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If this is your first time meeting me,
My name is George Torres, and I teach visionaries, innovators, and cultural entrepreneurs how to leverage their stories to unlock their true potential by focusing on the most impactful aspects of their business. I do this without subscribing to the hustle culture.
Let’s Start The Year With Intention…
Before we talk about what’s next, I want to say this clearly.
Thank you for being here.
Thank you for your time, your attention, and your trust.
In a year full of loud promises and quick fixes, you chose something slower.
Something intentional.
That choice matters.
This new year is going to change the way we do what we ❤️.
Please read & share this newsletter with creators that want to grow.
Happy New Year!
George Torres
Founder, Siembra Connect!
SIEMBRA NEWS
What’s New In The Creator Economy?
Let me preface all the news we are going to share today with the following stats. I know that this might seem like a lot of info, but I think this info will help you be a better creator because you will know whats happening in the space.
📈 Summary: Here is 2025 by the Numbers
$22.2 Billion: The total market valuation of the influencer marketing industry, reflecting a shift toward long-term brand partnerships over one-off posts.
93%: The massive year-over-year surge in the number of active UGC (User Generated Content) creators, as brands move away from polished studio ads toward "authentic" content.
$5.78: The average Earned Media Value (EMV) brands earned for every $1 spent—proving that influencer marketing continues to outperform traditional digital ad spend in ROI.
17%: The slice of total online retail sales now driven by Social Commerce, officially making social platforms the "checkout count
And here is some of the news shaking up the industry…
🚀 The Creator Economy: Big Picture
The "Post-Follower" Era: Industry leaders, including LTK CEO Amber Venz Box, have noted that 2025 was the year following stopped mattering entirely. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok now prioritize topic clarity and content relevance over established fanbases, allowing micro-influencers to go viral more easily than ever.
Revenue Milestone: For the first time, ad revenue on creator-led platforms (YouTube, TikTok, Instagram) is projected to surpass traditional media ad spend. The influencer marketing industry is estimated to hit $32.5 billion by the end of 2025.
The TikTok "Stability" Deal: TikTok has reportedly reached a deal with an Oracle-led investor group to remain operational in the U.S. While this provides stability, it comes with increased oversight and a likely shift toward more "brand-safe," corporate-friendly content.
📸 Social Media Platform Updates
"Your Algorithm" Control: In a major transparency move, Instagram launched a tool allowing users to see and partially reset their recommendation signals.
Hashtag Devaluation: Instagram is reportedly testing a reduction of the hashtag limit from 30 down to 3, signaling a shift toward SEO-based discovery (keywords in captions) rather than tag-chasing.
Early Access Reels: Creators can now offer 24-hour early access to content for their most loyal followers.
YouTube
AI Creator Chatbots: YouTube is rolling out AI-powered versions of popular creators that can interact with fans in comment sections and live streams.
Shorts Expansion: YouTube Shorts now supports videos up to 3 minutes long, directly competing with TikTok’s mid-form content.
Shopping Integration: YouTube has become the primary driver for "Social-First" retail, with 68% of marketing leaders naming it the most impactful platform for business ROI in late 2025.
X (formerly Twitter) & LinkedIn
⚖️ Global Regulation & Compliance
📈 Trending Strategies for 2026
Micro-Media Companies: Successful creators are no longer just "posting"; they are launching internal production hubs (e.g., Dhar Mann’s 125,000 sq. ft. studio) and hiring "Senior Content Creators" to manage their personal brands.
Social-First Retail: Brands like Unilever and SharkNinja are shifting up to 50% of their total ad budgets to influencer partnerships, moving away from one-off "shoutouts" toward year-long ambassador contracts.
🌎 Human Led AI Helps Build Strong Businesses In The Creator Space… Knowing This, Would You Play In The AI Sandbox?
AI is not here to replace you.
It’s here to reflect you.
The creators building real businesses aren’t handing the wheel to algorithms.
They’re choosing when to collaborate, when to lead, and when to stay human.
Human-led AI is not about shortcuts.
It’s about clarity, consistency, and scale—without losing your voice.
So here’s the real question:
Would you play in an AI sandbox if it helped you build something stronger, not louder?
“AI doesn’t replace creators. It exposes who never learned how to lead their own voice.”
SMALL BUSINESS
SIEMBRA LESSONS
Banish bad ads for good
Your site, your ad choices.
Don’t let intrusive ads ruin the experience for the audience you've worked hard to build.
With Google AdSense, you can ensure only the ads you want appear on your site, making it the strongest and most compelling option.
Don’t just take our word for it. DIY Eule, one of Germany’s largest sewing content creators says, “With Google AdSense, I can customize the placement, amount, and layout of ads on my site.”
Google AdSense gives you full control to customize exactly where you want ads—and where you don't. Use the powerful controls to designate ad-free zones, ensuring a positive user experience.
It’s finally happening.
After a lot of building behind the scenes, the Siembra Connect YouTube channel is officially on the way.
The 1st Episode drops on January 7th, 2026.
I am looking to share the following;
Real conversations about Creative Journeys
Strategy, storytelling, and sustainable growth
Lessons I usually only share in rooms you have to pay to enter.
If you’ve been reading, listening, or growing with Siembra Connect, this is the next chapter.
My Convo with Heidy De La Cruz
I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Heidy De La Cruz on her podcast, The American Dream in the Eyes of Immigrants.
We took a deep dive into my journey as the 'Urban Jibaro'—from the early days of launching Sofrito for Your Soul in 1997 (way before social media was even a thing!) to the work we are doing today with Siembra Connect.
We talked about:
Growing up between NYC and Puerto Rico and how that shaped my vision.
Why I’ve dedicated my life to building digital spaces for creators of color.
My work with environmental justice and community empowerment post-Hurricane Maria.
Heidy is on a mission to change the narrative of immigration one story at a time, and I was honored to add mine to the collection.
Please take a moment to browse all of the incredible people who have shared deep stories about their American experience.
Podfest Expo is one of the largest and longest-running conferences in the world for podcasters and digital creators. It is widely known in the industry for its "community-first" vibe—often referred to by attendees as the "PodFam."
Unlike some tech conferences that feel very corporate, Podfest is designed to be inclusive for everyone from hobbyists and "newbies" to professional networks and veteran creators.
Key Facts about Podfest:
The Mission: It focuses on three pillars: Education, Collaboration, and Community. The goal is to help creators share their message and grow their influence through audio and video.
Who Attends: Podcasters, YouTubers, authors, and entrepreneurs. It’s a mix of independent creators and industry service providers (like hosting platforms and gear manufacturers).
What Happens There: The event features specialized "tracks" where you can deep-dive into specific topics like monetization, audience growth, video podcasting, and AI tools.
The Atmosphere: It’s famous for its networking events and the Podcast Hall of Fame induction ceremony. It even holds a Guinness World Record for the largest attendance for a virtual podcasting conference.
Upcoming Event Info:
Since it is late December 2025, the next major flagship event is right around the corner:
Dates: January 15–18, 2026.
Location: Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld, Florida.
Yoooo! Before You Go…
I Wrote A Book For Ya’ll
Reclaiming Your Creativity After Burnout Workbook
Reclaiming Your Creativity After Burnout is a guided workbook that helps you get your spark back without the pressure, guilt, or hustle noise. You’ll walk through honest reflection prompts, simple ...
George Torres
Founder,
Siembra Connect