LinkedIn Shares Ad Revenue With Top B2B Creators 💰

TODAY’S EDITION

• Meta launches a standalone app for its AI Assistant.

• Instagram’s Edits get a trio of updates.

• LinkedIn will share ad revenue with select B2B creators.

• Pinterest is giving users more control over AI content in their feeds.

• There’s been a 7.5x increase in digital creator jobs in the U.S. since 2020.

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NEWS, TRENDS & INSIGHTS

Meta

Meta launched a standalone app for Meta AI. Users can type or talk to the AI assistant to get answers and real-time search results. It provides personalized responses using users’ Facebook and Instagram profiles and activity data. A Discover tab adds a social layer, surfacing prompts from friends. This has Meta competing directly with ChatGPT, but also could be a cure for loneliness, according to Mark Zuckerberg.

Instagram rolled out updates for Edits. Creators can now apply filters, effects, transitions, and adjustments across all clips at once, and choose from over 125 fonts and 15 voice effects. After hitting 7 million downloads in its first week, Instagram is already making improvements based on user input.

Instagram is running a referral program. Some users are being offered $100 for every eligible new user who signs up through Instagram links they share. Similar to a previous move by TikTok, Instagram is hoping people will recruit their friends or even fans to join. But, with most users already on the app, this likely won’t move the needle much unless high-profile creators from other platforms are offering exclusive content to entice new signups.

Threads is nudging users to cross-post to Instagram. After publishing a post, users now see an in-app prompt to share it to their Instagram Stories. The move can keep content circulating within Instagram’s ecosystem and drive traffic back to Threads, which now boasts 350 million users.

YouTube

YouTube shared its latest updates for the TV experience. Highlights include new shelves for top searches, songs, and channels, a dedicated podcasts tab, a redesigned layout separating Shorts from long-form videos, and a full rollout of Immersive Channel Previews. These help viewers easily find content they were previously consuming and make videos look more premium on TVs.

YouTube launched new caption features for Shorts. Creators can auto-generate captions through the Shorts editor and customize them with different text styles and colors. It further improves the creative tools for its short-form video offering, helping creators make more engaging and accessible content.

YouTube is testing blurred thumbnails in search results for mature content. For search queries with sexual themes, users may see blurred thumbnails, with the option to unblur them. Along with testing age restrictions on scripted content with human actors, this is another way YouTube aims to protect viewers from mature content.

YouTube is rolling out comment previews for Shorts. Previously announced, select comments now appear on Shorts, directing viewers to the comment section when clicked. This highlights notable comments, encouraging more interaction in the Shorts feed.

YouTube has been added to Peloton Entertainment. Members with a Peloton Bike, Tread, or Row can watch YouTube videos while working out, with no subscription required. YouTube benefits as it continues to expand its reach to larger screens, with the potential of members upgrading to YouTubeTV, which is also part of Peloton Entertainment.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn now lets brands run contextual ads with select creators. Through BrandLink (formerly the Wire Program), advertisers can place pre-roll video ads alongside content from B2B creators like Gary Vaynerchuk, Steven Bartlett, Guy Raz, and Rebecca Minkoff. These creators will host custom LinkedIn shows and receive a share of the ad revenue. It’s a meaningful step toward creator monetization on LinkedIn. However, with a limited and curated creator pool, the broader impact for most creators remains minimal, for now. For advertisers, though, it’s an opportunity to align with vetted, brand-safe talent around high-interest business topics.

LinkedIn is testing a new iteration of its Video tab. Instead of sending users directly to a vertical video feed, the tab now features a carousel of videos grouped by trending topics. Users can scroll vertically through trends and tap into select videos to view them in full-screen mode. This adds more discovery at a glance for trend-related videos, though the format may feel overwhelming to some users.

TikTok

TikTok reports creators are generating $10 million in daily revenue through livestreaming. In the past 30 days, TikTok Live creators have earned $63 million, with over 80% coming from creators with fewer than 50,000 followers. This milestone comes as TikTok surpasses Twitch to become the second most-watched live streaming platform globally. It highlights how livestreaming on TikTok is becoming a viable income stream for creators of all sizes and signals that Twitch, long synonymous with livestreaming, could be in trouble down the road.

Pinterest

Pinterest expanded its Pinterest Inclusion Fund. Now in its fifth year, the program is focusing on creators and small businesses that sell products or create content that can push its inclusive features. Selected participants receive perks like monetary incentives, training, and resources. Pinterest continues to align its creator funds with thoughtful initiatives — in this case, supporting those who can contribute to a more inclusive content ecosystem.

Pinterest introduced new labels for generative AI content. Posts detected as AI-generated or AI-modified will now feature an “AI modified” label. Pinterest is also testing a “see fewer” option on Pins, allowing users to signal a preference for less AI content in their feeds. As feeds become saturated with AI-generated content, expect other platforms to roll out similar tools, giving users more control over the mix of human- and AI-generated content.

Snapchat

Snapchat is testing a refined five-tab interface. This new design follows the abandonment of its test of a more simplified version of the app, which removed features like Snap Map and the Stories tab. This iteration brings these features back, favored by power users, while incorporating learnings from the test, like making Spotlight more accessible. The user experience has long been a barrier for broader adoption.

Reddit

Reddit plans to make Reddit Answers more prominent in the app. CEO Steve Huffman revealed it will integrate its AI-powered search tool into the core search experience. By doing so, it can build upon the 1 million users currently using the tool weekly and make it easier for new users to find more relevant content, especially for visitors coming from Google.

Spotify

Spotify paid out $100 million to podcasters in Q1 2025. This total includes ad revenue and earnings from the newly launched Spotify Partner Program, which the company reports has seen steady month-over-month growth in creator payouts. Video podcast uploads are also up 28%, signaling growing momentum in Spotify’s video podcasting push to compete with YouTube.

EVENTS

Earlier this week, I attended YouTube’s Creator Collective event in Boston, which is visiting all 50 states this spring to celebrate its 20th anniversary and bring together local creator communities.

I spoke with creators across all kinds of niches, beauty, fashion, gaming, travel, music, tech, and even fishing for random objects. Some were full-time, others were creating on the side of 9-to-5s.

No matter the path, it was fascinating to hear how people got started on YouTube and the passion they have for their content. YouTube is actually where my own content creation journey began. When I was running a hip-hop blog, I regularly uploaded artist interviews and event footage. Time to start investing more in YouTube for the kind of content I’m creating now!

Next up: Social Media Week NYC (May 12–14), where Lia Haberman and I will be speaking on a panel about how creator content can go beyond social media feeds. If you’re attending, I’d love to connect. And if you haven’t grabbed your ticket yet, you can get one here and use code LINDSEY20 for 20% off.

Also worth checking out: While I won’t be able to make it, the CONNECT Conference (May 10), hosted by Teachable and Brett Dashevsky’s Creator Economy NYC, is happening too. You can get $100 off your ticket with code LINDSEYVIP.

WHAT I’M READING

Digital creator jobs jump 7.5x since pandemic (Axios)

Digital creator jobs have surged in the U.S., growing 7.5x since the pandemic. According to the Interactive Advertising Bureau’s latest Measuring the Digital Economy study, over 1.5 million people are now working full-time as digital creators in 2024, up from just 200,000 before the pandemic.

Peacock’s Next Four Scripted Shows Are From Digital Creators (The Hollywood Reporter)

Peacock is set to launch four original scripted series, all developed by TikTok-first creators who participated in NBCUniversal’s Creator Accelerator Program, which I previously did a deep dive on.

How small business owners are redefining success with passion, hustle, and creative tools like Adobe Express (Adobe)

Over half of small business owners say social media is their top discovery channel, beating websites (33%). Among Gen Z owners, that jumps to 65%, though many still struggle to use it effectively, per a new Adobe study.

THANK YOU

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