Happy New Year, readers! We bring you the first BBTV Staff Picks edition of 2022 where our team members weigh in on their favorite video content from BBTV’s creator network. Pick up some tips and valuable insight as we dive into how the #BBTVFam are creating influential and authentic content for their audiences, while driving deep connections with their fans.

FriendlyMachine: Melissa Derkach, Key Account Specialist, Gaming

My pick for this edition is FriendlyMachine, a UK-based Fortnite aficionado. At 2.2 million subscribers, he is the go-to source for Fortnite news, updates, events and everything in between!

Recently, FriendlyMachine’s focus has been showcasing what players can expect for Winterfest, which is an in-game Fortnite event that runs from December 16th, 2021 to January 6th, 2022. His goal is to provide his fanbase with as much information as possible to get the best experience from the game’s highly-anticipated event. This is one of the major proponents to his success; he is passionate about the content he creates and genuinely enjoys the game, resonating with die-hard Fortnite players and fans.

His dedication to his subscribers can also be seen in his community engagement, showing gratitude to his fanbase with in-game giveaways and prizes. This aspect of his content strategy allows him to build an authentic bond with his audience, increasing the shelf-life of his content and gaining influence with Fortnite players in a genuine way.

UmBipolar: Teresa Noguiera, Partner Value-Adds Lead, International Markets

UmBipolar is one of my favorite creators from Brazil and is my pick for this month’s edition! I love his humor, style, and determination in creating content. 

Gabriel Braga, commonly known as Biel, is originally from a very small town in Minas Gerais. After starting his channel in 2015 for fun, he quickly rose to fame, reaching the 100K subscriber milestone in just one year. Now, he has surpassed over two million subscribers on YouTube.

UmBipolar is known for his unique take on parodies, using it as a form to express strong opinions regarding discrimination, alongside other topics that are commonly considered taboo in Brazilian families. His most popular video, a parody of “Sorry” by Justin Bieber, (over 27 million views) became the most-watched video in Brazil, and the third most-watched in the world. 

One of the most unique elements to UmBipolar’s content is his ability to create so many different characters in a one-person show. This remarkable content execution can be seen in his popular YouTube series, A Louca da Minha Familia.

Biel has come a long way, and it is inspiring for me to see someone with so many intersectionalities thriving in the industry! 

He was recently recognized by Youtube in their Black Voices project in 2020, and was also featured in the Creator Spotlight, a YouTube Originals video showing his journey and creative process as a Black and Queer content creator. As he continues to roll out new and impactful content for the Brazilian community, Biel’s influence and inspiration to the youth in Brazil also grows thanks to his authentic approach to life and relatable content.

Raptors Digest: Paige Blaise, Senior Content Partnerships Representative

This month, I’ve chosen one of our newest NBA Playmakers partners, Raptors Digest. This channel is run by Ben and Ryker, two dedicated and passionate Raptors fans. Together, they cover Toronto Raptors news, highlights, and updates with almost daily postings ranging from YouTube Shorts to live watch-alongs of a game. If you’re into the Toronto Raptors and the NBA, it’s a no-brainer to check them out.

Ben and Ryker wanted to take their video content quality to the next level. By partnering with the NBA Playmakers network, they were given exclusive access to the NBA IP library, allowing them to enhance their content with high-quality video highlights and footage from the most recent games. After a quick tutorial from our team, they were able to monetize these clips in their videos. If you are a creator looking for a way to monetize your NBA content, reach out to our team to learn more about the NBA Playmakers network!

Check out one of Raptors Digest’s recent videos analyzing the Toronto Raptors and their impressive performance against the New York Knicks.

Authenticity, dedication, and passion are three major qualities that creators need to possess in order for their video content to resonate with audiences in a meaningful way. FriendlyMachine, UmBipolar, and Raptors Digest have built their success from the ground up with their commitment to providing content that is relatable to viewers, while establishing themselves as a source for people to fuel their fandom.

Building a meaningful content strategy requires that you understand who your audience is, what they want to see, and what they need in order to keep coming back. Luckily for you, you can partner with BBTV to get the support of industry experts and valuable creators tools to create unique and impactful content that will reach and resonate with new viewers at scale.