Welcome to Created, the newsletter that’s cooler than Tom Cruise at the Olympics closing ceremony. Here’s what we got for you:
- Amazon partners with TikTok: winners & losers
- Matt Rife premieres Netflix’s first crowd work special
- Weekly roundup of top YouTube thumbnails
TikTok Partners with Amazon; Gets Mixed Reaction
TikTok announced a partnership with Amazon to let you buy products without leaving the app.
TikTok is already where 43% of Gen Z start their product searches today (sorry, Google).
Soon, it may be where they do more of their buying too.
Zoom Out:
Last year, TikTok Shop launched to let brands and creators sell products directly in app. But that didn’t include Amazon products.
Still, creators and brands made bank:
- Beauty creator Alle Brean made high six figures per month from her shoppable skincare videos.
- Grande Cosmetics made nearly $100K per month on TikTok Shop.
Those numbers are the tip of the iceberg given how many more products are on Amazon.
Everyone Loves This, Right? Not Exactly.
- “I fear this will flood TikTok with product videos choking out the regular content since TikTok pushes the product videos more on the FYP”
- “I don’t think I like this AT ALL! Why can’t Amazon just stay where they’re at. TikTok is gonna screw themselves just like every app always does with these massive changes”
- “Pay Amazon ads to be on FYP then it’ll turn out a Ad bidding war! 😳”
Our Take:
This isn’t just a partnership. It’s a shift in how content and commerce intersect.
And the creators who stand to benefit most? Fashion and beauty creators.
After all, 81% of TikTok Shop Sales in the US came from the beauty and health category.
Expect them to do even more with instant shopping through Amazon. But not without viewers complaining that TikTok isn’t what it used to be.
Matt Rife Debuts Netflix's 1st Crowd Work Comedy Special
Comedian Matt Rife just debuted his new special Lucid — Netflix’s first comedy special focused entirely on improv crowd work.
This move shows the best ways streaming platforms can work with creators like Rife who started on YouTube and TikTok.
I interviewed Rife to dive deeper.
Backstory:
- In 2020, Rife barely made $50,000.
- In 2021, Rife released his first special on YouTube after crowdfunding $30,000 to produce it. It got 13M views.
- In 2023, he sold 600,000 tickets to his tour in 48 hours, crashing Ticketmaster.
- Today, Rife is reportedly worth over $25 million.
From YouTube to Netflix
In 2023, Rife also made his debut on Netflix with his first comedy special, Natural Selection.
It didn’t include any of the crowd work he’d become known for on social media.
Still, Rife’s special gained 10 million views in just two weeks.
When Netflix asked for more, Rife proposed a unique crowd work special, the first of its kind for the platform.
Quote: “Netflix was a little nervous about the concept, but they were excited to do something new…of all the comedians known for crowd work right now, I guess I’m leading the charge in that.”
Our Take:
Platforms thrive when they amplify the format that made a creator popular in the first place.
While Rife’s first Netflix special (which was a classic standup routine) did well numerically, it got mixed critical reviews.
By bringing back his crowd work, Rife’s new special already hit #1 on Netflix’s Top Shows in the US.
🎯 Weekly Roundup: Thumbnails
Here’s why we love these YT thumbnails. Hopefully, they inspire your next one.
- Unexpected underwater structure of house piques curiosity (Primal Space)
- Realistic image that still captures excitement of moment (Red Bull)
- Ominous red color and silhouettes fuel mystery and drama (SunnyV2)
- Facial expression draws you in, hands make you wonder (Hangtime)
🚀 Weekly Outlier
This video by Japanese Kitchen Tour has got 1.2M views though the channel has 359K subscribers. That’s 75 times higher than the channel’s average.
Here’s why it took off so you can apply to your next video:
- Relatable Storytelling: Iwamura's personal journey from nurse to bento shop owner resonates with viewers.
- Behind-the-Scenes Insight: Viewers get an intimate look at the daily grind behind running a popular bento store.
- Emotional Connection: The video captures genuine moments of Iwamura's interactions with her family. This human element creates an emotional bond with viewers.
Sponsored by ConvertKit
Why Katelyn Bourgoin Switched To ConvertKit
“I was getting such amazing feedback from readers that they loved it…Out of the blue in February 2022, someone offered to sponsor the newsletter.” Katelyn Bourgoin said.
Bourgoin used ConvertKit to grow from 8,600 subscribers to 62,000 subscribers and $300k in annual revenue and sponsorships.
“Once I realized that ConvertKit really was focusing on supporting creators, and the more I learned about it, the more it made sense to move over to a new platform,” she says.
Over 600,000 creators also use ConvertKit to craft their newsletter, including ours.
Discover why it’s so popular and start for free here.
🏆 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
Join our Discord of 5,700 creators who help each other grow and give feedback on your ideas, videos, and thumbnails. Totally free.
Nothing great is created alone.
– Jon
Want to advertise with us? Go here.
Was this email forwarded to you? Join here.
Have a tip or story we should cover? Submit here.
