VidCon is an annual convention that brings together online video creators, fans, industry professionals, and brands in Anaheim, California. 

The event is evolving with the Creator Economy. It was once a hub for meet and greets with popular creators, but now, education on the industry takes center stage. 

We attended to tune into sessions, connect with clients and creators, and as always, gain a deeper understanding of where the Influencer Marketing industry is heading. 

During our time at the event, we spotted crucial trends in audience engagement, monetization strategies, and the power of authentic brand-creator collaborations. 

PepsiCo's FLVR & winning Gen Z on YouTube

PepsiCo's success with its FLVR brand on YouTube demonstrates a transformative approach to engaging Gen Z through creator first content. 

FLVR is PepsiCo’s social media channel that connects with Gen Z and Millennials and encourages them to cook for fun. 

By embracing "chaos cooking" and partnering with YouTube creators like Smosh, PepsiCo has leaned into creative freedom to engage young consumers in a way that resonates with their interests. PepsiCo spoke about how their strategy prioritizes passion alignment over vanity metrics, building long-term relationships with audiences and showcasing the mutual benefits of genuine creator-brand collaborations.

We learned: 

1. Trusting creators to lead content creation and granting them creative freedom results in more natural, enjoyable, and effective brand partnerships that resonate deeply with audiences.
2. Unlike shorter-form platforms, YouTube's sophisticated algorithm ensures content longevity, driving continued views and conversions months after publication, making it ideal for deep audience engagement.
3. Successful brand partnerships stem from aligning with creators whose passionate audiences naturally align with the brand's content, this builds genuine community.

Data, discovery & monetization: What’s next for podcasting?

The podcasting industry is moving beyond downloads to focus on true listener engagement. This shift presents challenges in measurement and monetization, but also opens opportunities for more effective advertising and audience connection.

1. The primary metric for podcast success is transitioning from downloads to listener engagement, highlighting the need for more sophisticated analytics.
2. Building trust and genuine relationships with listeners is crucial for both audience growth and non-traditional monetization strategies, often proving more effective than traditional advertising.
3. Successful podcasters must adapt content to different platforms (e.g., YouTube and cutdowns for TikTok) and embrace new technologies for discoverability and analytics to stay ahead.

Building community on the FYP

We enjoyed tuning into the session that explored strategies for getting the most out of TikTok's "for you" feed and Live features to build a community. 

Key learnings included defining the target audience, understanding how the "for you" feed's algorithm works (96% of user time spent there), and utilizing TikTok Live for community building and monetization through features like live gifting. 

The importance of creator networks, which support creators without taking a revenue percentage, was also highlighted. Success hinges on consistent, quality live content, overcoming creators' fears of going live, and focusing on authentic engagement. Live streaming was presented as a transformative space with significant growth potential, offering creators control over their careers.

Premium content communities

The ways that creators can monetize their content are increasing. Traditional brand collaborations are still dominant, but there is a rise in direct audience monetization. 

We discovered: 

1. Creators are increasingly moving towards direct monetization models like subscriptions and exclusive content on platforms like Patreon, reducing reliance on brand deals. Owning the audience and diversifying income streams beyond ad revenue can be considered crucial for long-term career sustainability.
2. Building a strong community and maintaining transparency with the audience are essential. Creators should understand their audience's preferences through analytics and engage them effectively, nurturing a symbiotic relationship where value is exchanged for support.
3. Brands should seek long-term, genuine partnerships with creators that align with their values and audience. Collecting first-party data and trusting creators to develop authentic ad content that resonates with their community will yield more effective results than transactional sponsorships.

If you’d like to dive deeper into the trends we picked up on at VidCon, reach out to us at hello@digitalvoices.com.