Welcome to Created, the newsletter that’s more rewarding than a YouTube Gold Play Button…well, almost. Here’s what we got today:
- Spotify launches their own awards
- Meta paying up to $300K to TikTokers to post on Instagram
- Outlier of the week
Spotify Launches Creator Awards...Is It Better Than YouTube?
Spotify just took a page out of YouTube’s playbook.
The platform announced Creator Milestone Awards, giving podcasters plaques when they hit 100M, 250M, and 500M streams.
What Creators Get
- A physical plaque, hand-delivered
- Spotlights on Spotify’s social channels
- A feature in an on-platform editorial hub
The Joe Rogan Experience already got a gold trophy with 500M streams while shows like Stuff You Should Know earned silver at 250M.
Why It Matters
Spotify isn’t just handing out trophies — it’s playing the status game.
YouTube creators unbox their Play Buttons like it’s an Oscar. Fans celebrate it. Brands take it seriously. And Spotify wants the same hype.
This also gives creators a reason to stay loyal. If you’re a podcaster, switching platforms now means losing a chance to flex…ahem, get a plaque.
The Big Difference...
Unlike YouTube’s Play Button, which rewards subscribers, Spotify chose a different metric to reward: streams.
Why? Because subscriber counts don’t tell the full story.
I saw it first-hand when I helped launch YouTube’s awards in 2012. It was our way of celebrating 40 creators (yes, 40) with 1M subscribers back then.
But can I be honest?
Subscribers aren’t the best measure of success.
We considered changing it. But it was too late.
Creators got hooked on hitting that million-subscriber milestone like their careers depended on it.
Over a decade later, it conditioned us to care more about outputs like subscribers than inputs like our creative process.
Spotify is skipping the vanity metrics and rewarding what really matters: actual audience engagement.
Psst…Instagram: it’s about time you launch one too.
When done right, I can tell you one thing from experience: physical awards have amazing ROI when it comes to keeping digital creators happy.
Instagram Lures TikTokers With Big Money
Meta is making a big play for TikTok creators, offering up to $50,000 per month to post exclusive content on Reels.
The Offer
Leaked contracts show Meta is paying select TikTok creators between $2,500 and $50,000 per month for six months — totaling up to $300,000.
In exchange, creators must:
- Post 8-10 exclusive Reels per month
- Keep videos on Instagram only for three months
- Post 25% more content on Instagram than TikTok or YouTube Shorts
- Promote their Instagram on TikTok and YouTube twice a month
They’re also sweetening the deal with a “Breakthrough Bonus,” paying new creators up to $5,000 in three months just for posting Reels.
Why It Matters
Meta is aggressively recruiting TikTokers as the app’s future in the U.S. remains uncertain.
But not everyone is blinded by the big bucks.
Some talent managers say the strict exclusivity and high posting requirements make the deal “untenable.” As a result, some creators are turning it down.
Our Take
Remember when Snap paid $1 million per day to creators to post on their Spotlight page in 2021?
This feels a lot like that.
Sure, cash attracts creators. But sustainable distribution keeps them.
Honestly, Instagram has been doing a better job of that lately with new features like Trial Reels.
That’s a much better long-term bet than short-term payouts, even if TikTok is in limbo.
🎯 Weekly Roundup: Thumbnails
Here’s why we love these YT thumbnails. Hopefully, they inspire your next one.
- Detailed illustration + cozy breakfast scene draws you in (warm blanket)
- ‘Unlimited Range?’ text pointing at a solar-powered car sets up intriguing question (Drew Builds Stuff)
- Bright yellow text contrasts with the moody scene, making it pop (Jake Kassan)
- Classroom setting and bold text make you curious about what schools don’t teach (Gohar Khan)
🚀 Weekly Outlier
- Hooked From The Start: The intense 6-hour transformation of the White House grabs attention immediately.
- Behind-The-Scenes Access: Viewers love the rare look into the hidden logistics of a presidential move.
- High-Stakes Details: The nuclear football handoff and strict deadlines add suspense to an already chaotic process.
How Sambucha Doubled His Views with Spotter Studio
With 8.9M subscribers, Sambucha knows the pressure to deliver with every upload. That’s why he started using Spotter Studio.
Here are some of his results:
- 2x more video views
- 2x more impressions
- 13% higher click-through rate (CTR)
Spotter Studio helped Sambucha create over 200 ideas in a single session, inspiring videos like “I Let YouTube Autoplay 1000 Videos Straight” and “I Tried Scrolling to the Bottom of YouTube Shorts”, which got 1.7M and 2.4M views.
Thanks to Spotter Studio, Sambucha and many other creators can work smarter, not harder.
Click here to find your next big video idea with Spotter Studio.
💰 Job Board
- Stokes Twins are hiring an editor
- Stephen Sharer Lane is hiring a producer/creative director
- John Rusanov is hiring a video editor
🏆 The Created Referral Program
Know someone who’d also love this newsletter? Refer them and get gifts.
Refer 1 friend: you’ll get my Infinite Ideas book. It’s my 8 best tips to find viral ideas for your next upload.
Refer 5 friends: you’ll get my Top 50 Thumbnails book. It includes a detailed breakdown of why they work so you improve your packaging.
Trust me, these books are packed with more tips than most paid courses.
Copy this unique link and email, text, or post it: [RH_REFLINK GOES HERE]
👋 See You Inside
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– Jon
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