Influencer
Featured VidCon Anaheim 2023 Creators: The Montoya Twinz on The Twin Advantage, Creator Economy, and VidCon Anaheim Panels
22-year-old twins Mya and Myka Montoya have massive followings across YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. Together, this power duo shares fun challenge videos, twin content, and other lifestyle content with their audiences, inspiring and uplifting those who watch. Today, they share about being featured VidCon Anaheim 2023 creators, working together as a family, and about the VidCon Anaheim panels they’ll participate in.
With their massive following of over a million followers across YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, you wouldn’t believe that the Montoya twins accidentally stumbled into social media.
However, growing up, Mya and Myka’s father was strict with them about social media usage and didn’t allow them on social media until their teenage years when they started posting on Musical.ly, which has since transformed into TikTok.
The twins didn’t expect much from posting on the platform, but their content blew up and was frequently featured. Eventually, they created a YouTube platform and Instagram accounts.
Mya Montoya shares, “It’s like a diary for us. We have gotten to see ourselves change throughout all the years, and it’s cool for us now because it’s like a diary, and our kids, when we get older, can look back on it. It’s been really important for us to keep track.”
The Twin Advantage
The twins share that being twins has given them a significant advantage online because people are automatically interested in their life experiences.
Myka Montoya explains, “With this being our job, we get a lot of leeway because we get to split the work. She does half. I do half of it – as opposed to other creators doing it by themselves. Our mom, especially as well, she’s a big help. Not only that, but we have two creative minds working at all times.”
The twins also live together, making content creation easier whenever they feel inspired. It also makes the filming experience more natural because they’re never talking to a camera alone but rather to each other.
Learning About the Business Side of the Creator Economy
The twins share that the business side of the creator economy initially left a bad impression on them after they had a poor experience with a bad management team.
Now, they have a great management team with their best interests in mind which has dramatically helped the twins on their creator journey. However, like any creators, they experience fluctuating numbers and inconsistent income compared to traditional nine-to-five work.
Myka comments, “It’s mentally and emotionally challenging. I would say because you’re constantly, as much as you shouldn’t, you can’t help but compare yourself to other creators.”
Mya adds that they both had to grind to build a platform and self-taught themselves many skills, including filming and video editing.
The Importance of Authenticity in Content Creation
Mya explains, “Staying true to ourselves is something we won’t budge on. That’s something we take pride in. There’s plenty of content creators that do all the extra energy and the scripted content. Myka and I turn on the camera and wing it. I think that’s why a lot of people like us is that we’re relatable, and we’re keeping it real with our audience.”
Staying authentic means walking away from opportunities to stay true to themselves and never sacrificing their morals and boundaries.
They share that their parents have really helped with this as well.
The VidCon Anaheim Experience
VidCon Anaheim 2023 is the twins’ fourth time attending the event and their third year as featured creators. They share that the event is an excellent opportunity for networking with other creators and landing brand deals.
Myka adds, “Oftentimes, I might not be able to sell myself to a brand on camera over a silly TikTok, but if they meet us in person, then they might genuinely want to work with us.”
It’s also been an incredible experience for them to be able to put a face to other creators and fans.
Mya shares, “There’s been people that we’ve met at VidCon Anaheim that come up to us and cry. We didn’t know we have that effect on somebody, so to meet them and get to know their names and see them face to face is a whole other experience, and it makes what we are doing worth it.”
Meeting other creators and fans is highly motivating and helps them keep going, even when their views experience fluctuations.
VidCon Anaheim Panels
The twins participated in two VidCon Anaheim panels. The first, “All in the Family,” featured Peet Montzingo, Hudson Matter, Jordan Matter, and more and dove into the topic of making content with family members.
Myka notes, “I’m super excited for it because we can include our family. We are taking our parents with us, and even though they work under our company, they’re actually our best friends, so getting to include them in events like this is always so much fun.”
They also participated in another panel called “Night of Impact,” which was on the VidCon Anaheim main stage. It covered the visible and invisible ways content creation affects everything around us in the cultural ecosystem.
The Constantly Changing Creator Economy
The twins explain that there is an opportunity for everyone in today’s creator economy, whether in front of the camera, video editing, streaming, or photo editing.
Myka shares, “Everyone can find a job in this industry which is insane, but it also means that there’s a lot more competition, so you got to keep up. There’s a new trend every day, especially on TikTok every day, and you have to keep up with it, or else you’re going to be left in the dirt.”
Nowadays, viewers often have a much higher expectation for high-quality content because of the large amount of content available.
Many also have a skewed perception of how much creators make. As the twins shared, they make a comfortable living but still have bills to pay. Content creation is not a consistent income stream and can disappear anytime, so there’s a higher level of risk than in other lines of work.
As for challenges in the space, Mya shares, “Definitely staying motivated has been a struggle for me when we work hours on filming and editing and then to see the views that we used to get versus the views that we’re getting now because everyone struggles to stay focused [on longer-form content.].”
Another challenge the twins face is butting heads over what content ideas to pursue. However, they share that they feel incredibly blessed to be content creators and are excited about the future.
They both predict that streaming will continue to build in popularity online, especially as athletes and celebrities use streaming platforms to connect with fans.
The Twins’ Future Plans
The twins share that they are working with Volition Beauty, a professional beauty brand that contacted them about creating a product launch.
Mya and Myka will be the first to launch hair products on their website, specifically a cruelty-free, vegan heat protectant spray and hair oil, because they are often praised for their shiny, long, and healthy hair.
