Keeping It Currant: a newsletter at the intersection of the creator economy & social impact

Welcome to the latest issue of Keeping It Currant, a newsletter by Social Currant & Girl and the Gov® focused on sharing insights on how to navigate the intersection of the creator economy and the political and social impact space. Before you scroll, make sure to pop in and say hello in the Social Currant creator-dedicated Slack channel, here.

…and one more thing for our creators <3 we’d love to get your feedback on what types of paid campaigns, issue areas, and organizations you’d like to work with in the new year. Fill out this form and let us know!

ADD TO THE CAL

A creator event to add to your cal

CREATOR BRIEFING: GOING LIVE 101

About: This briefing will feature insights from TikTok Live Moderator Expert, Rachel aka Not Nebraska Nice and Currant Creator, Zackory Kirk on how to start going live on TikTok. Rachel and Zackory will break down effective steps and tips to take to reach new audiences. ​Come prepared with questions around TikTok-specific livestreams and what you can do to engage your audience through different verticals. P.S. stick around until the end for our campaign interest form.

When: Thursday, December 19, 2024; 4:00-4:45pm EST

Where: Virtual; Zoom

RESOURCE ROUND-UP

Something to save, something to use

FOR CREATORS EXPLORING THE WORLD OF NEWSLETTERS → This Newsletter Operator Toolbox includes 190 tools to consider/use/test out or just know about when it comes to bringing a newsletter from concept to reality.

FOR THE DIGITAL TEAM LOOKING AT 2025 PARTNERSHIPS → This research report from FYPM looks at all of the latest benchmarks for paying creators fairly, as well as understanding the idiosyncrasies that can make or break a deal. The report’s findings can be used to help tackle 2025 planning.

FOR THE CREATOR OR BRAND TRYING TO HONE-IN ON THEIR 2025 VISION BOARD → Pinterest has released its 2025 trend predictions report, and it’s truly a hodgepodge. From Fisherman core to Sea Witchery, and beyond, there’s an aesthetic touchpoint for all that may be helpful when thinking about branding and events for 2025 initiatives.

FOR CREATORS CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT WORKS ON YOUTUBE → The platform also released a report – but this one more as a 2024 reflection of what popped off on the platform and why. The YouTube Global Trends Report highlights top performers, and top topics, with the number one being the U.S. presidential election.

FOR THE CREATOR LOOKING TO BRING IN MORE CLICKS ON THEIR STORY LINKS → This resource detailing how to best design a “click-through” or “CTA” button can be used to create an effective link button on IG Stories and elsewhere – one that actually brings more people to the link.

FOR CREATORS LOOKING TO DO LONG-FORM CONTENT ON TIKTOK → There are nuances to everything, including what makes long-form versus short-form content perform. This set of ten tips on how to jump into long-form content successfully on TikTok, underscores the small but mighty adjustments to make in the content you create.

PLATFORM UPDATES

New capabilities loading…

THREADS → The platform has announced that it’s going to make searching for specific posts way easier. On the docket is an update that will let users search a specific profile for a post of interest within your desired time frame/date ranges. This update will be particularly useful in “pulling the receipts” more efficiently. 

LINKEDIN → The platform has unveiled a new feature for its premium subscribers. The feature allows users to add a revolving slideshow option for the banner image on their profile. The concept aims to enable users to showcase an array of their areas of expertise and/or interests that they want their connections and potential connection to associate with them. Premium Business subscribers will be able to select up to five images to feature.

X/TWITTER → The Bluesky competitor, X/Twitter has announced a new feature that meets requirements for fan/parody accounts. Accounts of that nature will have to identify themselves as such and will be able to do so with the platform’s new label. The label looks like a little jester hat. 

THE FUTURE OF TIKTOK

How to prepare for the possibility of the app going away

Unfortunately [or fortunately] we don’t have a crystal ball that will tell us whether TikTok will be RIP this coming January or if it will live on another day/month/year in a different capacity. What we do have are tips on how to prep for that possibility. Those include…

• Ensure that the links currently in your TikTok bio are links to other platforms of yours that you wish followers to find you on. These should be up to date regardless, but since some of your content at the moment should encourage viewers to follow your elsewhere too, it’s important to make it as easy as possible.

• Integrate content that directly tells your followers and/or viewers to find you on other platforms. It feels cringe, but it’s par for the course. In the same vein, if possible, in the closing portion of your talk-to-camera content, add a reminder – for example: “p.s. While you’re here, make sure to follow me on Insta in case this app goes away. My handle is XYZ.” 

• You may be ‘mutuals’ with a fellow creator on TikTok but not elsewhere. Send them a DM letting them know that you’d like to keep in touch and chat on other platforms as well; share your handles in this note. This shouldn’t be a mass message “follow me” note. This should be a networking-style note.

• Take a dive into your following list. If there are creators on there that you’d like to continue following, make sure to follow them elsewhere. When you follow them on another platform, use it as an opportunity to send them a DM and network. The DM should let them know that you OG found their content on TikTok.

• If you aren’t already downloading your TikTok videos as you post them [for your records and for uploading elsewhere to cross-promote], pick your faves and do that now. Even if the content is now out of topical relevance, it will still prove helpful in showing your skillset to a potential partner/brand/org.  

HEADLINES

News at a glance from ‘round the creator sphere

• Mashable: Cameo expands to all creators, not just celebs

• Tubefilter: Podcasters influenced the 2024 election, so Spotify is setting up shop in D.C.

• NBC News: Trump’s Cabinet picks are deeply divided over banning TikTok, throwing the app’s future into question

• TechCrunch: Instagram rolls out ‘trial reels’ that aren’t shown to a creator’s followers

• Forbes: Why Labor Protection For Creators Is An Uphill Battle

LET’S GET SOCIAL

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