Issue 2
October 2nd, 2025
We made it. It’s our second issue of The Creator Trove. Really appreciate you being here and I’m excited to share what’s new in the industry this week.
First, I have to talk about what’s commanded my attention over the past 24 hours – OpenAI’s release of Sora 2. I got an invite code yesterday and have been having tons of fun. I know AI content in the creator world is a hot topic right now (with Meta releasing their version of an AI feed with Vibes), but I’ve found it to be an interesting way to express creativity if done for fun and not to just grab views. I entered Super Mario World, had a great convo with Sam Altman, achieved a world record carrying 200 steins of beer, and talked content strategy with Andrew. So yeah, it’s been busy!
Ok, back to reality. Since this is only our second issue, I’d love your feedback. What are you liking? What do you want to see more of? What do you find distracting (I promise, no more silly AI-generated videos)? Hit reply and let me know. And don’t forget to forward along to someone you think would love getting The Creator Trove in their inbox every week!
Biggest News This Week
YouTube expands its livestream features and effects tools. YouTube rolled out its “Gift Goals” donation tool to all U.S. creators and gave every channel access to Effects Maker templates for livestreams. Gift Goals lets streamers set a monetary target and unlock fun perks when fans collectively hit the mark; paired with new AI‑driven camera effects we talked about last week, this gives creators a fresh way to drive revenue and viewer engagement. With TikTok making similar moves, YouTube’s embrace of interactive monetization shows how live‑video platforms are racing to keep creators from defecting.
Did You Know?
A Pew Research Center report found that 38% of U.S. adults regularly get news from Facebook and 20% use TikTok or Instagram as news sources. That’s a staggering reliance on social platforms for information, especially considering Facebook’s recent cutbacks in fact‑checking and the disinformation scandals swirling around TikTok. For creators, it signals both opportunity (your content is news to someone) and risk (platforms may face regulation or algorithm changes when misinformation and disinformation spikes).
Essential Reads
CreatorIQ released its annual State of Creator Marketing report and it’s clear that vanity metrics are the most inefficient way for brands to find creators. The question seems to be how to get a better signal. The report explains that while previous constraints were budget related, that’s not the case anymore – it’s measurement, content velocity, navigating AI, and brand fit.
Yeah, seriously. DoorDash is using short-form videos to preview dishes. You can apply to be a DoorDash creator and get paid. Oh, and increase your reach on the DoorDash platform! 😆
This is the article to send to your skeptical parents. The creator economy is now a legitimate field of academic study. This is a massive step toward mainstream validation and the development of professional infrastructure around our industry.
There’s a theme this week – vanity metrics lead to high cost, inefficiency, and inconsistent earnings. Reading through this thread will probably be quite therapeutic both for all of you creators and even those on the brand side!
Research from The Influencer Marketing Factory found that 41% of social media users attended at least one in-person influencer event in the past year – that’s HUGE! Perhaps an emerging income strategy? The survey identified prices for these events ranged from $10-$50 per attendee. This further proves the importance of building a community and owning your audience for these kind of retargeting opportunities.
This is a fun read. Emily, Alun, and Danyah all started from zero followers and reflected on their experience of growing an audience over the course of 3 months. We all already know this, but it’s sure not as easy as it’s cracked up to be.