Latest news with #contentcreation
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Forbes 30 top creators: See the 6 Ohioans on the list, including 2 in the top 10
The internet's biggest stars landed on Forbes' Top Creators List for 2025, and several celebs, such as Logan Paul, Xandra, and IShowSpeed, represented Ohio. This year's Forbes list spotlights the top-earning content creators while evaluating follower counts and social media engagement to determine who landed in the top 50. Ohioans like Matt Rife and Jake Paul sit among the top 10 biggest creators. The 50 richest creators across Instagram, TikTok and YouTube earned an estimated $853 million in 2024. Here are the other 2025 Forbes Top Creators with Ohio ties. The Cleveland-area native has turned his content creating-career into a professional boxing career, earning $50 million, per Forbes estimates. Outside of the boxing ring, Paul is a reality TV star and ongoing media personality, cultivating a fanbase of nearly 80 million social media followers. Matt Rife hails from North Lewisburg, Ohio, about an hour northwest of Columbus. He has also lived in New Albany and Mount Vernon. The standup comedian and actor took hold of the No. 7 spot on the Forbes list with 42 million online followers and $50 million in earnings. His Netflix comedy specials have garnered millions of views, and Rife is often praised for his crowd work techniques. Logan Paul, born in Westlake, Ohio, made a name for himself as an entrepreneur, influencer, podcast host and WWE wrestler. Forbes estimates earnings of $10 million and a follower count of over 80 million followers. Mark Edward Fischbach, also known as Markiplier, cultivated a dedicated fanbase over the years due to his entertaining playthrough of video games. The YouTuber and filmmaker has 74 million followers and earns an estimated $32 million. The Ohio native is from Cincinnati. One of the most popular streamers on the internet, IShowSpeed is known for his high-energy personality. Born Darren Jason Watkins Jr., the Cincinnati native has amassed more than 118 million total followers, according to Forbes, and has earned $20 million. Alexandra Pohl, known also as Xandra, has roots in Cincinnati. The DJ and model has 1.8 million followers according to Forbes, with $3 million in earnings. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Forbes 30 Top Creators of 2025 list: See who's from Ohio
Zawya
a day ago
- Business
- Zawya
Egyptian macro influencer Marwa bin Hassan signs exclusively with Reach to make her mark on the Middle East
Dubai, UAE: Reach, the UAE's most influential marketing and talent agency, has proudly announced the exclusive signing of Egyptian content powerhouse, Marwa bin Hassan, in a move set to shake up the regional influencer landscape. With a commanding digital presence of more than 2.6 million Instagram followers and more than 10 years experience with content creating, Marwa is known for her high-impact fashion and lifestyle content that resonates across borders. Her bold aesthetic, authentic storytelling, and ability to engage millions has cemented her as one of North Africa's most exciting voices in the creator economy. Having previously worked for the Dubai Tourism board on its Visit Dubai and #MyDubai campaigns, Marwa is no stranger to the Emirates and since permently locating to the UAE a year ago, Marwa is ready to expand her reach, collaborate with regional and international brands and bring her distinctive style to new audiences across the Gulf. Nour Zayat, Managing Director of Reach, said: 'Marwa is one of the most professional and stylish influencers we've ever had the privialge of working with. We are proud to welcome her not only to the Reach family, but to the whole of the UAE and look forward to elevating her platform through strategic brand partnerships and content innovation.' Marwa bin Hassan, content creator, said: 'Dubai has always been a dream for me, it's a hub of creativity, ambition, and opportunity. I'm so excited to start this next chapter with Reach, and I can't wait to collaborate with incredible brands and creators across the region.' This signing marks yet another milestone for Reach Marketing as it continues to build the region's most exciting influencer roster and deliver campaigns that drive both cultural impact and measurable results. About Reach Reach is a leading 360-marketing agency passionate about crafting marketing solutions for brands across various lifestyle categories. With our motto "The World is Within Reach," we embody the spirit of elevating brands to their fullest potential, connecting them with their ideal audiences. Headquartered in Dubai, our unwavering mission is to emerge as a premier Marketing & PR agency in the UAE, your ultimate destination for all your marketing requirements.
Associated Press
a day ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Creator-First Own.App Officially Opens Beta
Austin, June 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Own. App, the next-generation gamified social media platform that empowers creators to earn more, go viral with no followers, and fully own their content and audience, has officially opened its beta access. After a successful invite-only phase and a VIP waitlist that surpassed 40,000 users, Own. App (available on iOS and Google Play ) is now welcoming creators and communities into its ecosystem—starting today. Own. App is a performance-based content platform, where creators earn from real-time engagement and ranked content based on true merit—not ad budgets, follower counts, or algorithmic suppression. Backed by proprietary technology and blockchain infrastructure, the platform is redefining what it means to create, earn, and scale online—with ownership at its core. 'We're not building another social app—we're building a new economy where creators are the platform,' said Amir Kaltak, CEO and Co-Founder. 'Own. App rewards talent, and gives every user a real stake in what they create. This isn't about chasing views—it's about building value.' Key Platform Highlights: Youtube: Gen Z Early Adoption Early adoption has been strong among Gen Z creators aged 18–24, a generation that's grown up on content creation and driving global content trends, but expects platforms to deliver real visibility, earnings, and ownership. Many users don't even know Own. App runs on a decentralized infrastructure —they just know that it works. 'Own. has a lot of potential. I like how it's focused on content and the creators first. I love the layout and features and can't wait to see where this app goes so far. It's an amazing app already. Glad I came here and I'll be inviting everyone I know for sure,' said user @lance2funy. 'I love the fact that legitimate content is treated as that, and not filtered because of an algorithm that is unfair. I see Own. being the leader in this space because of actual fairness to creators,' said user @huasmurf. 'Own. has a lot to love, but my first impression of Own. was the feeling of positivity. So many creators want that chance to succeed and be proud of what they create and Own. gives you just that. So far I enjoy the gallery and being able to update my community freely throughout my day. I see Own. being one of the hottest platforms. With LIVE features & monetization rolling out, you have the potential to be one of the best growing platforms for upcoming creators such as myself,' said user @ 'I had around 300,000 + followers on different social media platforms, and just did a fresh restart of everything. What I love about this platform is the potential. The potential of being able to speak authentically about stigmatized things like plant medicines, to share knowledge and resources freely. And it's a way for creators to be in service while also being able to make enough money to support themselves at the same time. I'm looking forward to seeing how it evolves and grows and grateful to be here,' said user @shamanstaab. 'The best thing I love about Own. app is the security. I'm a crypto investor and always receive a lot of spam/scam messages on other platforms. Also as an artist I faced impersonation issues, but in Own. I can post, share and promote securely and don't have any of those issues. I see Own. as a future standard for Social Media and in the near future, I see many other platform users prioritizing Own. over all other platforms,' said user @edrickblade. 'I love how easy the app is to understand. I love that I can feel at peace knowing that my content will not be stolen and that I will be able to make some extra money soon! I can see Own being extremely successful and I can't wait to grow with it. I can see Own. being more successful than TikTok due to many issues TT is having, said user @mari_ana5572. Own. App has developed the foundation for the next generation of digital creators to grow without limitations, earn without middlemen, and build communities they actually own. Upcoming creator-first tools and features include: Built by Experts, Backed by Vision The platform is led by an executive team with deep experience at Bumble, Tinder, TikTok, Paramount, and other major tech/media companies—bringing together the tools, knowledge, and scale to build something truly creator-first. With multiple billion-dollar exits behind them, this team is setting the stage for Own. App to become the new standard for media, identity, and income online. 'At Bumble, we helped shift power in dating,'said Sarah Mick, Co-Creator of Bumble & Co-Creator, Chief Creator Officer of Own. App. At Own .App, we're shifting power in media. Creators are no longer just content machines—they're founders of their own brands. This platform is about giving them the tools, visibility, and ownership they need to build something that's truly theirs with the best user experience.' Waistlisted users should check their emails for recent updates. Access codes and onboarding instructions are now being sent out in waves. New users will continue to be onboarded daily as the beta scales globally. For more information and to join the beta, visit www. About Own. App Own. App is a gamified, next-gen social platform designed for creators to go viral, earn more, and own everything they build. With performance-based discovery, fair global pay, and content ownership, Own. App is redefining how media, money, and creativity flow online. Xenia von Wedel own (at)
Forbes
a day ago
- Business
- Forbes
11 Ways To Use ChatGPT To Make Money Online In 2025
Almost everywhere you look on the internet, there's a very curious pattern: AI-generated content, articles, and LinkedIn posts that are stripped of personality, depth of thought, or anything unique. Faceless videos with AI voices that clearly sound robotic and lack soul. And if you Google 'how to make money with AI' you'll likely see the same recycled tactics recommended over and over. Everyone is copying the AI trend (or following the alternative trend of making lengthy posts bashing those who are caught using AI red-handed) and it creates an environment where nothing feels real, authentic, or original anymore. 'Thought leadership' is not what it used to be. Many professionals tend to align themselves on either the pro-AI side or the extremely cautious, don't use AI-at-all side, when in reality the best approach is to be balanced with both. Instead of using AI as a replacement and hiding behind it, use it strategically as an assistant to get you where you need to be in your career faster. In this guide, you'll find 21 scalable and unique ideas to make money online from the everyday skills and expertise that you apply at work, without coming off as a fraud. Word of caution: you'll need to avoid the below pitfalls like the plague, or they could cost you your credibility as a freelance professional, and your revenue too. ChatGPT and AI tools aren't magic. But when you pair them with consistent execution, a service or product that people clearly need, and your own expertise, you can achieve exceptional results in your freelance career. Can I really make money with AI? Of course you can. Pair it with your knowledge and skills and you'll witness exponential results. Do I need to know how to code? No, you don't need coding skills and you don't need to be into tech to profit from AI tools like ChatGPT. You can keep it simple and create products without needing advanced technical know-how.
Japan Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Japan Times
The Hitobito's Megan and Ben uncover the real Japan, one video at a time
Before she ever set foot in Japan, Megan spent countless hours there — virtually. Growing up in Kansas in the early 2010s, she devoured YouTube videos by a wave of early J-vloggers such as Sharla in Japan, Kim Dao and Taylor R. 'If I saw 'Japan' in the title, I'm pretty sure I watched it,' she recalls. 'The shopping at the grocery store, doing taxes — if it was about Japan, I was in.' Now 27, Megan has become one of those creators herself — part of a new generation of content makers capturing everyday life in Japan for a global audience via her YouTube channel, The Hitobito. Alongside her partner, Ben, 25, the couple began posting videos from Awaji Island while working as English teachers through the JET Programme. What started as casual updates for friends and family quickly went viral on TikTok. Their everyday adventures snowballing into something bigger, with short-form uploads attracting thousands — and eventually millions — of views. 'We had set this goal of getting 100,000 subscribers by the end of 2024 and getting our YouTube Silver Play Button plaque ... but by September of that year we had boomed to 1.5 million or something ridiculous,' says Megan, who along with Ben asked that their full names not be published due to privacy concerns. 'We got our plaque and it was like, now what?' From fans to creators 'J-vlogging' took off in the 2010s, drawing in tourists and overseas fans like Megan who wanted a window into everyday life in Japan. It offered a first-person alternative to traditional news — grocery runs, paying bills, attending festivals — the moments that rarely make headlines. The format surged again during the COVID-19 pandemic, when homebound viewers turned to YouTube to satisfy their wanderlust. While the duo post longer YouTube videos ranging from the personal to the newsy, it's their short-form content that drives views. Their most-viewed YouTube Short centers on umbrellas being stolen and has 76 million views. 'We want Japan to be a thought-provoking place,' Megan says. 'We want people to think about the things that Japan is doing that they like — or maybe they prefer the way another country does it — and why.' Ben agrees, 'It's good to not present a country as a monolith. It's important to show that it's complex, multitiered, with a lot going on.' The challenge, he adds, is being able to do that in a minute. Known for their humor and honest storytelling, Megan and Ben offer a view of life in Japan that appeals to tourists and other foreign residents living here. | JOHAN BROOKS The Hitobito recently signed with Tokyo-based influencer agency GeeXPlus (our conversation takes place at their office in Shibuya), signaling the next step in the couple's evolution as creators shaping the bite-size future of Japan-related content. Megan's interest in Japan predates YouTube. It began with a 'Sesame Street' special in which Big Bird travels to Japan. That fascination deepened through Studio Ghibli films and the Toonami programming Meanwhile, Ben watched 'Naruto.' The two met in college in Kansas City and reconnected through social media, eventually becoming a couple. 'As an international relations major, the job market in the U.S. didn't seem so hot, so JET looked like a good way to dip my toes into diplomacy, which I was interested in,' she says. 'We were together for about a year and a half, and you were really serious about JET,' Ben says to Megan. 'I was up for an adventure.' 'You did take some convincing,' she replies with a laugh. 'That's true,' he says. 'I had to watch a lot of Japan videos. A lot of Chris Broad.' Like Broad, whose Abroad In Japan channel is arguably the most influential example of J-vlogging to date, the pair's work started as a way to document the realities of life in the countryside to those back home. There was more foresight to it, however, with Megan realizing she'd eventually need a job after JET. 'To be totally honest, I could see the AI boom starting while I was sitting at my desk, just using the internet,' she says. That realization prompted her to think about what skills might still be valuable in five years. 'Social media. It's my human story, and it can't be easily replaced.' The couple began filming from their 'dingy, little, echoey' apartment, hoping the neighbors wouldn't mind hearing them through the thin walls. After leaving Awaji for Tokyo — a journey marked by housing mishaps and soul-crushing jobs, detailed in a lengthy upload titled 'Life After Quitting My Dream Job in Japan' — they took a leap of faith into full-time content creation. 'At my old job, people would ask if I'd go full time because they saw the channel taking off. I'd adamantly say, 'No, I would never,'' Megan says, laughing. But the growth they saw in 2024 — and the fact that YouTube pays in U.S. dollars — gave them the confidence and financial security to make the jump. 'I think the experiences we had those first two years made us more confident we could put out content that people could relate to,' Ben adds. Their process hasn't changed. 'I have a big ol' Notes app of things I notice — birds chirping in the subway exits, hot-and-cold vending machines,' Megan says. 'Stuff we take for granted living here, but that is interesting to those who don't.' Sometimes, inspiration is unplanned. 'I missed the last train,' she continues. 'Instead of being mad about it, I thought, I can turn this pain into entertainment.' The resulting clip, which goes into what you can do if you too miss the last train, now has more than 30 million views. At a time of increasing AI-generated content in social media, Megan and Ben believe their human touch will continue to resonate with viewers. | JOHAN BROOKS Facing the age of AI It's not hard to see why they've attracted such a wide following. Like the J-vloggers who inspired them, The Hitobito offers a look at everyday life in Japan — the highs and lows alike. The key difference is that Megan and Ben have adapted the format for the short-form era, which has even brought them attention from the White House. 'We got this email from someone working with the U.S. Surgeon General,' Megan says, referring to Vivek Murthy, who held the post under President Joe Biden. 'He was coming to Japan and he wanted to talk to American content creators about their experience with mental health online and how they deal with it in another country.' 'He was an absolute sweetheart,' Ben says. Success brings new challenges, though, ones their J-vlogger predecessors never had to contend with. 'Recently, there's been all this AI slop, for lack of a better term, relating to Japan,' Megan says. 'So many fake accounts making up whatever about Japan. Stuff like, 'Hey girls, did you know men always pay the full bill?'' ''And they always cook and clean!'' Ben adds. 'It's scary when you see AI videos of actual human faces giving these perspectives.' Not all misinformation comes from machines. Plenty of real people lean into the same cliches — the kind that declare 'Japan is living in the future!' — but there has been a surge in uncanny content with unsettling robo voices, misleading information and outright fake images that look as if they were AI-generated. 'Tens of thousands of people believe these are real people giving real information,' Megan says. 'They can create this stuff with AI so much quicker than we can that, I don't know, nobody knows where the internet will be in five years.' The pair hope tech platforms will eventually do more to monitor synthetic content. For now, they see their humanity — their real experiences, broadcast daily — as the best way to stand out. 'The full-circle moment for us was having people tell us, 'I'm a teacher here now because I watched your videos,'' Megan says, hinting that maybe one of them will be the next big Gen Alpha influencer shaping people's minds about what it's like to live in Japan. Then she laughs, 'I'm also excited to meet the generation of AI robots that end all our careers.'
