Episode Summary: Andy, Jo, and Emily are joined by marketeer and 'recovering French man' Louis Grenier to give an outside perspective on kids media. Louis delivers his inimitable no-holds-barred take on the industry—expect sweary spikiness and truth bombs about what's really going on in children's content.

Key Discussion Points:

• Ethical marketing practices in children's content
• How media consumption affects kids
• Using creativity to differentiate in a competitive market
• Creating meaningful, responsible content for young audiences

Guest Expert: Louis Grenier shares marketing insights and fresh perspectives on kids' media

Hosts: Emily Horgan, Jo Redfern, and Andy Williams (Kids Media Club podcast)

https://www.kidsmediaclubpodcast.com/

https://creativelycurious.substack.com/

https://thekidsstreamersphere.substack.com/

https://joredfern1.substack.com/

Louis Grenier’s website

https://www.stfo.io/about

Author Louie Stowell (Loki series) joins the Kids Media Club to make the case for more chaos in children's books. Why do young readers crave mischief? How do illustrated books hook reluctant readers? And what's killing kids' love of reading—spoiler: it's not TikTok.

Key Takeaways:

• Mischievous characters create powerful entry points for emerging readers
• Illustrations aren't just for "struggling" readers—they're a legitimate storytelling medium
• Testing culture is crushing reading joy (and what we can do about it)
• Give kids real choice in what they read—it matters more than you think
• Children's publishing needs more risk-taking, diversity, and yes, anarchy

https://louiestowell.com/

https://www.kidsmediaclubpodcast.com/

In this special listener's digest episode, we examine the challenges and opportunities of creating children's content on YouTube. We listen back to three creators who shared their experiences navigating COPPA regulations, monetization struggles, and strategies for building sustainable businesses in the current digital landscape.

• Melly Buse - Boutique content producer discussing COPPA's impact
• Cory Williams - Creator of Silly Crocodile, a YouTube-first kids IP
• Nic Cabana - Claynosaurz, discussing transmedia approaches

COPPA regulations have devastated YouTube revenue for children's content, with some creators experiencing drops from £8,000 per month to just £300. Channels marked as "made for kids" earn approximately 20 times less than adult content, making sustainable production nearly impossible through YouTube revenue alone.

Despite impressive metrics, revenue remain a challenge. Silly Crocodile, with nearly a million subscribers and 13 million monthly views, earns only $5,300 per month - highlighting the stark disconnect between engagement and revenue for kids content.

Diversification is Essential: Creators must expand into merchandising, publishing, and retail distribution. Platform dependency is increasingly risky.

Transmedia Approach: Claynosaurz creates content across multiple platforms simultaneously. Their 39-episode series uses seven-minute formats optimized for YouTube while remaining adaptable for European distribution and streaming.

Building in Public: Successful creators involve audiences early in development, building trust through authentic behind-the-scenes content - similar to Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings development journals.

Creator-Led Model: Direct audience relationships and active community management are crucial, with founders maintaining presence "in the trenches" to gather feedback.

1. YouTube alone won't pay the bills - Diversify revenue through licensing, merchandising, and distribution
2. COPPA decimated revenue without clearly improving child safety
3. Meet audiences where they are - Success requires content across multiple platforms, not single-format bets
4. Community is currency - Early fan engagement creates loyal audiences and valuable feedback
5. Think transmedia from day one - Don't build for just TV or film; build for everywhere

Creating successful kids IP on YouTube requires resilience and strategic diversification. While revenue challenges are severe, creators who embrace transmedia strategies, build authentic communities, and operate outside traditional studio models can still thrive.