We had the pleasure of sitting down with a few of our great pre-launch creators and posing them some questions. We asked them about their own personal journeys in the field and their opinions on the content creation space in general.
Joining us for this creator interview is Jono Fereday, the Co-Founder of Lost Media, which is a content label and agency which represents numerous talented creators. Alongside him, we have SOZZLEPOPP, who is a prominent streamer and entertainer part of the Lost Team. They both offer their first-hand experiences and commentary in tandem.
Next, we have Taylor Mitchell, modern finance creator. Taylor covers investing, blockchain, and a myriad of other important topics across her various social accounts.
Now without further ado, let’s jump into the questions!
What is your main goal as a content creator?
SOZZLEPOPP: For me, being a content creator is all about not being afraid to be yourself whilst inspiring others to be who they truly are, without conforming to peer pressure or social constructs of who they’re meant to be. I love engaging with my fans and creating content that people will enjoy and of course being lucky enough to earn a living doing so!
Taylor: My main goal as a content creator is to help spread financial education. It was made clear to me very early that many aren’t taught basic finance tips. I feel motivated to know that my platform could help a lot of people and that’s exactly what I hope to do.
What has been your biggest challenge while establishing yourself online?
Taylor: Monetizing my work in a way that is genuine to me. The sponsored content is great, but I reject +90% of the offers I receive. I know that every company I promote needs to be legitimate, and one that I truly use or recommend — or my brand will suffer. Especially holding part of my platform in the crypto niche, I get 3+ emails a week asking to promote the “next best coin”. I’m excited by what Vodra could do for me — allow me to connect with my audience, while still monetizing my work in an organic and authentic way.
SOZZLEPOPP: Being so exposed to scrutiny can really take its toll on you mentally, which in turn manifests in a lack of motivation and taking a step back from what at first gave me and most of my fans so much joy. It’s hard to keep up the momentum and of course being your own boss requires a lot of intrinsic determination which all add to the challenges that content creators face.
How do you currently obtain the majority of your compensation?
Jono: All content creators rely on one or more of the following income streams: exclusive pay-walled content; affiliate deals and sign-up bonuses from fan engagement with brands and promotions; paid promotions and sponsorships/advertising and product placement; platform revenue such as Twitch bits/subs and finally the generosity of fans through donations. The largest source of income is via paywalled content, sponsors and platform revenue, all of which have a ‘middle-man’ taking a cut and therefore opening the door for a utility like Vodra to save the day!
Taylor: Trading & investing in stocks and cryptocurrency. After that is promotional content for finance brands or the subscriptions to my discord membership.
What are your main complaints with the existing platforms you use when it comes to compensation?
Taylor: My main platform is TikTok. During live streams, TikTok keeps a large majority of the gifts made. They also don’t have a great layout for viewers to see or want to give gifts. My other complaint is that TikTok recently started banning cryptocurrency and finance content/creators. The ban stated that they would ban people/content using AI which promoted new cryptocurrencies (because we saw many influencers “shill” a project to their following to increase their profits, causing the later investors to lose money after the creator sold), however I am seeing some of my content banned as well, which is really messing with the whole algorithm.
Where do you fall on the Advertising vs Donation model debate?
Taylor: I think the more natural and genuine content follows the donation model. I say this because at the heart of that model, is a relationship between the creator and their audience. When following the advertising model, creators are often looking for creative ways to manipulate the content to trigger the algorithm or otherwise create “click-bait” for their viewers.
SOZZLEPOPP: I would love to work for donations as my sole source of income but it isn’t always a feasible source of income. By selecting advertisers carefully, I am happy to engage with both models until I can confidently rely on my fans’ sole support as my income!
Where do you see the content creation and online entertainment space moving in the next 5–10 years?
Jono: It’s hard to predict the future, especially with the vast global changes we’ve experienced over the last couple of years. It is safe to say that independent creators and personalities will gain stronger footholds in the entertainment space just as much as monopolies will continue to grow their already enormous influence. I could see plenty of decentralized platforms being born and creators with integrity inhabiting these spaces in nuanced or niche categories, especially in areas which themselves critique censorship and/or thrive in a decentralized space.
Taylor: On to the blockchain! In a lot of ways, we are seeing various platforms benefit greater than the creators inside of them. Establishing various social platforms on the blockchain could theoretically connect creators and viewers more directly. One way we saw this was with Tory Lanez creating NFT songs. Not only was Lanez able to benefit because there was not a label between him and his income, but his listeners are also able to turn around and sell his NFT on the secondary market to profit off of the artist’s success.
What drew you towards Vodra initially?
Taylor: I was drawn the Vodra for the prospect of cutting out the “middle-man” between the viewer and creator while giving gifts. At times where I am the viewer, I often won’t “gift” because I know the platform takes so much of the cut. I assume many feel this way as well.
Jono: The team behind Vodra is what attracted me most. When it comes to the world of crypto it is described as the ‘wild west’ for a reason; most people in the content creation space have either willingly or unintentionally participated in a pump and dump scheme for a coin without real value. Vodra opposes this and does so with the creator in mind. The guys I’ve worked with at Vodra have been open and helpful in areas beyond the project itself and have proven themselves to be trustworthy and professional in their craft. I look forward to seeing Vodra take off as I’m sure it will.
What would you like to see added most to the Vodra Platform?
Taylor: Creator-based NFTs! I am loving the NFT market right now, and I think it would be an amazing way for creator’s audiences to benefit from their favorite creator’s success.
SOZZLEPOPP: More like-minded creators working together to push for fairer compensation for creators and their content!
Well that’s all we have time for today! A big thank you to Jono, Sozzlepopp and Taylor for their insightful responses. With the Vodra Platform launching soon, our pre-launch creators will have the first opportunity to start exploring the platform. We will have more interviews and specific feature spotlights to follow as our creators begin making use of the platform. For a more in-depth look at our upcoming features, click here! Also, feel free to visit our website and take part in our Telegram discussions.
