In this episode of MM Medium, host Rashad Bilal and Ian Dunlap are joined by special guest Isaac Hayes III, founder of the social media platform Fanbase. The discussion revolves around the challenges of building and scaling a social media platform, as well as the importance of community and content monetization.

Isaac Hayes III emphasizes the significance of community in the success of a social media platform. While celebrities may garner attention, it is ultimately the support and engagement of the user base that fuels growth. He highlights how platforms like Clubhouse, Instagram, and TikTok can make mistakes or alienate their users, creating opportunities for other platforms like Fanbase to thrive.

Isaac Hayes III expresses his dedication to building and fostering community. He values platforms like Fanbase that cater to individuals interested in tech, learning, and building communities rather than focusing on tabloid opportunities. He acknowledges the difficulty of building a successful social media platform, mentioning the scarcity of Black-founded platforms since Black Planet in 2000.

The guest shares the challenges he faced in the last five years of building and scaling his brand. He initially kept the existence of Fanbase a secret, wanting to prove the platform’s legitimacy with real user data to impress potential investors. However, due to the unforeseen circumstances of COVID-19, he had to become the spokesperson for his brand during the equity crowdfunding process. Isaac Hayes III also discusses the changing landscape for Black founders, with more support and commitment to helping the Black community, which influenced his decision to step out from behind the scenes.

Isaac Hayes III explains that Fanbase is the leading content monetization social media platform that has innovated in the space. He emphasizes the absence of limitations on how users can monetize their content, with no shadow banning or content suppression. Fanbase allows users to be themselves and set their own subscription prices, catering to the demand for exclusive content behind paywalls.

The guest predicts the rise of subscriptions as a major trend in content consumption, using examples like the success of Kai Sanat, who creates unique and engaging content for a subscriber base. He believes that the era of relying solely on brand deals and big platforms for monetization is coming to an end, as direct person-to-person transactions become more prevalent.

When asked about algorithms and content suppression, Isaac Hayes III clarifies that Fanbase will only use algorithms to protect users from harmful content, such as filtering out negative comments or protecting kids from predators. He believes that algorithms in other platforms primarily suppress content to prioritize the platforms’ ability to make money from advertising. Fanbase, on the other hand, prioritizes content visibility and aims to deliver content to a user’s following and even beyond, without artificially limiting reach.

Isaac Hayes III acknowledges that disrupting existing technology and challenging paradigms are necessary to create change. He aims to disrupt the party for those already on top by providing a platform that prioritizes visibility and empowering content creators. In doing so, Fanbase seeks to make waves and kick up some sand in the social media landscape.

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