The Power of Two-Sided Connections: How Creators Can Fight Back Against AI Influencers
It's a sad truth that AI influencers are taking revenue from human creators, but I'm here to tell you why you shouldn't panic. But first, why is this happening?
The Growing AI Takeover
Brands are choosing AI influencers for several reasons:
- They can say whatever brands want, however they want.
- They can be translated instantly into any language.
- They're built by studying viral content, so they know every trick.
- They don't get into controversies that could damage a brand.
And all of this is done with just a few lines of text as instruction.
The Solution: Direct-to-Fan Monetization
So, it's a problem, but again, there's a solution, and the same solution as it has been for years, which is to just engage directly with your audience to own your monetization rather than rely on brand advertising.
People follow you for you, not the brands you're trying to sell. Whatever your content is, your fans follow you because they like what YOU do or what YOU talk about. Normally it's becasue they enjoy the content you're posting about, but it's more about their emotional connection to you. They find you funny, motivational, sincere, unique, or something that makes them feel closer to you and solves an emotional desire.
I have people I follow and have seen hundreds of their posts, to the point where I feel like I know them, and have a relationship with them, even if it's one-sided. While it is one-sided, I would love for it to be two-sided and actually connect with that person.
How Creators Can Monetize This Connection
That's the opportunity creators will have more in 2025 and beyond. Take the time to build deeper connections with your true fans, and they will gladly pay you for it. They know you're busy, they know you work hard, and they know you're providing value. They'll understand and respect that you're asking for payment so you can continue working as hard as you do.
Depending on the type of content you create, you can easily:
- Sell exclusive group chats for deeper discussions.
- Host live Q&A sessions where fans can interact with you.
- Offer 1-on-1 coaching, lessons, or direct messaging.
- Run fan communities where members pay to access premium content.
Also, in this era, you don't have to stress about constantly going viral so you can attract 100,000 followers to make $500 a post from a brand. You can have 5,000 fans who really enjoy your niche content and appreciate your genuineness and authenticity. You're not selling them anything; you're just connecting with them on a deeper level. So, you very well may have 500 of those fans willing to pay $10 a month to build their connections with you in a deeper way, still making you that $5,000 a month, earning 10x more revenue at 1/200 of the fan base than our brand marketing example.
You Don't Need to Go Viral to Make Money; Focus on What Matters
So, don't stress about the incoming wave of viral AI-generated influencers coming to take a large chunk of the ad and brand revenue from you. Just focus on making the content you love to make, and you will find your true fans who follow you for you. Those same fans would jump at the opportunity to pay some money to connect with you in more ways than through a TikTok or Instagram reel. Like me, they crave that two-sided connections.
As a creator, you have an incredible ability to make people happy, and giving them an opportunity in a more intimate setting to have a conversation with you is a gift they'd be thrilled to support you for.
Ditch the brands. Forget the virality. Stop competing for ad deals. Instead, focus on building deeper fan connections and getting rewarded for it.
And the best place to do that? Sumu. 😉