VCs hiring Twitter ghostwriters, Meta's XR plan, Netflix's ad tier & more | E1586

TL;DR

VCs are hiring ghostwriters to craft tweets, paying anywhere from $5,000 monthly to $100,000 for threads, as they seek to maintain a strong online presence. Additionally, firms like Sequoia are shifting focus to publicly traded companies due to fewer viable private investment opportunities. Meanwhile, Decentraland struggles with low user engagement despite significant investments.

Transcript

hey everybody hey everybody everybody it's Friday we're gonna have a couple of drinks Molly and I uh it's been that kind of week slash month quarter slash year so why not we pop some bottles and we're starting off with some VC talk there's a story about VCS hiring ghost riders for thousands if not tens of thousands of dollars to write their tweets ... Read More

Key Insights

• 💍 Ghostwriters are being used by VCs to maintain an active presence on social media and engage with followers.
• 🔬 Some VCs are investing in publicly traded companies to find attractive investment opportunities.
• 👾 Decentralized struggles to attract daily users despite its large funding and reputation within the metaverse space.

Questions & Answers

Q: How are VCs using ghostwriters for their tweets?

VCs are reportedly hiring ghostwriters to compose their tweets, paying thousands of dollars for their services. These ghostwriters help VCs maintain an active social media presence and engage with their followers.

Q: Why are VCs investing in publicly traded companies?

Some VCs, such as Sequoia, are turning to publicly traded companies to find investment opportunities. This move may be driven by a lack of attractive late-stage private deals.

Q: Why is decentraland facing criticism regarding user adoption?

Decentraland, a metaverse startup, has been criticized for having a low number of daily users despite its significant funding and hype. Users have questioned the value of virtual land ownership if there is limited community engagement.

Q: What is Netflix's new pricing strategy?

Netflix has launched an ad-supported tier priced at $6.99, making it more affordable for viewers. This tier provides access to Netflix's content with occasional advertisements, unlike the ad-free tiers that they previously offered.

Summary

In this video, the hosts discuss various topics including VCs hiring ghostwriters for their tweets, VCs investing in publicly traded companies, the lack of daily users in a metaverse startup, and Netflix launching an ad tier. They also mention an upcoming interview with a founder and discuss the importance of having a content marketing strategy.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the story about VCs hiring ghostwriters for their tweets?

According to a Business Insider report, VCs are paying thousands of dollars to ghostwriters to write their tweets. These ghostwriters claim to have the ability to generate millions of impressions from a single tweet, and they typically handle 20 to 25 clients at a time.

Q: Why do VCs invest in publicly traded companies?

Some VCs, like Sequoia, have started investing in publicly traded companies because they believe it is a great opportunity, or they are unable to find attractive late-stage deals for their growth funds. By investing in public companies, VCs can take advantage of undervalued stocks and potentially increase their returns.

Q: What are the considerations for founders in the metaverse space?

One cautionary example mentioned in the video is Decentraland, a metaverse startup that reportedly had only 38 daily users despite investing billions of dollars in disputed virtual land claims. This highlights the importance of user adoption and product-market fit, as many web3 projects focus on sales and NFTs without considering actual usage.

Q: What is the significance of Netflix launching an ad tier?

The hosts believe that Netflix launching an ad tier could be a significant development, possibly even worthy of a "J trade" (Jason's term for a significant investment). The inclusion of ads on Netflix could provide a new revenue stream for the company and potentially change the landscape of streaming services.

Q: What is the "OK Boomer" segment about?

The hosts mention that Rachel, another contributor to the show, has a segment called "OK Boomer," where she discusses tech trends and topics. In this particular episode, she talks about the idea of using location-based services to find friends, an idea that resurfaces every few years.

Q: What is the takeaways from this video?

The main takeaways from this video are the importance of having a content marketing strategy, the potential opportunities in investing in publicly traded companies, the cautionary example of the lack of user adoption in some metaverse startups, and the potential impact of Netflix launching an ad tier. It is also mentioned that starting a podcast or participating in online discussions can be a great way to share expertise and network in certain industries.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• VCs are paying ghostwriters thousands of dollars to write their tweets, with fees ranging from per-tweet charges to monthly retainers.

• VCs, including Sequoia, are investing in publicly traded companies due to a lack of attractive late-stage private deals.

• Decentraland, a metaverse startup that spent billions on virtual land, faces criticism for its low daily user count.

• Netflix has introduced an ad-supported tier priced at $6.99, making it more affordable for viewers.