Now Trending: Instagram Adds Features to Protect Its Creators

August 18th, 2021: Good morning! While you were sleeping, the influencer marketing world was hard at work. Want to learn more? Let’s jump in.

In today’s edition:

Instagram takes steps to protect its users
LinkedIn adds features to appeal to creators
Creator-focused startups are multiplying

Table of Contents

Instagram Adds Features to Protect Its Creators

The Story

Instagram is implementing much needed features to limit the amount of bullying and harassment that users, particularly creators, receive on the platform.

Tell me more

It was a matter of time before Instagram added features to allow creators to avoid cyber bullying. These features include:

Limits: Being able to limit/hide comments and DM requests during spikes of increased attention/activity
Warnings: Stronger warnings to those attempting to post potentially offensive comments
Hidden Words: allows users to automatically filter offensive words, phrases and emojis into a hidden folder to avoid abusive DM requests

It’s all about the Reels

Instagram has also added audio searching capabilities to the search tab in the app. This feature will make it easier to find the latest trends and create Reels to tap into them. This feature allows creators to get inspired by what their peers are creating to the most played tracks.

How else can I be seen on Reels?

We are so glad you asked! Instagram just explained what content the Reels algorithm favors in an effort to pull back the curtain (and in greater detail, might we add). Basically, Reels will show you content most like the videos you are already interacting with. However, it’s not a complete departure from the social graph algorithm that Facebook and Instagram are so famous for — one of the algorithm’s important signals is also the history of your interactions with the person who posted the Reel. This information is good news for creators, who want to ensure their content is being viewed by their audience.

STC POV

In 2019, 68% of people came to Instagram to interact with creators. It’s no wonder why with the rise of cyberbullying that the platform is taking steps to keep these integral creators safe. Unfortunately, creators get so much hate and abuse online that many feel the need to step away from the internet all together (i.e. Chrissy Teigen). This step to appeal to creators has been a long time coming. It’s about time Instagram put user safety first, and we are eager to see what other features they roll out in this same vein.

LinkedIn is Becoming a Hub for Creators

The Story

LinkedIn is adding features to make the platform more hospitable for creators.

First came an acquisition…

LinkedIn has acquired video tutorial app Jumprope, an app aimed to empower users to share their knowledge through engaging how-to videos. This feature will allow LinkedIn users to create step-by-step tutorials, using video and images with the help from preset formats and overlays.

Then came video meetings…

LinkedIn also incorporated Microsoft-powered native video meetings on LinkedIn. While this feature will start with a 1:1 meeting focus, the platform aims to eventually scale this feature to allow video conferencing for large groups of people (sorry Zoom, you might have some competition).

Lastly, comes ratings and reviews

Users who have enabled ‘services’ on their profile will now be able to request and manage reviews from clients. This feature will allow users to highlight their skills on their profile through reviews from past clients and customers.

STC POV

What do all of these features have in common? They all appeal to creators. For so long, LinkedIn was a place for working professionals — and B2B influencers — to market themselves and connect with others. LinkedIn is dipping its toes into the creator economy and it seems like an obvious next step. Creators keep social media new and exciting and with the acquisition of Jumprope, they can also help with the spread of knowledge already taking place on the platform. Will LinkedIn become the next Instagram? They don’t need to. We predict Linkedin creating a league of their own with functionality that empowers the influential users they already have to be able to more easily share their content, thought leadership and connect with each other.

The Startups Catering to Creators

The Story

With over 50 million people considering themselves creators, there has been an influx of startups with the goal of cashing in on the creator economy.

What type of startups?

Monetization is the name of the game. Many social platforms fall short in finding ways to help creators monetize. Many startups have this focus and are duking it out to be the favored app amongst creators.

Here’s what some exciting startups are up to:

Pietra helps connect creators with product designers, manufacturers, and warehouse companies so creators can launch their own D-to-C brand
Virtual Dining Concepts’ claim to fame is working with top YouTube star MrBeast to launch influencer-branded restaurants
Stir is a payments network for creators to track their finances, pay employees and collaborators
Karat launched a custom charge card for YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok creators
Creator Cash that gives YouTube stars a cash advance on their advertising earnings

You name it, there is a startup for it.

STC POV

The creator economy is growing by the second, it’s a no brainer to want to take advantage of it. However, with so many companies forming, how can they all be sustained? Sure, this is exciting that there is so much buy-in to the creator economy and these startups will further aid creators in making a living… but not all startups are created equally. Our guess is that a lot of these startups will either fail (sorry) or merge. Either way, we are happy to see so many rushing to service creators and that creators are being given more opportunities to monetize and make a full-time living.