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- Creator Cloud Cast | 2025-5
Creator Cloud Cast | 2025-5
Insights, success, and what's ahead in the Creator Economy!
Justine Wheeler
April 28, 2025
The creator economy is a full-blown movement.
In this month’s issue, we explore topics like follower count relevancy, pet-fluencers, rural market expansion in India and the creators pushing boundaries from local to global audiences.
Let’s get into it. 🔥
🏆 BROADCAST: Brands that get it
The companies leveraging creators to fuel authentic growth.
📰 Hot topic: China’s carmakers bet on influencers
At the 2025 Beijing Auto Show, Chinese carmakers like BYD, NIO and Xiaomi rolled out the red carpet for creators. They’re using global influencer events to boost brand visibility and dominate the EV conversation.
📢 Key takeaway: Exclusive access to creators can position brands as innovators and trendsetters in competitive markets.
📰 Media spotlight: Trusting pet-fluencers over people?
People are more likely to trust content from pet influencers than from human creators. Why? Pets are seen as pure, agenda-free and adorably authentic.
📢 Key takeaway: Brands craving authenticity might find their next campaign star has four legs and a tail.
🎭 THE CAST: Creators breaking boundaries
The innovators turning passion into success.
✨ Creator spotlight: Tristan Moses
Tristan Moses is a modern-day footballer and creator shaping his own narrative. After training at Fulham FC’s youth academy and later joining Kaizer Chiefs’ development ranks, his talent on the pitch was undeniable. His time with Mamelodi Sundowns marked a high point in his professional career, even if game time didn’t come easy.
But Tristan didn’t stop when the whistle blew. Following his exit from Sundowns, he pivoted with purpose. Now, Tristan shares more than game highlights. His online presence offers real talk about the athlete hustle, building a brand beyond sport and how creators in any field can stay resilient when the game changes.
📢 Tristan is proof: your platform is your power.
🎉 500,000+ real South African creators and storytellers strong
From banks to beach umbrellas, our creators have produced over 186,000 pieces of content that connect brands with audiences in real, meaningful ways.
💥 Monetise with Creator Commerce!
💡 More ways to earn. 🔥 More freedom to create.
Webfluential is evolving to empower content creators like never before. Experience the next level of creator commerce.
🎨 Calling all creatives!
Design a unique profile theme with your name on it. We'll publish it on Webfluential and share it across our channels for instant exposure.
This is your chance to:
🖌️ Flex your creativity 🌟 Stand out 🤩 Inspire thousands
Submit your design to [email protected]
Need inspo? Check these examples
🚀 COMING SOON: IconX360
Built for athletes ready to own their image, elevate their brand and take control of their commercial future. More than just management, IconX360 delivers a full-circle service built on one powerful promise: you are the brand. This platform is made to empower athletes at every stage of their career and helps talent transform visibility into value.
📢 Your career is your business. IconX360 is your team.
🔗 Learn more about IconX360
🔮 FORECAST: What’s next?
Emerging trends to capitalise on NOW.
📰 Future focus: BNPL meets creator content
Gen Z is leading a shift from credit cards to Buy Now, Pay Later options. What’s driving the adoption? Content creators. Their testimonials, unboxings and reviews are building trust in BNPL services.
🥜 In a nutshell: Combine financial flexibility with authentic creator storytelling to increase conversions.
📰 Big picture: Are follower counts dying?
In a bold take that’s catching traction, creators and brands are rethinking the importance of follower numbers. According to @prettylittlemarketer, the shift is clear: community over clout. Engagement, loyalty and genuine impact are becoming the real metrics of influence.
🥜 In a nutshell: Don't chase numbers. Nurture a community that moves with you.
📰 Local lens: Rural creators shaping India’s digital economy
As internet access grows in India’s rural areas, brands like Hindustan Unilever are turning to micro and nano influencers to push products in relatable ways. Real voices are outperforming traditional media in trust and impact.
🥜 In a nutshell: Rural creators are becoming the heartbeat of hyper-localised marketing strategies.
☁️ OVERCAST: The media revolution
Where we track how traditional media is evolving in a creator-driven world.
Once gaming’s premier event, the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) has quietly faded into obscurity. E3's downfall wasn't due to dwindling gamer interest, but because traditional media struggled against the rise of direct-to-fan streams like Nintendo Direct and Sony's State of Play. Game publishers now skip expensive expos, opting instead to launch reveals through Twitch, YouTube and influencer-driven showcases like Geoff Keighley's Summer Game Fest.
💡 Takeaway: Traditional media must adapt to the creator-first era or risk being replaced by more direct, authentic and accessible platforms.
🎙 PODCASTS WORTH YOUR TIME
The best discussions on media monetisation, brand partnerships, and creator strategies.
🎧 Want to be an influencer in 2025?
In this episode of Lipstick on the Rim, Conor Begley (CreatorIQ) unpacks the ingredients for influencer success: from community building and AI to keeping it real in an oversaturated market.
🔗 Tune in here
🎧 COMING SOON: Micka on Influence
Real talk, real insight. Radio icon Micka Alexander hosts “Micka on Influence”—a podcast series spilling the tea on all things content creation, brand deals and creator culture.
🔗 Subscribe to Micka on Influence
📣 CAST YOUR VOTE: Join the conversation!
✅ Share this newsletter with a friend or colleague who would love these insights.
📢 Follow us on social and tell us your thoughts. Tag #CreatorCloud so we can feature your take!
Follow us for more updates and insights 👇
Let’s get serious
What’s the mark of the world’s best, most growth-minded newsletter creators? They’re all on beehiiv.
Why? Our entire platform exists to help serious content creators scale faster. We’re built for those who are ready to take their content and build it into a behemoth.
It’s why we offer a no-code website builder. It’s why our ad network matches you with global brands like Nike and Netflix. It’s why we never take a dime of your subscription revenue. And it’s why Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ashley Graham trust us to connect with their huge fan bases.
It’s all to put your hard work in front of more people. So if you’re ready to build, ready to grow, and ready to make the world take notice, beehiiv is ready for you.
💌 Help us grow the Creator Cloud community!
Know a fellow creator, brand manager or media professional who would benefit from this newsletter? Reply to this email or reach out to us with their details! The more minds we bring together, the stronger our network.
🚀 Until next time - keep it real, keep it creator-led.
Creator Cloud Cast is your go-to bulletin for the latest insights, trends, and tools powering the creator economy across our ecosystem. Whether you're building your brand or growing your campaign ROI, this newsletter is where strategy meets storytelling.
It all ties into our trio of brands:
Webfluential: our premium hub for top-tier creators with advanced monetisation, data-driven analytics, and brand campaigns that scale.
theSalt: empowering creators and nano-influencers through community-driven content and real-life brand advocacy.
Nfinity Influencer: bridging brands with creators through smart campaign execution and data-led media planning.