LinkedIn announces a $25M fund for its creators

LinkedIn announces a $25M fund for its creators

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14 June, 2022

In order to attract more artists to the platform, the business said today that it would create a new $25 million creator fund, which will first be focused on a new Creator Accelerator Program. LinkedIn is also working on another of its new content initiatives, a Clubhouse-style live chat platform.

  • LinkedInbeganworkingonthisinMarchofthisyear,aswepreviouslyreported.
  • LinkedInhas774millionusers,butthetypeofcontentthatlivesonthereissodifferent,andperhapsdrier—it'sfocusedonprofessionaldevelopment,work,and"serious"topics—thatitmayrequirethemostfinancialincentiveofalltogetcreatorstobite.
  • Now,we'rehearingthatthefeaturewilldebutaspartofthecompany'swidereventsplanveryshortly.
  • "We'llstarttestingaudiowithasmallpilotgroupinthecomingweeks,"saysChrisSzeto,LinkedIn'sseniordirectorofproduct,whooverseesthecompany'saudioinitiatives.
  • Itwillalsoprovidethemwithopportunitiestonetworkwithlike-mindedindividuals(naturally...itisLinkedIn),aswellasa$15,000granttohelpthemwiththeirwork.
  • Theapplicationdeadline(whichyoucandohere)isOctober12.
  • Theconceptofcreatingafundtoincentivizecreatorstocreate a videoforaspecificplatformisnotnew—whichiswhyLinkedInwasoverduetoconsideritsownapproach.
  • TikTok,Snapchat,Instagram,andFacebook,aswellasYouTube,haveallannouncedhundredsofmillionsofdollarsinpayoutsintheformofcreatorfundsinordertobringmoreoriginalcontenttotheirplatforms.
  • Youcouldarguethatpayingcreatorsisimportantformass-marketsocialmediasitesbecausecompetitionforconsumerattentionisfierceamongthem.
  • However,becauseofthepotentialaudiencesize,thoseplatformshave an appealforcreators.