#earning platform for creators

[truefanz]

How Does Influencer Marketing Boost Brand Awareness?

Know more: https://www.truefanz.com/post/how-does-influencer-marketing-boost-brand-awareness

[midnightwind]

I truly love looking at my desktop of games and laughing at the sheer disparity on display

[pollhit]

Instagram vs YouTube Shorts – Where Do You Watch More Content in 2025?

Introduction

In the fast-scrolling digital era, short-form video content is king. Whether you’re into dance challenges, funny skits, educational hacks, or mini vlogs—chances are you’re consuming them either on Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts. But when it comes to content preference, engagement, and creator earnings, the debate intensifies: Instagram vs YouTube Shorts – where do YOU spend more time?

Let’s dive into a detailed comparison of both platforms from the perspective of users, content creators, and brands.

 Platform Overview

🟣 Instagram Reels

Launched in 2020 as a direct competitor to TikTok, Reels became Instagram’s answer to vertical video. With its strong photo-sharing history and influencer culture, Instagram Reels quickly evolved into a powerful short video hub, integrated with Stories, Feed, and Explore.

🔴 YouTube Shorts

YouTube, the OG of long-form content, jumped into the short video race with Shorts in 2021. Today, it’s one of the fastest-growing video formats on the platform. Powered by YouTube’s search engine and recommendation algorithm, Shorts offer immense reach and discovery potential for creators.

 Popularity and Usage

Instagram Reels:

Favored by Gen Z and Millennials (ages 16–35)

Users typically consume Reels while browsing Instagram casually

Average watch time: 30 minutes per session

Often used for entertainment, fashion, lifestyle, and viral trends

YouTube Shorts:

Attracts a broader age group (13–50+)

Tied to YouTube’s homepage and notifications

Average watch time: Higher because of binge-watch effect

Covers educational, gaming, tech, comedy, and music content

✅ Verdict:Instagram is for quick dopamine hits, while YouTube Shorts holds users longer through stronger AI suggestions and channel subscriptions.

 Creator Ecosystem

Instagram Reels:

Easy to go viral using trending audio

Creators use filters, effects, and native editing tools

Limited insights and unpredictable algorithm

Followers matter more for views

YouTube Shorts:

Better long-term audience building

More detailed analytics (CTR, retention, etc.)

Videos are evergreen – can get views months later

Less dependent on subscriber count

✅ Verdict:YouTube Shorts is ideal for serious content creators, while Instagram Reels benefits lifestyle influencers and trendsetters.

 Algorithm & Discovery

When it comes to visibility and viral reach, the algorithm behind a platform plays a crucial role. Both Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts use recommendation systems, but they are built for different user behaviors and priorities. Let’s break down how each platform’s algorithm works in 2025:

 Instagram – Engagement-Driven Discovery

Instagram’s Reels algorithm is heavily engagement-based and favors content that can gain traction quickly within your network and locality.

Prioritizes engagement metrics like likes, comments, shares, and saves over time.

Reels that use trending audio, popular filters, and high-performing hashtags often get more reach on the Explore or Reels tab.

Instagram frequently recommends content based on:

Who your friends are interacting with

Your location and tagged areas

Recent activity (e.g., what types of posts you’ve engaged with recently)

This means your Reels visibility can skyrocket quickly, but it’s also highly dependent on timing, trends, and momentum.Great for content creators chasing short-term virality and lifestyle trends.

 YouTube – AI-Driven Precision Discovery

YouTube Shorts relies on a much more sophisticated and AI-powered recommendation system, which focuses on long-term user behavior and content quality.

YouTube evaluates each Short based on:

Watch history

Search behavior

Click-through rate (CTR)

Viewer retention (how long someone watches the video)

Shorts are shown through the homepage feed, Shorts shelf, and search results, allowing them to reach a broader and more global audience.

YouTube’s AI adapts quickly to viewing patterns and constantly fine-tunes its recommendations to keep users engaged longer.

This system rewards creators who consistently post valuable, watchable content, even if they don’t have a massive following. It’s perfect for building sustainable growth and audience trust.

✅ Verdict:YouTube’s algorithm is more powerful and favors quality + consistency, while Instagram rewards momentum + trends.

 SEO & Reach

In the battle between Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, SEO and discoverability play a huge role — especially for creators and brands aiming for long-term visibility. Here’s where YouTube clearly pulls ahead of Instagram.

 YouTube Shorts – Built for Search & Longevity

YouTube is not just a video platform — it’s the second-largest search engine in the world after Google. This gives Shorts a major advantage when it comes to content visibility:

Shorts can appear in Google Search results, especially if optimized with proper titles, tags, and descriptions.

YouTube’s internal search is strong  users actively search for content like “top 10 phones,” “how to cook paneer,” or “fitness tips,” and Shorts can show up directly in results.

Evergreen value: A well-performing YouTube Short can continue to get views months after posting, thanks to algorithmic recommendations, playlists, and search results.

Users can also discover Shorts on channel pages, home feeds, notifications, and the dedicated Shorts tab.

If your goal is SEO-driven content marketing or audience growth over time, YouTube Shorts is a more reliable platform.

 Instagram Reels – Built for Trends, Not Search

Instagram Reels, on the other hand, is designed for real-time virality, not long-term discoverability:

Reels are mostly surfaced via the Explore page, Reels tab, or from mutual connections.

Content discovery relies heavily on trending sounds, hashtags, and engagement momentum in the first 48 hours.

While Reels can go viral quickly, they often lose traction after a few days, unless reposted, reshared, or featured by large pages.

Instagram’s search functionality is not video-focused  users rarely “search” for Reel topics the way they do on YouTube.

For creators relying on search traffic, passive growth, or tutorial-based content, Instagram falls short.

✅ Verdict:For SEO value and long-term reach, YouTube Shorts wins.

 Brand Integration & Ads

In 2025, brands are investing heavily in short-form video platforms to capture attention and drive conversions. While both Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts offer massive reach, their approach to brand integration, ad support, and conversion strategy is quite different  and this affects which brands choose which platform.

 Instagram – The Influencer Marketing Hub

Instagram continues to be a top choice for influencer-driven brand campaigns, especially in fashion, beauty, fitness, and lifestyle sectors.

Brands leverage Reels + Stories to push new product drops and seasonal sales using native creators.

Instagram allows shopping tag integration, where users can tap on a product and buy instantly without leaving the app. This creates a smooth scroll-to-shop experience.

Visual aesthetics and trends dominate the platform, making it ideal for product showcases, makeup tutorials, and fashion transitions.

In short, if your brand relies on impulse purchases and visual appeal, Instagram is the perfect match.

 YouTube Shorts – The Brand Awareness Powerhouse

YouTube Shorts is becoming the go-to for brand storytelling, education, and conversions at scale, especially when paired with traditional long-form videos.

Brands can embed clickable links in video descriptions (and even comment pins), helping drive traffic directly to websites, apps, or landing pages.

YouTube’s multi-language ecosystem and AI-powered discovery make Shorts a strong choice for regional campaigns or mass awareness.

Ideal for tech, finance, gaming, app marketing, and tutorial-style promotions, where audiences expect deeper value and explanation.

Also, YouTube ads ecosystem (Skippable, Bumper, and Shorts Ads) gives brands more precise control over targeting and retargeting.

✅ Verdict:Instagram is ideal for visual shopping, YouTube is better for info-rich promotion.

 Audience Behavior in India (2025)

In 2025, India’s digital audience is more fragmented and diverse than ever before. With affordable smartphones, faster internet (5G), and a growing creator economy, both Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts are dominating different audience segments but with clear patterns.

 Gen Z Loves Instagram for Entertainment

Recent surveys show that over 60% of Gen Z (ages 16–24) in India prefer Instagram Reels for short-form entertainment. The reason? Instagram’s design is fast, trendy, and built around viral audio, challenges, and influencer culture. Young users scroll through Reels casually throughout the day, making it their go-to app for fashion, memes, dance, and lifestyle content.

 Creators Flock to YouTube Shorts for Growth

Meanwhile, 70% of digital creators say they prefer YouTube Shorts for career growth. Why? Because Shorts offer

Better algorithmic discovery

Long-term view potential (even months later)

Integrated monetization through the YouTube Partner Program

Creators in categories like tech, education, gaming, and vlogging are especially shifting to YouTube because it gives them a chance to build real subscribers and generate consistent revenue.

 Final Thoughts: Which One is Better?

There’s no clear winner – it depends on:

🎯 Your goals (virality vs. career growth)

👥 Your audience (urban Gen Z vs wider YouTube base)

💰 Monetization plans (influencer collab vs. YouTube ad revenue)

If you’re a brand or creator, the smart move in 2025 is to repurpose content on both platforms. Create once, distribute everywhere!

 Poll Suggestion for PollHit

Instagram Reels vs YouTube Shorts – Where do you watch more short videos?

[cheekydimplesblog]

Everything You Need To Know About Whop Review

You guys love it when I post reviews about platforms and apps where you can easily earn money and after my Benable detailed article I think for me to share something new that caught my eye recently. This is still new so you might have came across the Whop platform yet but trust me when I say this you will be hearing about it soon if you already haven’t. Whop is the latest digital space where…

[mehmetyildizmelbourne-blog]

Why Email Marketing Is the Best Tool for Startups and Freelancers

Business Education for Startups and Freelancers Email Marketing is a Proven Tool Used by Respected Professionals and Businesses to Build Meaningful Connections Ethical and Smart Email Marketing Is What I Endorse When some people in my circle hear “email marketing,” they immediately think of it as spam — unwanted messages flooding inboxes, shady sales tactics, or relentless promotions that push…

[blazehedgehog]

If you're a Youtube creator with monetization privileges, click on the "Earn" tab right now and deal with this if you feel like its necessary. Youtube is going to start running more ads on your videos automatically without your permission, and the ability to opt out will go away in two months.

Youtube is not advertising this anywhere. Checking my "Earn" tab on my own is the first time I'm hearing about it. To me, that suggests they don't want people to know they're doing this, because they want to crank up ad frequency and make more money.

If you've ever seen what happens when you let Youtube automatically pick ad slots like this, they basically try to run an ad every 2-3 minutes. It's a nightmare.

They are going to flood their platform with ads and drive away 70% of their viewership. On the other hand, if you opt out and choose to continue showing fewer ads, you may earn the trust and respect of your viewers.

You have a strategic operative to turn this off before May 12th. If you don't do it before then, it sounds like Youtube will take away your ability to reduce your ad frequency.

[xhibitur]

🚀 The Speedy Route to Earning Money from Creative Content Sharing 🚀

Hey there, Tumblr fam! 💫

Are you a creative soul eager to turn your passions into a paycheck? Well, you're in the right place because we're about to dive into how quickly you can start earning money from sharing your creative content. Buckle up; it's going to be a thrilling ride! 🚀

1. Content Creation Platforms

The digital world is your canvas, and content creation platforms are your brushes. Here's a sneak peek at some of the speediest routes to monetization:

📽️ YouTube: Imagine getting paid to do what you love! The YouTube Partner Program lets you earn through ads, channel memberships, and merchandise. Just hit 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours within a year to apply for monetization.

📸 Instagram: Love snapping pics? With sponsored posts, affiliate marketing, and selling your creations, Instagram can be your personal piggy bank.

🕺 TikTok: Dancing, singing, or making people laugh? TikTok's Creator Fund rewards creators based on video performance. Also, you can score big with brand collaborations and product promotions.

📝 Blogging: Are words your superpower? Blogging platforms like Tumblr, WordPress, and Blogger offer monetization through ads, affiliate marketing, sponsored content, and the sale of digital goodies.

2. Freelancing

Ready to put your skills to work? Freelancing is the way to go:

💼 Upwork, Freelancer, Fiverr: These platforms connect freelancers (that's you!) with clients in need of all sorts of talents. Bid on projects, land gigs, and start earning in no time.

3. Digital Product Sales

Have digital treasures to share? Platforms like Gumroad and Etsy make it a breeze to sell digital products like eBooks, printables, or online courses. Cha-ching! 💰

4. Affiliate Marketing

You love a product, and they pay you for spreading the word! Sign up for affiliate programs that match your interests, incorporate affiliate links into your content, and start earning when your referrals make a purchase.

5. Crowdfunding and Patronage

If you've got a loyal fanbase, Patreon and Kickstarter are your trusty sidekicks. Patreon lets your fans pledge a monthly sum in exchange for exclusive content or perks. Kickstarter can fund your creative dreams in a flash with the support of backers.

6. Networking and Collaboration

Your creative network is your net worth:

🤝 Attend virtual events, join forums, and connect with fellow creators. Collaborations can range from joint projects to sponsored content, boosting your income and expanding your horizons.

Conclusion

While building a steady income from creative content sharing may take time, there's no shortage of opportunities to start earning quickly. Just remember: consistency, engagement, and a dash of patience are key ingredients for long-term success.

So, what are you waiting for? Unleash your creativity, share it with the world, and watch the magic happen! 🌟💵

[distastefulsideboob]

As radfems I think we need to be more comfortable calling Liberal sex worker women class traitors.

Obviously I'm not speaking about women who've been trafficked or groomed into the industry, but the women who have made an informed choice to join the industry from a privileged position for personal profit whilst actively contributing towards women's sexual objectification.

I saw an tiktok about a woman who was disciplined in the workplace for wearing an outfit that was "inappropriate". The picture displayed an attractive woman in her mid twenties with a curvaceous figure, the dress itself while form fitting was full coverage. I've experienced a similar situation so I had a lot of sympathy.

And yet when I clicked on her tiktok to see if there were updates about the situation, I saw multiple videos of her being "confronted" by a voiceless HR woman, in outfits that got progressively more revealing. It turned out this woman was an OnlyFans creator who had fabricated this situation to drive traffic to her page, showed videos of her in lingerie in her "office" and videos of her being groped at her desk by a faceless male "coworker." Her office job was nothing more than set dressing for her to film her adult content. Yet she performed as a woman experiencing sexual harassment and discrimination by her workplace, something that truly happens to millions of women at some point in their careers.

This is just one of many examples of sex workers fetishising real life situations that happen to women. There are many more examples of women who style themselves to emulate teenagers or children, who make content simulating being assaulted or raped.

And yet I'm supposed to support these women? The woman who deliberately talk over impoverished trafficked women, and use their platforms to campaign against regulations such as the Nordic model that would make the industry safer because it would impact their revenue? The women who tout the industry as being empowering and glamorous to teenage girls, and encourage them to join? (Don't forget that OnlyFans has an affiliate programme where you can sign up under another creator while they gain a percentage of your earnings, similar to an MLM.)

I'm tired of saying I'm against the industry but supportive of sex workers. I am supportive of women and girls who are victims of the industry but I refuse to pander to women who will gleefully participate in an industry that dehumanises all women whilst using feminism as a get out of jail free card.

[truefanz]

Know more: https://www.truefanz.com/post/creator-spotlight-connect-with-american-kat-on-truefanz

[inthelittlewood]

hiya martyn, i know you said ad revenue on youtube is better and to watch vods there preferably, but if someone uses ad blocker(i just cant wight all 1min ads, yt going to shit) is it still better to watch on youtube or on twich ?

No ads, no earnings, so it wouldn't matter which platform you're watching on if you're blocking them unfortunately

I know the ads are annoying but it is the main revenue stream for most creators so I would always plead that you turn it off if possible

Alternatively, I personally use YouTube Premium. No ads (but creators still get paid), download and audio only features for mobile, also you get YouTube Music which is literally just Spotify so it's a nice package deal

[cryptosocialnetwork]

Focus.xyz – Redefining the Creator Economy with Web3

Welcome to the future of social media. Focus.xyz isn’t just another platform—it’s a revolution. Built on the powerful DeSo blockchain, Focus empowers creators to monetize directly, build communities freely, and own their content without middlemen or platform fees. 🔥 Why Creators Are Switching to Focus.xyz

1. 100% Creator Revenue: No Cuts, No Catch. Say goodbye to heavy platform fees. With Focus, creators keep 100% of their earnings, from tips and subscriptions to premium content unlocks and even custom token launches.

2. Post-to-Earn Model : Every post can earn you real crypto rewards. Focus incentivizes quality engagement—your content isn’t just liked, it’s valued. Some posts have earned up to $1,000.

3. Complete Content Ownership : p Your followers, your content, your rules. Built on a decentralized blockchain, Focus gives creators full control and ensures censorship resistance and permanence.

4. Private & Secure by Design Focus enables anonymous posting, end-to-end encrypted messaging, and decentralized identity. Engage with your audience without ever compromising your privacy.

💡 Perfect for: Influencers tired of being demonetized. Educators and experts are monetizing premium knowledge. Communities and DAOs are looking for secure social engagement. Web3-native creators wanting real crypto-native monetization.

📈 Built for Viral Growth Referral Rewards: Invite others and earn from their activity—perfect for community builders. Engagement Bounties: Discover top content creators and get rewarded. Early Mover Advantage: With $75M in early backing from names like Coinbase, Sequoia, and a16z, now’s the time to grow with Focus.

⚡ Focus.xyz vs Traditional Platforms Feature Focus.xyz Twitter / Instagram / Patreon Platform Fees 0% 10–40% Content Ownership Yes (on-chain) No Anonymity & Privacy Full Limited Native Crypto Payments Instant Often restricted Creator Token Support Yes No 🎯 Join the Creator-Led Movement Don’t just build an audience—build your own economy.

👉 Start today: https://focus.xyz

👉 Follow and earn: Post. Engage. Get rewarded.

[mehmetyildizmelbourne-blog]

Invitation to Beta Readers: Read the “Smart Email Marketing” Book Before Publishing It

The Importance of Email Marketing for Startups and Freelance Writers The alpha reading of the manuscript has been successfully completed. The book was accepted for publishing. It is now available for preorder via many bookstores. If you are a freelancer or startup and want early access to this unique book, please show interest in being a beta reader by leaving a comment on this story.�� Are you…

[ellipsus-writes]

Each week (or so), we'll highlight the relevant (and sometimes rage-inducing) news adjacent to writing and freedom of expression. This week:

Inkitt’s AI-powered fiction factory

Inkitt started in the mid-2010s as a cozy platform where anyone could share their writing. Fast forward twenty twenty-fuckkkkk, and like most startups, it’s pivoted hard into AI-fueled content production with the soul of an algorithm.

Pictured: Inkitt preparing human-generated work for an AI-powered flume ride to The Unknown.

Here’s how it works: Inkitt monitors reader engagement with tracking software, then picks popular stories to publish on its premium app, Galatea. From there, stories can get spun into sequels, spinoffs, or adapted for GalateaTV… often with minimal author involvement. Authors get an undisclosed cut of revenue, but for most, it’s a fraction of what they’d earn with a traditional publisher (let alone self-publishing).

“'They prey on new writers who have no idea what they’re doing,' said the writer of one popular Galatea series."

Many, many authors have side-eyed or outright decried the platform as inherently predatory for years, due to nebulous payout promises. And much of the concern centers on contracts that don’t require authors’ consent for editorial changes or AI-generated “additions” to the original text.

Now, Inkitt has gone full DiSrUpTiOn, leaning heavily on generative AI to ghostwrite, edit, generate audiobook narration, and design covers, under the banner of “democratizing storytelling.” (AI? In my democratized storytelling platform? It’s more likely than you think.)

Pictured: Inkitt’s CEO looking at the most-read stories.

But Inkitt’s CEO doesn’t seem too concerned about what authors think: “His business model doesn’t need them.”

The company recently raised $37 million, with backers including former CEOs of Sony, Penguin, and HarperCollins, proving once again that publishing loves a disruptor… as long as it disrupts creatives, not capital. And more AI companies are mushrooming up to chase the same vision: “a vision of human-created art becoming the raw material for AI-powered, corporate-owned content-production machines—a scenario in which humans would play an ever-shrinking role.”

(Not to say we predicted this, but…)

Welcome to the creator-industrial complex.

Publishers to AI: Stop stealing our stuff (please?)

Major publishers—including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, and Vox Media—have launched a "Support Responsible AI" campaign, urging the U.S. government to regulate AI's use of copyrighted content.

Like last month's campaigns by the Authors Guild and the UK's Society of Authors, there's a website where where you can (and should!) contact your representatives to say, “Hey, maybe stop letting billion-dollar tech giants strip-mine journalism.”

The campaign’s ads carry slogans like “Stop AI Theft” and “AI Steals From You Too” and call for legislation that would force AI companies to pay for the content they train on and clearly label AI-generated content with attribution. This follows lobbying by OpenAI and Google to make it legal to scrape and train on copyrighted material without consent.

The publishers assert they are not explicitly anti-AI, but advocate for a “fair” system that respects intellectual property and supports journalism.

But… awkward, The Washington Post—now owned by Jeff Bezos—has reportedly already struck a deal with OpenAI to license and summarize its content. So, mixed signals.

Still, as the campaign reminds us: “Stealing is un-American.”

(Unless it’s profitable.)

#WarForever

We at Ellipsus love a good meme-turned-megaproject. Back in January, the-app-formerly-known-as-Twitter user @lolt64 tweeted a cryptic line about "the frozen wastes of europa,” the earliest reference to the never-ending war on Jupiter’s icy moon.

A slew of bleak dispatches from weary, doomed soldiers entrenched on Europa’s ice fields snowballed (iceberged?) into a sprawling saga, yes-and-ing with fan art, vignettes, and memes under the hashtag #WarForever.

It’s not quite X’s answer to Goncharov: It turns out WarForever is some flavor of viral marketing for a tabletop RPG zine. But the internet ran with it anyway, with NASA playing the Scorcese of the stars.

In a digital hellworld increasingly dominated by AI slopification, data harvesting, and “content at scale,” projects like WarForever are a blessed reminder that creativity—actual, human creativity—perseveres.

Even on a frozen moon. Even here.

Let us know if you find something other writers should know about, (or join our Discord and share it there!)

- The Ellipsus Team xo

[dessarchive]

now introducing the future of music and entertainment, endless options of sound (eos)

eos is an app that i script into most of my drs. i got inspired to create it after coming across a video on youtube of someone re-designing spotifys UI. i’ve used spotify, apple music, amazon music, youtube music, and many more music streaming services and none of them ever lived up to my expectations, so i thought why not create what i’ve always wanted? i took a long hard look at all of the features i wish the current apps had and put them all into one. i posted about it before on my previous account but didn’t go into the actual details much. it started as a music streaming app when it was launched but became much more than that. it’s one of my favorite parts of my drs because i’m an avid music listener and the features are to die for. eos is the only music streaming app in my drs. i also have a ceo dr where i’m the ceo of it because this app has basically become my child!!! anyways here’s what i have after working on it for months!

eos was launched on october 31, 2001 by robyn fenty (she’s older LMAO) and aliyah haughton. the app immediately gained popularity as the first and only music streaming service. it was created as a space where everyone could enjoy music. years later it implemented audiobooks, podcasts, music videos, interviews, merch, and concert tickets. it stands out with its flawless performance that never crashes or has bugs, its exceptional algorithm for fresh experiences each playtime, and its features like eosoulmates that connects users through shared music tastes.

lyrics and subtitles are always available in any language desired by the user and the platform includes organization like no other. exclusive presale codes are able for top listeners of specific artists because the app has its own ticketing system. eos is free for all users as the founders wanted to make a space to unify people during life’s challenge. to maintain this while making sure artists are fairly paid, revenue is generated through a share of concert ticket and merchandise sales, in-app donations directly supporting artists, non-intrusive sponsorships and partnerships, and grants from philanthropic organizations. this guarantees that eos stays true to making music accessible while supporting creators and users globally.

to expand on existing sounds of music and entertainment, the service implemented dolby atmos to its highest quality with no extra price to artists for using it.

eos also features eos karaoke: sing it your way. within this are lyrics that are displayed in perfect sync with customizable highlighting options, while users can adjust the original vocals (mute, reduce, or add harmonies) for a personalized performance. advanced pitch tracking gives real-time feedback, along with timing guides and a practice mode for perfecting songs. voice effects like reverb, autotune, and fun filters are available to take things to a higher level or have fun with friends and family. dual-screen mode connects to tvs for party setups and users can enjoy duets with friends or group singing for up to 10 people. karaoke playlists are curated based on mood, listening habits, or vocal range. sessions can be recorded and shared with friends or on social media. a scoring system with feedback helps users improve their singing while earning fun badges. eos karaoke also offers live virtual karaoke rooms, offline mode for downloaded tracks, and customizable themes for lyric screens and backgrounds. a special kid-friendly mode ensures the fun for all age groups.

eos allows music and entertainment to be accessible, fun, and, immersive to everyone.

[lackadaisycats]

Hello Tracy, I've been a fan of Lackadaisy since the webcomic days and want to ask a quick question regarding Patreon. I'm also an indie creative myself and currently trying to raise funds for a show I'm working on. What are the best ways to market myself online, and what are some ways to obtain money for the production of merchandise that doesn't involve crowdfunding?

Any specific advice I could give about marketing oneself online at this point would be pretty outdated. I started making Lackadaisy years back, when the internet had a rather different geography and culture. DeviantArt was where all the art kids were. That is, of course, no longer the case.

My generalized advice, though, would be to start working on your project, start sharing it in some form, even if it's just concept art or experiments at this phase, and start building an audience. Nothing speaks to the quality and appeal of whatever it is you're making like the thing itself does. Pick your poisons, as far as social media goes, but probably don't focus solely on one. Platforms don't remain useful or pleasant places to be forever. Set up an avenue for viewers to support you (Patreon, Ko-fi, or something like it), but don't expect supporters to come flooding in all at once. The internet is awash with so many creators and shows and influencers and distractions, it's hard to make waves. Tenacity will be your ally, though. You are likely going to be pursuing your project on the side and possibly working at a loss for a while as you build. Keep things small scale, especially if you're working solo, or with a small team of people. Audience growth and support may eventually start allowing you to expand your ambitions. It's important to do the thing you're doing out of love for the art, for the project itself, for the experience of doing it, and not because you're expecting rounds of applause, accolades, and money to come rushing at you. There's no guarantee that last part will happen...so at least make sure you're having fun doing whatever you're doing.

----------------

About merchandise --

You can incur the upfront cost of producing, say, a small run of enamel pins. Sell them on your own shop storefront or offer them to supporters at certain tier levels and see how long it takes to earn back the production cost such that you start earning a little bit of profit. Get a feel for how well you can handle packaging and shipping things yourself. Test the waters before making any large merch orders, and don't order vast amounts of something that you don't have room to 'warehouse' in your own home.

You can go the print on demand route. It's got its drawbacks - like slim returns - but it allows you to offer an assortment of merch items without the huge risk of paying big manufacturing fees upfront. It can also do the fulfillment/shipping part for you. I did pretty okay selling prints this way for a time. (Research and be selective about what services you use here, though. Some have gotten markedly worse over the years.)

I know Patreon offers a subscription level for creators that includes some merch production and fulfillment. I haven't personally used it, though, so I'd ask around to see what other creators' experiences have been like with it.

One thing I would suggest relying more heavily on, especially at first, is digital/downloadable rewards, like PDF ebooks or digital sketchbooks - things like that. Shipping supplies and postage costs are ever-increasing and can easily end up putting you in the red. Also, if you have an international audience, it may be difficult to reach them with tangible merch items.

You might also check out some nearby conventions to see if they'd be a good fit for you and your project. Apply for artist alley space at one of them if that's appropriate, or investigate whether or not it'd be worth it to get a dealer table. You might even find someone willing to share dealer space with you for a trial-run.

At some point, when you have enough of an audience to warrant it, seek out a merch partner. Or, they might come scouting for you if they think you have something going that'd be soundly marketable.

[anchorandrope]

I need to know why L's sisters are always the ones making trouble on social media and looking for attention. I really don't understand why them

Look, im going to give you an answer from PR because that's my life so why not lmfao. And since i've worked with one influencer recently, i have no doubts regarding what is happening at this point with louis' sisters.

Im going to try to explain this as short and succinctly as possible. and im really sorry to say this but this is how things work in real life, i beg you to leave your parasocial relationship with louis aside for three seconds to think coldly about the situation, because i know perfectly well how some of you take every statement made related to louis. several statements can exist at the same time, not everything is black and white, etc. thank you...

Some of you may ask, why always the twins? and there is, actually, an answer to that question. The answer, believe it or not, is not because Lottie is older than the twins. Partly her age is related, but it is not the reason itself... let's see:

Lottie started working as Lou Teasdale's assistant during the OTRA Tour, and since then and thanks to her, she got in touch with many important job opportunities that another teenager who does make-up well wouldn't have.

She has been in Fashion Week, worked for Selena Gomez, etc. Everything from a very young age. Today, she doesn't live exclusively from social media, as many believe. Her income is not only from "being an influencer", she has her brand tanologist, she published a book.... In Lottie's case, social media is a fundamental communication tool that allows her to obtain opportunities that generate income, but it is not her entire income per se.

On the other hand, Daisy and Phoebe were too young to take advantage of job opportunities at that time (1D days) because they were kids... they, again it may not seem like it, didn't have the same level of important job opportunities as Lottie had at such a young age. Lottie was at Fashion Week when she was 17... the twins are still very young and their proper working careers are just starting.

Phoebe and Daisy started their modelling careers in 2020 and to this day, they are involved in social media, promoting products (swaps) and modelling in small photo shoots. They haven't really had a big job opportunity like Lottie has had.

Unlike Lottie, they did not have the same visibility from the start and their income comes exclusively from social media. Modelling and swaps/promo are things they do through social media, their working tool is Instagram/TikTok. They need that platform for their income.

Now, if you have social media accounts set up as public and as a content creator you will know this, but for those who don't: those who create content on social media in this way (influencers, among other cases) have their own tool that helps them most to calculate how much they will earn and that is metrics. The famous "professional dashboard/insights" from Instagram for example.

To hire an influencer (in addition to doing a previous investigation of who you should hire) you should ask them for their metrics so that you can reach an agreement on the amount of money for that exchange/interaction/etc. A fixed base number is set, but depending on the reach, the more money they receive is directly proportional to the amount of interactions and views that post has had. Like on instagram if you share the post as branded content, the company you tag can see your metrics.

The fact that the twins are the ones who post content that they know people will go to their stories/posts/comments to see or will make them follow them on their social media is not a coincidence because the amount of people who interact with them (whatever the reason, as your personal reason is not seen on a metric lol) is what generates them revenue, quite literally.

Yes, it can happen that once in a while as something "casual" because they are people, but not as a generality and even less so when a few days later they do another promotion or they are in one. What is going on and whether it is right/morally correct or not are two different questions, by the way.

This is what happens, welcome to the world of influencers! It doesn't matter if you agree or not, if you like it or not, or whatever, those are your personal opinions (which are perfectly fine, we all have them) but... that's how it is. lol.

I personally don't think it's right to use babygate as a method of generating interaction, and just as I brought it to the attention of the clark family, I will bring it to the attention of the tomlinson's. the child is a huge victim of this, everyone is violating his right to privacy and honestly its disgusting to see after like 9 years. It seems to me that gaining interactions (that lead you to gain money) with such a horrible situation and with a child seems to me something that people should be ashamed of, to be honest. Beyond babygate, imagining that larry and babygate never existed, it's wrong to do this, it goes way beyond fandom, which i think is something a lot of people don't truly understand.

if you really want the twins to stop posting this kind of shit, im sorry to inform yall that the only solution to the problem is going to be to stop following them, stop looking at their stories, stop liking and viewing their posts, stop commenting, etc. any viewing/interaction is reflected in a metric, check it out for yourself (besides there are more metric apps than just the ones IG/Tiktok gives you). If you spread a screenshot taken by someone else or stuff, you are not interacting directly with their account, so it's not the same ofc, but if someone doesn't understand how it works, they will go and see it for themselves and and they will generate interactions. It's impossible not to have them on the radar, i know, so at least i ask yall to focus on what's really important, and not on every idiotic thing that happens, because that way they just make it worse, literally.