Latest news with #Beacons
TechCrunch
15-05-2025
- Business
- TechCrunch
Threads now lets creators add up to 5 links to profiles, track clicks
Instagram Threads is taking on Linktree and other 'link-in-bio' solutions by introducing a way for creators to use their Threads profile to share links to their other interests and online presences. At launch, the feature will support adding up to five links to a bio, which can connect visitors to the creator's blog, newsletter, website, or other social profiles, for example. In addition, creators will be able to access new tools to see how well those links perform. The Meta-owned social app, which now has over 350 million monthly active users, is positioning the feature as an alternative to its competitor X. However, Threads' ability to point users to a host of other social and web profiles from links easily accessed from within a creator's bio is something that could eat into the business of services like Linktree, Beacons, Koji, and others that offer tools that allow creators to build a landing page for multiple links. These services initially emerged because social media apps only offered one place to add a URL to a bio, and creators needed a way to direct their fans to everything else they published online, including their posts on other social networks as well as their own websites or storefronts. With the update, Threads will provide creators with insights that allow them to see how many people have visited the links in their profile as well as any links shared in their posts. The company explained that the idea is to make Threads a place where creators can grow their reach, even if that means helping creators promote a presence that's outside Meta's app. In addition, Meta says it will soon launch a weekly recap feature for Insights that offers a summarized snapshot of the past week, including a week-over-week comparison of the number of posts they've shared, total views, new follower counts, and replies on their posts. These recaps will also include other personalized tips to help creators learn how to better engage their community.
Chicago Tribune
11-05-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Valparaiso University President Jose Padilla speaks at final graduation, urges grads to lean into greatness
Valparaiso University President José Padilla spoke at his final commencement ceremonies Saturday, urging graduates, 'Don't run away from greatness. Lean into it hard.' 'Maybe one of you will be a United States senator in the state or Indiana or the state of Illinois. It's entirely possible,' he said. Others will go on to greatness in their chosen fields, Padilla said. The university is searching for a new president as Padilla heads toward retirement. 'This fortress of faith, this school that punches above its weight,' will continue to embrace the graduates well into the future, he said. 'We're going to be the angels on your shoulders that will give the answers to you when you're facing the hardest questions of your lives,' he said. If the graduates live to 80 years old, their time at VU will be just 5% of their lives, but they will have outsized importance. 'These four years, these 1,460 days, will be the most consequential and impactful of your lives, he told them. 'The friends you have right here now will be your friends 20, 30, 40 years from now,' even if you don't see them for years, Padilla said. 'Forty years from now, you will still remember the professors would not accept mediocrity from you,' he told them. 'Here you know that the power of a sharp mind is magnified 10 times by a soft and loving heart,' Padilla said. 'Because of you, I'm so much more optimistic about the future of our world,' he said. Older generations have created a divided world. Padilla urged the freshly minted graduates to be repairers of the breach. 'You've got this world where you want it because they won't see you coming,' Padilla said. 'We know who you are, and they don't know what you're capable of doing.' 'Your values will guide you like a north star,' Gloria Castillo, who led The Chicago Community Trust's five-year We Rise Together: For an Equitable and Just Recovery initiative, told the graduates. 'Use your voice,' she said. 'Responsible exercise value and voice in a larger environment.' 'Make a mark on the world that cannot be erased,' she said. 'Make a difference and have some fun along the way.' New graduate Peyton Evans urged fellow grads to 'remember you hold the power to grow beyond one label.' 'College gives us more than just a degree,' she said. At VU, she met strangers who have become friends. 'Embrace every moment, both the joy and the struggles.' Evans was a member of the first class to go all four years with Beacons as the teams' name. 'When the university announced we would be Beacons, I really had no idea what that was,' she said. As a student, she learned about beacons' role in lighting the way. Among the Beacons who graduated Saturday is Isaiah Stafford, of Bolingbrook, Illinois, a point guard and shooting guard on the men's basketball team. The first game was an emotional time for him, but he singled out his work in the weight room. 'We always had a good time in the weight room,' he said. Paulette Burnett, of Oswego, Illinois, is proud of Stafford, her first grandchild to graduate from college. 'I'm so proud,' she said, holding a cardboard cutout of her grandson to cheer for him during the ceremony. Mason Greve, of Valparaiso, commuted for his first three years and lived in a fraternity house his final year. 'That pretty much changed my college experience,' making it seem less like an extension of high school, he said. 'At the end of the day, it was the best decision I could have made' to attend VU, he said. Rayne Velazquez, of Hammond, commuted the whole time. Her mortarboard was adorned with a sparkly tribute to Psalm 23 to 'give my respects to God and how he was here for me,' she said. A death in the family made her time at Valpo difficult for Velazquez, but professors helped her get through it. Many of Velazquez's classmates from Hammond went to Purdue University Northwest. 'I wanted a change in environment,' and her parents were proud of her for being accepted to Valparaiso.
BBC News
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
'UFO' and light shows bring CultureDale festival to a close
A year-long festival celebrating 50 years of the Calderdale borough will come to an end this weekend, with the grand finale showcasing a series of light Beacons event will see a UFO-like sphere shine in Todmorden, while a "searchlight spectacular" will light up the Old Flour Mill in Brighouse and a "halo of light" will be visible over has seen 50 events in the CultureDale programme, marking every year since the metropolitan borough was formed in Durrans of Calderdale Council said: "We knew we wanted something huge and memorable to give Calderdale the 50th birthday party it deserves, and the Year of Culture has certainly done that." The light shows are the culmination of more than 350 events to have taken place during CultureDale. The UFO-inspired piece, located at the Canal Basin off Burnley Road in Todmorden, is by local artist Aimee Grundell, who said people would "witness a fusion of mystery, light and sound".The backdrop for the bright beams of Brighouse will be the ROKT Activity Centre in the Old Flour said the beams would be visible for miles and would "dance and play" throughout the sky on Saturday and Sunday from 20:00 until 22:00 sight would be a "celebration of Brighouse and its enduring spirit", the council said. Meanwhile in Halifax, the sky across Beacon Hill will see a "halo of light" weaving patterns across the have called it a celebration of Halifax - its landscape, heritage and Wainhouse Tower will also be lit up in cabinet member for public services and communities, said: "CultureDale has showcased the borough's creativity, talent, distinctiveness and diversity, and will be part of its story for generations to come." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Forbes
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
A New Era Of Protection And Professionalism For Digital Creators
Young male creator recording online media video on his room - Millennial guy streaming online and ... More sharing social media content by mobile phone app network - New trends for millennial people concept The creator economy has long been defined by its lack of rules. Millions of independent digital creators post, partner, and promote on platforms every day, without the protections or standard practices enjoyed by professionals in film, TV, or publishing. But this week a new framework has been launched to bring structure to that chaos. The Creators Guild of America (CGA) has released the CGA Rider, a standardized contract supplement that protects digital content creators' rights around payments, content ownership, usage approval, crediting, and access to performance analytics. In short, it's a new kind of creator contract and it's already supported by some of the biggest names in the industry. 'The CGA Rider marks an important step toward establishing equitable practices in the creator economy,' said Neal Jean, CEO of Beacons, one of the platforms already adopting the standard. 'We are proud to be working with CGA to bring more economic opportunities to creators.' Designed to be attached to brand or agency agreements, the CGA Rider is not a standalone contract but an add-on, a rider in the legal sense, that introduces essential protections for creators who are often negotiating alone. 'Most Creators are independent operators, working with tight budgets and demanding timelines,' explains CGA Founder and President Daniel Abas. 'Many are without legal or talent representation, especially early in their careers, and commonly feel pressure to sign any agreement put in front of them, lest they lose a rare opportunity. As a result, Creators are often at a crippling disadvantage when it comes to negotiating the terms of their work, as outlets like Forbes have noted.' 'We created the CGA Rider to start to level the playing field. In a perfect world, every Creator would have access to skilled representation. Until that day arrives, CGA members are encouraged to make full use of the Rider.' The document is available to CGA members only and addresses some of the most common friction points in creator-brand relationships. It establishes a maximum window for payment when one isn't specified. It asserts that creators retain sole ownership of the content they produce. It ensures that creators are credited and that their name, image, and likeness are not reused without approval. It even restricts brands from using creator content to train or feed external AI systems. 'The provisions of the CGA Rider are simply an extension of commonplace best practices,' said Paige Kaplan, CGA Board Member and Associate at GreenbergTraurig. 'This kind of standardization doesn't just help Creators, but creates efficiencies for everyone who facilitates their hiring.' While the Rider was created to protect creators, its early adoption by leading tech companies and agencies highlights another trend: brands want clarity and consistency, too. Too often, deals in the creator space are haphazard or misaligned. Brands may be unsure of content rights, unaware of creator expectations, or left scrambling when terms are vague. The CGA Rider solves this by laying out an agreed-upon framework—and making it easier for both sides to collaborate successfully. That's why companies like Linktree, Whalar Group, Beacons, Influencer, Triller, Collab, Lumanu, and others have agreed to adopt the Rider language in their contracts going forward. 'As someone who's spent the past decade building creator-first businesses, I know how vital it is to establish fair standards in our industry,' said Ben Jeffries, Co-Founder and CEO of Influencer. 'The CGA Rider is a pivotal step in empowering creators—not just with their rights, but with the confidence to grow sustainable careers. At Influencer, we're proud to support this movement toward transparency, protection, and professionalisation across the creator economy.' Alex Zaccaria, CEO and Co-Founder of Linktree, added: 'Creators are at the heart of everything we do, and central to this is a commitment to ensuring fairness and transparency. We're proud to support the CGA with this Rider, which is a great step forward in empowering Creators to own and monetize their audience.' The standardization offered by the Rider brings long-term benefits to platforms and marketers. It avoids costly miscommunications, reduces legal risk, and accelerates the dealmaking process by aligning expectations upfront. 'The CGA Rider represents an important standard for the fair treatment of creators in brand partnerships that will help shape mutually beneficial partnerships for both creators and brands,' said Tyler McFadden, Co-Founder of Collab. 'We are proud to support the Creators Guild of America and share their commitment to always doing what is best for creators to protect their rights and grow their businesses.' 'The CGA Rider represents an important step in creating equitable, standardized practices that benefit Creators, agencies, and brands alike,' said Tony Tran, CEO of Lumanu. 'At Lumanu, we believe that trust and transparency are the foundation of a thriving creator economy.' The CGA is not a union, but its goals mirror those of other entertainment guilds: protection, recognition, and structure. Launched in 2023, the nonprofit offers accreditation, events, and health benefit partnerships, all aimed at helping creators build sustainable, long-term careers. 'Our industry has evolved from the tactic of influencer marketing to the thriving creator economy,' said Whalar Group founder Neil Waller. 'It's gone from a marketing footnote to a boardroom priority. Core to this transformation has been the continual professionalisation of our industry and we're proud to support the CGA Rider, which represents another incredibly valuable raising of the bar to protect the interests of Creators.' Professionalization is central to the CGA's mission. And while the Rider may seem like a technical legal tool, it reflects a broader ambition: to elevate content creation from a chaotic, gig-based hustle into a recognized and respected profession. 'In Creators' decentralization and independence, we are starting to grasp the faint outlines of the future of work itself,' says Daniel Abas. 'Right now, the creator economy is the incubator for the next generation of entrepreneurs who are going to evolve the ways we consume media, engage in commerce and live our day-to-day lives. And that generation needs protection. It's not going to happen overnight, but the CGA Rider is the first step in a process that's going to ensure that 'Creator' becomes a recognized and sustainable career open to anyone with good content and a strong work ethic.' Use of the Rider is currently exclusive to CGA members and brands who accept it are awarded the CGA Shield, a trustmark creators can use to easily identify supportive partners. An FAQ is available on the CGA website and businesses can apply to use the Rider online. Later in 2025, CGA plans to expand its infrastructure with new accreditation tools and the launch of its Created By event series, further steps in codifying what a professional creator career can look like.
Associated Press
08-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Beacons revolutionizes creator-brand partnerships with Beacons for Brands and affiliate marketplace
NEW YORK, April 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Beacons, the leading AI platform for content creators to monetize and grow their businesses, is thrilled to announce the launch of Beacons for Brands and with it, a new integrated affiliate marketplace for creators and brands. The new product is designed to facilitate better brand and creator collaborations. Beacons is revolutionizing affiliate and influencer marketing by delivering full transparency into conversion data for creators and brands. For brands and advertisers, the new brand-facing interface Beacons for Brands allows marketers to build direct partnerships with the content creators that will drive the most impact. Marketers can build and run all types of influencer marketing campaigns on Beacons, with unique access to the 7M+ creators that already use Beacons. Brands can search and build direct relationships with creators on Beacons, with access to first-party social engagement data and unique insights, like similar brands a creator has mentioned. Marketers get detailed full-funnel metrics and per-creator reporting across all their campaigns on Beacons. Unlike other affiliate and creator partnership platforms, Beacons provides both brands and creators with full transparency into their impressions, clicks, and sale data, so they can make data-driven decisions on how to maximize their campaigns. For content creators, the new affiliate product offers a powerful combination of simplicity, customization, and integration. With Beacons, creators can manage their affiliate links directly in their Link in Bio and keep 100% of their earned commission when they upgrade to certain subscription plans. Affiliate on Beacons is a springboard for creators to build long-term brand partnerships. Creators can easily set up commissionable links to their favorite products directly from their Beacons Link in Bio page, making it easier than ever to monetize their recommendations. Creators can then leverage their affiliate data to build direct relationships with their dream brand partners and secure brand deal campaigns, all directly within Beacons. Some of the key features and benefits for creators: Unlock more brand deals: Creators get access to their data to better understand which brands resonate with their audience and can use this data to secure more deals and better partnerships. Creators who drive sales will be surfaced to brands as potential partners. Additionally, creators on Beacons can message brands directly and set up custom discount codes, gifting opportunities, and exclusive partnerships, all within their Brand Collabs Portal. On the brand side, marketers can easily track conversions and see the performance of their creator campaigns. Easy-to-use, customizable storefront: Creators can effortlessly add affiliate links via URL and set up a beautiful, customizable storefront with a clean user interface on desktop and mobile. Plus, a mobile-friendly quick share feature allows creators to instantly promote products or affiliate links on social media, making it easy to share their curated content in seconds and drive more sales. Fully integrated with Beacons Link in Bio and marketing tools: No third-party integrations or added clicks for shoppers. Everything creators need—from adding affiliate links to managing commissions—is available in one place. Additional tools like auto-DM ('Smart reply') and email marketing help creators streamline communication with their audience and brands, driving more sales and more business. Game-changing data transparency for brands and creators Beacons is redefining the way creators and brands interact in the affiliate marketing space. By combining powerful features like affiliate commission tracking, a user-friendly interface, and full transparency for both creators and brands, Beacons makes it easier than ever to foster authentic partnerships that benefit everyone involved. 'Creators and brands should have full insight into their funnel metrics and ROI to understand the impact of their partnerships,' said Neal Jean, co-founder and CEO of Beacons. 'Beacons has always been creator-first, and we believe that helping creators and brands build better partnerships helps everyone in the creator economy succeed. Beacons is the best platform for creators who want to maximize their earnings and for brands who want to partner with top-tier influencers in a streamlined, transparent way.' Several brands across a wide variety of categories have already started partnering with creators on Beacons, from beauty brands to tech and electronics to household essentials. Beauty brand Yves Rocher said, 'As a pioneer in botanical beauty, Yves Rocher is thrilled to collaborate with Beacons to empower creators who share our passion for sustainability and self-care. We can't wait to see how their creativity inspires new ways to experience our products.' Popular drinkware and gear brand Stanley added, 'We're thrilled to partner with Beacons and their network of engaging, creative, and passionate creators who will bring our products to life in a fun and genuine way!' This launch positions Beacons as a unique player in the creator economy, offering a lucrative one-stop shop for creators looking to grow their brand partnerships and monetize their influence. About Beacons Beacons is an AI-powered platform founded by Stanford machine learning PhDs, designed to help creators and influencers grow their content businesses. With its powerful Link in Bio product, creators can consolidate all their social media links, digital product sales, brand partnerships, and affiliate marketing in one place. Beacons is dedicated to providing creators with the tools they need to thrive in the digital economy, and currently serves 7M+ creators and 200+ top creator talent agencies.
