a situation that could have ended in tragedy if it weren’t for the Toronto police intervening.”

After the window-breaking threat, Ava said the police told her that she couldn’t stay at home. She went to stay at a friend’s house, but he still reached her there, she said. “He just kept going saying like, look at what you’ve done, this is all your fault,” she said. He sent her a private message that would delete after it was opened, so she recorded it using a friend’s phone:

I need you to accept the fact that I’m extorting you right now, you need to accept that this isn’t going to end no one’s gonna catch me, the police haven’t ever caught me when I did this before, accept it, give me what I want, I want you to meet up at this park right behind your house I want to do this this this this to you

if you don’t I will kill your parents in front of you in your living room and take you.

“So at this point I was like, ‘OK, this is getting a little serious,’” she told me.

She said she sent the message to the police, who told her whole family to stay somewhere else, hours away. They did, for two weeks. He kept texting her: are you going to be there Saturday you’re making the wrong decision you better answer me.

Eventually, Ava recalled, he was caught. He left the VPN he was using to mask his location off for a half a second, according to her—just long enough, she remembers the police telling her, for the investigators to capture his location data and pinpoint where he was texting her from.

Ava said that the police told her that when he was caught, they found six separate phones and a bunch of SIM cards in his possession—full of pictures and videos of Ava that he’d taken from her accounts. According to the Toronto area detective Ava and her family worked with, the case is still in the courts.

Talking to me now, over Zoom, in between classes and facing midterms, Ava seems fine. She’s able to recount this story in delicate detail, without flinching. She understands the gravity of what happened to her, and how it upended her life. Her family decided to move away, “to the middle of nowhere, pretty much,” she said.

But she is different now. She stopped posting to her TikTok to focus on her friendships and family, though she still posts sporadically on Instagram. She would like to be more active on social media, but she’s not pushing herself. She has anxiety that she describes as “really bad.”

“It’s really affected me, like, you know, just like not being able to live in your own home, and like, even when you are at home, not being safe… It’s really hard, especially when I was only 16 when this happened,” she said. “It is hard, and knowing that my parents were always stressed out and not being able to go outside and walk without feeling kind of scared…”

Before she stopped posting new TikTok videos, she tried to open up on the platform in videos about her mental health and her experiences. But people weren’t receptive to it.

“Especially when they’re like, Oh, a TikTok girl that all the simps love, or What are you complaining about, all these boys love you, kind of thing,” she told me. “I’ve been trying to go to therapy and trying to get over it, but when that kind of thing happens you’re not really the same afterwards. You have a different outlook on social media. You’re kind of scared of if it’s going to happen again. You don’t think those people exist until it happens to you, and then you’re like, wow, this is crazy.”

Online harassment has a silencing effect on people of all ages and genders, but women have it especially bad—and young women are pushed offline, out of the center of conversations and control of their own narrative, at earlier and earlier ages. As adolescents, harassment online makes them do worse in school, seek riskier behaviors, and contemplate or even attempt and follow through on self-harm and suicide. As grown women, this looks like anxiety, a lack of self-confidence, not sleeping, and stepping out of the online conversation altogether to protect their own mental health, and, in severe cases, the safety of themselves and their loved ones. When harassment is allowed to carry on, and women are shamed for seeking help, the damage digs deeper—and we lose those voices.

I asked Ava what she wishes more people understood—about her, about what it’s like to have a big social media following, about how it feels to have millions of eyes on you at such a young age. “I just wish they knew that just because you have followers, doesn’t mean you have this perfect life,” she said. “Just because boys love you, that doesn’t complete your life. When these kinds of things happen, you should be able to be open about it.”

Follow Samantha Cole on Twitter.

Why This Teen Walked Away From Millions of TikTok Followers syndicated from https://triviaqaweb.wordpress.com/feed/

[lastsonlost]

Now you all know how I feel about ACCUSATIONS. Even if I don’t like them HE IS STILL INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY NO IF ANDS OR BUTS PERIOD!

However MULTIPLE accusers ain’t a good look. So if that said on with the shit show.

ScreenJunkies, the home of “Honest Trailers,” suspended Andy Signore, creator of the popular online series, after multiple women came forward accusing him of sexual misconduct.

“We have been conducting a thorough investigation into allegations made against Andy Signore and are preparing to respond to those allegations and take appropriate action. Given the additional statements that were made today, we feel it is necessary to suspend Andy’s employment while we continue our investigation.  We will take all necessary action once the investigation is fully complete,” Defy Media, owner of ScreenJunkies, said in a statement Friday.

Signore has not responded to a request for comment.

One woman, April O’Donnell, a ScreenJunkies fan from Wisconsin, told TheWrap that Signore tried to sexually assault her repeatedly, and threatened to get her boyfriend, Joshua Tapia, fired from his job at ScreenJunkies if she spoke out. She said she and two other women went to the ScreenJunkies human resources department in July to complain about Signore.

Another woman, Emma Bowers, said that when she worked as an intern for Signore, he came across pin-up photos she had done in the past and wrote to her about “jacking it to you in your undies!” Signore then asked Bowers to come

over so he could do that in person.

“You can read a book for all I care,” she quoted him saying.

Bowers added that her interactions with Signore killed her interest in pursuing a career in costume design — the field where she hoped her internship might lead.

“So yeh, it’s not just Weinstein,” she wrote, referencing Hollywood titan Harvey Weinstein, the subject of a bombshell New York Times expose about his history of payouts to women who accused him of sexual misconduct. “I wish I’d fought more, wish I’d screencapped his messages, but I was young, scared, and dumb. So I didn’t. Girls in Hollywood get taken advantage of so much. I just want people to believe me when I say this happened.”

Another woman, Devin Murphy, tweeted “DM’s and an email he sent to me that scares me.” In the DMs, he repeatedly urges her to dress up in a costume.

Signore’s Honest Trailers pokes fun at popular movie and TV trailers. In the past, the series has skewed films like “Ghostbusters,” “The Mummy” and “Logan.” It launched in 2012 and its YouTube page has amassed over 157 million views. Screen Junkies, the channel that hosts Honest Trailers, has over 6.2 million subscribers. Signore is also the creator of Screen Junkies and the SVP of Content at Defy Media.

SO I GUESS THIS IS AN HONORARY MENTION BUT IT DON’T LOOK GOOD.

WELCOME TO THE WHITE KNIGHT

home to such dishonored alumni such as mr.  Christopher ( KIDDY PORN) John Goldberg.

In 2016, the vocal progressive and male feminist stepped down from his position as editor-in-chief of the Alamo Drafthouse-owned publication Birth.Movies.Death following allegations of sexual assault and multiple instances of sexual harassment.

According to the report, Goldberg had 53 pornographic images of small children between the ages of 4 and 14 years of age on his mobile phone. Additional images and video were also found on his home computer.

MATT HICKEY

Matt Hickey was an anti-Gamergate journalist who accused the movement of being “future rapists”. In fact, here’s his exact quote:

“#GamerGate is a bunch of women-hating future rapists!”

Matt is now facing 3 rape charges from women who allege that Matt sexually assaulted them. Matt has also been sued by an attorney general for running a fake porn agency scam. He set up a fake amateur porn organization and then tricked women into having sex with him, who thought they were auditioning for a porn video:

Anti-#GamerGate journalist Matt Hickey is not only facing multiple counts of rape charges in the state of Washington, but he’s also being sued by the Attorney General’s Office in Washington on consumer protection grounds. The suit came up after the Attorney General Bob Ferguson had the case brought forward where it was discovered that Hickey had been running his fraudulent porn recruitment agency for more than a decade in order to trick women into sleeping with him.

DEVIN FARACI

Devin was an editor in chief and writer for Birth.Movies.Death who stated that “The losers in #GamerGate are mad at women because women want nothing to do with them!”. You can read his article about Gamergate HERE.

Excerpt from the article:

Arguing with these people (Gamergate) has been eye-opening. A lot of these kids – and they are, without a doubt, largely kids – are simply ignorant. They don’t understand the world, and that includes everything from how gaming websites work to how people interact as adult, sexual humans….. They’re outsiders, losers, weirdos and freaks. And most of them aren���t just male, they’re white males…… They do it because they have been raised in a world where women are not humans but prizes, and so they can’t see them as individuals…..

Matt stepped down as editor in chief of Birth.Movies.Death in October of last year, after several women came forward to accuse him of sexually assaulting them:

The accusations surfaced on Twitter after Faraci shared his views on video tapes of Donald Trump bragging to “Access Hollywood” host Billy Bush about groping women. The movie blogger tweeted that he was “terrified” of the Republican presidential nominee and labeled his running mate, Mike Pence, an “ideological monster.” Faraci’s condemnation was widely retweeted, but one woman took issue with his statements, tweeting under the handle @spacecrone, “quick question:  do you remember grabbing me by the p—y and bragging to our friends about it, telling them to smell your fingers?”Other women offered their own stories of Faraci’s inappropriate behavior. He did not deny @spacecrone‘s accusations, tweeting, “I can only believe you and beg forgiveness for having been so vile.”Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas owns Birth.Movies.Death, which offers up casting stories, reviews, and trailers for cinephiles. The company declined to comment. In an exchange with Variety, @spacecrone said that Alamo Drafthouse founder Tim League spoke with her about her allegations and was “empathetic.”

Robert Marmolejo

Robert was a member of Zoe Quinn’s “crash overide network”, which was intended to fight against Gamergate and other forms of “online harassment”- in reality, the members of this group harassed more people that they people they were supposedly fighting against.

Robert, who commented on Gamergate last year, saying “we need to take action against #GamerGate and the ideology that spawned it!”, has been accused of rape by at least 20 women:

A male feminist deeply involved in Zoe Quinn’s Twitter-partnered “anti-harassment” organization, Crash Override Network, has been accused of harassing, stalking, and abusing female victims, in a series of tweets and leaked chat logs from the organization’s supporters….. Robert Marmolejo, who is reported to have helped manage Crash Override’s social media accounts, allegedly used his position and connections to abuse around twenty women online….Marmolejo, who was previously an active anti-GamerGate activist, and had repeatedly labelled conservative actor Adam Baldwin, and YouTubers TotalBiscuit and Sargon of Akkad as “misogynistic”, “sexist”, and “anti-woman,” deactivated his Twitter account after a series of apologetic tweets confessing to having “f**ed up.”Anti-GamerGate web developer, “Internet Abuse Specialist”, and feminist Izzy Galvez, who also happened to have been a member of the secret Crash Override group, tweeted on Saturday to confirm the allegations.“If you’re catching up: Over 20 women have come forward & revealed that Rob/UnseenPerfidy had sexually harassed them over DMs, Skype, etc” announced Galvez.

Jamie Killstein

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Jamie is a male Feminist American writer, radio host, and stand up comic who accused Gamergate of being about sexism, instead of ethics in journalism.

Jamie was booted from his podcast last month, after several claims of him sexually abusing women were brought forward.

Comedian and lauded male feminist Jamie Kilstein has departed the podcast he co-hosts amid allegations of manipulation and abuse from multiple women.On Monday morning, liberal independent podcast Citizen Radio and its co-host Allison Kilkenny announced that Kilstein would be leaving the program. Later that day, however, Kilkenny clarified that Kilstein’s departure from the podcast was a result of allegations of him preying upon, manipulating, and emotionally abusing women.In a Facebook post slightly detailing the decision, Kilkenny, who is also Kilstein’s ex-wife, wrote that “murmurs” of Kilstein’s abuse lingered in the past, but because of anonymity, she was “never able to learn the full scope of what happened.”That was until a few days ago, Kilkenny wrote, when “one of the women” who came forward was someone who had worked for the podcast, though she doesn’t mention how many women came forward initially. Kilkenny wrote that she asked Kilstein to leave the show, seek therapy, and apologize publicly. She said he has declined to do the latter, so she decided to clarify the situation in the post instead.“Without making this about me, I want you all to know I’m furious, crushed, and horrified by all of this. I always believed Citizen Radio was a genuinely safe space, and I’m trying to make it that way again,” Kilkenny wrote. “I’m so, so sorry for letting anyone down.”

Juan M. Thompson

Juan Thompson is a former writer for The Intercept who was later fired for fabricating and publishing fake stories. Juan wrote an article for the Intercept in 2015 accusing Gamergate of being a hateful group that threatens violence against “marginalized groups”.

He was later arrested by the F.B.I for making bomb threats against 8 Jewish community centers. The except below is taken from his Wikipedia page:

Thompson was arrested by the FBI in March 2017 for allegedly making bomb threats against at least eight Jewish community centers in the U.S. According to officials, Thompson phoned in and emailed many of the threats under his ex-girlfriend’s name within the preceding two months, in an effort to frame her. Thompson also allegedly made at least one threat under his own name, under the pretense that his ex-girlfriend was framing him. He had also emailed the Anti-Defamation League in his own name in late February, pointing to his ex-girlfriend as the perpetrator of all of the bomb threats.

Leland Yee

Leland is a former democratic senator of California who made a career of attacking violent video games and blaming them for youth violence. In 2005 after the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas ‘Hot Coffee’ mod was unearthed, Yee passed two California assembly bills that restricted the sale of mature video games to those under the age of 18 and where these games could be advertised.

Leland, who accused gamers of “violence against women”, was also a big fan of Anita Sarkeesian, who he described as “courageous”.

I commend Anita Sarkeesian for her willingness and courage to take on this important issue. For far too long, the video game industry has glorified violence against women and often depicted female characters as nothing more than sex objects. Such sexism is unacceptable and teaches our kids the wrong lessons. Those who have criticized Ms. Sarkeesian with such offensive comments should be ashamed. It is time for the industry to stop perpetuating stereotypes and further demeaning women.

Leland Yee was sentenced to jail on Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2016, to five years in prison by a federal judge for weapons trafficking (ironic). Someone who dedicated his life to complaining about violent video games is literally responsible for putting deadly weapons in the hands of bad people.

Here’s an except from a Washington Post article about Leland’s sentencing.

Yee served as a state senator and was plotting a secretary of state campaign when his political visions were curtailed by a federal indictment in March 2014. The arrest swept Yee and his associate Keith Jackson, 51, up in charges alongside some of the city’s most notorious characters, notable among them Chinatown gangster Raymond “Shrimp Boy” Chow.This Wednesday, Yee received a five-year prison sentence for accepting bribes and trafficking in arms. After initially denying culpability, Yee pleaded guilty to the charges last summer. These acts were discovered by undercover federal agents investigating organized crime in San Francisco’s Chinatown. Jackson, a former school board president who helped Yee facilitate the bribes, received a nine-year sentence.

WELCOME TO THE CLUB.

[robotloveskitty]

Good news and Bad news!

Ahoy there! It’s been awhile since you’ve heard from us, we’ve been very quiet on here since trouble began. 

Thank you for sticking around, we have really lovely fans, I don’t know what we did to deserve you all!

I have good news, and I have bad news, I’ll give you the bad news first. We are putting Upsilon Circuit into the “Cupboard of Lost Games” indefinitely.

The good news is that we aren’t giving up, and have a new game we’ve been working on called Super Tony Land that brings some elements of UC with it. ..But more on that later.

It was incredibly hard to write anything about UC. It’s been nearly a year since we initially halted production, but it still makes my chest tighten up thinking about it all. It took me 6 tries, but I did my best to write this, because I feel like I owe everyone the best explanation I can muster. I tried to really be open, because so often game cancellations offer very little real information.

Since this was a 3 year journey, it’s a long tale, so get comfortable!  

The concepts for UC grew from a small idea we had because I really enjoyed watching people livestream our (then) newly released game Legend of Dungeon. It grew into an exploration of mortality in games, and so much more. We loved and still love all the things that UC was supposed to become.

So, if we loved it, then why did it get cancelled?

If passion was all it took, I’m sure many other games would exist. Money, time, and luck seem to be big factors based on what we’ve seen and experienced. And the bigger your project, the more you need of each.  

It was an incredibly ambitious project for the two of us. We knew failure was very possible, and I’m proud that we tried anyway.

Why did UC fail?

The oversimplified answer would be that the scope of the game was too ambitious and we underestimated the time and money needed. In reality, for any project, there are many things that can go wrong that influence these things.

As with anything, it’s.. ..complicated.  But the big troubles for us were: Scope, pushing beyond our capabilities, jumping into a partnership for funding, and overwhelming stress.

The scope:

UC’s concept had many game elements highly intertwined and reliant on each other, so cutting features without changing the functionality and direction of UC was impossible. It was also difficult to explain fully to people, including our team.

Pushing beyond our capabilities:

We are just two self taught indie game devs. To make UC, we hired people, signed with a partner/incubator near the end, and then managed a large team, all for the first time.

In hindsight, these were things that we not only didn’t know how to do well, but also made the two of us very miserable.   

Jumping into a partnership:

Instead of scaling the project back when we realized our money would run out long before release, we pushed ourselves harder and kept going, and eventually signed with a partner to help fund the last leg of UC’s journey.

Signing with a partner or publisher and bringing in a larger team are very normal things to do in the industry. However.. they were entirely new to the both of us. Learning (about setting and meeting Milestones, dealing with various issues, and managing a large team) on such a complex project turned out to be very bad for us and UC. No one really did anything markedly wrong, but nothing seemed to go the way it was supposed to. Which in part led to the next point..

The overwhelming stress:

New to running a team stress. New to having partners stress. Crowdfunding stress. Partners pulling out mid failing crowdfunding stress. Having to tell a team “sorry and goodbye” stress. So much stress.

We felt like we had something that could change the gaming world forever, and we were so passionate about it. When things went belly up in the third year, the emotional hit was debilitating.

Bleh!

We really wanted to find a way to finish Upsilon Circuit anyhow, but the truth is, even if it wasn’t saddled with stress and emotional burden.. we’ve already put too much of our money into it. We can’t even support ourselves for long enough to complete a game this big right now.

Looking back on it all now, it’s hard not to feel like we were making a game that the world didn’t want. We knew that it was an out there idea, but that was why we felt that making UC was so important.

We knew publishers wanted something less experimental and risky.. But it was a bit surprising when the gaming community showed so little interest, since articles about UC had reached millions. 

When we lost our partner and shut down our crowdfunding campaign, we made a Patreon, and reached out to the tens of thousands of people on our newsletter. We didn’t get enough pledges to cover the cost of our shared office space, let alone paying even one person.

While there were people who were very generous and amazing, it felt pretty terrible to see something people had seemed so excited about struggling so much to get support when it was truly needed.

When we finally shut everything down, we both thought we might never enjoy making games again. We felt like garbage. We drowned in that for a long time.

You can learn a lot from failure, and we certainly did.

Things we learned from our failure (your own mileage may vary):

Take the project’s timeframe, and triple it. Then triple it again.

A unique idea can add an “I need to get this out before someone else does it” feeling. Let. That. Go. No good choices were made from that feeling.

Don’t bring on full time artists or audio people until the project is really ready for them, use placeholder art and sounds, when you can. Things change, and we redid a lot of our art.

Make sure all contracts clearly state what happens if things get cancelled, or situations drastically change.

Hiring more than one or two people means managing them part time, or full time. We now know that we hate managing people, and are terrible at it.

No matter how smart and awesome your team is, if you can’t get someone 100% behind your idea, your project will suffer.

Having a partner or publisher is a lot like having a boss while also being a boss. Some people like it, but we will likely stay indie or die trying.

Don’t sacrifice your own well being or happiness for a dream. Yes, we’ve sacrificed a lot in the past, we lived in a tree house in the woods so we could keep making games before. But there is a limit, and we found it with Upsilon Circuit, and we stubbornly ignored it and payed the price mentally.

Kittens make things a lot better.

If we had it all to do over again it would have been a very different game, but maybe we could have finished it, or at least avoided some of the worst moments.

So what now?

It’s been a year, and after many conversations, we have found no solutions for bringing back UC. ..But we have healed a little, so we are taking the ideas, story and world, and building them into our future games

We started working on a new game called Super Tony Land this year, and it will be part of UC’s legacy in its own way.

Super Tony Land is a physics platforming adventure game that has many worlds, a story, and easy access to user created levels and entire game worlds. Imagine if Cave story, Mario Maker, and Besiege had a dynamically lit baby.

In Upsilon Circuit the story was something we wanted the players to unfold and influence.. To give creation to the audience, experience it ourselves, and encourage Streamer/audience connectivity. To give real power to the players.

For Super Tony Land we’ve designed an extensive level editor, with visual programming blocks and NPC/Story tools. Anyone can build worlds or challenges in the free editor that we will be releasing alongside the game. We hope that communities and content creators will build and share their own universes, and we are looking forward to playing them!

Here’s the teaser trailer we just released! 

If you’ve been with us for the long haul, you might notice that this is actually a sequel to Tiny Plumbers!

This new game won’t be a lot of things that UC was, but it will be the game that the two of us made that helped us remember how important making games is to us.

It will be available on Steam this spring!

That’s about it for news!

Both of us are thankful to our team during UC’s development, and to our community and friends that have been there encouraging and supporting us throughout this journey. 

We will keep doing our best to make the games we want to see exist, for as long as we are able to make games.

Here are a few links you might want:

If you want to stay up to date on all things RLK, jump on Twitter!

If you want to chat with us or catch streams we have Discord

If you want to support development we have our RLK Patreon here

Thanks for your continued support and understanding!

Your co-pilot, 

Kitty

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This development must stop. This worked out here CS:GO because it would actually bake the hitboxes larger, in Fortnite, working with a new game engine, this simply smushes the character model down. Any perceived effect it has next to your own chance to show is a excuse. The designer can consider resulting in Fortnite's footsteps and putting new, limited-time game functions that sport with the BR formula, or perhaps map-changing aspects that keep the game environment new. Or Respawn can see PUBG and add another, smaller places with special server measurements to combine points up.

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A Magnificent Prediction for 2019: 55 Experts Share Insights for Marketing This Year

We’re sure your newsfeed is clogged with everyone’s predictions for the 2019 marketing year. So before you continue scrolling, here us out on why you should take a look at our list.

We’ve been running our mouths about content marketing for the last few years and while we may think we have all the answers, truth is, content marketing has truly picked up steam in the last few months. And it’s continuing to be the #1 topic for marketing strategies heading into the new year.

We chatted with 55 marketing experts on what they expect to see on the horizon for content marketing. Here’s to learning and growing from each other in 2019!

Ann Handley

Digital marketing & content expert, Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Keynote speaker, Writer

annhandley.com Ann’s LinkedIn

Organizers will treat their email newsletter programs like the rare and precious creatures they are, in need of regular love and attention.

“Hold up,” you’re thinking. “EMAIL? Is this 1999 or 2019? Isn’t this the age of AI and Facebook Live and video?”

Here’s why I believe in the power of email newsletters even more strongly today, as we head into 2019:

1) An email newsletter is the only place where individuals—not algorithms—are in control. So what if marketing leaned into that inherently personal space?

2) Most companies today use their email newsletter as a distribution strategy. What if we focused not on the news but on the letter?

In January I re-launched my personal newsletter as a way to converse directly to my audience. It’s taught me a lot about what works and what doesn’t in content and in marketing. Because I think the best email newsletters are also a kind of proxy for the best marketing in 2019, period.

Ted Rubin

Co-Founder Prevailing Path and MC/Host, The Rubin Organization

Tedrubin.com Ted’s Twitter

So I am not so much about predictions as I am about what should be happening. 2019, if brands are hoping to stay relevant and keep up with the content creation phenomenon, needs to be the year of Empowering Employees to Power your Brand.

It’s plain and simple—employee censorship on social channels is a disaster for brands. We can no longer control the message folks. The social framework is “bigger and stronger” than our puny frameworks. Instead of fighting it every step of the way, USE it to your advantage, or you’ll pay a steep price in diminished return. Your employees are the best way to humanize and personalize your brand… and truly the best way to scale relevant, contextual content creation

Did you know that employee created content (ECC) receives eight times more engagement than content shared from the company itself? On top of that, employee content extends brand messaging by over 500%. Crazy, right? So why aren’t more companies getting employees engaged in content creation? It’s well known that companies with engaged employees outperform their peers; involving employees in content creation can help to create a sense of common purpose.

The truth of the matter is that the social evolution is a business evolution. Only by changing our old frameworks can we possibly hope to succeed—because social has completely altered the business landscape. #ROE… Return on Employees.

Andy Crestodina

Co-founder / CMO, Orbit Media Studios

Orbitmedia.com Andy’s LinkedIn

“Original research is the most effective type of content” …I heard this over and over again in 2018. So I expect we’ll see a lot more research-based content in 2019. Look for a spike in studies and surveys and a lot of statistics in headlines.

And it works. Few bloggers publish original research, but those who do are much more likely to report strong results.

It’s a good thing for content programs, but there’s a risk that it will erode trust in our audiences unless the studies have rigorous methodologies and significantly big datasets. If research is weak and overused in 2019, we might see “Research is dead” headlines a year from now.

Gini Dietrich

Spinsucks.com Gini’s LinkedIn

My prediction is Dave will exceed all of his goals—and all of his crazy ideas will come to fruition and be plentiful and successful.

No?

So many predictions. So little time! Chatbots are going to increase in popularity. So is voice search. So is artificial intelligence. So is predictive analytics and how marketers will use it for content marketing and editorial calendar planning. I personally am going to begin to use the data in our CRM to build internal training modules using IBM Watson. So not necessarily a trend, but how to use artificial intelligence in use.

Stephanie Stahl

Contentmarketinginstitute.com Stephanie’s LinkedIn

Our heads will still be spinning by the vast amounts of content produced on a daily basis by brands, media companies, agencies, and individuals. But we’ll see a determined effort by smart marketers to figure out a cadence that’s realistic and effective. We’ll see (and celebrate) content that is creative, human, educational and entertaining whether it’s a blog, a print article, a piece of branded content, an infographic, a video, a podcast, or whatever format is used to tell a compelling story that convinces people to stop and pay attention.

Marcus Sheridan

Marcussheridan.com Marcus’s LinkedIn

In 2019, more and more companies will realize that, whether we like it or not, we’re all media companies. In other words, these companies will accept the undeniable influence that video is having on the B2B and B2C sales, marketing, and customer service process– and the fact that if they don’t start to do something about it (show, not just tell), they’ll be left behind by their competitors. Furthermore, more and more companies will hire in-house videographers as a full-time position, due to the fact that in order to truly create a “culture” of video within an organization, you must become, for the most part, self reliant.

Michael Brenner

Marketinginsidergroup.com Michael’s LinkedIn

There are 2 major trends in the marketing industry I think everyone will be talking about in 2019.

The first is AI. We will begin to realize the opportunity of an AI-driven content marketing strategy. If 60-70% of the content we create goes unused, AI will begin to force us to reconsider what we create and why.

Second is employee activation. AI will tell us what to create, but our best storytellers are our existing employees from across the business. Every company needs a strategy to activate these employees as both creators and as the most effective distribution channel to share that content.

This is the paradox of AI. The more the robots tell us what to do, the more we will need our internal experts to create and share that content.

Jon Burkhart

Tbcglobal.live Jon’s LinkedIn

I am dead-sick of spam and have been a card-carrying inbox filth fighter for years now. Brands, it’s 2019 now and you’ve got storehouses of data on me. There’s no reason brands in 2019 shouldn’t get their personalised video game on in a big way. I want my favourite brands MOO (I print my workshop game cards out using their infinity print feature), Topps (my boy & I are obsessed with Premier League soccer trading cards) and Go-Ped (I’ve been driving a kick-scooter for 7 years – eat that Bird & Lime) to give me a big fat sloppy kiss in 2019. I want that kiss to be personalised, authentic video that makes me feel frickin loved – even cuddled. I see video getting way up into the grills of folk in super-personal but not freaky/intrusive ways in 2019. I myself and upping my personalised video game so turn your spam filters up or down depending on your feelings toward me.

Julia McCoy

Expresswriters.com Julia’s LinkedIn

My first prediction for 2019? The overly sales-y marketing “funnel” (or “sales funnel”) will become obsolete. Yes, I said it. Why? It doesn’t describe the way marketing should work anymore. We are content marketers. We’re not looking to grab the attention of people who aren’t in our audience, and we don’t want to dump people at the end of a funnel. We want to take a more nurturing stance that encourages people to stay in our circle: join our community of readers, buyers, and evangelists. I think it’s time to replace the sales funnel with a marketing flowchart and lifecycle representation.

My second prediction is that trust-based content is going to be the Content Leader (King, Queen, you-name-it) in 2019. I think we’re going to see more authenticity from the brands that rise to the forefront of their industries. The true story of the founder, from failures to successes: transparency in the executive team, real-life anecdotes from customers and employees on the company blogs – those will win buyer trust in the content calendar for 2019. Today and tomorrow’s winning content is about human connection. And how better to bridge that gap than through telling real stories? Focus on your real-life successes and failures, and tell those to your human audience.

Dennis Yu

Dennis-yu.com Dennis’s LinkedIn

Facebook ads get prohibitively expensive for most businesses, as there is increasing demand against an inventory base that isn’t growing. We’ve seen the base cost of traffic nearly double each year– now being close to $8 per thousand impressions, regardless of whether they are bidding for leads, ROAS, video views, or whatever.

The antidote is 15 and 60 second vertical videos (to look like what a friend would post, not an “advertisement” a business would run) and running chatbots (like MobileMonkey, where we can promote within a consumer’s inbox, which marketers haven’t ruined yet).

Bernie Borges

Vengreso.com Bernie’s LinkedIn

The pressure on B2B marketers to prove ROI has never been more intense. The average CMO has an average tenure of 44 months, fueling the pressure to deliver results quickly.

B2B marketers who demonstrate accountability for revenue contribution in 2019 will stand a better chance of not just surviving but thriving. I see three strategies that can support the modern CMO’s “drive to the number.”

Acceleration of sales video by teaching sales teams how to create short videos and empowering them with tools that make it easy and measurable on sales cycles.

Optimizing sales rep’s LinkedIn profiles to function as mini websites that are written through the lens of the buyer, are on-brand and deliver extended reach for the brand.

Deployment of personalized microsites with relevant content for account expansion used in account based marketing strategies.

These three strategies can directly impact the marketing executive’s ability to partner with the head of sales (and the entire C-Suite) on the “path to the number.”

The marketing executive who measurably contributes to revenue is the one who will thrive in 2019 and beyond.

Allen Gannett

Skyword.com Allen’s LinkedIn

2019 will be the year creativity moves from soft skill to hard skill.

Marketers who become intentional about their creativity will have a huge advantage in 2019 as consumers start to expect more and more from brands—both in terms of value and voice. I think there will be an inherent push for teams to stretch out of their comfort zone to tackle potentially uncharted waters and keep pace with the changing social media landscape.

With social media Stories growing 15x faster than feeds and more American adults now receiving news results from social media over newspapers, it’s no secret that there’s been a fundamental shift in the way consumers are digesting news and entertainment content.

As people continue to change the way they consume content, it will open up the door for brands to become full-time publishers to win over social media audiences. Companies that not only recognize this shift, but also respond to it by creating and distributing content that addresses the informational and entertainment needs of consumers, will tap into the 970 million accounts using Stories and twenty percent of Adults using social media as their source of news (compared to just 16 percent who read newspapers).

In 2019, we’ll see a brand become a top publisher of both newsworthy and entertaining content. Companies will start to emerge as leading sources of news and valuable information while simultaneously providing engaging and compelling figures. We’ll get a clear picture of what a successful brand publisher looks like: marketing leaders who were willing to pivot as the market changed.

Shane Barker

Shanebarker.com Shane’s LinkedIn

Marketing Predictions for 2019 and Beyond The fast-paced digital marketing industry is evolving constantly to drive better results. This will lead to a significant decline in the use of traditional advertising in the coming years.

I believe that smart technologies such as big data, virtual reality, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence will create many new opportunities in the digital space.

Brands and marketers will leverage these technologies to grow their businesses with highly targeted content marketing. They will also get more creative with content formats such as

videos

3600

VR

AR

ebooks

influencer-created content

The demand of consumers for personalization is also likely to increase further. Brands and marketers will have to deliver more personalized customer experiences based on their preferences, styles, and buying behaviors.

Robert Rose

Contentmarketinginstitute.com Robert’s LinkedIn

I see three primary trends in 2019.

The first is the continued rise of Artificial Intelligence within the technology stack. The push will be for marketers to jump right on the speeding AI and automation bandwagon – and much like personalization and bots, it is a topic that most marketers would be better off waiting on.

The second – and more pressing trend – will be the need for scale of content operations. Businesses will finally take owned media seriously enough to build a strategic operation around it.

And, related to this is the third, which is the continued rise of the importance of content marketing and first party data in the new era of GDPR and other privacy laws and regulations. All in all – content (and specifically building audiences) continues to be an extraordinarily important part of the new marketer’s mix.

Margaret Magnarelli

Monster.com Margaret’s LinkedIn

As someone who came into marketing via content marketing, I’m fascinated by how that discipline is changing. In the bubble times, companies bought in big, but more recently, we’ve been in what Gartner would call the “trough of disillusionment.” And over the last year, we’ve seen a shift in the way most of the vendors in the space talk about their universe of potential customers—the language is increasingly going from “content marketing” to “integrated marketing.” I think that’s good news as we develop a sustainable role for content. But it also means that content marketers will need to develop more interdisciplinary if they aim to rise within an organization.

Speaking of integration, I expect to see that become a key overall theme of 2019—integration of data, integration of tools, and integration of functions. (I’m thinking of printing bumper stickers that say “Silos are for cows, not marketers.”) Especially if the economy stutters, companies will be taking a hard look at optimizing and getting rid of overlaps. That sounds negative, but I think it will improve productivity. And personally I’m excited about a return to “technoprudence.” I think it’ll help us all approach our work with increased humanity.

Peter Loibl

Concured.com Peter’s LinkedIn

Marketers will escalate their use of Artificial Intelligence to power their Content Strategy and Analysis, and AI-powered CSPs (Content Strategy Platforms) will continue to become as integral to marketing stacks as Marketing Automation Systems were once they broke onto the scene more than a decade ago.

Performance and relevancy guesswork and time-draining content audits will continue to be replaced by data-centric, realtime AI-powered CSPs that are already revolutionizing our industry.

Matt Heinz

Heinzmarketing.com Matt’s LinkedIn

Marketing will further evolve their reporting to differentiate operational metrics from impact metrics. The highest-level marketing metrics should focus on revenue impact marketing is having on the business. If you’re showing your executive team a report focused on open rates and lead volume, they’ll assume you care more about activity than outcomes!

Christoph Trappe

Christophtrappe.com Christoph’s LinkedIn

More will use VR storytelling. Virtual reality is really an underused tool and partially that is because not all consumers have the headset. But given that you can watch virtual reality videos as 360 versions on a phone or app, and not very many events are using them yet, it’s the perfect time to jump right in and make this strategy a big differentiation for your company.

Bill Widmer

Billwidmer.com Bill’s LinkedIn

I recently published a full article for Sumo on 2019 marketing predictions. Here is the big one that I’ll be putting 90% of my attention on:

Content for Google

Content marketing is nothing new – it’s been around since magazines and direct mail. SEO is nothing new – it’s been around since Google launched in the late 90’s. So why is this a “marketing trend” in 2019?

Because, frankly, most people really suck at creating content.

They do a shotgun approach, writing content for the sake of having content, not knowing what’s performing and what isn’t. They target keywords using free keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner, not really knowing how to optimize for it or if it’s even the best keyword.

This approach is a complete waste of time and money.

I would rather write one article per month that’s based on deep keyword research and an understanding of WHY people search that keyword and WHAT they’re looking for – including <b>the things people don’t even know they’re looking for when they first start their search.</b>

For example, if someone searches for “best surfboard”, they might not have any idea what makes a surfboard good or bad, or even how to surf. They might just be looking to grab one of the best boards. If they knew what made a board great, they probably wouldn’t be searching that term in the first place.

So in your content, you should tell them what the best surfboards are, based on research and use, etc. But you should also have a section that explains WHY they are the best, what to look for in a surfboard, how to get started surfing, etc.

To give you a real-world example, here’s an article I wrote on the best RV air conditioners. In this article, I reveal the very best at the top, then dive into what to consider when buying an AC (size, shape, BTUs, etc.), I answer the question of if you even need a new AC by showing you how to troubleshoot your current one if it’s not working, and I answer a bunch of FAQs like “Can I heat my RV with the air conditioning unit as well?”. This depth helped me rank on page 1 for “RV air conditioner”.

To help you figure out what people are searching for when they type in a keyword, study the current search results for that keyword. See what they talk about, what questions they answer, etc. Go on YouTube and find videos on the topic, then look at what questions people ask in the comments. Use AnswerThePublic to find all the common questions around a keyword. Use LSIgraph to find the related and semantic keywords to your main keyword.

Then incorporate all your research in your article. Make it the go-to article on a given topic. The very best on the internet. Then, and only then, will you destroy the competition, rank #1, and get all the traffic and sales from Google.

John Demato

Johndemato.com

The future of marketing will continue to shift away from transactional to relationship-based because people are tired of being sold to – they want to be nurtured and offered value every step of the way.

Michael Becker

Emarsys.com Michael’s LinkedIn

More companies will develop owned, branded publications to attract audiences. Though this avenue will remain one aspect of an integrated marketing approach, it will emerge as the most valuable if committed to fully.

Brands or entrepreneurs who treat content as a product and invest substantially in that product – as much as any other function in the business – WILL find success.

Investing in a content-first approach means prioritizing long-term audience building over lead gen. For those who stick it out AND “do it right” (by differentiating their content and avoiding the lure of infusing salesy, product messaging), great gains will be seen. For these brands, quality content will be the means to meaning, cultivating an audience who can offer value from a multitude of angles – accurate data, subscriber feedback and preferences, buying of premium content, and inspiring merchandise spin-offs. For these companies, content will change lives; and will turn a profit in-and-of-itself.

Liston Witherill

Liston.io Liston’s LinkedIn

2019 will see the continued growth of audio as a medium that rapidly expands, making podcasting more mainstream and audio search a major consideration in all marketing programs. Content will continue to dominate customer acquisition – on social, through search, with email programs, etc. – but it’ll be harder than ever to grow your audience.

Watch for social media channels to ratchet up advertising expenses and de-prioritize organic traffic. Their problems with poor quality content are pushing the networks to drive up advertising costs and de-prioritize organic content. So much for Internet as the great democratizing force, huh?

Hailey Friedman

Growthmarketingpro.com Hailey’s LinkedIn

2019 will be the year marketers get control of their data. Over the past 10 years, the marketing technology landscape has vastly expanded, meaning there are endless ways to reach our customers. This is great. However, it also means our data is lives in silos across each of these platforms. Bringing the data together has been a tedious and manual process for all of us in order to get a comprehensive view of our marketing performance. In 2019, marketers will finally put their foot down and automate this process.

I predict that having an automated system to aggregate all your marketing data will become the new standard, and anyone wasting employee time on this task will be left behind in the dust. Tools like Improvado are already helping marketers eliminate 90% of the time spent building manual reports and marketing dashboards.

Zontee Hou

Zonteehou.com Zontee’s LinkedIn

2019 will be characterized by contextual and conversational marketing. As consumers have more and more information at their fingertips year by year, they’re also more overwhelmed by choice. At the same time, businesses like Google, Amazon, and Facebook are consistently refining their personalized experiences through algorithms and question-driven tools. What this means for companies of all shapes and sizes is that they must implement marketing practices that allow them to reach audiences of one—conversational marketing—through chatbots, filtering mechanisms on websites, and automation-driven emails in order to resonate with audiences.

Doug Kessler

Velocitypartners.com Doug’s Twitter

In B2B, where we ply our trade, we’re seeing right-brain marketing starting to meet left-brain marketing.

The people who get brand and story and positioning are starting to make common cause with those who get demand gen, pipelines and data.

For the last few years, our clients have had separate silos for these things. More and more, we’re working with companies that understand how they work together.

This is where B2B marketing is headed and where it needs to head: brand, strategy, content, digital and marketing performance all working together around a single, galvanizing idea. With the plumbing in place to integrate the whole stack and the data to prove it’s working.

It’s all about accountability. Shout “Hallelujah!” (Or, if you’re in an open plan office, think it).

Ryan Dohrn

SalesTrainingWorld.com Ryan’s LinkedIn

Conversations around automation and AI in marketing and sales will increase exponentially. Data-driven marketing teams and sales teams using AI are outpacing their competitors. Companies that do not have a data-driven marketing and sales plan will be left behind. But, be warned, there are automation and AI experts and software popping up everywhere. Do your due diligence and ask detailed questions. Create a strategy and monitor progress. AI is not intended to replace marketers or salespeople. AI and automation are meant to enhance what we already do. These tools should give us improved ROI and a deeper insight into our customers and potential customers.

Nancy Harhut

Hbtmktg.com Nancy’s LinkedIn

In 2019 we’ll see data scientists really work hand in hand with behavioral scientists. Or at least in close proximity!

Marketers have so much data at our disposal. And it reveals many useful things, like who to talk to, where to find them, what to say and when to say it. But rely on that alone, and you’ll come up short. Because how that message is served up — how it’s phrased and framed — can make all the difference.

And behavioral science provides the insights to make that difference. Tapping into behavioral science, we can craft messages that are more likely to be noticed and responded to. Messages designed to appeal to the subconscious brain where a whopping 95% of decisions are actually made.

So 2019 will be the year marketers take it up a notch. We won’t just get the right message to the right person at the right time — we’ll also do it in the right way.

Jason Quey

Growthramp.io Jason’s LinkedIn

My prediction is more and more non-traditional startups will embrace the growth marketing prioritization process.

For those unfamiliar with this process, after creating a list of ideas, you score each idea on a scale of 1-10 on impact, the confidence of success, and effort to run the test.

Because this is a prioritization method, it can be applied to any field. For example, you can apply it broadly to all content marketing, or more specifically to prioritizing your promotion channels, which you can get the nitty gritty details on how to do that here.

Debra Jason

WriteDirection.com Debra’s LinkedIn

In “Computers in Human Behavior, Volume 35,” Larry D. Rosen et al reported that heavy tech use is associated with depression, anxiety, health problems, academic challenges, and relationship issues.

That said, my prediction for 2019 is that, to avoid the depression and anxiety associated with heavy teach use, the return of the human connection is vital to marketing. While technology may make certain aspects of our lives easier, they do not replace the human touch.

Devices like smartphones and tablets may provide easy access to information. However, none of them can take the place of good ‘ol fashioned human interaction – face-to-face, smile-to-smile, handshake to handshake or even a voice (not a text) on the other end of a phone that says “So good to talk to you.”

With technology constantly expanding, do you feel more connected or disconnected to those around you? And, do you think marketing in 2019 will see an increase in the “human connection?” I certainly hope so.

Priscilla McKinney

Littlebirdmarketing.com

I think one of the biggest players in 2019 will be video. We’ve watched as it has risen in popularity over the last few years, but I think in 2019 it will become more of a mainstay in content marketing. People like visual content – plain and simple – and I think we’ve finally caught on to it. Look to see marketing strategies reflect this moving forward.

James Reynolds

Seosherpa.com James LinkedIn

The role of the headline will become (even more) important for content marketers.

Here’s why:

Google’s Rank Brain algorithm was HUGE this year. And I expect it to be even more important in 2019. Rank Brain measures how users interact with search results. It promotes search results that get clicked on more often and demotes those that don’t.

Google is also populating search engine results pages with more and more search features like search ads, shopping ads, local pack results, rich answers and a myriad of featured snippets.

The result?

Traditional organic listings are being given less and less visibility.

To win organic traffic in 2019, content marketers must develop their craft in headline writing.

With better headlines, their search engine snippets can stand out amongst all the visual noise, they can win more eyeballs and clicks, and in turn, elevate their rankings too.

Chuck Hester

Chuckhester.com Chuck’s LinkedIn

While 2019 will continue to see the rise of marketing automation, brands that will win are those that emphasize loyalty and relationships over tech.

The relationships they build with customers – whether they are “influencers” or not – will be key to their success. By listening to the customer and what they want, as opposed to selling them something they believe they want, they will have a deeper market penetration in the long term.

The use of video on LinkedIn will continue to rise, and those who take advantage of this “new form of content marketing on this platform will reach a larger audience and increase their brand equity.

Jonathan Kranz

Kranzcom.com

I think the confluence of content overkill (waaaay too much stuff to too many people too often) and an economy showing signs of deceleration will put pressure on us to favor quality over quantity: LESS content altogether, but of HIGHER quality (i.e., of much greater intrinsic interest to our audiences). There will be pain, but I think all of us will benefit from a more discriminatory approach to content creation.

Josh Haynam

Tryinteract.com

2019 will be the year of empathy in marketing. What I mean is the focus will shift from “how do we sell this product?” To “how do we better understand the needs of our customers so we can serve them with our products and services?” We’ll see a fundamental shift in the way marketers think about the clients we’re trying to reach, and the ability to better understand your customers will become a huge differentiator.

Rebecca Lieb

KaleidoInsights.com Rebecca’s LinkedIn

Automated content. This is the topic of my most recent research and it’s about to get very big, not just in marketing where AI and other technologies will go far to help create and generate ultra relevant and personalized content, but also in other areas of business. HR, business intelligence, legal, media and other areas will all be impacted by machines that can read, write and even create multimedia content such as images and video at scale.

Reuben Swartz

Mimiran.com Reuben’s LinkedIn

Companies that say “I don’t invest in my website, I get all my business from referrals” will fall further behind those who invest in both online presence and real-world relationships. They are two sides of the same coin, and you need to deal with both.

Better B2B revenue attribution will give marketers more effective, efficient tools to actually bring in revenue, instead of optimizing proxies like leads or newsletter signups. This will be a game changer for organizations that take advantage, helping them funnel marketing investment into the most productive efforts.

The competition for attention will be even fiercer, so companies should make their marketing efforts a good investment of prospects’ time– teaching, helping, entertaining. “Authentic” marketing helps, if it’s real and not just a gimmick dressed up to look authentic.

Matthew Pollard

MatthewPollard.com Matthew’s LinkedIn

Cold callers will continue to see diminishing returns for their hard work, while salespeople who ONLY focus on social selling will see an even higher decline.

Tomorrow’s high performers will embrace a holistic approach to sales acquisition and understand that being everything to everyone is not the answer.

We will also see a surge of introverted sales high performers as they discover that the, so called, ‘gift of gab’ is not a barrier to entry and that, armed with a sales process, they can beat their extroverted counterparts HANDS DOWN!

Evan Schmitt

Evanschmitt.com Evan’s Twitter

Brands will get more precise with their advertising and targeting. The smarter brands will continue to gain market share over the brands that don’t adapt and innovate.

John Andrews

Photofy.com John’s LinkedIn

In 2019, marketer’s are going to be seeking solutions for digital ad saturation as response rates fall and costs rise to reach quality audiences. At Photofy, we believe collaborative content created and shared by employees, customers and partners is one solution to achieving content scale and engagement on a localized level that augments digital advertising approaches.

Jeremiah Smith

Simpletiger.com Jeremiah’s Twitter

In regards to SEO and ranking well in Google; user engagement metrics are going to continue to be more important than links as a ranking factor.

SEMrush published a comprehensive report this past year showing the importance of user engagement metrics like “dwell time”, bounce rate, page views, click interactions, etc. vs qualitative, relevant inbound links as a ranking factor for the first time in Google algorithmic history. This was sensational information that largely went unnoticed in the SEO community until further AI improvements to the core ranking algorithm at Google started hurting the rankings of sites which have stood in place for years prior.

Brian Dean even showed the recent value of a single piece of content without any inbound links that nails the searcher’s intent for a given keyword set perfectly which further substantiates that Google is using a higher method of deducing value for a page likely due to the engagement from users that page receives. Brian refers to the process of building these pieces of content as the Skyscraper 3.0 Technique.

Artificial intelligence insofar as Google is using will continue to measure the value of pieces of content to the end-user thereby reducing its dependency on old-fashioned metrics we were used to in the realm of SEO.

John Jantsch

Ducttapemarketing.com

I believe Google’s attempts at a social network will finally take hold although somewhat accidentally – Google My Business will become Google social network for local businesses with the addition of CRM like functions and the ability of customers to keep up with a business via Google My Business networks.

Alicia Lawrence

Webfx.com Alicia’s LinkedIn

Push to optimize for Amazon: With nearly half of initial product searches happening on Amazon, e-commerce is shifting to large all-inclusive ways to shop, such as Amazon, Walmart and Google Shopping.

Facebook, Instagram and YouTube ads explode: As social networks lower organic reach, companies will shift their budgets to paid. Analytics provided through the ‘pixel’ will revolutionize reporting and provide better data-driven decisions. In addition, content assets will be backed by paid ads vs. pitching. Higher competition for ads means costs will go up.

Integration of AI into reporting and prediction tools: In 2019, we’ll see a bigger push to integrate AI to create better insights. WebFX already integrated Google AI and IMB Watson to create several proprietary tools that predict and analyze content and SEO campaigns.

Azriel Ratz

RatzPackMedia.com Azriel’s LinkedIn

Over 2019, businesses will use stories and shorter length videos to their advantage.

The stories format allows businesses to create deeper more authentic relationships with their customers.

Overall, businesses will begin to shift to shorter videos to grab people’s attention and get them to take action.

Trevor Crane

Trevorcrane.com Trevor’s LinkedIn

What’s going to happen in the future?

There is no question: RISE or be INVISIBLE.

Mark my words… you will see this in EVERY profession. And in EVERY industry.

Some people (and businesses) will RISE above the noise.

And everyone else?

They will become insignificant and be ignored as if there were INVISIBLE.

What will make the difference?

You (and businesses in general) will either CREATE CONSISTENT COMPELLING CONTENT… or, go out-of-business.

People who do not grasp this FACT, and do whatever-it-takes to establish their “personal brand” and grow an audience… will become as extinct as the dinosaurs.

What’s the secret to become “in-demand?” Versus being “invisible?”

Three things:

ATTENTION! ATTRACTION! ACTION!

Here’s this advice in a “question” format, so you can see how it applies to you:

1 – ATTENTION

Does your “content” and your “messaging” (in other words, your business and your brand) get your “ideal client’s” ATTENTION?

(Most people don’t know you. You’re biggest challenge is OBSCURITY. If you don’t STAND-OUT, you’re invisible. That means, you do not exist to most of the world.)

2 – ATTRACTION

Does your message ATTRACT your “ideal clients?”

(Meaning do they “care” about what you share?)

3 – ACTION

Do you have a clear Call To ACTION in your messaging?

(A confused mind, says “no” and does “nothing.” It’s imperative that you have a clear understanding about, “what you want the to do NEXT.” If you don’t know, how in the hell will they know what to do?)

Tips to make sure you are “in-demand” vs. “invisible:

TIP #1: Become an author (not later, NOW)

TIP #2: Start a podcast (discover your VOICE)

TIP #3: Have a “Profitable Path” to monetize your mission.

Or…

You’ll go BROKE wasting your time, and confusing your audience.

In closing… You need to become an Epic Storyteller. Become a marketer who helps people, and a leader who makes a difference with their message.

Or?

Join the dinosaurs and hope you look good “stuffed” and “preserved” in a museum.

Join the dinosaurs.

Yes. I’m saying you you have to do something MASSIVELY different, or you-will-be-left-behind.

Take all the crap that used-to-work… and stuff it into a museum.

This is your hear to RISE!

Sergey Aliokhin

Ahrefs.com Sergey’s LinkedIn

I think that marketing will become more subjective than objective in 2019. To put it simply, such things as personalization, individual approach will play a key role in overall marketing strategy. The era of “cold” emails will end and each customer will start receiving super-personalized messages. However, it is gonna be harder to “impress” with your email pitch some gurus of marketing (imho).

What’s more important, the mindset of marketers should change. No more efforts to persuade customers in the uniqueness of your service because your service is nothing without the customers.

Ashley Lipman

Accuwebhosting.com

Interactive Emails are Effective- The modern consumer wants to be entertained, which is why using an interactive email is a great idea. Many companies are using the power of memes and videos to entertain their email recipients.

GDPR-Friendly Emails- Gathering and documenting consent from email recipients is at the heart of this piece of legislation. This is why you will need to get crafty when trying to get this consent.

Real-Time Email Personalization – When consumers visit your business website, you want an email sent out to them immediately to let them know you care about obtaining their business. The best way to do this is by using real-time email personalization software.

Avoid Buying an Email List – Most of the larger email service providers don’t like when businesses use these types of lists. Also, the people on these lists will have zero ideas who you are and why you are emailing them. Building your own email list from scratch may take time, but it is well worth it. You can find bulk email verification services and tools online. Once you have this information, you should have no problem optimizing the list of existing email addresses you have.

Make Sure Your Emails are Personal and Professional – In the world of small business, portraying the right image is a crucial component of having success. This is why you need to make sure that the emails you are sending to consumers are professional looking and personal. The opening line of your email needs to contain the name of the person you are sending it too. Making a person feel like they are getting a personalized email rather than a template can go a long way.

David MacLaren

Mediavalet.com David’s LinkedIn

In 2019, I believe marketing teams will become instrumental to customer success, working to enhance customer experiences, and boost adoption and retention.

Marketing will be the key to providing value to the customer across their entire lifecycle, not just in the acquisition stage. Customer experience is expected to overtake price and product as a key differentiator by 2020, so organizations need to improve their customer success practices now if they hope to remain competitive. I’m excited to see marketing spearhead this initiative.

Taylor Perras

Business.com Taylor’s LinkedIn

Our focus has been gathering user feedback to improve the community experience on Business.com. Nothing is more telling than the voice of the customer (not even Google Analytics). That’s why my prediction for 2019 is we’ll see continued drastic growth in the use of chatbots on websites to gather customer thoughts and resolve customer problems immediately. As chatbots become more and more ‘humanized’ like their counterparts Alexa and Google Home, it will be impossible to tell if you’re having a natural conversation with a helpful customer service rep or witty robot.

Anna Hrach

Convinceandconvert.com Anna’s LinkedIn

I think 2019 is going to be the year of focusing on organizational change. It’s really hard to learn from our mistakes and not fall back into the same old habits when organizations are standing in one place. We can develop as many processes and procedures and to-do lists and roadmaps as we want, but the entire organizational structure has to be on board and rally in order for all of our big ideas to work. We all have to be moving in the same direction, at the same time, to make marketing truly effective.

John Paul Aguiar

JohnPaulAguiar.com John’s LinkedIn

My first prediction is about influencer marketing and how it WILL change in 2019.

We are quickly seeing a move from large and random influencers to a small and real influencer base.

People that actually use a product or service, that share ongoing reviews and usage of said product or service.

Influencers that work side by side with said brand to share their review, participate in content creation and ads.

Second, with Alexa and Siri usage growing and becoming mainstream….Voice marketing and search will grow at a faster pace and I see more brands finding creative ways to participate.

Finally I think 2019 will be the year of creativity.

2018 was about being you and being more personal in your marketing.

In 2019 that will continue but now that everyone does that, the way to really stand out will be to bring creativity to your branding, marketing, and the content you create.

Douglas Burdett

Douglas LinkedIn

In 2019 everyone will have their own flying car, entire meals will come in pill form, and the Earth will be run by damn dirty apes.

Oh wait, those were Austin Powers’ predictions. But those will also probably happen in 2019.

In 2019 a small but growing number of marketers will come to be perceived by their management and peers as making a more direct contribution to revenue rather than as arts and crafts party planners who work in the “make it pretty” department.

Andrea Fryrear

Agilesherpas.com Andrea’s LinkedIn

I can sum up my 2019 prediction with one word: process. More and more teams are figuring out that it’s not their ideas, or their strategy, or their product that’s holding them back, it’s their process.

If you can create a more effective system for handling work, then every single piece of work that flows through that system benefits. Adopting a more Agile process is an amazing way to exponentially improve all kinds of work, from standard keep the lights on stuff to the most crucial strategy projects.

Jason Pampell

Hireinfluence.com Jason’s LinkedIn

Brands will contract more long-term partnerships with influencers that feel more genuine instead of one-off campaigns. This goes hand-in-hand with the focus from both brands and influencers to remain authentic and real with audiences; influencers will continue to work only with brands that align with their values and will push to have some creative control over content to assure it’s created with their audience in mind.

We will likely see brands continue to heavily pursue micro-influencers for their ability to carry a more authentic message, be less commercial in their presence and extend brand influencer networks and campaigns at a great value. We should also expect a bigger push from brands on data markers for potential influencers (demographics, engagement rate, view rates, etc.) to determine partnership rates.

Pamela Muldoon

Pedowitzgroup.com Pamela’s LinkedIn

Getting back to the basics to ensure a better customer experience. This past year I worked with a lot of B2B clients that still struggle with doing the foundation work of developing strong buyer personas and defining their customer journey. Yet these same companies will say they want to improve their customer experience. To move forward in 2019 means taking a step back. Companies will need to work on these foundational elements if they want to improve all areas of of their content marketing efforts.

David Reimherr

Magnificent.com David’s LinkedIn

I predict that you will see more and more videos (short & long form videos) from employees of larger and smaller companies as the movement towards humanizing your brand continues. The need for authenticity and creating relationships with your audiences is at an all time high and this starts with having faces and voices behind the logos. I also predict that growth of podcasts (audio & video podcasts) will continue as companies and brands continue to find creative ways to market themselves, speak to, and serve their audiences in deeper and deeper ways.

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A Magnificent Prediction for 2019: 55 Experts Share Insights for Marketing This Year

We’re sure your newsfeed is clogged with everyone’s predictions for the 2019 marketing year. So before you continue scrolling, here us out on why you should take a look at our list.

We’ve been running our mouths about content marketing for the last few years and while we may think we have all the answers, truth is, content marketing has truly picked up steam in the last few months. And it’s continuing to be the #1 topic for marketing strategies heading into the new year.

We chatted with 55 marketing experts on what they expect to see on the horizon for content marketing. Here’s to learning and growing from each other in 2019!

Ann Handley

Digital marketing & content expert, Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Keynote speaker, Writer

annhandley.com Ann’s LinkedIn

Organizers will treat their email newsletter programs like the rare and precious creatures they are, in need of regular love and attention. "Hold up," you're thinking. "EMAIL? Is this 1999 or 2019? Isn't this the age of AI and Facebook Live and video?" Here's why I believe in the power of email newsletters even more strongly today, as we head into 2019: 1) An email newsletter is the only place where individuals—not algorithms—are in control. So what if marketing leaned into that inherently personal space? 2) Most companies today use their email newsletter as a distribution strategy. What if we focused not on the news but on the letter? In January I re-launched my personal newsletter as a way to converse directly to my audience. It’s taught me a lot about what works and what doesn’t in content and in marketing. Because I think the best email newsletters are also a kind of proxy for the best marketing in 2019, period.

Ted Rubin

Co-Founder Prevailing Path and MC/Host, The Rubin Organization

Tedrubin.com Ted’s Twitter

So I am not so much about predictions as I am about what should be happening. 2019, if brands are hoping to stay relevant and keep up with the content creation phenomenon, needs to be the year of Empowering Employees to Power your Brand. It’s plain and simple—employee censorship on social channels is a disaster for brands. We can no longer control the message folks. The social framework is “bigger and stronger” than our puny frameworks. Instead of fighting it every step of the way, USE it to your advantage, or you’ll pay a steep price in diminished return. Your employees are the best way to humanize and personalize your brand... and truly the best way to scale relevant, contextual content creation Did you know that employee created content (ECC) receives eight times more engagement than content shared from the company itself? On top of that, employee content extends brand messaging by over 500%. Crazy, right? So why aren’t more companies getting employees engaged in content creation? It’s well known that companies with engaged employees outperform their peers; involving employees in content creation can help to create a sense of common purpose. The truth of the matter is that the social evolution is a business evolution. Only by changing our old frameworks can we possibly hope to succeed—because social has completely altered the business landscape. #ROE... Return on Employees.

Andy Crestodina

Co-founder / CMO, Orbit Media Studios

Orbitmedia.com Andy’s LinkedIn

"Original research is the most effective type of content" ...I heard this over and over again in 2018. So I expect we'll see a lot more research-based content in 2019. Look for a spike in studies and surveys and a lot of statistics in headlines. And it works. Few bloggers publish original research, but those who do are much more likely to report strong results.

It's a good thing for content programs, but there's a risk that it will erode trust in our audiences unless the studies have rigorous methodologies and significantly big datasets. If research is weak and overused in 2019, we might see "Research is dead" headlines a year from now.

Gini Dietrich

Spinsucks.com Gini’s LinkedIn

My prediction is Dave will exceed all of his goals—and all of his crazy ideas will come to fruition and be plentiful and successful. No?

So many predictions. So little time! Chatbots are going to increase in popularity. So is voice search. So is artificial intelligence. So is predictive analytics and how marketers will use it for content marketing and editorial calendar planning. I personally am going to begin to use the data in our CRM to build internal training modules using IBM Watson. So not necessarily a trend, but how to use artificial intelligence in use.

Stephanie Stahl

Contentmarketinginstitute.com Stephanie’s LinkedIn

Our heads will still be spinning by the vast amounts of content produced on a daily basis by brands, media companies, agencies, and individuals. But we'll see a determined effort by smart marketers to figure out a cadence that's realistic and effective. We'll see (and celebrate) content that is creative, human, educational and entertaining whether it's a blog, a print article, a piece of branded content, an infographic, a video, a podcast, or whatever format is used to tell a compelling story that convinces people to stop and pay attention.

Marcus Sheridan

Marcussheridan.com Marcus’s LinkedIn

In 2019, more and more companies will realize that, whether we like it or not, we're all media companies. In other words, these companies will accept the undeniable influence that video is having on the B2B and B2C sales, marketing, and customer service process-- and the fact that if they don't start to do something about it (show, not just tell), they'll be left behind by their competitors. Furthermore, more and more companies will hire in-house videographers as a full-time position, due to the fact that in order to truly create a "culture" of video within an organization, you must become, for the most part, self reliant.

Michael Brenner

Marketinginsidergroup.com Michael’s LinkedIn

There are 2 major trends in the marketing industry I think everyone will be talking about in 2019.

The first is AI. We will begin to realize the opportunity of an AI-driven content marketing strategy. If 60-70% of the content we create goes unused, AI will begin to force us to reconsider what we create and why.

Second is employee activation. AI will tell us what to create, but our best storytellers are our existing employees from across the business. Every company needs a strategy to activate these employees as both creators and as the most effective distribution channel to share that content. This is the paradox of AI. The more the robots tell us what to do, the more we will need our internal experts to create and share that content.

Jon Burkhart

Tbcglobal.live Jon’s LinkedIn

I am dead-sick of spam and have been a card-carrying inbox filth fighter for years now. Brands, it’s 2019 now and you’ve got storehouses of data on me. There’s no reason brands in 2019 shouldn’t get their personalised video game on in a big way. I want my favourite brands MOO (I print my workshop game cards out using their infinity print feature), Topps (my boy & I are obsessed with Premier League soccer trading cards) and Go-Ped (I’ve been driving a kick-scooter for 7 years - eat that Bird & Lime) to give me a big fat sloppy kiss in 2019. I want that kiss to be personalised, authentic video that makes me feel frickin loved - even cuddled. I see video getting way up into the grills of folk in super-personal but not freaky/intrusive ways in 2019. I myself and upping my personalised video game so turn your spam filters up or down depending on your feelings toward me.

Julia McCoy

Expresswriters.com Julia’s LinkedIn

My first prediction for 2019? The overly sales-y marketing "funnel" (or “sales funnel”) will become obsolete. Yes, I said it. Why? It doesn’t describe the way marketing should work anymore. We are content marketers. We’re not looking to grab the attention of people who aren’t in our audience, and we don’t want to dump people at the end of a funnel. We want to take a more nurturing stance that encourages people to stay in our circle: join our community of readers, buyers, and evangelists. I think it’s time to replace the sales funnel with a marketing flowchart and lifecycle representation. My second prediction is that trust-based content is going to be the Content Leader (King, Queen, you-name-it) in 2019. I think we’re going to see more authenticity from the brands that rise to the forefront of their industries. The true story of the founder, from failures to successes: transparency in the executive team, real-life anecdotes from customers and employees on the company blogs - those will win buyer trust in the content calendar for 2019. Today and tomorrow’s winning content is about human connection. And how better to bridge that gap than through telling real stories? Focus on your real-life successes and failures, and tell those to your human audience.

Dennis Yu

Dennis-yu.com Dennis’s LinkedIn

Facebook ads get prohibitively expensive for most businesses, as there is increasing demand against an inventory base that isn't growing. We've seen the base cost of traffic nearly double each year-- now being close to $8 per thousand impressions, regardless of whether they are bidding for leads, ROAS, video views, or whatever. The antidote is 15 and 60 second vertical videos (to look like what a friend would post, not an "advertisement" a business would run) and running chatbots (like MobileMonkey, where we can promote within a consumer's inbox, which marketers haven't ruined yet).

Bernie Borges

Vengreso.com Bernie’s LinkedIn

The pressure on B2B marketers to prove ROI has never been more intense. The average CMO has an average tenure of 44 months, fueling the pressure to deliver results quickly. B2B marketers who demonstrate accountability for revenue contribution in 2019 will stand a better chance of not just surviving but thriving. I see three strategies that can support the modern CMO’s “drive to the number.”

Acceleration of sales video by teaching sales teams how to create short videos and empowering them with tools that make it easy and measurable on sales cycles.

Optimizing sales rep’s LinkedIn profiles to function as mini websites that are written through the lens of the buyer, are on-brand and deliver extended reach for the brand.

Deployment of personalized microsites with relevant content for account expansion used in account based marketing strategies.

These three strategies can directly impact the marketing executive’s ability to partner with the head of sales (and the entire C-Suite) on the “path to the number.” The marketing executive who measurably contributes to revenue is the one who will thrive in 2019 and beyond.

Allen Gannett

Skyword.com Allen’s LinkedIn

2019 will be the year creativity moves from soft skill to hard skill. Marketers who become intentional about their creativity will have a huge advantage in 2019 as consumers start to expect more and more from brands—both in terms of value and voice. I think there will be an inherent push for teams to stretch out of their comfort zone to tackle potentially uncharted waters and keep pace with the changing social media landscape. With social media Stories growing 15x faster than feeds and more American adults now receiving news results from social media over newspapers, it’s no secret that there’s been a fundamental shift in the way consumers are digesting news and entertainment content. As people continue to change the way they consume content, it will open up the door for brands to become full-time publishers to win over social media audiences. Companies that not only recognize this shift, but also respond to it by creating and distributing content that addresses the informational and entertainment needs of consumers, will tap into the 970 million accounts using Stories and twenty percent of Adults using social media as their source of news (compared to just 16 percent who read newspapers). In 2019, we’ll see a brand become a top publisher of both newsworthy and entertaining content. Companies will start to emerge as leading sources of news and valuable information while simultaneously providing engaging and compelling figures. We’ll get a clear picture of what a successful brand publisher looks like: marketing leaders who were willing to pivot as the market changed.

Shane Barker

Shanebarker.com Shane’s LinkedIn

Marketing Predictions for 2019 and Beyond The fast-paced digital marketing industry is evolving constantly to drive better results. This will lead to a significant decline in the use of traditional advertising in the coming years. I believe that smart technologies such as big data, virtual reality, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence will create many new opportunities in the digital space. Brands and marketers will leverage these technologies to grow their businesses with highly targeted content marketing. They will also get more creative with content formats such as

videos

3600

VR

AR

ebooks

influencer-created content The demand of consumers for personalization is also likely to increase further. Brands and marketers will have to deliver more personalized customer experiences based on their preferences, styles, and buying behaviors.

Robert Rose

Contentmarketinginstitute.com Robert’s LinkedIn

I see three primary trends in 2019.

The first is the continued rise of Artificial Intelligence within the technology stack. The push will be for marketers to jump right on the speeding AI and automation bandwagon – and much like personalization and bots, it is a topic that most marketers would be better off waiting on.

The second – and more pressing trend - will be the need for scale of content operations. Businesses will finally take owned media seriously enough to build a strategic operation around it.

And, related to this is the third, which is the continued rise of the importance of content marketing and first party data in the new era of GDPR and other privacy laws and regulations. All in all - content (and specifically building audiences) continues to be an extraordinarily important part of the new marketer's mix.

Margaret Magnarelli

Monster.com Margaret’s LinkedIn

As someone who came into marketing via content marketing, I’m fascinated by how that discipline is changing. In the bubble times, companies bought in big, but more recently, we’ve been in what Gartner would call the “trough of disillusionment.” And over the last year, we’ve seen a shift in the way most of the vendors in the space talk about their universe of potential customers—the language is increasingly going from “content marketing” to “integrated marketing.” I think that’s good news as we develop a sustainable role for content. But it also means that content marketers will need to develop more interdisciplinary if they aim to rise within an organization. Speaking of integration, I expect to see that become a key overall theme of 2019—integration of data, integration of tools, and integration of functions. (I’m thinking of printing bumper stickers that say “Silos are for cows, not marketers.”) Especially if the economy stutters, companies will be taking a hard look at optimizing and getting rid of overlaps. That sounds negative, but I think it will improve productivity. And personally I’m excited about a return to “technoprudence.” I think it’ll help us all approach our work with increased humanity.

Peter Loibl

Concured.com Peter’s LinkedIn

Marketers will escalate their use of Artificial Intelligence to power their Content Strategy and Analysis, and AI-powered CSPs (Content Strategy Platforms) will continue to become as integral to marketing stacks as Marketing Automation Systems were once they broke onto the scene more than a decade ago. Performance and relevancy guesswork and time-draining content audits will continue to be replaced by data-centric, realtime AI-powered CSPs that are already revolutionizing our industry.

Matt Heinz

Heinzmarketing.com Matt’s LinkedIn

Marketing will further evolve their reporting to differentiate operational metrics from impact metrics. The highest-level marketing metrics should focus on revenue impact marketing is having on the business. If you're showing your executive team a report focused on open rates and lead volume, they'll assume you care more about activity than outcomes!

Christoph Trappe

Christophtrappe.com Christoph’s LinkedIn

More will use VR storytelling. Virtual reality is really an underused tool and partially that is because not all consumers have the headset. But given that you can watch virtual reality videos as 360 versions on a phone or app, and not very many events are using them yet, it’s the perfect time to jump right in and make this strategy a big differentiation for your company.

Bill Widmer

Billwidmer.com Bill’s LinkedIn

I recently published a full article for Sumo on 2019 marketing predictions. Here is the big one that I'll be putting 90% of my attention on: Content for Google Content marketing is nothing new - it's been around since magazines and direct mail. SEO is nothing new - it's been around since Google launched in the late 90's. So why is this a "marketing trend" in 2019? Because, frankly, most people really suck at creating content. They do a shotgun approach, writing content for the sake of having content, not knowing what's performing and what isn't. They target keywords using free keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner, not really knowing how to optimize for it or if it's even the best keyword. This approach is a complete waste of time and money. I would rather write one article per month that's based on deep keyword research and an understanding of WHY people search that keyword and WHAT they're looking for - including <b>the things people don't even know they're looking for when they first start their search.</b> For example, if someone searches for "best surfboard", they might not have any idea what makes a surfboard good or bad, or even how to surf. They might just be looking to grab one of the best boards. If they knew what made a board great, they probably wouldn't be searching that term in the first place. So in your content, you should tell them what the best surfboards are, based on research and use, etc. But you should also have a section that explains WHY they are the best, what to look for in a surfboard, how to get started surfing, etc. To give you a real-world example, here's an article I wrote on the best RV air conditioners. In this article, I reveal the very best at the top, then dive into what to consider when buying an AC (size, shape, BTUs, etc.), I answer the question of if you even need a new AC by showing you how to troubleshoot your current one if it's not working, and I answer a bunch of FAQs like "Can I heat my RV with the air conditioning unit as well?". This depth helped me rank on page 1 for "RV air conditioner". To help you figure out what people are searching for when they type in a keyword, study the current search results for that keyword. See what they talk about, what questions they answer, etc. Go on YouTube and find videos on the topic, then look at what questions people ask in the comments. Use AnswerThePublic to find all the common questions around a keyword. Use LSIgraph to find the related and semantic keywords to your main keyword. Then incorporate all your research in your article. Make it the go-to article on a given topic. The very best on the internet. Then, and only then, will you destroy the competition, rank #1, and get all the traffic and sales from Google.

John Demato

Johndemato.com

The future of marketing will continue to shift away from transactional to relationship-based because people are tired of being sold to - they want to be nurtured and offered value every step of the way.

Michael Becker

Emarsys.com Michael’s LinkedIn

More companies will develop owned, branded publications to attract audiences. Though this avenue will remain one aspect of an integrated marketing approach, it will emerge as the most valuable if committed to fully. Brands or entrepreneurs who treat content as a product and invest substantially in that product – as much as any other function in the business – WILL find success.

Investing in a content-first approach means prioritizing long-term audience building over lead gen. For those who stick it out AND "do it right" (by differentiating their content and avoiding the lure of infusing salesy, product messaging), great gains will be seen. For these brands, quality content will be the means to meaning, cultivating an audience who can offer value from a multitude of angles – accurate data, subscriber feedback and preferences, buying of premium content, and inspiring merchandise spin-offs. For these companies, content will change lives; and will turn a profit in-and-of-itself.

Liston Witherill

Liston.io Liston’s LinkedIn

2019 will see the continued growth of audio as a medium that rapidly expands, making podcasting more mainstream and audio search a major consideration in all marketing programs. Content will continue to dominate customer acquisition - on social, through search, with email programs, etc. - but it'll be harder than ever to grow your audience. Watch for social media channels to ratchet up advertising expenses and de-prioritize organic traffic. Their problems with poor quality content are pushing the networks to drive up advertising costs and de-prioritize organic content. So much for Internet as the great democratizing force, huh?

Hailey Friedman

Growthmarketingpro.com Hailey’s LinkedIn

2019 will be the year marketers get control of their data. Over the past 10 years, the marketing technology landscape has vastly expanded, meaning there are endless ways to reach our customers. This is great. However, it also means our data is lives in silos across each of these platforms. Bringing the data together has been a tedious and manual process for all of us in order to get a comprehensive view of our marketing performance. In 2019, marketers will finally put their foot down and automate this process. I predict that having an automated system to aggregate all your marketing data will become the new standard, and anyone wasting employee time on this task will be left behind in the dust. Tools like Improvado are already helping marketers eliminate 90% of the time spent building manual reports and marketing dashboards.

Zontee Hou

Zonteehou.com Zontee’s LinkedIn

2019 will be characterized by contextual and conversational marketing. As consumers have more and more information at their fingertips year by year, they’re also more overwhelmed by choice. At the same time, businesses like Google, Amazon, and Facebook are consistently refining their personalized experiences through algorithms and question-driven tools. What this means for companies of all shapes and sizes is that they must implement marketing practices that allow them to reach audiences of one—conversational marketing—through chatbots, filtering mechanisms on websites, and automation-driven emails in order to resonate with audiences.

Doug Kessler

Velocitypartners.com Doug’s Twitter

In B2B, where we ply our trade, we're seeing right-brain marketing starting to meet left-brain marketing. The people who get brand and story and positioning are starting to make common cause with those who get demand gen, pipelines and data. For the last few years, our clients have had separate silos for these things. More and more, we're working with companies that understand how they work together. This is where B2B marketing is headed and where it needs to head: brand, strategy, content, digital and marketing performance all working together around a single, galvanizing idea. With the plumbing in place to integrate the whole stack and the data to prove it's working. It's all about accountability. Shout "Hallelujah!" (Or, if you're in an open plan office, think it).

Ryan Dohrn

SalesTrainingWorld.com Ryan’s LinkedIn

Conversations around automation and AI in marketing and sales will increase exponentially. Data-driven marketing teams and sales teams using AI are outpacing their competitors. Companies that do not have a data-driven marketing and sales plan will be left behind. But, be warned, there are automation and AI experts and software popping up everywhere. Do your due diligence and ask detailed questions. Create a strategy and monitor progress. AI is not intended to replace marketers or salespeople. AI and automation are meant to enhance what we already do. These tools should give us improved ROI and a deeper insight into our customers and potential customers.

Nancy Harhut

Hbtmktg.com Nancy’s LinkedIn

In 2019 we'll see data scientists really work hand in hand with behavioral scientists. Or at least in close proximity! Marketers have so much data at our disposal. And it reveals many useful things, like who to talk to, where to find them, what to say and when to say it. But rely on that alone, and you'll come up short. Because how that message is served up -- how it's phrased and framed -- can make all the difference. And behavioral science provides the insights to make that difference. Tapping into behavioral science, we can craft messages that are more likely to be noticed and responded to. Messages designed to appeal to the subconscious brain where a whopping 95% of decisions are actually made. So 2019 will be the year marketers take it up a notch. We won't just get the right message to the right person at the right time -- we'll also do it in the right way.

Jason Quey

Growthramp.io Jason’s LinkedIn

My prediction is more and more non-traditional startups will embrace the growth marketing prioritization process. For those unfamiliar with this process, after creating a list of ideas, you score each idea on a scale of 1-10 on impact, the confidence of success, and effort to run the test. Because this is a prioritization method, it can be applied to any field. For example, you can apply it broadly to all content marketing, or more specifically to prioritizing your promotion channels, which you can get the nitty gritty details on how to do that here.

Debra Jason

WriteDirection.com Debra’s LinkedIn

In "Computers in Human Behavior, Volume 35," Larry D. Rosen et al reported that heavy tech use is associated with depression, anxiety, health problems, academic challenges, and relationship issues. That said, my prediction for 2019 is that, to avoid the depression and anxiety associated with heavy teach use, the return of the human connection is vital to marketing. While technology may make certain aspects of our lives easier, they do not replace the human touch. Devices like smartphones and tablets may provide easy access to information. However, none of them can take the place of good ‘ol fashioned human interaction – face-to-face, smile-to-smile, handshake to handshake or even a voice (not a text) on the other end of a phone that says “So good to talk to you.” With technology constantly expanding, do you feel more connected or disconnected to those around you? And, do you think marketing in 2019 will see an increase in the “human connection?” I certainly hope so.

Priscilla McKinney

Littlebirdmarketing.com

I think one of the biggest players in 2019 will be video. We've watched as it has risen in popularity over the last few years, but I think in 2019 it will become more of a mainstay in content marketing. People like visual content - plain and simple - and I think we’ve finally caught on to it. Look to see marketing strategies reflect this moving forward.

James Reynolds

Seosherpa.com James LinkedIn

The role of the headline will become (even more) important for content marketers. Here’s why: Google’s Rank Brain algorithm was HUGE this year. And I expect it to be even more important in 2019. Rank Brain measures how users interact with search results. It promotes search results that get clicked on more often and demotes those that don’t. Google is also populating search engine results pages with more and more search features like search ads, shopping ads, local pack results, rich answers and a myriad of featured snippets. The result? Traditional organic listings are being given less and less visibility. To win organic traffic in 2019, content marketers must develop their craft in headline writing. With better headlines, their search engine snippets can stand out amongst all the visual noise, they can win more eyeballs and clicks, and in turn, elevate their rankings too.

Chuck Hester

Chuckhester.com Chuck’s LinkedIn

While 2019 will continue to see the rise of marketing automation, brands that will win are those that emphasize loyalty and relationships over tech. The relationships they build with customers - whether they are "influencers" or not - will be key to their success. By listening to the customer and what they want, as opposed to selling them something they believe they want, they will have a deeper market penetration in the long term. The use of video on LinkedIn will continue to rise, and those who take advantage of this "new form of content marketing on this platform will reach a larger audience and increase their brand equity.

Jonathan Kranz

Kranzcom.com

I think the confluence of content overkill (waaaay too much stuff to too many people too often) and an economy showing signs of deceleration will put pressure on us to favor quality over quantity: LESS content altogether, but of HIGHER quality (i.e., of much greater intrinsic interest to our audiences). There will be pain, but I think all of us will benefit from a more discriminatory approach to content creation.

Josh Haynam

Tryinteract.com

2019 will be the year of empathy in marketing. What I mean is the focus will shift from “how do we sell this product?” To “how do we better understand the needs of our customers so we can serve them with our products and services?” We’ll see a fundamental shift in the way marketers think about the clients we’re trying to reach, and the ability to better understand your customers will become a huge differentiator.

Rebecca Lieb

KaleidoInsights.com Rebecca’s LinkedIn

Automated content. This is the topic of my most recent research and it's about to get very big, not just in marketing where AI and other technologies will go far to help create and generate ultra relevant and personalized content, but also in other areas of business. HR, business intelligence, legal, media and other areas will all be impacted by machines that can read, write and even create multimedia content such as images and video at scale.

Reuben Swartz

Mimiran.com Reuben’s LinkedIn

Companies that say "I don't invest in my website, I get all my business from referrals" will fall further behind those who invest in both online presence and real-world relationships. They are two sides of the same coin, and you need to deal with both.

Better B2B revenue attribution will give marketers more effective, efficient tools to actually bring in revenue, instead of optimizing proxies like leads or newsletter signups. This will be a game changer for organizations that take advantage, helping them funnel marketing investment into the most productive efforts.

The competition for attention will be even fiercer, so companies should make their marketing efforts a good investment of prospects' time-- teaching, helping, entertaining. "Authentic" marketing helps, if it's real and not just a gimmick dressed up to look authentic.

Matthew Pollard

MatthewPollard.com Matthew’s LinkedIn

Cold callers will continue to see diminishing returns for their hard work, while salespeople who ONLY focus on social selling will see an even higher decline. Tomorrow's high performers will embrace a holistic approach to sales acquisition and understand that being everything to everyone is not the answer. We will also see a surge of introverted sales high performers as they discover that the, so called, 'gift of gab' is not a barrier to entry and that, armed with a sales process, they can beat their extroverted counterparts HANDS DOWN!

Evan Schmitt

Evanschmitt.com Evan’s Twitter

Brands will get more precise with their advertising and targeting. The smarter brands will continue to gain market share over the brands that don’t adapt and innovate.

John Andrews

Photofy.com John’s LinkedIn

In 2019, marketer's are going to be seeking solutions for digital ad saturation as response rates fall and costs rise to reach quality audiences. At Photofy, we believe collaborative content created and shared by employees, customers and partners is one solution to achieving content scale and engagement on a localized level that augments digital advertising approaches.

Jeremiah Smith

Simpletiger.com Jeremiah’s Twitter

In regards to SEO and ranking well in Google; user engagement metrics are going to continue to be more important than links as a ranking factor. SEMrush published a comprehensive report this past year showing the importance of user engagement metrics like "dwell time", bounce rate, page views, click interactions, etc. vs qualitative, relevant inbound links as a ranking factor for the first time in Google algorithmic history. This was sensational information that largely went unnoticed in the SEO community until further AI improvements to the core ranking algorithm at Google started hurting the rankings of sites which have stood in place for years prior. Brian Dean even showed the recent value of a single piece of content without any inbound links that nails the searcher's intent for a given keyword set perfectly which further substantiates that Google is using a higher method of deducing value for a page likely due to the engagement from users that page receives. Brian refers to the process of building these pieces of content as the Skyscraper 3.0 Technique. Artificial intelligence insofar as Google is using will continue to measure the value of pieces of content to the end-user thereby reducing its dependency on old-fashioned metrics we were used to in the realm of SEO.

John Jantsch

Ducttapemarketing.com

I believe Google's attempts at a social network will finally take hold although somewhat accidentally - Google My Business will become Google social network for local businesses with the addition of CRM like functions and the ability of customers to keep up with a business via Google My Business networks.

Alicia Lawrence

Webfx.com Alicia’s LinkedIn

Push to optimize for Amazon: With nearly half of initial product searches happening on Amazon, e-commerce is shifting to large all-inclusive ways to shop, such as Amazon, Walmart and Google Shopping.

Facebook, Instagram and YouTube ads explode: As social networks lower organic reach, companies will shift their budgets to paid. Analytics provided through the ‘pixel’ will revolutionize reporting and provide better data-driven decisions. In addition, content assets will be backed by paid ads vs. pitching. Higher competition for ads means costs will go up.

Integration of AI into reporting and prediction tools: In 2019, we’ll see a bigger push to integrate AI to create better insights. WebFX already integrated Google AI and IMB Watson to create several proprietary tools that predict and analyze content and SEO campaigns.

Azriel Ratz

RatzPackMedia.com Azriel’s LinkedIn

Over 2019, businesses will use stories and shorter length videos to their advantage. The stories format allows businesses to create deeper more authentic relationships with their customers. Overall, businesses will begin to shift to shorter videos to grab people's attention and get them to take action.

Trevor Crane

Trevorcrane.com Trevor’s LinkedIn

What’s going to happen in the future? There is no question: RISE or be INVISIBLE. Mark my words… you will see this in EVERY profession. And in EVERY industry. Some people (and businesses) will RISE above the noise. And everyone else? They will become insignificant and be ignored as if there were INVISIBLE. What will make the difference? You (and businesses in general) will either CREATE CONSISTENT COMPELLING CONTENT… or, go out-of-business. People who do not grasp this FACT, and do whatever-it-takes to establish their “personal brand” and grow an audience… will become as extinct as the dinosaurs. What’s the secret to become “in-demand?” Versus being “invisible?” Three things: ATTENTION! ATTRACTION! ACTION! Here’s this advice in a “question” format, so you can see how it applies to you: 1 - ATTENTION Does your “content” and your “messaging” (in other words, your business and your brand) get your “ideal client’s” ATTENTION? (Most people don’t know you. You’re biggest challenge is OBSCURITY. If you don’t STAND-OUT, you’re invisible. That means, you do not exist to most of the world.) 2 - ATTRACTION Does your message ATTRACT your “ideal clients?” (Meaning do they “care” about what you share?) 3 - ACTION Do you have a clear Call To ACTION in your messaging? (A confused mind, says “no” and does “nothing.” It’s imperative that you have a clear understanding about, “what you want the to do NEXT.” If you don’t know, how in the hell will they know what to do?) Tips to make sure you are “in-demand” vs. “invisible: TIP #1: Become an author (not later, NOW) TIP #2: Start a podcast (discover your VOICE) TIP #3: Have a “Profitable Path” to monetize your mission. Or… You’ll go BROKE wasting your time, and confusing your audience. In closing… You need to become an Epic Storyteller. Become a marketer who helps people, and a leader who makes a difference with their message. Or? Join the dinosaurs and hope you look good “stuffed” and “preserved” in a museum. Join the dinosaurs. Yes. I’m saying you you have to do something MASSIVELY different, or you-will-be-left-behind. Take all the crap that used-to-work… and stuff it into a museum. This is your hear to RISE!

Sergey Aliokhin

Ahrefs.com Sergey’s LinkedIn

I think that marketing will become more subjective than objective in 2019. To put it simply, such things as personalization, individual approach will play a key role in overall marketing strategy. The era of "cold" emails will end and each customer will start receiving super-personalized messages. However, it is gonna be harder to "impress" with your email pitch some gurus of marketing (imho).

What's more important, the mindset of marketers should change. No more efforts to persuade customers in the uniqueness of your service because your service is nothing without the customers.

Ashley Lipman

Accuwebhosting.com

Interactive Emails are Effective- The modern consumer wants to be entertained, which is why using an interactive email is a great idea. Many companies are using the power of memes and videos to entertain their email recipients.

GDPR-Friendly Emails- Gathering and documenting consent from email recipients is at the heart of this piece of legislation. This is why you will need to get crafty when trying to get this consent.

Real-Time Email Personalization - When consumers visit your business website, you want an email sent out to them immediately to let them know you care about obtaining their business. The best way to do this is by using real-time email personalization software.

Avoid Buying an Email List - Most of the larger email service providers don’t like when businesses use these types of lists. Also, the people on these lists will have zero ideas who you are and why you are emailing them. Building your own email list from scratch may take time, but it is well worth it. You can find bulk email verification services and tools online. Once you have this information, you should have no problem optimizing the list of existing email addresses you have.

Make Sure Your Emails are Personal and Professional - In the world of small business, portraying the right image is a crucial component of having success. This is why you need to make sure that the emails you are sending to consumers are professional looking and personal. The opening line of your email needs to contain the name of the person you are sending it too. Making a person feel like they are getting a personalized email rather than a template can go a long way.

David MacLaren

Mediavalet.com David’s LinkedIn

In 2019, I believe marketing teams will become instrumental to customer success, working to enhance customer experiences, and boost adoption and retention. Marketing will be the key to providing value to the customer across their entire lifecycle, not just in the acquisition stage. Customer experience is expected to overtake price and product as a key differentiator by 2020, so organizations need to improve their customer success practices now if they hope to remain competitive. I’m excited to see marketing spearhead this initiative.

Taylor Perras

Business.com Taylor’s LinkedIn

Our focus has been gathering user feedback to improve the community experience on Business.com. Nothing is more telling than the voice of the customer (not even Google Analytics). That's why my prediction for 2019 is we'll see continued drastic growth in the use of chatbots on websites to gather customer thoughts and resolve customer problems immediately. As chatbots become more and more 'humanized' like their counterparts Alexa and Google Home, it will be impossible to tell if you're having a natural conversation with a helpful customer service rep or witty robot.

Anna Hrach

Convinceandconvert.com Anna’s LinkedIn

I think 2019 is going to be the year of focusing on organizational change. It's really hard to learn from our mistakes and not fall back into the same old habits when organizations are standing in one place. We can develop as many processes and procedures and to-do lists and roadmaps as we want, but the entire organizational structure has to be on board and rally in order for all of our big ideas to work. We all have to be moving in the same direction, at the same time, to make marketing truly effective.

John Paul Aguiar

JohnPaulAguiar.com John’s LinkedIn

My first prediction is about influencer marketing and how it WILL change in 2019. We are quickly seeing a move from large and random influencers to a small and real influencer base. People that actually use a product or service, that share ongoing reviews and usage of said product or service. Influencers that work side by side with said brand to share their review, participate in content creation and ads. Second, with Alexa and Siri usage growing and becoming mainstream....Voice marketing and search will grow at a faster pace and I see more brands finding creative ways to participate. Finally I think 2019 will be the year of creativity. 2018 was about being you and being more personal in your marketing. In 2019 that will continue but now that everyone does that, the way to really stand out will be to bring creativity to your branding, marketing, and the content you create.

Douglas Burdett

Douglas LinkedIn

In 2019 everyone will have their own flying car, entire meals will come in pill form, and the Earth will be run by damn dirty apes. Oh wait, those were Austin Powers’ predictions. But those will also probably happen in 2019. In 2019 a small but growing number of marketers will come to be perceived by their management and peers as making a more direct contribution to revenue rather than as arts and crafts party planners who work in the “make it pretty” department.

Andrea Fryrear

Agilesherpas.com Andrea’s LinkedIn

I can sum up my 2019 prediction with one word: process. More and more teams are figuring out that it’s not their ideas, or their strategy, or their product that’s holding them back, it’s their process. If you can create a more effective system for handling work, then every single piece of work that flows through that system benefits. Adopting a more Agile process is an amazing way to exponentially improve all kinds of work, from standard keep the lights on stuff to the most crucial strategy projects.

Jason Pampell

Hireinfluence.com Jason’s LinkedIn

Brands will contract more long-term partnerships with influencers that feel more genuine instead of one-off campaigns. This goes hand-in-hand with the focus from both brands and influencers to remain authentic and real with audiences; influencers will continue to work only with brands that align with their values and will push to have some creative control over content to assure it’s created with their audience in mind.

We will likely see brands continue to heavily pursue micro-influencers for their ability to carry a more authentic message, be less commercial in their presence and extend brand influencer networks and campaigns at a great value. We should also expect a bigger push from brands on data markers for potential influencers (demographics, engagement rate, view rates, etc.) to determine partnership rates.

Pamela Muldoon

Pedowitzgroup.com Pamela’s LinkedIn

Getting back to the basics to ensure a better customer experience. This past year I worked with a lot of B2B clients that still struggle with doing the foundation work of developing strong buyer personas and defining their customer journey. Yet these same companies will say they want to improve their customer experience. To move forward in 2019 means taking a step back. Companies will need to work on these foundational elements if they want to improve all areas of of their content marketing efforts.

David Reimherr

Magnificent.com David’s LinkedIn

I predict that you will see more and more videos (short & long form videos) from employees of larger and smaller companies as the movement towards humanizing your brand continues. The need for authenticity and creating relationships with your audiences is at an all time high and this starts with having faces and voices behind the logos. I also predict that growth of podcasts (audio & video podcasts) will continue as companies and brands continue to find creative ways to market themselves, speak to, and serve their audiences in deeper and deeper ways.

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Event Review: Game Development Brisbane: The Secrets to Creating an Indie Game Franchise - A Narrative Design Approach

The first Game Development Brisbane presentation for 2018 featured Christy Dena at the event's new location of JMC Academy. Christy is a transmedia expert. She formerly served as the National Chair and Development Coordinator of Games at the SAE Creative Media Institute and is now a Senior Lecturer of Games. Christy writes, designs and directs apps, installations, live games, tabletop games and events.

Today, Christy's presentation focused on how to create multimedia game franchises from the perspectives of indie developers. For Christy, experimentation with multimedia offerings began early in her career when she was writing a novel. She learned about the prospect of chat bots and the potential for designing their personalities. Christy experimented with the idea of creating a chat bot with a personality and knowledge base similar to one of the characters from her novel. So began a journey to find out why players engage with multimedia franchise offerings.

This presentation was of interest to me because, in the past, directors at Australian Game Development Studios had suggested to me that they believed "content as a package" was the way that the industry was heading. That is to say that entertainment would be offered across different forms of media to allow consumers the continuous engagement with content that many crave from their favourite franchises. My hope was that Christy's presentation would provide more insight into how this would be done.

Christy began with giving some context as to how creators can go about establishing franchises and what the current industry consensus is on how best to do so.

There are two general approaches that creators can use to go about creating a franchise. They can attempt to plan out a franchise proactively or they can attempt to expand an existing product into a franchise retrospectively.  Christy suggested that, in the context of indie game development, most creators focus on creating a great individual product first and then attempt to retroactively expand it into a multimedia franchise later if it achieves appropriate levels of success. A good local example of this approach would be HalfBrick's Fruit Ninja franchise. Starting with a massively successful mobile app, the franchise has now expanded into a YouTube Red video series and a movie is in the works.

During the Q & A at the end of the talk, Christy couldn't think of a good example of an IP that was set up proactively to create a multi-media franchise successfully. Even examples of big franchises such as Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed and Square Enix's Final Fantasy series had introduced several instalments before they expanded their brands into the multi-media landscape retroactively. All this means is that successful endeavours at proactive franchise creation are extremely rare.

Aside from the generally favoured approach of retroactive franchise development, Christy raised several other industry consensuses that exist. Generally, tone, themes and style should be maintained across different media. It seems that this is to allow consistency and increase the odds of player satisfaction when moving from one media to another. One technique that creators use a lot at the moment is a "continuity kiss" between different media offerings. An example of a continuity kiss would be where something is mentioned in one media, for example, a planet or species in Star Trek, and then that element is fulfilled in another media, such as a Star Trek game being set on that planet with those species. How is this all kept consistent? According to Christy, Transmedia Bibles are highly recommended by the industry. These bibles act as references for things like tone, themes, style, and product lore.

One thing that the industry does not like at the moment is adaptions. This is because many past adaptions have not been received well by critics or consumers. In the context of video games for example, I can think of many film adaptions that are generally not viewed positively. The Mario Bros movie is a big example. From what I have seen, the recent Assassins Creed movie is another example of an adaption that didn't necessarily hit the mark with critics or consumers. Christy believes that this negative industry perception of adaptions isn't necessarily a healthy one. Just because past examples where implemented unsuccessfully doesn't mean that the concept as a whole is bad.

The biggest thing that differentiates a successful franchise from an unsuccessful one, according to Christy, is how well the creator has been able to think empathetically about the consumer's motivations for engaging with their offerings and implemented their insights into it. One book that is a good resource in understanding this line of thought, according to Christy, is Steven Pressfield's "Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t". The idea of empathetically thinking as a creator is also supported by Brian Upton, a designer of the Ghost Recon and Rainbow 6 series.

At the moment the industry mostly focuses on world building when creating multi-media franchises. Christy believes that the focus should instead be on what the franchise promises the player, why they engage with it and what they are thinking. This should be true, for example, when designing any scene for a film or section for a game. What is the player's state of mind going into this sequence? What are their expectations? What have we promised them up until now?

This approach was particularly interesting to me because it generally mirror's methods and philosophies advocated by people like Stephen Covey for how to effectively interact and negotiate with other people generally. If the point of a product is to give a consumer some value, it would be best to understand what value that consumer is looking for and what their state of mind is when you attempt to give it to them. It doesn't matter how well you build your world, if that goes against the expectations and desires of consumers then it would ultimately go against the goal of bringing consumer's into each of your offerings and keeping them there.

The remainder of Christy's presentation outlined several of the reasons why consumers might engage with a given franchise offering.

Generally, there are five consumer motivations that the industry has picked up on. These are: • Personality; • Spectacle; • Novelty; • Social; and; • Nostalgia.

Consumers are drawn to big personalities that they are familiar with. This is especially evident when considering that some of the most highly paid movie actors such as Robert Downey Jr, Adam Sandler and Vin Diesel can pull in many consumers just because of their association with a film. Another way that Personality motivation can manifest is where consumer's engage with a franchise because they really like it's characters.

Spectacle is all about the epicness that big franchises offer. Think about The Lord of the Rings and Transformers. The sight of 100,000 enemies charging at a castle wall, awe inspiring landscapes, giant robots fighting each other and really big explosions are all things that have high spectacle value.

Novelty is the implementation of something new or intriguing. What would happen if a cat was the president for a week?

The social element, something that Christy suggested was the least understood by the industry. Is based around the human desire to do things with others and enjoy doing so.

Nostalgia is something that draws on positive past experiences we have had and makes us want to engage with similar experiences. An example that Christy gave was the avalanche of 8-Bit games that are produced.

Aside from these commonly recognised motivations, Christy has identified a few more that are particularly important to consider when creating multi-media franchises. These are: • Revealing; • Reliving; • Inhabiting; and; • Moulding.

Revealing is about answering the question "What more is there?". It is a representation of why consumers do respond to the world building currently focused on by the industry. Revealing relies on the consumer's desire to relate to different characters, the plot and the environment of a franchise and explore them.

The Reliving motivation, which is similar to the nostalgia motivation, is about reliving the type of activities that we enjoyed in the past again. For example, fans of the First Person Shooter genre often buy into new IPs because they are happy to relive the gameplay that the established FPS mechanics enable. Remakes are often about consuming the same thing again in a slightly different form. A good upcoming example is that Life Is Strange is being adapted into the movie form. The cinematic and linear nature of Life Is Strange lends the franchise to this type of adaption.

The desire to inhabit, and live in, the world of the franchise is often delivered in two different ways. You can export the world of the franchise and place the player into it or you can put elements of the franchise world into the player's world. Examples of exporting include theme park attractions such as the Avatar exhibit and virtual reality experiences where players feel like they are literally inside a representation of the franchise world. Examples of importing include action figures and Augmented Reality experiences. Both of these bring elements of the franchise world into the player's world. It is important to be wary of continuity when engaging with the consumer's motivation to inhabit. Consumers don't generally engage with attempts that have inconsistent tones, themes and styles compared to the original product. Where done well however, taking advantage of the desire to inhabit can be hugely successful. Remember how big Pokemon Go was?

Moulding is the desire of consumers to be able to adjust the narrative or world of a franchise. The best example of Moulding can be seen again in action figures where consumers have the opportunity to re-enact elements of the franchises narrative but also have plenty of opportunity to adjust it and create their own stories. Video games also provide plenty of opportunity to satisfy the moulding motivation.

Finally, Christy described the importance of establishing a franchises values. These are the things that your franchise offers players that should stay the same regardless of the medium of presentation. These are usually key elements of a Transmedia Bible. The examples Christy gave focused on the 2012 game Journey. Some of the design values that Journey has as a product included the concept of pursuing a spiritual life, the desire to be helpful, the desire for mature love and the development of Wisdom. If a Journey offering was offered in a different media, it would need to maintain these values to provide appropriate continuity.

The values of your franchise, as well as how you plan to meet the player motivations of revealing, reliving, inhabiting and moulding can be brainstormed via a resource offered by Christy on traversalspiraltoolkit.com.

To conclude, I think that what I got most out of this presentation was increased appreciation for empathetically designing your franchise offerings to meet player motivations for engaging with your offerings. In regards to my original hopes of better understanding franchise offerings, I feel that I better understand why franchises succeed and fail as well as have a better appreciation of where some types of media offerings can be valuable. As far as the potential of close to 24-7 franchise content goes, I have an appreciation for the necessity, along with the difficulty, of maintaining consistency with the values of the franchise and ensuring that new offerings provide value in line with player motivations when building such offerings.

[thechrisd]

Twitch Subs/Cheers Are Terrible Value For Buyer AND Creator (at least in the EU)

So late last night, casually watching BWoods be so-so at Quake Champions, I decided I’d go through with my initial plan for taking advantage of Twitch’s Subtember promotion - first-time subscriptions for half-price - by buying a high-tier sub to several people for the first month only. Main reason for this being that I never really considered that Twitch subscriptions were worth the money that I as a contributor spends relative to the amount that the content creator gets in the end.

Anyway, as I was going through the process I got a bit of a shock as I was going through all of the annoying red-tape that Xsolla adds as the payment processor:

Apparently VAT gets added on top of the subscription cost rather than being absorbed by Twitch themselves in the amount they take? After that as well as the fact that Xsolla basically then wanted permanent access to my PayPal account in order to process the transaction, I backed the hell out of it and started to look into just how bad Twitch subs are when it comes to wanting to support people.

Twitch Subs really are bad for the creator

So we all know that for Affiliate and lower-tier full-Partner streamers, subs are split 50:50. But that 50:50 is only after various taxes, payment processor charges and the like are taken out of the initial fee. That would mean 40-45% of your sub cost goes to the creator. However, when you’re in the EU like me, you have to pay anything from an extra 17% (Luxembourg) to an extra 27% (Hungary) on top of that; which now makes it paying anywhere from $5.84 to $6.34.

I haven’t yet touched properly on how much the creator gets because... it’s so varied depending on aspects such as their country of residence, the country from where the subscribers reside, tax status, choice of payment processor etc. From various threads on r/Twitch, I’ve seen some be worth as little as $0.54, with the top end not going higher than $2.36 for non-Prime subs. So, if we take the absolute best case scenario from these figures: a Luxembourgian sub being worth $2.36 to the creator, that’s 40.41% of the total cost; while the absolute worst case scenario - a Hungarian sub worth $0.54, that’s 8.52% of the total cost.

Twitch Bits are better — but not by much

It seems that regardless of the location and method around a Twitch sub, they’re a terrible method of directly supporting someone compared to a multitude of various other methods. I presume a lot of people will have seen this image comparing Twitch cheering with YT Super Chat and PayPal donations:

Well, even that lies a bit because you also pay VAT when buying bits. So while the image may make them seem good at 71-81% to the creator; once you factor in VAT, that drops to under 60%.

YouTube is better about it

YouTube’s “Super Chat” feature at first glance seems pretty bad, what with them taking 30% of it regardless of the size of the tip. But from what I’ve read online, it’s really not as bad as that because YouTube *possibly* covers the VAT costs from their cut. I can’t say this for certain since I’ve never sent nor received a Super Chat to be able to confirm for myself, so I’m having to go off of reddit search results again; but if it is indeed true, then it’s a lot better and a lot more understandable of a system to determine how much the creator gets.

YouTube Sponsorship is really good

UPDATE 2017-08-19: Now that YouTube Gaming Sponsorships are out of beta and available to all, I can directly compare them to Twitch subs properly.

The first major difference is that these sponsorships are split 70/30 between the creator and YouTube. Secondly, the sponsor does not pay VAT on top of the cost - as you can see from my investigating below, dividing €4.99 by 123% (cos 23% VAT here in Ireland) is €4.06, which works out with the 93c listed below.

Now, I have no confirmation whether or not YouTube absorbs the VAT costs into their 30% cut of both Super Chat and Sponsorships, and probably won’t be able to compare until I get a sponsor. If they do, then €3.49 would be my 70% split, and thus the contribution percentage. If they don’t, then €2.84 would be my split making a percentage contribution of 57% - better than Twitch subs, comparable-ish to Twitch bits. I’ll update this in the future with any new findings I may come across.

Patreon is still the best percentage by far

Supporting creators on Patreon is still one of the best ways to contribute, especially if like me you want to support lots of different creators with a small amount every month - since they batch everything together, thus meaning you only have one overall payment and thus only one processing charge. You decide how much you want to give every month (or per item they publish), and you know that the creator will get 95% of that.

You do still pay VAT via Patreon, and the processing fees will vary depending on how much you’re spending overall per month, but if we assume a $2.50 pledge - meaning $2.37 to the creator - that would be worth about 74%-80% of the amount you spend depending on your VAT rate (17% costs $2.93; 27% costs $3.18).

Things a Twitch Sub is worse than

While I was writing up these comparisons, I also had the idea to compare the cost of a Twitch sub to other more conventional methods of money transfer. So I looked up how much it would cost me from here in Ireland (23% VAT rate) to a bank account in the US, since it’s the most comparable method to these online contributions. I thought I was crazy and expecting this to be something silly like €15 to send that small amount, but I was wrong. VERY wrong.

Wow. €4 to send someone more money than they would get from a Twitch sub - which itself would cost me about €5.15 at today’s exchange rates - and they get the money a lot sooner than waiting for their $100 payout threshold, and without them having to pay their cashout fees. Oh, and the service fee stays pretty much the same regardless of the amount, so the overall percentage only gets better as the amount being sent increases.

What can Twitch do to be better?

If you ask me, there are two ways Twitch can make the subs better for the creator:

Take on the VAT charges as part of their cut, so people only have to pay the $4.99, $9.99, $24.99 that is advertised.

Give the creator a fixed amount of the subscription cost, and make this clear to the subscriber at the time of signing up (assuming optimal payment methods).

Until something changes with how they do things, I’ll stick with my current way of doing things - supporting creators on Patreon, and one-time donations if I feel like it.

[aion-rsa]

Where to Read Serial Fiction Online

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Some days, it’s impossible to sit down to read a long book. Maybe you’re waiting to be admitted to an appointment, or maybe you’re standing in line. You might be on public transit, where balancing that hardcover doorstopper you checked out of the library is simply impossible. In those moments when your attention could be drawn to something else at any moment, it’s convenient to have something shorter to read.

That’s where the current renaissance of serial fiction comes in. Publishers like Serial Box, Amazon, and apps like Tapas have created a host of short reading experiences when you only have twenty minutes (or less) to spend looking at your device. To know where to get your serial fiction online, whether on your phone or your computer, check out these recommendations to get your fix.

Serial Box 

My all time favorite serial app is Serial Box. The Serial Box team has been creating original serials from writers-room style writing teams, much like how television shows are written. As their library of original content has grown, they’ve also adapted several previously published projects, such as the Associated Press’s nonfiction 1776: The World Turned Upside Down, for their platform, as well as classic reads and short fiction. The original serials span a wide variety of genres, from their first urban fantasy serial, Bookburners (now completed) to their recent prose adaptations of Marvel and DC superhero properties like Jessica Jones (currently running) and The Flash (coming soon). Some of the serials are available for free, while most offer either a subscription model or a one-time season purchase.

One of the biggest perks of Serial Box serials is that any episode purchased includes the audio version, which is great for readers who need their fiction on the (literal) run. Narrators for the serials have included Tatiana Maslany, who narrates the characters she depicted on screen in the Orphan Black serial; Summer Glau of Firefly and Alphas as the reader of Alternis, a futuristic LitRPG; David Tennant and Catherine Tate, who share the narration of Serial Box’s Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor Adventures; and Hamilton stars Chris Jackson and Nicholas Christopher, who appear in 1776. The app also makes it super easy to switch back and forth between listening to audio and reading the prose (in case your run is interrupted and you just want to finish your story on the sly).

Fans of SFF will recognize a ton of luminaries and award-winners who have contributed to the library of serials: Max Gladstone, Amal el-Mohtar, Yoon Ha Lee, Becky Chambers, SL Huang, Rivers Solomon, Tananarive Due, Stephen Barnes, Malka Older, Fran Wilde… the list goes on! 

Radish

Radish features thousands of stories in their library, many from a wide variety of self-published authors. Some authors also choose to pre-release portions of titles on the app to drum up anticipation for upcoming releases. A community feature also allows readers to interact with each other and share their thoughts on the stories. The app boasts writers from television shows including General Hospital and Days of Our Lives, as well as emerging writers. Readers subscribe to stories for micro-payments, starting below a dollar, that are charged with each episode. Readers can search by genre as well as tags (including “werewolf,” “rebellion,” and “blackgirlmagic”) to select their titles. Some of the top series include Radish originals Torn Between Alphas and Vampire Prep.

Tapas 

Tapas offers comics and novels, some available from traditional publishing houses, such as Hachette, who have licensed their books (such as excellent kid’s book The Wild Robot by Peter Brown) to the app. Most of the serials are from self published authors, including (now movie-famous) Andy Weir, whose The Martian was originally a serial at his own website before it was a feature film. The majority of the library on Tapas is completely free to read, but other premium stories have to be unlocked with coins and keys, available in micro-transactions.

The biggest draw-back of the app is that the bite-sized chunks are very small, so readers won’t likely want to just get by on the keys and coins they can “earn” from the app’s promotions. The big benefit is that you get both prose and comic stories—and sometimes the same story is published in both formats, such as app exclusive, They Say I Was Born a King’s Daughter. Some in-app purchases go to directly supporting the creators, so they can do more writing!

Wattpad and Tap

Wattpad is one of the oldest and best known online indie serial hosting sites. Because they’ve been around for a long time, they have a huge library to browse through in a host of genres. They’ve also dabbled in interactive fiction with their messaging-based story serial app called Tap, which gives serials an extra sense of immediacy that mimics some of the fun of an alternate reality, transmedia game like Andrea Phillips’s brilliant The McKinnon Account. The stories are animated like a text screen, so readers follow a “live chat” with each chapter, and the reader’s choices can help decide the story.

Chapters: Interactive Stories

Like in Tap, readers can influence the direction stories take in Chapters. While the choice options aren’t as extensive as games from Choice of Games or the Choices series, throughout the novels, readers are able to make subtle changes to the narrative. Some choices are premium, and require in-app currency to purchase. Readers can unlock (rent) a full story for one day, or they can read in small bite sized chunks and put the app away until they receive the daily check in bonus. For readers who enjoy reading something once (rather than rereading), these quick reads are entertaining fun.

Bookshots

Bookshots is James Patterson’s bite-sized fiction project: two novellas come out each month, priced at $3.99. Patterson is the idea man while his co-writers do the heavy prose lifting, and several dabble in Patterson’s previously established worlds, including his Alex Cross books. The library contains two genres: thriller and romance, both of which lend themselves well to the shorter format.

Long Shorts

What about an app that delivers story content the way you’d keep up with your friends via social media? That’s the conceit behind Long Shorts, an app that delivers stories in a host of genres: fantasy, comedy, romance, nonfiction, mystery, sports, realistic YA, and classics converted to this new format. The stories update in “real time,” meaning readers only receive a short chunk of story at a time. If you’re interested in trying out this new social fiction format, download their app on Android or iOS.

Serial Reader

Rather than creating new content, Serial Reader focuses on making it so readers can access classic works of literature in bite-sized chunks. With more than 600 public domain books available (including Pride and Prejudice and The Time Machine), the app allows readers to customize the fonts and colors of their reading experience, and offers notifications when new issues are available. Each issue is designed to be read in 20 minutes or less, which means you don’t get so wrapped up in the story that you miss whatever appointment you’re waiting for!

The Lists

These websites aren’t apps, but they serve a similar function to apps Radish and Tapas: they provide listings of serial fiction popular around the web. If you’re looking for more than what we’ve investigated here at Den of Geek, visit either Top Web Fiction, a voting site where the most popular serials rank, and Web Fiction Guide, which has both curated and popular user lists. If you find a good one we haven’t covered, tell us about it!And to keep up with the serials we cover, keep an eye out for our next best serial fiction update!

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