BANKNOTES minted by #paid

Traditionally, people have sought answers to these big questions from spiritual gurus, religious leaders, palm readers, prophets, books, community groups (sometimes cults), nature, psychedelics, and other physical sources.

But, with the advent of the Internet, the growth of the Creator Economy, and the rise of TikTok as a source of information, spiritual enlightenment is innovating right along with popular technology.

New entrant emerges in DTC dog food market

A new brand focused on "empowering dog parents to prepare home-cooked meals for their dogs" has launched online and is trying to upend a busy direct-to-consumer (DTC) pet-food vertical.

Finix announce $30M in funding

Payments provider Finix today announced it has raised $30M in new capital, bringing its total funding to $133M.

"New and existing investors chose to back Finix thanks to the growth we’ve shown in the last six months, including Q2 2022 being our best quarter ever in terms of new deals closed," the fintech company said in a Wednesday blog post.

Imagine scrolling through your feed, mindlessly sifting through photos and Reels, then suddenly your attention is overtaken by the warm, luxurious, and fantastical beauty of traditional, Southeast Asian garments and patterns. This is the experience I had when a reel from content creator, Anthony Gomes, popped into my Instagram feed in early 2021. Since then, I have not only become a fan of his eye for creative production but I have also admired his ability to transport me to the lush lakes and glamorous gardens of Sylhet, Bangladesh, all while sitting in the comfort of my home. Now my usual work attire is a palate of neutral colors and earth tones, but Anthony has managed to convince me that I need to show up to my next Zoom meeting adorned in a vibrantly colored saree and my finest gold jewelry. He is what I would consider a whole vibe.

Investment in the metaverse isn’t slowing down!

This week, Metaverse focussed company TerraZero announced a partnership with tech, gaming and AI media and event company VentureBeat. The two companies will build a Metaverse event center and corporate showcase environment in Decentraland.

As companies continue to invest in Metaverse projects, consumers continue to engage. 74% of US adults are joining or considering joining the Metaverse. And, by 2026, 25% of people will spend an hour in the Metaverse per day.

Another week, another round of updates to social media platforms that marketers need to keep an eye on.

A lot’s been happening in social media recently, but not all of it is going to be earth-shattering. Recent trends—like Facebook getting away from long-form video—highlight why social media diversification is key.

BANKNOTES took a deep dive into the latest updates across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitter and Snapchat.

Believe it or not, Cyber Week is right around the corner.

And though the economy has slowed, there’s still billions in potential revenue up for grabs during the holiday shopping season

Brands can’t underestimate the importance of creator marketing when planning their cyber week campaigns.

In fact, consumers are 71% more likely to buy products after seeing positive reviews on their social networks.

BANKNOTES breaks down how to get the most out of your creator campaigns for Cyber Week over at banknotes.link/cyberweek

While the creator-led economy opens the door for individuals to make more money than they made in traditional roles, the answer isn’t black in white in regard to how much any influencers are actually making (male or female).

Rates are all over the place and there’s little transparency into what (and if) brands pay influencers, making it difficult for influencers to understand their monetary value.

@MsYoungProfess, founder of F*** You Pay Me (FYPM) created FYPM in response to this problem. The organization’s mission is to bring more transparency, accountability, and fairness to the influencer industry, and to make sure influencers get paid what they’re worth.

You’ve heard all the success stories of content creators turned business owners. Chris Grayson is one such success story. He started his career as a content creator in the gaming industry, and his success led him to start InfluencerMade, a hub with the resources aspiring creators need to experience success.

It’s no secret that social media has an effect on our mental health. From the dopamine reward we get every time our phone lights up with a notification to the FOMO-induced depression that comes when we swipe through Instagram stories, we all know that social media can impact our moods and our minds.

But we also live in a world in which being a content creator is a dream career for many. Being a content creator means being online often, crafting a career on addictive social media platforms, and subjecting oneself to 24/7 scrutiny. The negative mental health implications that social media has on users is even more amplified for content creators.

Over the past couple of months YETI—known for their line of coolers, bags and a host of other outdoor products aimed at keeping your drinks and food cold—has put out several Instagram stories featuring products that have been through the ringer.

For instance the brand has posted examples of coolers that have survived (well at least they're still recognizable) boat fires and being dragged 20 miles along the highway. Another video shows a water bottle that was pulled out of a truck fire and still had ice in it.

This Govalo x Recharge integration makes it possible for merchants who have built a successful gifting program to capture all the benefits of both gifting and subscription commerce.