Making a Living Off 'Likes': The New Influencer Paradigm | Andreessen Horowitz

And rather than rent an audience on social media in exchange for ad revenue, they can control their own relationships. TikTok, Instagram and Twitter may help them get attention, but they monetize that attention with the Beacons links in their bios, bringing their fans back to where they can engage more personally and get paid directly.

For the time being, though, the bulk of users will continue to rely on the preëstablished attention economy for the bulk of their digital consumption. “Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, those are just as dominant as ever,” Jin said. “Today, no one finds a person on Patreon; you go there after you’ve found them.”

Even category-defining influencers face these hurdles. Many lack access to credit, loans, and a business bank account. Some float five-figure sums for production costs on PayPal. Others are unable to prove income requirements to secure a lease. What’s more, the metrics that define a sustainable digital business – subscription growth, audience engag... See more

Zebra IQ, for example, is a VIP membership platform where creators can try out experimental content on a smaller, devoted audience, as opposed to pursuing virality for the sake of ad impressions.