Rapper and social media star Roddy Ricch is turning the creator game on its head, working with Roll to bring a new era of content into the global mix: paywalls.
Roll – a platform where followers can access the personal camera roll of their favorite celebrities and creators – is shifting the social media narrative, creating a personal, unique fan experience instead of filling feeds with never-ending branded content. Adding paywalls to the mix is a tactic that Roddy, an advisor for Roll, is passionate about as the social media economy continues to shift.
“We’ve all heard the paywall industry is booming for creators online. Whether they’re on Twitch or YouTube, paywalls keep showing up as the main revenue driver for successful online creators today,” Roddy, who has 7.1 million followers on Instagram alone, explained. “Roll is the first ever Gen Z focused platform that monetizes in an entirely new way.”
As social media monetization continues to evolve, content creators and celebrities alike are looking for new ways to connect with fans while also maintaining income. With more than 200 million people posting on social media in a creator capacity globally – and with 30 percent of people ages 18 to 24 labeling themselves as content creators – fresh platform experiences are needed to not only maintain follower engagement, but to give fans content that isn’t one brand partnership post after another.
As it stands, the global creator economy is worth more than $100 billion and climbing, with more than half of all creators relying on at least two different forms of content. But with brand partnerships stalling over time, Roddy and the team at Roll are taking an out of the box approach. Roll – specifically in Roddy’s case – enables fans to get an inside look into the rapper’s process in the studio, his life on tour and fan meet-and-greets without falling into a classic paywall pothole: adult content. Roll’s dedication to brand-friendly content allows for organic interaction with followers without the threat of inappropriate material.
“Roddy’s already brought a huge amount of value to the company. He’s able to see the platform through the lens of an advisor and an artist, which has given us a really unique perspective on upcoming features,” Erik Zamudio, CEO of Roll, said of the platform’s Grammy-nominated advisor. “Roll is the future of audience monetization and Roddy is helping us bring that vision to life.”
As the new year approaches, Roddy plans to grow Roll’s demographic by taking advantage of his own resources and social media exposure, explaining that he hopes to bring more attention to the platform throughout the film, television, sports and music industry.
