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Inside the Creator Economy

News, strategy and analysis on the creator economy, media, generative AI and more from the former GM of VidCon

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Inside the Creator Economy

Featured Posts

Jan 5, 2026

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13 min read

10 Trends to Rule 2026!

How The Beast joins Baby Shark, Disappointing Microdramas and the opportunities in AI Slop. SUBHEAD

Jim Louderback

Jan 26, 2026

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15 min read

DECODING YOUTUBE 2026

What Neal Mohan was really saying in his blog post about 2026 priorities

Jim Louderback

Latest Issues

Aug 24, 2026

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7 min read

The YouTube Creator Teardown Continues

YouTube gave creators more ways to earn. Then it changed the rules completely.

Jim Louderback

Aug 17, 2026

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12 min read

YOUTUBE KILLS THE VIRAL MONEY MACHINE

Inside YouTube's changes to partner program eligibility: Trust and engagement beat raw views all day long.

Jim Louderback

Aug 10, 2026

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6 min read

This Is Not a Man from Nantucket Story

From Nantucket to Fast Company, the influencer backlash is going mainstream. Why substance beats polish, and what it means for the creator economy in 2026.

Jim Louderback

Aug 3, 2026

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9 min read

AI IS A HARSH MISTRESS

Hank Green scaled back AI after fan backlash. Here's what we should all take away.

Jim Louderback

Steal the Video, Fake the Date, Screw the Creator

Jul 27, 2026

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7 min read

Steal the Video, Fake the Date, Screw the Creator

A scary new way to hijack Instagram videos and blackmail creators

Jim Louderback

Jul 20, 2026

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9 min read

OPEN SAUCE CONFIDENTIAL

What I learned at Open Sauce from LinkedIn, Twitch, Patreon, Anthropic, Mark Rober, Colin Furze and Michael Stevens

Jim Louderback

Jul 14, 2026

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7 min read

THE SLOP PURGE HAS ARRIVED

Somewhere at Google, a machine is deleting entire media companies before lunch. Google just revealed how it works.

Jim Louderback

Jul 13, 2026

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2 min read

AN OPEN LETTER TO META

On stolen likeness, buried settings, dastardly deepfakes and why creators need a seat at your table

Jim Louderback

Jul 8, 2026

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7 min read

McKinsey Just Erased Creators from the Future

What McKinsey's AI-infused future of marketing looks like. Hint, creators don't even show up.

Jim Louderback

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