Meet nofilter, a new publication for influencers

There's a new (free!) publication in town that you're going to love if you're in the influencer biz, into social media or marketing. As in, most of you...

Launched last week, nofilter is in-depth reporting and personal stories from the team behind influence.co. We were so enamoured with nofilter that we sponsored its launch issue and took a second to chat to editor, Nick Catucci.

First up, congrats - big week with the launch of nofilter! Do you want to tell us about that?

"Thanks! We've seen a great response to our first issue. We wanted to create something that doesn't exist anywhere else: a publication about influencer and creator culture, and not just influencer marketing as a business or social media stars as celebrities.

"We profiled two influencers—Lucie Fink and Devon Gibby—who have fascinating professional and personal stories, respectively. Check out our deep dive into the Arielle Charnas controversy, written by Sophie Ross, whose Twitter thread on Charnas and her odyssey with Covid-19 went viral.

"And there's much more, including a reported feature about how the pandemic has made influencers and creators a model for the future of entertainment."

What’s the audience?

"nofilter is for influencers, creators, the people who work with them, and the people who follow them. It's an inside view of the industry that provides fresh insight for professionals and aspiring professionals in the space, with content that's useful for people who want to take their work and their careers to the next level.

"But it's also for the fans, whether it's giving them exclusive access to talent through in-depth personal interviews or engaging their passions with smart commentary and tips on trends and up-and-comers."

What’s your background? What angle are you coming at this from?

"I was most recently executive editor at Billboard magazine, where I booked and edited cover stories and features on stars like Ariana Grande and Post Malone as well as executives like Jeff Bezos and Lucian Grange. Before, that I was the chief music critic at Entertainment Weekly, and I've written about music for magazines since I was in college. I've also run media websites before that was really a thing, starting with my first job as online managing editor at The Village Voice in 2004.

"Creators are defining the future of entertainment, using tools that only exist online. It's a culmination of everything I have focused on in my career." Nick Catucci, editor, nofilter.

"Covering influencers and creators combines my two most longstanding fascinations: culture and the web. Creators are defining the future of entertainment, using tools that only exist online. It's a culmination of everything I have focused on in my career."

What’s on the roadmap for nofilter?

"We just launched our first issue, a collection of stories that showcases the voices of influencers and creators as well as the people making their careers possible behind the scenes. We'll be publishing another issue soon, and as we see which stories resonate most with our audience, we'll apply what we learn to the big—and for now, unannounced—plans we have for later."

How does the publication plug into influence.co’s offering?

"As the leading network for influencers and the people they work with, influence is a central pillar of the audience we're building, and nofilter will enrich the experience for its members. But the members aren't merely an audience: they've already been quoted and featured in our stories. My writers and reporters are also on the platform, and members are directly sharing their ideas and becoming sources for nofilter articles and coverage."

"The unique strength of creators and influencers as nimble, independent content producers has never been clearer."

In your opinion, what are some of the most exciting aspects of influencers’ media/brand role?

"The best influencers are authentic supporters of the brands they work with, and trusted sources for consumers. They create a world, a larger vision, that brands and products exist in, and their audience can share. Marketing dollars are supporting independent voices that make real connections to real people."

Where do you think the influencer space is headed?

"I wouldn't make any specific predictions, other than the obvious one—influencer marketing will keep growing. I will say, as we argue in one of our features, that as traditional entertainment companies suspend TV and movie shoots and live music tours, the unique strength of creators and influencers as nimble, independent content producers has never been clearer, and that recognition will likely accelerate their rise in the culture."

We're sold! In fact, it made so much sense to us that we collaborated with nofilter for its launch issue and are running a giveaway competition through our influence.co profile. Come and find us on the platform for more details!

Influence.co's Linktree

You can find nofilter issue 1 through influence.co’s Linktree, right here. You’ll also be able to sign up to their newsletter and join the influence.co platform (it’s like Linkedin for influencers and brands who work with influencers).

You’ll notice a Priority Link bouncing around at the bottom of their Linktree – its drawing your attention to their webinar program, Zommies (also worth looking at!).

And as they’re using the social icons that come with Linktree PRO, you’ll find all the places you can connect with them across social.

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