TikTok & UMG Make Up, Custom Apps for Creators, X and Threads Updates, & More...

In today's episode, we'll dive into how TikTok and Universal Music Group have finally settled their differences with a fresh contract. Then, we'll explore how Kajabi is empowering creators by enabling them to create their own branded apps. Don't miss our coverage on Instagram's new interactive stickers designed to make Stories even more engaging. We’ll also discuss X's latest feature for premium subscribers - AI-generated news summaries to keep you informed at a glance. Lastly, we'll look into how Threads is boosting user control with the new option to manage who can quote their posts. Stick around for all this and more on Creator Daily.

Universal Music Group and TikTok have just turned a new page in their relationship. After a bit of a tiff, which saw UMG pulling its music from TikTok when their contract ran out in early February, the two have reached a new "multi-dimensional" agreement. Music from UMG's powerhouse lineup, including stars like Taylor Swift, Drake, and Olivia Rodrigo, is set to make a comeback to the app and its massive user base.
What stands out in this deal is the emphasis on safeguarding artists in the age of generative AI. Both TikTok and UMG are putting their heads together to protect the rights of artists and songwriters while ensuring that AI's evolution in the music industry doesn't trample human artistry. That means keeping AI-generated music that's unauthorized off the app and even rolling out improved attribution for artists and songwriters.
In the words of TikTok's Global Head of Music Business Development, Ole Obermann, the collaboration aims to responsibly develop AI tools. This partnership is not just about protecting creativity, it's also about embracing it, with new ways to monetize content tied to TikTok's e-commerce scene. The platform is also committed to enhancing the artist toolkit with better analytics and seamless ticket integration.
The teams are working hard and fast to make sure your favorite artists are back on TikTok. Given that the app has more than a billion users, this spells not just a truce, but potentially a whole new frontier for artist and fan engagement on TikTok.

Kajabi, known for enabling content creators to sell online courses, is stepping up its game by launching a new no-code solution that allows users to create their own branded mobile apps. This new offering puts the power in the hands of creators, letting them customize their app's appearance and content, from the icon to the layout, and even the push notifications. It’s an extension of their current mobile app capabilities, but with this update, creators get to craft a more personalized user experience.
With feedback that suggested a strong desire for branded apps among its user base, Kajabi took note—62% of creators felt a branded app was key to their business, and more than half were ready to spend up to $100 a month for one. After beta testing with over 800 users, it's now available to all Kajabi customers.
What makes Kajabi's app service particularly enticing is its affordability and efficiency. Traditional app development can be a long, costly journey—often taking six months and running upwards of $60,000. Kajabi condenses this into a matter of weeks, at a fraction of the cost, sparing creators the risk of heavy investments that might not pay off, as was testified by nutritionist Raquel Britzke, who had a less-than-satisfactory experience developing her own app before switching to Kajabi.
However, it's not all smooth sailing—building a branded app with Kajabi is still a commitment, available only to creators on the platform at an extra cost of $89 to $199 per month, depending on the plan. These costs come on top of Kajabi's existing subscription fees.—and there’s the additional cut that Apple and Google take from in-app purchases.
As Kajabi competes in the no-code space with the likes of Wix and Thinkific, the platform plans to evolve by adding community and coaching products, along with other features like offline viewing and interactive quizzes. And for those nervous about coding, no worries—Kajabi doesn’t require any. It's all part of their mission to help creators turn their knowledge into commerce, all through a branded experience that looks and feels uniquely their own.

Instagram's rolling out some new features for Stories, including a couple of pretty interactive stickers to mix things up. First up, there's this 'Reveal' sticker. Put that on your story and it blurs everything out. If your friends want to see what's behind the blur, they'll have to send you a direct message. This move plays right into Instagram boss Adam Mosseri's vision. He's been saying for a while now that private messages and Stories are where Instagram's seeing the most action. And it looks like this feature is expected to be a hit with creators to get more engagement on their posts.
Then there's the 'Frames' sticker. It gives your images t