COY Creator is emerging as a force that puts content creators in the driver’s seat, challenging the status quo of traditional social media and content platforms. 

The startup is led by CEO Matt Silk, a veteran entrepreneur who previously sold his mobile messaging company to Upland Software. In 2021, he identified a gap in the creator ecosystem that mirrored the fragmentation he had observed in mobile messaging.

“We decided to put some capital to work and start prototyping a solution to see how creators would respond to flipping the script on the massive social platforms,” Matt explains how COY Creator came about.

COY Creator’s “business-in-a-box” solution addresses creators’ lack of ownership and control over their content, data, and audience relationships by enabling them to launch personalized websites with integrated monetization tools in a matter of days.

The startup stands out by offering a B2B2C model with white-glove services. “We provide ongoing services to optimize the fan experience, focusing on key monetization and engagement goals set with the creator,” Matt states. COY’s self-service tools allow creators to independently manage their entire fan engagement experience.

Matt points out COY’s commitment to creator success: “Whether it’s graphic design, video editing, organizing photo shoots, or even helping them decide whether to form an LLC before launch, we assist creators in whatever it takes to set them up for success.”

COY’s business model has no upfront costs, monthly fees, or long-term contracts. “[COY] only makes money when you do, and you can download your subscribers anytime, 24/7,” Matt explains COY’s creator-centric approach.

Building the Creator’s Business Ecosystem

Matt sheds light on the challenges creators face today and how COY addresses these pain points.

“Most creators don’t realize they’re hustling to build the businesses of the major platforms,” Matt explains. “By giving creators control of their data, we’re gradually shifting their focus to building a recurring revenue business and operation, rather than chasing vanity metrics like follower counts or constantly searching for the next brand deal.”

COY allows creators to design, create, and launch their own websites in hours or days, a process that traditionally takes weeks or months. The sites come equipped with a range of features, including a content feed, chat functionality, subscription management, access-controlled content, and personalized video requests. 

Matt emphasizes that creators have complete control over which tools and content to feature, allowing them to align the fan experience with their key performance indicators (KPIs).

One of COY’s key differentiators is its approach to brand partnerships.

“Those brand and sponsor deals become 10X more valuable when the creator engages with a first-party audience with ZERO risk of throttling,” Matt states. “The site is theirs, so a brand sponsorship isn’t limited to a sponsored post—it can be any creative concept the creator and sponsor want to deliver.”

Tools and Future Prospects

COY’s suite of tools includes subscriptions, gifting, pay-to-unlock content, multimedia support, subscriber management, targeted messaging campaigns, live streaming, and one-on-one bookings.

Matt highlights COY’s Targeted Messaging suite, which addresses the challenge of audience engagement at scale. 

“We provide creators with an entire marketing automation platform directly tied to their subscriber base,” he says. “Our Creator Success team works with creators to set up personalized campaigns that can trigger 24/7 based on any variable or action within their experience.”

To illustrate the COY’s capabilities, Matt provides an example: “Imagine a creator is about to launch their next super exclusive video. Two weeks before releasing it on their feed, they craft an outbound message to every subscriber who has purchased pay-to-unlock content in the past, sending them a personalized DM to give them a chance for a sneak peek.”

Despite the potential, Matt acknowledges that COY faces challenges in scaling. 

“Our biggest challenge has been inertia from creators to date,” he admits. “Building a world-class fan engagement program requires real effort from the creator. This is NOT a ‘If you build it, they will come’ scenario, nor is it one that will secure a massive brand deal on day one.”

However, Matt remains confident in COY’s value proposition. “I can guarantee that if the creator invests the time and converts their audience to their owned and operated site, they will establish a long-term business that they can monetize for years to come,” he asserts.

COY plans to expand its offerings in 2025 by introducing brand collaboration tools. Matt hints at upcoming financial solutions, collaboration tools, and sponsorship solution features.

Matt sees COY’s role in the creator economy as transformative: 

“COY is simply showing creators how little they currently control their financial future and day-to-day when they put all their eggs in the wrong basket. Most creators don’t understand that on the big platforms, THEY are the product. By bringing their subscribers over, they simply contribute to the platform’s bottom line and risk losing their subscribers to other creators.”

Data Control and Financial Freedom

Matt is optimistic about the COY’s future. With several high-profile creators launching soon, he anticipates sharing compelling case studies demonstrating COY’s innovative model. 

He’s enthusiastic about upcoming features to help creators better manage their financial futures.

Matt offers a crucial piece of advice for newcomers to the creator economy: “Take control of your data because if you don’t, you’re essentially building a business for someone else.” 

According to him, this sentiment encapsulates COY’s mission to empower creators and ensure they maintain ownership of their content and audience.