Joe McDermottroe has worked as manager of YouTube EMEA Next Labs. Now, he’s the UK manager of tech start-up Victorious, a company that connects creators with fans through personalised apps. Partnerships have begun in the UK, and TenEighty caught up with Joe to find out what the move means for the country’s YouTubers.
“YouTube and Google are a fantastic employer,” explains Joe McDermottroe when asked what drew him to Victorious. “Over the course of those eight years, I learned so much and developed so many new skills. Victorious provided me with an opportunity to work with probably one of the most exciting tech start-ups out there, as well as an opportunity to develop a new set of skills.”
Victorious has just expanded from the US to become an international company. TenEighty asked Joe how they think their UK partnerships with YouTube creators will compare to those in the US: “I think there are many similarities between both. Witness the fans queuing for UK creators at Playlist [Live] and VidCon to see how audiences are now global.”
“I also think that UK creators look to the US to see what’s on the horizon,” he continues. “It’s why we have decided to launch internationally, so as to provide UK creators with the same mobile platform as their US counterparts.”
As well as working with YouTube creators, Victorious works with individuals and groups with large followings, including celebrities, TV personalities and bigger media channels. When asked how the company’s apps could benefit YouTubers, Joe explained:
“I think a few different areas: a) It’s their own platform. b) It brings their fans closer to the creator, as well as to similar-minded fans. c) In a mobile-first world, having a platform designed from the ground-up to be mobile-only enables all the benefits that users expect, such as being able to post content and follow other users.”
The interactive nature of the app for both creators and fans is one of its key features, enabling fans to create their own content, and engage with and follow each other.
Joe gives the example of US vlogger Ryan Higa‘s app. Ryan ran a campaign around Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, where fans created videos thanking their parents. Within the app, there are fans with over 5,000 followers. In other apps, there are instances of fans doing Q&As with one another.
“Each creator we work with is developing and managing an amazing and unique audience, so we are looking forward to seeing more exciting examples going forward.”
A final feature of Victorious apps is the fact that creators are able to monetise their content. As Joe explains, this aspect can take many forms, from more traditional advertising to fans being able to purchase unique emojis. This sets Victorious apart from Patreon, a popular platform amongst creators:
“Platforms like Patreon are designed to help fans finance content. Out platform is designed to bring creators and fans closer together in innovative ways.”
Want More?
Interested in learning more about Victorious? Be sure to check out the first part of our coverage. Alternatively, you could read about Caspar Lee and Joe Sugg launching their very own production company, Raucous Productions.
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