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TikTok closes up Shop(ify) šŸ›’

The app is shutting down its Shopify stores.

TOGETHER WITH

It's Thursday and YouTube is giving Shazam a run for its money. The platformā€™s latest test feature: a tool that lets users search for songs by humming.

CLOSING SHOP(IFY)

TikTok is shutting down its Shopify storefronts to make room for another ecommerce venture

The expansion of TikTok Shop isnā€™t just bad news for TikTokā€™s ecommerce rivalsā€”its long-term partners are taking heavy damage, too. Starting September 12, TikTok says it will begin shuttering the digital storefronts brought to its app by third-party partner Shopify.

That date marks the end of the storefrontsā€™ two-year run on TikTok, which resulted from a 2021 agreement expanding the appā€™s relationship with Shopify. Brands that facilitated direct-to-consumer sales through those storefronts included Kylie Jennerā€™s Kylie Cosmetics.

Now, TikTok is pulling the plug on that integrationā€”and directing creators to its own ecommerce solution.

When September 12 rolls around, products will no longer be visible within TikTokā€™s Shopify storefronts or available through videos, live streams, and ads. If creators want to continue selling merch on the app, theyā€™ll need to switch to TikTok Shop. Once they do, their preexisting Shopify storefronts will be disconnected.

šŸ”† SPONSORED šŸ”†

This October, the worldā€™s top creators will unite in Dallas. Do you have your ticket to VidSummit?

Only one event unites the top 1% of content creatorsā€”and this year, VidSummit is coming to Dallas, Texas.

From October 3-5, dozens of high-profile influencers, brands, and marketers will unite to share rare insights into all corners of the creator economy. As VidSummit 2023 ticket holders, attendees will have the opportunity to:

  • Listen in on keynotes from Michelle Khare and Zach King šŸ’¬

  • Dive into YouTubeā€™s future with Creator Liaison Rene Ritchie šŸ”®

  • Learn about generative AI from Kwebbelkop šŸ’»

  • Roast YouTube channels with MrBeast and Airrack šŸ‘€

  • And so much more šŸ”„

Most importantly: VidSummit is ā€‹an exclusive space for creatorsā€‹, marketers, agencies, and brandsā€”not fans.

Without the fan presence found at other events, influencers and brands have the freedom to share the real details of what they doā€”from making millions a month with YouTube ads to securing high-paying sponsorships. In other words: VidSummit is the only event where the creator industryā€™s leading experts can reveal everything they know about audience growth, brand building and influence gain.

Are you ready to become an industry insider? Smash the button below to snag your ticket to VidSummit 2023.

HEADLINES IN BRIEF šŸ“°

  • Froyo brand 16 Handles says its sales have grown by ā€œdouble digitsā€ since Danny Duncan came on as Chief Creative Officer last year. (Tubefilter)
    ā€‹

  • According to The Information, TikTok hopes to push users towards TikTok Shop by banning links to third-party ecommerce sites like Amazon. (TechCrunch)
    ā€‹

  • Spotify has announced a new update that will allow podcasters to ā€œhighlight specific episodes, cross-promote other podcasts, and display promotional banners.ā€ (The Verge)
    ā€‹

  • A new study indicates that Facebookā€™s ā€œstate-controlled mediaā€ labels may negatively affect the performance of Russian and Chinese content while increasing user engagement with Canadian posts. (Engadget)

DATA ā€¢ STREAMERS ON THE RISE šŸ“ˆ

This gamer has been streaming full-time since 2016. His advice to upcoming creators:

Rhykker firmly believes that ā€œthe best content is going to come from a place of passion, not from a fear of starvation.ā€ Itā€™s why he encourages burgeoning creators to stream for the fun of it, rather than to make money.

Itā€™s also why he never intended to leave his 9-to-5.

Things didnā€™t quite work out that way. In fact, Rhykker has been a full-time content creator since 2016, when his job as a game journalist took an unexpected turn. At that point, the creator had been posting and streaming about games like Dungeons & Dragons and Diablo for a solid decade. He loved ā€œsharing the passion of the hobbyā€ on YouTube and Twitch, but it was still just that: a hobby.

Then Rhykker got the news that he (along with several other staffers) had been laid off from their jobs at The Escapist. Suddenly, he had the opportunity to devote all of his attention to creating content.

ā€œI would never quit my job to try, but Iā€™m like, ā€˜Well, I was laid off. I need to give myself three months to try to make this work full-time.ā€™ā€

Rhykker says heā€™s ā€œbeen immensely fortunateā€ that his career in content creation ā€œhas worked out since then as a full-time gig.ā€ His fans are fortunate, too: the creatorā€™s heavily-researched videos now cover everything from the latest gaming news to detailed guides for titles like Diablo IV and Dragon Age: Inquisition. For more info on Rhykkerā€™s content and career, check out our full interview with him here.

GEN Z GAMERS

Sorry, Twitch: it looks like YouTube is Gen Zā€™s favorite place to watch gaming creators

Twitch might be a haven for gaming streamers, but video game-loving teens are still into YouTube. According to a recent study from Precise TV and Giraffe Insights (aka the Precise Advertiser Report ā€“ Teens & Youth), 76% of teenagers who watch creators play video games do so on YouTubeā€”as compared to the 34% who tune in on Twitch.

Itā€™s worth noting that YouTubeā€™s audience is, in general, absolutely massive. Per the PARTY report, a whopping 82% of U.S. teens between the ages of 13 and 17 watch YouTube. YouTubers like MrBeast and PewDiePie rank among teensā€™ favorite gaming influencers.

ā€œYouTube is simply more widely available to teen gamers. Parents understand it better and are generally more comfortable with it.ā€

Novus Media VP and Head of Digital Paul DeJarnatt (via Digiday)

But YouTube isnā€™t the only platform poaching video game-loving teens.

According to PARTY, about 40% of respondents who watch gaming creators tune in on Facebookā€”a figure 6% higher than Twitchā€™s share. The livestreaming platform has another, younger rival to reckon with, too: for the first time ever, Kick reached 20% of Gen Z gaming viewers, according to PARTY.

WATCH THIS šŸ“ŗ

This stop motion artist is all set for spooky season

Pumpkin spice lattes are back at Starbucks and Target is in full Halloween mode. In other words: itā€™s already autumn in our hearts (if not on the calendar).

Ben Treat gets it. In fact, the stop motion artistā€™s latest animation is about as spooky as it gets. The 45-hour featā€”which features ā€œa grotesque and twisted beingā€ called the Wickerā€”has already garnered millions of views on TikTok. Check it out here (if youā€™re feeling brave enough).

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Today's newsletter is from: Emily Burton, Sam Gutelle, and Josh Cohen. Drew Baldwin helped edit, too. It's a team effort.