How Pageants And An Apartment Tour Helped @haleyybaylee Become One Of The Highest-Paid Creators

Key Concepts:

• Content Creation: Producing and sharing media (videos, posts, etc.) online.
• Social Media Platforms: Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat.
• Brain Rot: Internet slang for catchy, often nonsensical, content that gets stuck in your head.
• AdSense: Revenue generated from ads displayed on content.
• Brand Deals: Collaborations with brands for sponsored content.
• Relatable Comedy: Humor based on common experiences and situations.
• Chronically Online: Spending a significant amount of time on the internet.
• Algorithm: The system that determines which content is shown to users.
• Engagement: Interactions with content (likes, comments, shares).
• Monetization: Earning revenue from online content.

1. Origins and Early Career

• Haley Khil's Stage Name: Her dad called her Haley Bailey growing up because her middle name starts with "B." She added extra "Y" and "E" to the username when creating an Instagram account in 2016.
• Inspiration: Idolized Jenna Marbles and wanted to be on Saturday Night Live (SNL).
• Education: Studied biomedical sciences.
• Modeling Career: Started after being discovered by Sports Illustrated Swimsuit on Instagram.
• Pageants: Entered pageants at 16 to earn scholarship money for college, attending St. Cloud State University in Minnesota.

2. Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Discovery

• Open Casting Call: Sports Illustrated Swimsuit held its first open casting call, asking for videos explaining why applicants wanted to be part of the issue.
• DM from Sports Illustrated: Haley received a DM from the official Sports Illustrated Swimsuit account, inviting her to New York.
• Winning the Search: She won the Sports Illustrated swimsuit search with Camille Kostek.

3. The Apartment Tour That Changed Everything

• Caleb Simpson's Apartment Tour: Caleb Simpson's team reached out to Haley after seeing her apartment window on social media.
• Viral Video: The apartment tour video went viral, reaching 50 million views within 5 hours.
• Resigning the Lease: Haley resigned the lease on her apartment, betting on herself to make it work as a content creator.
• Five Videos a Day: She started posting five videos a day on every platform for a year and a half.
• Affording the Apartment: Within a month, she could afford her $17,000/month apartment.

4. Content Creation Strategy and Process

• Learning the Platforms: Haley spent at least an hour a day on each platform (TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, Snapchat Spotlight) to learn their styles.
• Analytical Approach: She analyzes data points to determine what's doing well and applies that to her comedic style.
• Idea Generation: Ideas come from scrolling, comments sections, and hanging out with friends.
• Filming and Editing: She films and edits everything herself, posting live without scripting or storyboarding.

5. Dealing with Online Criticism

• Pageant Experience: Pageants exposed her to online scrutiny and criticism of her looks.
• Modeling Experience: Modeling further prepared her for online criticism.
• Advice to Younger Creators: "Don't read it. Don't read it. Don't read it."
• Creator Support Group: She has a group of creator friends who share similar experiences with negative comments.
• Comment Management: She reads top comments but uses hidden words to filter out hurtful content.

6. Defining "Brain Rot"

• Definition: Brain rot is any of those things where you're if your kid is just randomly saying things it's probably Tik Tok brain rot an audio a song something a creator said that's really catchy.
• Examples: Shivy toilet, Britney Broki's lines.
• Purpose: Doesn't teach you much but will sit in your head.

7. Analyzing the Apartment Tour's Virality

• Allure of New York: People are fascinated by New York City apartments.
• Unique Apartment: Her apartment is quirky and fun, with old features and action figures.
• Timing: It was early in Caleb Simpson's career.

8. A Day in the Life of Haley Bailey

• Sleep Schedule: She loves sleeping and wakes up around 10:30 am on days without events.
• Morning Routine: Schedules Zoom calls and meetings in the morning.
• Filming and Posting: Films throughout the day, often with friends, and posts live.

9. Monetization Strategies

• AdSense: Revenue from ads displayed on content.
• Brand Deals: Collaborations with brands for sponsored content.
• Speaking Engagements and Panels: Additional income opportunities.
• Equity Deals: Potential for equity in companies.

10. Working with Brands

• Product Testing: She tries products for at least a month before agreeing to a brand deal.
• Creative Collaboration: She collaborates with brands to create content that fits her voice and style.
• Authenticity: She only works with brands she knows and loves.

11. Future Goals and Aspirations

• Film: She would love to explore film.
• Product Line: She wants to own a product, potentially a drink for women.
• Lifetime Christmas Movie: She was in a Lifetime Christmas movie.

12. Lessons for Traditional Media

• Partner with Creators: Integrate content creators into traditional media.
• Reach Younger Audiences: Attract Gen Z and Gen Alpha by working with their favorite creators.
• Embrace Digital Media: Be more open to digital media and its potential.

13. Data and Statistics

• Apartment Lease: $17,000 per month.
• TikTok Followers: 13.6 million.
• Instagram Followers: 7.4 million.
• YouTube Subscribers: 7+ million.
• Total Followers: Approximately 30 million.
• Gender Demographics: Initially 95% male, now approximately 75% female.

14. Notable Quotes

• "Mom I can't afford this but everyone now knows me as the girl with this apartment what do I do?"
• "It really just depends on if you want to bet on yourself."
• "Don't read it. Don't read it. Don't read it."
• "They don't know you so they're just saying things about a character in a show to them."

15. Synthesis/Conclusion

Haley Bailey's success as a content creator stems from a combination of analytical thinking, a deep understanding of internet culture, and a willingness to bet on herself. Her journey from biomedical sciences to modeling to content creation highlights the importance of adaptability and resilience. By consistently creating relatable and engaging content, she has built a massive following and established herself as a prominent figure in the digital media landscape. Her story offers valuable insights for aspiring creators and traditional media companies alike, emphasizing the power of authenticity, collaboration, and embracing new platforms.