Ashton Wall’s Post

Why Audience Research is a Game-Changer for Small Teams When you’re part of a small team, every resource, decision, and hour counts. Whether you’re a startup, a niche business, or simply part of a lean marketing team, making an impact on a tight budget is essential. In the face of limited resources, audience research is often overlooked as a “nice to have” rather than a necessity. Read more here:

According to EMARKETER,  the creator economy is professionalizing, and creators need support in building, managing, and growing their businesses. Creatives this message is for you: We look forward to helping you grow your business in the new year!

🚨 How I Exchanged Numbers with 40 Creators in 1 Day🚨 As a kid, I moved schools 3 times, trying to fit in (failing miserably). I was shy and didn’t know how to make friends. At 16, I became an early employee at what became a billion-dollar startup and learned a TON about building quality relationships… After joining the creator economy 2 years ago, I realized connecting on a human level matters more than anything. Too many people treat networking like a transaction… pitching from first interaction, selling, and rushing things. But in the creator world, trust is necessary before any business can be done. For our clients, I want to be their friend first. This involves listening (deeply), and actively thinking to make their lives easier. When I went to VidCon (a major creator event) for the first time, I knew nobody… zero industry contacts, nor creators. But instead of leading with work talk, I approached everyone like a friend. By the end of the day, I’d exchanged numbers with 40 creators (with 1M+ subscribers). Many of whom became clients and remain very close friends to this day. To me, networking with creators isn’t about selling, it’s about: 1) Building a friendship; 2) Earning trust (through action), and; 3) Then… doing business (IF and only IF it benefits both sides) Too many people sacrifice a long-term relationship to make quick money. But patience pays. Fast forward to today… We have way over 100 clients, including some of the world’s biggest creators. Brand is built from care and integrity. From enjoying a clients recent upload, to taking 4AM calls while on holiday, to making intros to people they want to meet… Give, give, give = the objective! 🥅

Why are investors betting on creators again? 🧐 The creator economy is experiencing a resurgence, and investors are once again pouring capital into this rapidly evolving space. But what’s driving this renewed interest? Is it the potential for scalable business models? Or the growing influence of content creators in shaping culture, consumer behavior, and trends? Join Petri Rajahalme Megan Lightcap Antoine Blondeau and Harnidh Kaur at the #1BillionSummit to uncover the reasons behind this exciting shift. From new monetization opportunities to emerging platforms and innovative technologies, these experts will break down what’s fueling the creator economy’s comeback and why now is the time for investors to take notice. If you're looking to understand how this dynamic industry is reshaping the future of business, don't miss this session! #ContentForGood

The Aligned Creator closes in 24 hours. On Friday the doors to join The Aligned Creator closes for the rest of 2024. Anyone who joins before will get the rest of the year for free… Access to the every single workshop, course, the community and all the live calls and support from me and the other Aligned Creators. You’ll also get free access to our live event in Manchester on January 10th + 11th. So you can use this quiet time to… ➔ Get crystal clear on the Multi-Tier Offer you want to bring into 2025. ➔ Craft your Aspirational Identity and Unique Mechanisms. ➔ Begin putting out Market Leader Content to be the first choice next year. ➔ Start building out your Indoctrination Funnel and Micro-Offers. ➔ Lock in your 2025 goals & strategy in person at our live event. Then we’ll have our 1-1 launch call in 2025, map out your exact next moves. That’s when you start paying. If you want 2025 to be the year you finally fly past the £10k per month mark the Aligned Way… Now is the time to join. Message me “CREATOR” and I’ll send you all the details on a google document. Louis

Stop obsessing over building an audience. 🎯 New founders, listen up: your first priority shouldn't be gathering followers. Instead, channel your energy into finding that perfect product/market fit. Develop scalable distribution channels and enhance your conversion rates and customer lifetime value. These are the real game-changers that propel your startup forward. An audience matters—only if they're your ideal customers. Align with them, but don't make them your first obsession. What's your experience? What have you focused on that truly made a difference? Let's discuss.

Creator Economy on the Rise: A Golden Opportunity for Small Businesses! The creator economy is booming with over 400 million creators worldwide expected in 2024. By 2027, Goldman Sachs projects this market to reach a staggering $500 billion. The most remarkable part? Small businesses are leading the charge, with over 168 million of them stepping into the creator space, making waves, and reshaping the future of content. At Creator Media Network, we specialize in empowering small businesses to succeed in this growing landscape. We know that entrepreneurs are passionate, visionary creators at heart, and we’re here to support their journey—whether it’s through building standout YouTube brand channels or driving visibility across digital and social platforms. If you’re ready to take your business to the next level and thrive in the creator economy, we’re here to make it happen. Let’s turn your vision into success. 💥 #CreatorEconomy #SmallBusinessSuccess #CreatorMediaNetwork #EmpoweringCreators #DigitalMarketing

We’re in an era where attention is the most valuable currency. Whoever shouts the loudest or disrupts the most, often wins. But there’s a shift happening, and game developers need to pay attention. One of the biggest costs to any business is customer acquisition. Yet some of the most successful companies had founders who mastered publicity rather than just paid for attention: - Richard Branson turned Virgin into a household name through bold marketing stunts. - Steve Jobs made Apple synonymous with innovation by storytelling. - Brené Brown built a movement by showing up as her authentic self. For the last few years, the trend has been personal branding, putting a face to the company, maybe not so much in games, but it's been, but sharing stories, and connecting with players on a deeper level is something we can observe across platforms. When people believe in you, you don’t have to “sell” as much, they’re already invested in your journey. But here’s the problem… When everyone online is an expert, no one is an expert anymore. Players, backers, and even investors are becoming skeptical. Think about LinkedIn. How many messages do you get from people promising to “boost your business” or “grow your audience”? It’s exhausting. The game industry is no different. If everyone positions themselves as the authority, who do we trust? What’s Next? We may start seeing a shift away from personal branding as the dominant strategy. Credibility will depend on: ✔️ Proof of work: showing results rather than just talking about them. ✔️ Community validation: organic word-of-mouth will matter more than self-promotion. ✔️ Depth over volume: deep expertise will stand out in a sea of noise. Game devs, take note: Your audience is getting smarter. If you want to build trust, move beyond just “being loud” and focus on real impact. What do you think? Are we entering a new era of credibility?

Running a small business in 2024 comes with challenges, but it's not all bad. While 40% of owners see this year as "make or break," 9 in 10 are optimistic about reaching their goals. Many are exploring new strategies like social media, partnerships, and AI to drive growth. #BusinessOwners #SmallBusiness #Growth https://lnkd.in/e3et68Df