Contentpreneur: The content creator as an entrepreneur!
We live in a world where content is king. YouTubers, such as MrBeast, earn upwards of $50 million a year through advertisement revenue, corporate sponsorships, and personal branding. TikTok stars, like Charli D'Amelio, leverage their mass following from the mobile app for television advertisements or reality shows with streaming services like Hulu. Popular Twitch live-streamers, like Ninja, turn their gaming influence into Hollywood acting roles and apparel partnerships with major brands. Individuals are increasingly transforming their content creation hobbies into entrepreneurial outcomes. Despite this trend, it’s surprising that academic research has yet to fully embrace this new type of entrepreneur – which we refer to as contentpreneurs – who seek entrepreneurship through content creation-based online platforms.
A content creation-based online platform is a specific type of digital platform where the nature of the platform allows users to create photo, textual, or video content for followers’ engagement. Content creation-based online platforms contrast with other online digital platforms given different activities, such as crowdfunding (i.e., Kickstarter), application development (i.e., Apple App Store), or peer-to-peer e-commerce (i.e., Etsy). Examples of significant content creation-based online platforms include Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitch, Twitter, and YouTube. Within content creation-based online platforms, entrepreneurship can be divided into two sources of monetization: on-platform income (i.e., revenues generated directly through the platform) and off-platform income (i.e., revenues earned outside of the platform). For example, Twitch offers on-platform income through real-time donations on their live streams. Opportunities for contentpreneurs who gravitate to off-platform incomes include brand endorsements, partnerships, and sponsorships. The different monetization avenues are likely influenced by the characteristics of the contentpreneur and the platform they utilize to create content.
Given the history of research in entrepreneurship examining online crowdfunding campaigns and the different characteristics that lead to financial success, we performed a literature review to analyze how researchers studied content creation-based online platforms. We found it shocking that leading entrepreneurship journals have not explored how creative personalities leverage their audience for entrepreneurial outcomes. Our recently published article in the Journal of Business Venturing Insights titled “Introducing the Contentpreneur: Making the Case for Research on Content Creation-Based Online Platforms” offers three fundamental illustrations around the online entrepreneurial context.
First, previous research shows that race and gender impact the financial success of mainstream entrepreneurs. However, the online entrepreneurial space differs from the conventional environment in that it decreases prevailing social stigmas and provides an equal opportunity for all entrepreneurs. Therefore, prescriptive stereotypes regarding race and gender may not be as detrimental to contentpreneurs as it is for the normative entrepreneur.
Second, research suggests that new business owners now have the power to negotiate new venture funding with a variety of financial sources. The online domain presents a unique platform for capital acquisition. For instance, when compared to traditional start-ups, esports stars and YouTube producers require fewer resources to launch and grow yet deliver similar value for investors. Lastly, our work makes a case for educators and researchers to not only investigate content creation-based online platforms and the different dynamics in the phenomenon but also integrate contentpreneurs into entrepreneurship education, as the topic is timely and relevant to businesses and individuals wanting to monetize their following. We developed this publication for those who want to learn more about the intersection of content creators and entrepreneurship. Popular social media influencers who have generated substantial entrepreneurial success through content creation now have a name: contentpreneur.
Interested in knowing more? Read the full paper here.
Authors Bio
Nicholas E. Johnson (nick.johnson@unt.edu) is a Ph.D. Student in Management at the University of North Texas. His research explores digital entrepreneurship and how influencers leverage their platforms for entrepreneurial success.
Jeremy C. Short (jeremy.short@unt.edu) is the G. Brint Ryan Chair in Entrepreneurship at the University of North Texas and his research focuses on crowdfunding, social entrepreneurship, role theories, and family business.
Jeffrey A. Chandler (jeffrey.chandler@unt.edu) is an Assistant Professor of Management at the University of North Texas. His research focuses on strategic leadership across the entrepreneurship, family business, and strategic management domains.
Samantha L. Jordan (samantha.jordan@unt.edu) is an Assistant Professor of Management at the University of North Texas. Her research explores the 'Dark Side' of organizational behavior with a focus on self-serving work behavior, interpersonal mistreatment, and maladaptive personalities.