<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="10418550" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="carrd">Carrd</keyword> is a site-building platform, like <keyword id="1591972" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="squarespace">SquareSpace</keyword> or <keyword id="825836" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Wordpress">WordPress</keyword>, that's been getting increasingly popular within the past year.</li><li>Carrd sets itself apart from other sites by specializing in building one-page <keyword id="6470839" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="websites">websites</keyword>.</li><li>Nearly all of its features are free to use, and it has many possible uses. </li></ul><p>Lately, you may have heard about a new platform called <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/carrd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Carrd</a>. Simply put, Carrd is a website-building platform, much like <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/squarespace" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Squarespace</a> or <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/wordpress" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WordPress</a>. The big difference between Carrd and other sites, though, is that Carrd is optimized to create simple, one-page websites, which makes it much easier to use.</p><p>People often use Carrd to display their portfolio, or promote a cause that's important to them. </p><h2><strong>What you need to know about Carrd</strong></h2><p>There are myriad uses for small websites. Carrd suggests a handful of website types, which are helpfully arranged in different layout templates. They include: </p><ul><li><strong>Profile</strong> - Good for making a personal information page to tell others about yourself, likely to market yourself to employers or collaborators. </li><li><strong>Landing</strong> - For things like products, services, apps, and the like. Landing pages make it easy to explain what something is, how it works, and where to get it.</li><li><strong>Forms</strong> - Good for businesses interacting with current or potential customers. Forms can do things like collect emails, conduct surveys, etc.</li><li><strong>Portfolio</strong> - Sort of like a profile, but specifically for visual artists, as it's meant to show off art and graphics.</li><li><strong>Sectioned</strong> - These Carrds are different from the other categories. They're like a halfway point between a one-page website and a site with multiple pages. They're still one page, but they're sectioned off into different categories - perfect for people looking to disseminate information on a topic, especially a complex one.</li></ul><p>On top of these uses, <a href="https://drrac.co/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">many people have been using Carrd for other things</a>. For example, some writers use it to help outline their stories, using the Sectioned format to help them keep track of characters, world-building elements, plot points, and more. </p><p>One popular use of the Sectioned layout is for online activists to raise awareness and spread information about causes, such as <a href="https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Carrd site for Black Lives Matter.</a> These sites often include donation buttons or links to organizations that help these causes. </p><p>The best part is that most of the site's features are free to use. There are <a href="https://templates-of.carrd.co/#templates" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a few that you can only access by upgrading to a paid version,</a> like the ability to use forms or third-party widgets, but these extras are mostly aimed at business using Carrd as a homebase - most users can get along without these.</p><p>The possible uses of Carrd are limited only by the imagination, and the site is very easy to use. If you're interested in creating a Carrd yourself, and want to find out more, check out <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-make-a-carrd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">our article on how to make a Carrd</a>. </p><h2><strong>Related coverage from <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tech-reference" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tech Reference</a>:</strong></h2><ul><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-make-a-carrd">How to make a simple, one-page website using the Carrd site-building platform</a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-canva" target="_blank" rel="noopener">What is Canva? A guide to the graphic design platform's features and capabilities<br /></a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-google-sites" target="_blank" rel="noopener">What is Google Sites? How to use the free website-building tool</a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-edit-google-sites" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to edit a Google Site and customize your website's appearance</a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-create-a-google-site" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to create a Google Site and easily publish your own custom website</a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-alt-text-in-wordpress" target="_blank" rel="noopener">What is alt text in WordPress? How to add image descriptions on your web page to improve accessibility and website ranking</a></h3></li></ul>

What is Carrd? Everything you need to know about the simple website-building platform

<ul class="summary-list"><li>You can make a one-page website on <keyword id="10418550" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="carrd">Carrd</keyword>, the simple site-building platform.</li><li>Carrd is a site, like <keyword id="1591972" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="squarespace">Squarespace</keyword> or <keyword id="825836" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Wordpress">WordPress</keyword>, that helps users to create their own website, even if they don't have a whole lot of technical knowledge.</li><li>Carrds can be useful for a number of different things, like personal promotion, surveys, and more, and they're very easy to customize.</li></ul><p>In the past year or so, you may have heard people talking about Carrd on social media, posting things like: "I made a Carrd about this issue, please check it out," or "If you need more information on my charity, it can be found on this Carrd." But what is Carrd?</p><p>It's not as new a concept as it sounds - Carrd is simply a site-building engine, like <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/squarespace" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Squarespace</a> or <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/wordpress" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WordPress</a>. The difference? Carrds are, famously, one-page sites, and they're free to create.</p><p>If you've been looking for an easy way to link people to your work, to an issue you're passionate about, or even to a landing page for a service like <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/mailchimp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MailChimp</a>, but you don't want to create an entire website for it, Carrd is the perfect solution for you.</p><h2><strong>How to make a Carrd</strong></h2><p>Making a Carrd is simple, and the site offers a lot of variables and extra features to play around with. For now, though, let's walk through the basics.</p><p><strong>1.</strong> Go to the <a href="https://carrd.co/">Carrd website</a> and click "Choose a starting point" to begin.</p><p><strong>2.</strong> First, you'll want to choose a format that works for what you're trying to create. The available format categories include: Profile, Landing, Forms, Portfolio, and Sectioned. Read each description to see a helpful guide on what each of these formats works best for.</p><p>If you don't like any of these templates, you can also start from scratch with a blank one.</p><div type="image" title="How_to_make_a_Carrd_ _1" height="800" width="1647" msid="79688558" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>3.</strong> Once you pick a basic layout, you'll be taken to the site template, overlaid with helpful instructions on what each of the buttons in the toolbar does, including "Add element," "Undo," "Redo," "Mobile view," and "Menu."</p><p>Once you're sure you've got it, click "Okay, got it!" in the bottom right corner to get started.</p><div type="image" title="How_to_make_a_Carrd_ _2" height="800" width="1724" msid="79688559" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>4.</strong> To edit an element already on the page, just click on it. The relevant prompts to edit will appear on the left side of the screen. </p><p><strong>5.</strong> Choose your "Background" - this is the backdrop on which your whole site will be set. You can choose whether to make it an image, a gradient, or even a video or slideshow. </p><p>For each setting, a different menu of customizations will appear. Play around with them until you get a background you like.</p><div type="image" title="How_to_make_a_Carrd_ _3" height="800" width="1720" msid="79688560" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>6.</strong> Once you're done with the background, it's time to edit the page itself - this is where all the elements can be added. Click on any blank spot that isn't the background to get to the menu for this.</p><div type="image" title="How_to_make_a_Carrd_ _4" height="800" width="1728" msid="79688564" hostid="261"></div><p>Play around with the size, style, colors, margins, and other elements, until it's formatted in a way you like.</p><p><strong>7.</strong> If you'd like to create columns to organize your content, you can do that by clicking the "Add element" button in the menu, selecting "Container," and changing the container setting to "Columns."</p><div type="image" title="How_to_make_a_Carrd_ _5" height="800" width="1635" msid="79688571" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>8.</strong> To give the impression of a full website, you can create sections that you can link to at the top of the page - click "Add element," then select "Control" from the bottom of the menu and choose a type.</p><div type="image" title="How_to_make_a_Carrd_ _6" height="800" width="1644" msid="79688579" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>9.</strong> You can also use this "Control" element to create headers, footers, and scroll points. You can link to these like they're different pages, so if users want, they can press a button at the top to be brought to this section of your Carrd.</p><div type="image" title="How_to_make_a_Carrd_ _7" height="800" width="1700" msid="79688584" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>10.</strong> To add a video or audio file, select the relevant button from the "Add element" menu, then paste the URL of the song or video into the box on the sidebar. </p><p>You can also choose "Upload" and add a file directly from your computer.</p><div type="image" title="How_to_make_a_Carrd_ _8" height="800" width="1707" msid="79688591" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>11.</strong> The "Widget" element allows you to embed pre-made widgets from Stripe, Gumroad, Facebook, PayPal, and Typeform, if you desire. These are especially useful for businesses.</p><p><strong>Note:</strong> Adding Widgets requires the paid version of Carrd. Adding custom codes, adding IFrames as embeds, and other advanced settings also require this.</p><p><strong>12.</strong> If you want your Carrd to look good on mobile - and you probably should, as the majority of internet traffic these days is mobile traffic - you should make sure you switch to the mobile view and optimize your site for mobile.</p><p>To do this, click the button in the menu that looks like a phone.</p><div type="image" title="How_to_make_a_Carrd_ _9" height="800" width="1648" msid="79688593" hostid="261"></div><p>When viewing the mobile version of your Carrd, it's easier to see and edit setups on a smartphone's browser, even if they do look good on desktop.</p><p><strong>13.</strong> If you are making a Carrd with multiple sections, and you'd like to be able to see and edit those sections separately, use the "#" button in the menu to navigate between sections.</p><div type="image" title="How_to_make_a_Carrd_ _10" height="800" width="1530" msid="79688594" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>Note:</strong> This button will not appear until sections are created.</p><p><strong>14.</strong> There are a ton of other elements to play around with, which you should do before you're certain you're done. Once you are, click the "Save" button on the menu to publish your Carrd and take it live!</p><div type="image" title="How_to_make_a_Carrd_ _11" height="800" width="1578" msid="79688595" hostid="261"></div><h2><strong>Related coverage from <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tech-reference" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tech Reference</a>:</strong></h2><ul><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-canva" target="_blank" rel="noopener">What is Canva? A guide to the graphic design platform's features and capabilities<br /></a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-google-sites" target="_blank" rel="noopener">What is Google Sites? How to use the free website-building tool</a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-edit-google-sites" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to edit a Google Site and customize your website's appearance</a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-create-a-google-site" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to create a Google Site and easily publish your own custom website</a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-alt-text-in-wordpress" target="_blank" rel="noopener">What is alt text in WordPress? How to add image descriptions on your web page to improve accessibility and website ranking</a></h3></li></ul>

How to make a simple, one-page website using the Carrd site-building platform

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Korean septet <keyword id="258293" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="BTS">BTS</keyword> recently donated $1 million to <keyword id="2771111" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="black-lives-matter">Black Lives Matter</keyword>, as first reported by Variety on June 6.</li><li>BTS fans, called ARMY, began a campaign to #MatchAMillion in an effort to match the group's million-dollar donation, with contributions tracked by fan collective One in an ARMY.</li><li>ARMY matched the group's donation on June 7, raising over $1 million to benefit organizations like Black Lives Matter and Reclaim the Block.</li></ul><p>BTS' dedicated group of fans, called ARMY, matched the Korean boy band's $1 million donation to Black Lives Matter a day after news broke about the group's contribution. After <a href="https://variety.com/2020/music/news/bts-big-hit-1-million-black-lives-matter-donation-1234627049/">Variety reported on June 6</a> that the septet had made a donation to Black Lives Matter, fans began to campaign to #MatchAMillion. On June 7, just a day after Variety confirmed the group's donation, ARMY had matched it. </p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—One in an ARMY⁷ Charity Project   (@OneInAnARMY) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1269793116023926786?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2020</a></blockquote><p>BTS <a href="https://twitter.com/BTS_twt/status/1268422690336935943?s=20">tweeted on June 4</a> in support of Black Lives Matter, writing, "We stand against racial discrimination. We condemn violence. You, I and we all have the right to be respected. We will stand together." Fans began the campaign to #MatchAMillion in response to news about the group's donation, trending the hashtag on Twitter on June 7 and <a href="https://twitter.com/charts_k/status/1269424733470285825?s=20">distributing</a> a <a href="https://btsarmyxblm.carrd.co/">Carrd website</a> made by fan collective <a href="https://www.oneinanarmy.org/">One in an ARMY</a>, which regularly runs and tracks charity projects for the <keyword id="1610727" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Fandom">fandom</keyword>. The Carrd contained links to donate to organizations including <a href="https://blacklivesmatter.com/">Black Lives Matter</a>, the <a href="https://naacp.org/">NAACP</a>, and <a href="https://www.reclaimtheblock.org/">Reclaim the Block</a> as well as a link to <a href="https://secure.actblue.com/donate/btsarmy">split donations between different organizations through ActBlue</a>.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—One in an ARMY⁷ Charity Project   (@OneInAnARMY) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1267532447379533826?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 1, 2020</a></blockquote><p>One in an ARMY tracked donations for the campaign. In a <a href="https://twitter.com/OneInAnARMY/status/1269808529688481796?s=20">statement</a>, the collective said that total donations through the trackable split donation feature had totaled approximately $50,000  in the four and a half days since its launch on June 1. One in an ARMY said in the statement that over $817,000 dollars had been reported through the split donation feature 24 hours after news broke regarding BTS' donation. By late evening on June 7, donations surpassed $1 million. </p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—worldwideBTS ⁷  (@btsanalytics) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1269792760216895495?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2020</a></blockquote><p><keyword id="1494563" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="K-Pop">K-pop</keyword> fans, including BTS fans, have recently conducted digital campaigns to spam <a href="https://www.insider.com/kpop-stans-flood-spam-whitelivesmatter-hashtag-fancams-memes-2020-6">hashtags like #WhiteLivesMatter</a> in addition to <a href="https://www.insider.com/kpop-stans-fancams-iwatch-dallas-police-department-report-spam-blacklivesmatter-2020-6">police apps like the iWatch Dallas app</a> with fancams. </p><p>This is far from a first donation project for BTS fans. One in an ARMY, which launched in March 2018, has run a variety of monthly charity campaigns benefiting organizations like <a href="https://www.oneinanarmy.org/post/april-2018-campaign-summary-medical-teams-international">Medical Teams International</a> and <a href="https://www.oneinanarmy.org/post/july-2019-campaign-summary-pets-for-the-elderly">Pets for the Elderly</a>. Currently, the collective is organizing a <a href="https://www.oneinanarmy.org/current-campaign">variety of campaigns around BTS' seventh anniversary</a>, with its primary fundraiser benefitting the Global Food Banking Effort. These efforts fall in the footsteps of BTS themselves, who <a href="https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/bts/8483029/bts-unicef-love-myself-campaign-money-raised#:~:text=BTS'%20UNICEF%20'Love%20Myself'%20Campaign%20Raises%20Over%20%241.4%20Million,-11%2F2%2F2018&amp;text=BTS%20attend%20a%20meeting%20during,Nations%20General%20Assembly%20at%20U.N.&amp;text=%E2%80%9CIn%20the%20year%20since%20UNICEF,UNICEF%20Korea%20in%20a%20statement.atement.">partnered with UNICEF</a> to raise money for the "Love Yourself" anti-violence campaign. </p><p>Fans continued to spread news about the donation match through the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/2MforBLM?src=hashtag_click">#2MforBLM hashtag</a>, and One in an ARMY said in the statement that there are no plans to end the Black Lives Matter fundraiser, which the collective has given a <a href="https://www.oneinanarmy.org/black-lives-matter">permanent page on its website</a>. As of publication, the <a href="https://secure.actblue.com/donate/btsarmy">split donation fundraiser tally</a> stands at nearly $1.2 million.</p><p>"Black Lives Matter isn't something that has a time limit. It's a belief everyone needs to carry in their every lives," a spokesperson said in the statement. "We're happy to help ARMY organize and support the Black Lives Matter movement. We stand in solidarity with black ARMY. They're an important part of our family. And we stand with black people everywhere. Your voices deserve to be heard." </p><ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more:</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/bts-army-concertforbts-map-of-the-soul-tour-postponed-hashtag-2020-4">BTS fans are celebrating what would have been the first day of the group's postponed 'Map of the Soul' tour by posting covers, concert videos, and art</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/kpop-stans-flood-spam-whitelivesmatter-hashtag-fancams-memes-2020-6">K-pop stans flooded the #WhiteLivesMatter hashtag on Twitter and Instagram with fancams and memes to drown out racist posts</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/kpop-stans-fancams-iwatch-dallas-police-department-report-spam-blacklivesmatter-2020-6">Dallas Police asked people to report illegal protest activity via an app. K-pop stans organized to spam it with fancams instead.</a></li></ul>

BTS stans matched the K-pop group's $1 million Black Lives Matter donation in one day through the #MatchAMillion campaign

<ul class="summary-list"><li>You can get Story Pins on <keyword id="939877" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Pinterest">Pinterest</keyword>, similar to Instagram Stories, with a Pinterest business account.</li><li>With Story Pins, you can combine multiple images, videos, and text to market and promote your business in new ways.</li><li>Pinterest Story Pins are still in the beta phase of development so you'll need to be approved before you can use this feature.</li></ul><p>At the end of 2020, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/pinterest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pinterest</a> launched a new feature called Story Pins. If you're familiar with <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/instagram-stories" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram Stories</a>, the concept is fairly similar, with the added twist of being pin-able. </p><p>Currently, Story Pins are only available for Pinterest business accounts, and you need to request access in order to create them. Here's a step-by-step process on how that works.</p><h2><strong>How to get Story Pins on Pinterest with a business account</strong></h2><p>In order to create Story Pins, you'll first need a Pinterest business account.</p><p><strong>1.</strong> If you already have a personal account on Pinterest, you can upgrade it to a business account in your profile settings; if you've never used Pinterest before, you'll need to create an account for your business.</p><p><strong>2.</strong> On <a href="https://pinterest.com/business/hub">Pinterest's business hub</a>, type a name for your business and answer the website and demographic questions. Click "Next" when you're done. </p><div type="image" title="How_to_create_story_pins_on_Pinterest_ _1" height="1000" width="2353" msid="81120098" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>3.</strong> Select a focus for your brand and click on some goals you have for your Pinterest account. Click "Next" when finished. </p><div type="image" title="How_to_create_story_pins_on_Pinterest_ _2" height="1000" width="2261" msid="81120099" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>4.</strong> Click on the option that best represents your business or click "I'm not sure." When you're finished, click "Next." </p><div type="image" title="How_to_create_story_pins_on_Pinterest_ _3" height="1000" width="2319" msid="81120100" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>5.</strong> Answer the question about advertising and click "Next." </p><div type="image" title="How_to_create_story_pins_on_Pinterest_ _4" height="1000" width="2317" msid="81120101" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>6.</strong> From your Pinterest business account's homepage, click "Create," then click "Story Pins" in the drop-down menu that appears. </p><div type="image" title="pin" height="1000" width="2626" msid="81120102" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>7.</strong> Because Story Pins are still in development, not everyone can use them, and you'll need to request access from Pinterest in order to be included in the beta trial. Click "Request access" to begin the process. It can take up to two days for Pinterest to get back to you, but when they do, you'll be notified within the Pinterest app itself. </p><div type="image" title="How_to_create_story_pins_on_Pinterest_ _6" height="1000" width="2181" msid="81120103" hostid="261"></div><p>Once you've been approved to use Story Pins, you can create them in the "Create" tab the same way you would any other Pin, but with the added advantage of being able to combine multiple images, videos, and text to promote your business in <keyword id="6411970" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="creative">creative</keyword> and unique ways. Play around with it and see what suits your business best.</p><h2><strong>Related coverage from <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tech-reference" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tech Reference</a>:</strong></h2><ul><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-add-notes-on-pinterest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to add notes on Pinterest to help organize your ideas on the social media platform<br /></a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-use-pinterest-board-toolbar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to use the Pinterest board toolbar to stay organized on the social media platform</a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-block-someone-on-pinterest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to block someone on Pinterest using the website or mobile app to prevent them from messaging or following you</a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-create-a-pinterest-pin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to create your own Pinterest pin by uploading a photo or attaching a web image</a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-carrd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">What is Carrd? Everything you need to know about the simple website-building platform</a></h3></li></ul>

How to get access to and create Story Pins on Pinterest with an approved business account

<ul class="summary-list"><li>On Wednesday, Sony announced the title for the next "Spider-Man" film, which stars <keyword id="470824" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Tom-Holland">Tom Holland</keyword>.</li><li>"Spider-Man: No Way Home" is set for release this Christmas.</li><li>The official announcement followed the cast members trolling fans with fake titles on Tuesday. </li></ul><p>The official title for the <a href="https://www.insider.com/spider-man-3-tom-holland-details-information">upcoming third "Spider-Man" movie</a> has been announced after <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/tom-holland">Tom Holland</a> and his costars trolled fans with fake alternatives. </p><p>On Wednesday, Sony released a <a href="https://youtu.be/iqyPvdsOWKk">new video</a> with Holland (who plays the titular character, Peter Parker), Jacob Batalon (Ned Leeds), and <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/zendaya">Zendaya</a> (MJ). The short video showed Holland wearing his character's "find the x" math t-shirt and leaving the office of director Jon Watts.</p><p>As Holland exited the room, he told Batalon and <keyword id="1655181" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Zendaya">Zendaya</keyword> that Watts gave him a fake name again for the <keyword id="6356021" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="movie">movie</keyword>, which was still untitled up until Wednesday. </p><p>That prompted the trio to discuss Holland's <a href="https://www.insider.com/mark-ruffalo-tom-holland-chris-evans-press-tonight-show-video-2019-3">history of spoiling things</a> - like the time he <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BkYzfnXlJZg/?utm_source=ig_embed">"accidentally" revealed the title</a> for the second "Spider-Man" movie. </p><p>Then, the camera turned to a dry erase board that contained the real title of the movie, "Spider-Man: No Way Home," written in the franchise's signature logo style.</p><div type="image" title="spider man 3 no way home titles board" height="1570" width="2093" msid="81199518" hostid="261"></div><p>Surrounding the official title for the third movie were other scrapped ideas, along with "Spider-Man" doodles.</p><p>Some of the suggested names appeared to be inspired by the pandemic, like "Work From Home" (accompanied by the phrase "PLEASE NooOoo") and "Zooming Home" (next to the words "Please. Stop.").</p><p>"Homemade" was rejected because it was deemed "too cutesy" and "Home Alone" was dismissed because another franchise of the same starring Macaulay Culkin already exists, which would lead to copyright issues. </p><p>The name also matches the previous standalone films' inclusion of the word "home." </p><p>"Spider-Man: Homecoming" (2017) centered on Peter juggling his secret superhero identity with high school woes (like attending the homecoming dance with his crush).</p><p>The sequel, titled "Spider-Man: Far From Home" (2019), centered on the main character traveling to Europe - a long way from his hometown of Queens, NY - for a school trip and befriending a new character named Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal).  </p><div type="image" title="spider man far from home mysterio peter parker" height="900" width="1200" msid="81199519" hostid="261"></div><p>News of the official title release followed the cast messing with fans on Tuesday by posting new stills from the upcoming movie and fake film titles on their social media accounts. </p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CLpwqkqFaiS/">Holland's</a> said "Phone Home," <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CLpxI_oFrp2/">Batalon's</a> read "Home-Wrecker," and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CLp7M-SL6UQ/">Zendaya's</a> said "Home Slice."</p><p>The confusion caused people to speculate about what the true title of the movie could be, which resulted in clever fan art and <a href="https://twitter.com/Giuls2828/status/1364376036415332352">memes</a>. </p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—Bcon  (@betterwithbac0n) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1364362714311704578?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2021</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—Jimmy Kimmel  (@jimmykimmel) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1364421947291967493?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2021</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—Dork Side Of The Force  (@DorkSideOForce) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1364360206424170497?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2021</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—AGBO  (@AGBOfilms) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1364458438814814208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2021</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—  (@ElsieKFisher) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1364413260678660099?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2021</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—liv ♡’s pietro | carrd in progress  (@infinitybarn3s) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1364377019144937474?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2021</a></blockquote><p>Based on the official title, fans are hoping that the movie will show Peter dealing with the multiverse - a concept that's been discussed in the <keyword id="2430108" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Marvel-Cinematic-Universe">Marvel Cinematic Universe</keyword>.</p><p>It has also been <a href="https://www.insider.com/spider-man-3-tom-holland-details-information">speculated</a> that the film will bring back stars from previous <keyword id="47501" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Marvel">Marvel</keyword> movies, though Holland has denied reports that past "Spider-Man" actors Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield will make appearances. </p><p>"Spider-Man: No Way Home" hits theaters this Christmas. </p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iqyPvdsOWKk" frameborder="0"></iframe>

The new title of the 3rd 'Spider-Man' movie has finally been unveiled, but all of the alternative options were actually the best part of the reveal

<img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5d7795412e22af4166722d04-1592/gettyimages-545163593.jpg" alt="solo small business owner" /><p class="source"><span>Getty Images</span></p><p class="caption">Around a quarter of the American population has some form of a side business.</p><ul class="summary-list"><li>When you're doing double duty juggling your own business and a full-time job, time and efficiency become paramount. The tools you use to run your side gig can make or break your productivity and profits. </li><li>Business Insider asked five successful side hustlers for their favorite tools for running their businesses.</li><li>They recommend Trello for staying organized, Carrd for building a sleak website, and Zapier for automating tasks, among others.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/prime?module=article&amp;area=summary">Click here for more BI Prime stories.</a></li></ul><p>Around a quarter of the American population has some form of a side business, according to a <a href="https://mms.businesswire.com/media/20180925005605/en/680213/1/TheHartford_Side_Business_Survey_InfographicFINAL.pdf">2018 report by investment and insurance company The Hartford</a>.</p><p>If you assume that most of these peripheral enterprises are launched as passion projects or to spearhead a lifestyle change, you'd be wrong. The study found that the top reason people launch a side gig is for extra income.</p><p>The survey, conducted on over 4,000 US adults, also found that while the majority of side business owners (61%) also work full time elsewhere, other individuals with side hustles have another part-time job, are retired, or are homemakers. Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers alike start side ventures in fairly equal numbers, the research stated (26%, 33%, and 38% respectively), and 40% of millennials expect that their side business will ultimately become their primary source of income. </p><p>When you're doing double duty juggling your own business plus other paid work, time and efficiency become paramount. The tools you use to run your side gig can make or break your productivity and profits. </p><p>That's why Business Insider polled several people with successful side gigs in diverse industries about which tools have been particularly helpful in managing their businesses and reaching their goals. Here are their top picks.</p><h1>To learn about running a side business: "<a href="https://www.popupbusinessschool.co.uk/step-by-step.html">The Step-by-Step Startup Guide</a>" by PopUp Business School</h1><p><strong>Price: </strong>free</p><p>Corinne Card, the cofounder of media training company <a href="https://fullstorymedia.co.uk">Full Story Media Limited</a>, relies on <a href="https://www.popupbusinessschool.co.uk/about.html">PopUp Business School</a> - a website that provides educational resources for helping people start a business on the cheap, without a business plan - for help with her public-speaking side business, which runs alongside her main company and was started in 2017.</p><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5df95a3771a5ca3ba851b348-1668/corinne card.jpg" alt="Corinne Card" /><p class="source"><span>Corinne Card</span></p><p class="caption">Corinne Card.</p><p>Card began the public speaking side of her business in 2017 and since then, it has become both a pipeline for new business as well as a revenue generator in itself. In 2018, she won two of her biggest contracts via her workshops, and she is projecting a profit of $25,000 through public-speaking bookings alone through 2020. This has quintupled from a revenue of $5,000 in 2017.</p><p>PopUp's free online course, "The Step-By-Step Startup Guide," has been particularly handy for Card. </p><p>"For example, if I want to dip into clear information on building a sales funnel, pricing, or networking advice, I can find the correct step and get all the information I need quickly and easily online," she said. "It's useful for my business because I've never been to business school or studied the topic in depth, and this online course gives me exactly the right kind of bite-sized, practical information I can use straight away to improve my results."</p><h1>To build a website: <a href="http://carrd.co">Carrd</a></h1><p><strong>Price: </strong>free for basic package or $9 a year for Pro plan</p><p>A must have for many side businesses is a website. Yet creating one from scratch can be a cumbersome task, while hiring a web designer right out of the gate may be pricey. </p><p>Serial entrepreneur Bram Kanstein just launched his latest side business this year, after having had two previous startups acquired. (<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/startup-stash-is-the-best-guide-for-starting-a-company-2015-2">Startup Stash</a>, a <a href="http://startupstash.com">curated directory</a> of resources and tools for startups that according to Kanstein is used by over 800,000 entrepreneurs worldwide, was acquired in November 2017 and the newsletter <a href="https://startupwatching.com">StartupWatching</a>, delivered to over 11,000 subscribers, sold in May 2018.)</p><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5df95a5371a5ca3bc368c453-2400/bram.jpg" alt="Bram Kanstein" /><p class="source"><span>Bram Kanstein</span></p><p class="caption">Bram Kanstein.</p><p>His latest project - a course called <a href="https://nocodemvp.com">No-Code MVP</a> that teaches people how to turn their startup idea into a minimum viable product with no coding experience - launched publicly December 17, 2019. Kanstein runs No-Code MVP alongside a full-time role as the cofounder of <a href="https://ventureminds.co">Venture Minds</a>, an Amsterdam-based innovation strategy and consulting collective.</p><p>To build his side-business websites, Kanstein chose to use a free website builder for one-page sites called Carrd. </p><p>"Carrd is a super simple, responsive website builder that you can use for pretty much anything," said Kanstein. "One of Carrd's most powerful features is that it offers a great way to build custom form elements that you can use to collect data from your customer segment (email, address, name, etc.). I use it for all [of] my projects!"</p><p>Kanstein noted that while the biggest perk of this tool is that it's free to start, they also offer what he described as "an amazing Pro plan with the most powerful features" for just $9 per year.</p><h1>To automate tedious tasks: <a href="https://zapier.com">Zapier</a></h1><p><strong>Price: </strong>free for basic package or $19.99/$49.99 for starter or professional package<strong><br /></strong></p><p>Kanstein pointed out that one of the tools that Carrd's form element integrates with is Zapier, an online automation tool that lets you build workflows by connecting over 1,000 applications and services. Kanstein identified Zapier as the tool that he uses to automate all of the tedious tasks that he doesn't want to do manually. </p><p>"It's the biggest timesaver for anyone who wants to run a side business," he said.</p><p>He explained that you can connect two or more apps into "Zaps" to automate repetitive tasks without coding or relying on developers to build the integration. "For example, if someone signs up on [your business] website, you can add their details to a Google Sheet to save them and then send your customer an automated welcome email via Gmail" all through Zapier, he explained. </p><p>The distinction between the <a href="https://zapier.com/pricing">pricing plans</a> relates to the number of tasks per month that you receive. You can get 100 tasks per month for free, 750 tasks per month for $20 through the starter package, or 2,000 tasks per month for $50 through the professional package, which Kanstein opted for. (Zapier also offers team and corporate packages for $299 a month and $599 a month, respectively, which offer more tasks as well as additional features.)</p><h1>To manage projects and track time spent: <a href="https://trello.com/en">Trello</a></h1><p><strong>Price: </strong>free for basic package or $9.99/$20.83 a month for business or enterprise package</p><p>Business blogger Becky Beach flagged Trello - a collaborative project management tool that uses online boards, lists, and cards to help business owners stay organized - as the top tool she uses to manage her side business, an ecommerce store for women's accessories called <a href="https://www.mombeach.com">Mom Beach LLC</a>. </p><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5df95a72acb8fb3af5129656-1800/becky beach.jpeg" alt="Becky Beach" /><p class="source"><span>Becky Beach</span></p><p class="caption">Becky Beach.</p><p>In 2018, Beach made $500,000 in sales from her side business, which she launched three years ago while pregnant with her son.</p><p>In addition to giving her freelance hires access to Trello so they can track their time and see their duties for the day, Beach also finds the tool helpful for tracking her own time and daily projects. When testing a new product, she also uses it to post notes from her research.</p><p>Hena Husain, whose full-time occupation is as a public relations contractor, founded <a href="https://thecontentarchitects.com/">The Content Architects</a> on the side in 2017, which provides planning services for businesses. Initially launched as a PDF, Husain decided to take the plunge to turn her business into a web application; she is currently working with developers toward a relaunch in mid-January.</p><p>Husain called Trello her "savior." </p><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5df95a8f71a5ca3bc90f6049-2400/hena pic.jpg" alt="Hena Husain" /><p class="source"><span>Hena Husain</span></p><p class="caption">Hena Husain.</p><p>"Trello is popular amongst developers, but I have found it a great way to organize the various tasks on my to-do list," Husain said. "I have a board for finance, social media, marketing, [and] meetings. The application allows you to create reminders, track progress, and label tasks by color, making my work stream slicker."</p><p>The free Trello package gives users unlimited personal boards, cards, and lists with a 10MB limit per file attachment. The business and enterprise packages allow up to 250MB per attachment, plus <a href="https://trello.com/pricing">additional support</a> and features.</p><h1>To manage your online presence: <a href="https://ueni.com/en-us/">UENI</a></h1><p><strong>Price: </strong>free starter package or $8.25/$16.58 a month for basic or plus package</p><p>Card also depends on a free tool called UENI, which helps small businesses manage their online presence so that customers can more easily find them. </p><p>"If [my] website is professional, high quality, and also easy to find via Google, it's much more likely to appeal to people who need to book a speaker for a conference, corporate event, or training session," explained Card.</p><p>She added that UENI is helping her build an online presence with "virtually no time spent and at zero cost." Card relies on it to assist with a number of website-related tasks, including search engine optimization, images, and content. </p><p>The entrepreneur is also leveraging UENI to create a <a href="https://support.google.com/business/answer/3038063">Google My Business</a> listing - which helps businesses manage their presence across Google, including Google Search and Google Maps - since UENI includes this service as part of their standard free package. </p><p>UENI includes unlimited web hosting and maintenance on Amazon Web Services, and takes care of technical and maintenance updates for users, which can be a huge timesaver for new business owners.</p><p>In addition to UENI's free starter package which includes a professional website, web hosting and maintenance, and Google My Business among its services, the tool also has options for a basic package that includes other bells and whistles like a free domain name and complete SEO audit. UENI's plus package offers everything that the basic plan does, plus a shopping cart to accept payments, a yearly website tune up, and more.</p><p>"It's useful because it is saving me the time and energy I'd need to invest if I were using one of the more established website builders, which still leave a lot of this work to the business owner," she said.</p><h1>To manage your finances: <a href="https://bench.co">Bench</a></h1><p><strong>Price: </strong>free with trial or packages start at $139 a month</p><p>Evan B. Knox has two side hustles in addition to his full-time role as a marketing director at a church. His first side venture is as the founder of Atlanta-based digital marketing agency <a href="https://caffeine.marketing">Caffeine Marketing</a>, and his second is serving as an active partner in a fly-fishing guide business in North Georgia. </p><p>Knox launched his marketing agency in July 2017 and reported that revenue has more than doubled every year for the last three years - from $22,000 to $52,000 to $115,000 - while working the same number of hours. And in the last year, from August 2018 to August 2019, revenue from the fly-fishing business increased from $1,000 to $4,200 (Knox came on as a partner in January 2019).</p><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5df95acc71a5ca3c02082ce5-2400/evan.jpg" alt="Evan B. Knox" /><p class="source"><span>Evan B. Knox</span></p><p class="caption">Evan B. Knox.</p><p>"Bench accounting is my secret weapon as an entrepreneur," said Knox. "I do not have the time to do bookkeeping for my side hustles, and Bench does it at an affordable rate." He explained that using Bench for his bookkeeping saves him hours of time categorizing expenses, reconciling his books, and creating profit-and-loss statements. </p><p>"There is an additional time saver when it comes to the peace of mind I have with having Bench take care of my books," said Knox. "When creating a successful side hustle, one has to be really intentional about delegating tasks to people so you can be freed up to do the things only you can. Having someone else do my books enables me to create content, take sales calls, and stay present at home with my family in the evening knowing my books are taken care of properly."</p><p>Knox added that he chose Bench over other bookkeeping tools not only because of the pricing and online reviews, but because he looks for tools that are aesthetically pleasing when he uses them so that he doesn't want to avoid them. "They have a beautiful design and UX, so I enjoy looking at my finances," he said.</p><p>Bench uses a simple business model that involves <a href="https://bench.co/how-it-works/">three steps</a>: setting you up with a dedicated bookkeeper who becomes your online contact with the service, doing your monthly bookkeeping by importing your business transactions that you provide, and delivering real-time monthly financial reports.</p><p>Bench offers a <a href="https://bench.co/signup/?promo_name=core_exit">one-month free trial</a> for its bookkeeping services, which includes a prepared set of financial statements for you to keep.</p>            <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-jay-z-and-diddy-made-millions-off-of-cheap-alcohol-zack-omalley-greenburg-2018-3">How Jay-Z and Diddy used their fame to make millions off of 'cheap grapes'</a></h3>                    <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/qhWHAjCo-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;"></iframe>            

6 lesser-known but incredibly helpful tools for running a side business, according to entrepreneurs who make 5 to 6 figures a year on the side

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="2803176" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="YouTuber">YouTuber</keyword> <keyword id="9147994" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="colleen-ballinger">Colleen Ballinger</keyword>, aka <keyword id="3207595" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="miranda-sings">Miranda Sings</keyword>, was called out on <keyword id="6354616" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Twitter">Twitter</keyword> for "mocking <keyword id="7185671" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="aave">AAVE</keyword>."</li><li>Ballinger wrote in an apology that she was "trying to sound like an awkward mom who uses gen z slang."</li><li>Much of "Gen Z slang" derives from AAVE, or African American Vernacular English.</li></ul><p>YouTuber Colleen Ballinger, more widely known as <a href="https://www.insider.com/colleen-ballinger-bio-meet-the-woman-behind-miranda-sings-2020-5">Miranda Sings</a>, responded to allegations that she mocked AAVE - African American Vernacular English - in a tweet on Wednesday.</p><p>From her Miranda Sings account on Twitter, according to a screenshot captured by <a href="https://twitter.com/defnoodles/status/1382538505490894852?s=20">Twitter gossip account Def Noodles</a>, she tweeted "Yo BRUH TikTok is so lit no cap I'm gonna yeet over there so fast low key. If I don't get on the fyp I'll be big mad and big yikes like high key that's not straight fire and so sus. Bet. But lowkey fr TikTok is so lit and GOAT" on Wednesday.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-Def Noodles  (@defnoodles) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1382538505490894852?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2021</a></blockquote><p>One Twitter user commented on the tweet and told Ballinger that she was "mocking AAVE." Ballinger <a href="https://twitter.com/ColleenB123/status/1382470408641728514?s=20">promptly posted an apology</a> saying she felt "so stupid."</p><p>"I was trying to sound like an awkward mom who uses gen z slang so I google 'gen z slang' and used all the words that popped up. I should have done more research and realized that the words were AAVE. I deleted it and I'm so sorry."</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-Colleen Ballinger  (@ColleenB123) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1382470408641728514?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2021</a></blockquote><p>Twitter users were split as to whether or not this was something to be upset about because it was "Gen Z slang" or "<keyword id="11106590" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="stan-language">stan language</keyword>." This conversation has happened multiple times online, with some people arguing that AAVE and online "stan <keyword id="24504" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="culture">culture</keyword>" have distinct languages.</p><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/brittany-broksi-tiktok-aave-internet-culture-slang-appropriation-chile-2020">Insider's Bria Overs previously explained</a> that AVVE was "developed through the 'processes of second language acquisition' among slaves. 'West Africans newly arrived on plantations would have limited access to English grammatical models because the number of native speakers was so small (just a few indentured servants on each plantation),'" quoting linguist Jack Sidnell.</p><p>Overs continued to write, "Those critical of the appropriation of AAVE by white or non-Black people say that the practice reinforces toxic racial power structures in society that have an actual cost for Black creators."</p><p>She said this was exemplified through Peaches Monroe - the original creator of the term "On Fleek" and how it was commodified by Denny's, IHOP, and Domino's Pizza. She received no monetary compensation for the use of her term.</p><p>The same could be said about Jalaiah Harmon, Overs noted, the creator of the widely popular dance on TikTok - the "Renegade" - who received recognition for her dance after the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/13/style/the-original-renegade.html">New York Times' Taylor Lorenz profiled</a> her.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-Colleen Ballinger  (@ColleenB123) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1382471728958349313?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2021</a></blockquote><p>One person replied and said that Ballinger was "misusing and overusing AAVE," while numerous users followed suit and said that AAVE and stan language are not synonymous. A <a href="https://twitter.com/ColleenB123/status/1382471728958349313?s=20">follower replied with a Carrd</a> - a website-building platform that is commonly used on social media to provide additional information or resources for specific causes - that explained what AAVE is. Ballinger thanked them for sharing it and apologized once again.</p><p>Brittany Broski, also known as Kombucha girl, <a href="https://www.insider.com/brittany-broksi-tiktok-aave-internet-culture-slang-appropriation-chile-2020">came under fire in similar criticism</a> back in August 2020. "I feel like it's a very fine line between genuinely calling out a creator that's using AAVE or 'the blaccent' for comedic purposes versus quoting something," Broski said in a since-deleted Tiktok video. Broski tried to explain that "internet culture, like stan Twitter, stan culture has its own language" and "this is how you speak within these online communities," but later apologized saying she was trying to have an open dialogue with the ever-evolving conversation.</p>

An influencer best known as Miranda Sings was accused of 'mocking AAVE' when she joked about Gen Z slang

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="825836" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Wordpress">WordPress</keyword> is a free-to-use content management system (<keyword id="15615" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="cms">CMS</keyword>) that can help you build a <keyword id="6370485" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="website">website</keyword> with minimal technical knowledge.</li><li>WordPress has a wealth of features that allow users to make a wide variety of websites for different purposes.</li></ul><p dir="ltr">WordPress is a popular open-source content management system (CMS) that's free to use. It lets you build your own website without needing to learn <keyword id="860320" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="programming">programming</keyword> languages like JavaScript, Python, or C++. </p><h2 dir="ltr">What to know about WordPress</h2><div type="image" title="WordPress logo" height="3333" width="5000" msid="81119938" hostid="261"></div><p dir="ltr">WordPress can be used to create a wide range of websites, including personal blogs, online portfolios, business pages, and e-commerce websites thanks to a wealth of features.</p><p dir="ltr">As an open-source software licensed under the <a href="https://wordpress.org/about/license/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GNU General Public License (GPL)</a>, WordPress isn't owned by one company or entity. Rather, hundreds of developers and users work together to constantly improve the software.</p><p dir="ltr">WordPress was created as a blogging platform in 2003 by Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little. As a college student, Mullenweg used the b2 (also known as cafelog) blogging system, but the original creator stopped updating it. As a result, Mullenweg created his own version of the system with help from Little. While Mullenweg is the face of WordPress, the software continues to develop thanks to its community of contributors.</p><h2 dir="ltr">Who can use WordPress</h2><p dir="ltr">While WordPress started out as a blogging tool, these days it can be used to make all sorts of websites for all sorts of purposes, thanks to a plethora of plug-ins and themes. In other words, you can pretty much create any type of website you want with WordPress.</p><p dir="ltr">WordPress can be used to create business websites, blogs, online resumes, portfolios, e-commerce stores, membership sites, and more.</p><p><strong>Quick note:</strong> When searching for WordPress online, you'll likely find two websites, <a href="https://wordpress.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wordpress.org</a> and <a href="https://wordpress.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wordpress.com</a>. The former is where you'll find the free software that you can install on your web host. The latter is a paid service that can help you build a website.</p><p>WordPress.org allows you to own your website, and offers the most flexibility. All you need to start building your website are a domain name and web host. WordPress.com will host your website and handle everything for you, but at a monetary cost and loss of some flexibility.</p><p dir="ltr">Some notable examples of WordPress sites include <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New Yorker</a>, <a href="https://news.microsoft.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Microsoft News Center</a>, and <a href="https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Walt Disney Company</a>.</p><div type="image" title="Screen_Shot_2021 02 19_at_5_49_52_PM" height="1423" width="2880" msid="81119939" hostid="261"></div><p dir="ltr">The software includes lots of features to help you build a unique site.</p><h2 dir="ltr">WordPress' most popular features</h2><ul><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><strong>Themes:</strong> Themes give your website its general look and include color schemes, font styles, and a general layout. Themes are often customizable and provide a great starting point for creating your website without having to build it from scratch.</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><strong>Plug-ins:</strong> Plug-ins are software you upload to your website to add features and functionality like e-commerce, contact forms, and an Instagram feed.</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><strong>SEO:</strong> Search engine optimization (SEO) is what makes your website's content discoverable through search engines like Google. Better SEO means your content appears closer to the top of a search list, and WordPress offers a base code for SEO. </p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><strong>Mobile-friendly:</strong> Most WordPress themes come optimized for mobile devices, translating your website design to something that also works and looks good on phones.</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><strong>WordPress block editor:</strong> This feature, also known as the <a href="https://wordpress.org/gutenberg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gutenberg WordPress editor</a>, allows you to "drag and drop" your content for easy editing on WordPress pages and posts. </p></li></ul><h2 dir="ltr">What you need to start using WordPress</h2><p dir="ltr">For self-hosted WordPress sites (through <a href="https://wordpress.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wordpress.org</a>), you need two key things to get started: web hosting and a domain name. </p><p dir="ltr">For web hosting, there are three common approaches: shared WordPress hosting, do-it-yourself VPS WordPress Hosting, and <a href="https://kinsta.com/blog/managed-wordpress-hosting/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">managed WordPress hosting</a>.</p><p dir="ltr">A domain name is your website address. Choosing a unique domain name can be tricky, as there are almost 2 billion websites currently in circulation, but there are some <a href="https://kinsta.com/blog/choose-domain-name/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">general tips</a> that can help you find and purchase the perfect available one.</p><h2>Related coverage from <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tech-reference" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tech Reference</a>:</h2><ul><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-coding">What is coding? A brief guide to the facet of computer programming</a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-carrd">What is Carrd? Everything you need to know about the simple website-building platform</a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-alt-text-in-wordpress">What is alt text in WordPress? How to add image descriptions on your web page to improve accessibility and website ranking</a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-google-sites">What is Google Sites? How to use the free website-building tool</a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-canva">What is Canva? A guide to the graphic design platform's features and capabilities</a></h3></li></ul>

A quick guide to WordPress, the free-to-use website builder that powers some of the web's most popular sites

<ul class="summary-list"><li>You can sell certain items on <keyword id="279712" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Etsy">Etsy</keyword> easily, though there are fees for each listing you add to the store as well as transaction and payment fees. </li><li>Etsy is a popular online marketplace for handcrafted and vintage products.</li><li>Here's what you need to know to get started creating your own <keyword id="9666459" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="etsy-shop">Etsy shop</keyword>. </li></ul><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-etsy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Etsy is one of the largest</a> and most successful online marketplaces, but it's not a general-purpose marketplace; the site specializes in creative goods such as handcrafted and vintage items. </p><p>If you have a product that feels appropriate for the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/etsy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Etsy</a> community, it's easy to set up your own storefront and start <keyword id="6443431" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="selling">selling</keyword> on Etsy. </p><h2><strong>How to sell on Etsy</strong></h2><p>Getting started is simple - Etsy makes it easy to configure a storefront and list your first product. </p><p><strong>1.</strong> Open <a href="https://www.etsy.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Etsy's website</a> in a browser and scroll to the bottom of the page. In the footer, click "Sell on Etsy" in the Sell column. </p><div type="image" title="How_to_sell_on_Etsy 1" height="1638" width="1980" msid="80162153" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>2.</strong> Click "Open your Etsy shop."</p><div type="image" title="How_to_sell_on_Etsy 2" height="1265" width="1744" msid="80162155" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>3.</strong> In the pop-up window, sign in (if you are already an Etsy user) or create a new account. If Etsy recognizes your email address, you'll be prompted to enter your password. If not, you can create a new account. </p><p><strong>4.</strong> Create the settings for your shop. You'll start on the Shop preferences page, where you specify details like the shop language, country, and currency. In the lower-right corner, click "Save and continue." </p><div type="image" title="How_to_sell_on_Etsy 3" height="1495" width="1986" msid="80162156" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>5.</strong> Continue following the workflow to name your shop, add one or more listings, and set up payment and billing. </p><p><strong>6.</strong> When you add a listing, be sure to include photos of the product and a short video if possible. If you're not sure how well a product will sell, you might want to choose a manual renewal in the Renewal options section to avoid having recurring renewal charges for an item that generates no revenue. Otherwise, the form should be fairly straightforward to complete, particularly if you have ever created a product listing on another marketplace such as eBay - you'll need to specify the price and shipping details, for example, so the buyer can be properly charged for the shipping fee. You can preview your listing and then click "Save and continue" when you're done. </p><p><strong>7.</strong> Complete the initial setup by selecting your payment method on the "How you'll get paid" page and billing information in "Set up billing." After you complete this page, click "Open your shop" and your Etsy store is live. </p><div type="image" title="How_to_sell_on_Etsy 4" height="1489" width="1969" msid="80162158" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>8.</strong> At the top of the page, click "Shop Manager" to see a dashboard for your store, add new listings, manage sales and shipping, and more. You can also go here to fine-tune your shop's appearance, add a description and graphic, and track your store's performance. </p><div type="image" title="How_to_sell_on_Etsy 5" height="1486" width="1964" msid="80162160" hostid="261"></div><h2><strong>Understanding Etsy's costs</strong></h2><p>There are three main kinds of fees you need to pay when setting up and maintaining an Etsy shop:</p><ul><li><strong>Listing fee is $0.20:</strong> A listing represents the overall product you are selling, even if the item has variations such as sizes or color schemes. So even if you sell a garment that comes in four colors, you only need to create a single listing for it at a cost of $0.20. The listing needs to be renewed for an additional $0.20 whenever an item within that listing sells or once every four months, whichever comes first. </li><li><strong>Transaction fee is 5%:</strong> When you sell an item, Etsy collects 5% of the sale as a transaction fee.</li><li><strong style="color: #222222;">Etsy Payments fee is 3% plus a $0.25 payment processing fee.</strong> If a buyer uses Etsy's payment system to check out of your store, you're charged $0.25 plus 3% of the sale price. This is similar to the credit card processing fee you would need to pay if you had your own credit card processing account.</li></ul><h2><strong>Related coverage from <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tech-reference" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tech Reference</a>:</strong></h2><ul><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-etsy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">What is Etsy? Everything you need to know before buying or selling on the handmade and vintage e-commerce platform for independent creators<br /></a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-sell-on-craigslist" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to sell items on the Craigslist website and start making extra cash</a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-sell-on-ebay" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to sell items on eBay by creating an item listing, and start your own marketplace</a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-sell-on-facebook" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to list and sell items on Facebook Marketplace, Facebook's version of Craigslist</a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-make-a-carrd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to make a simple, one-page website using the Carrd site-building platform</a></h3></li></ul>

How to sell on Etsy, the online marketplace for handmade and vintage items

<ul class="summary-list"><li>You can set up a <keyword id="2697912" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="gofundme">GoFundMe</keyword> campaign in less than an hour, but account verification will take a couple of days.</li><li>GoFundMe campaigns are used to raise funds for everything from creative projects to emergency help or other charitable causes.</li></ul><p>Crowdfunding platform <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/gofundme" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> has become more commonplace on <keyword id="6354632" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="social-media">social media</keyword> than ever. GoFundMe campaigns are used to launch creative projects, cover medical costs, prevent evictions, and more.</p><p>GoFundMe's are easily shareable and the company takes a small cut (2.9%, plus 30¢ for each donation) of the proceeds. Most of it ends up in the campaigner's pockets, which is great for folks in a tough spot.</p><p>Launching a GoFundMe is easy and will take you less than an hour. Account verification takes one to two business days, after which you'll be able to withdraw funds from your donations. </p><h2><strong>How to set up a GoFundMe campaign</strong></h2><p>Launching your campaign won't take long, but account verification is not instantaneous. The site needs to verify your identity before passing off hundreds or thousands of dollars in donations.</p><p><strong>1.</strong> Visit GoFundMe's <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/sign-up" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sign-up page</a>.</p><p><strong>2.</strong> Enter your name, email, and phone number.</p><p><strong>3.</strong> GoFundMe will send you a verification text. Enter the code and click "Verify."</p><div type="image" title="How_to_make_a_GoFundMe_1" height="1436" width="2521" msid="79928583" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>4.</strong> Enter your financial goal, the title of your campaign, who the money is being raised for, and your zip code.</p><p><strong>5.</strong> Choose the category of the campaign: What's it for? Get this right so people can locate your campaign.</p><p><strong>6.</strong> Click "Next."</p><p><strong>7.</strong> Upload a high-resolution cover photo or a YouTube video summarizing the point of your campaign.</p><p><strong>8.</strong> You'll be prompted to write a story telling people why they should donate. Spend some time on this. A compelling narrative can make the difference. The site recommends that you: describe who will benefit; detail what the funds will be used for; explain how soon you need the money; and describe what the support will mean to you. Click "Save" once you're done in the "Story" field. </p><div type="image" title="How_to_make_a_GoFundMe_2" height="1178" width="2279" msid="79928591" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>9.</strong> Click "Complete Fundraiser."</p><p><strong>10.</strong> The site will prompt you to share your campaign on social media. This is the best way to get attention and raise funds. Come up with a smaller, shareable version of your story that can fit in a tweet or post. Avoid copying and pasting what's on the campaign already - walls of text are overwhelming on social media.</p><div type="image" title="How_to_make_a_GoFundMe_3" height="1331" width="2357" msid="79928593" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>11.</strong> The site will then ask you to invite three of your friends to join your fundraiser as "team members." They can help you post updates and thank donors. You can't continue until you've done this.</p><p><strong>12.</strong> Your campaign is now launched.</p><h2><strong>Next steps for running your GoFundMe campaign</strong></h2><p>Now that your campaign is up and running, there are a few things you will want to keep in mind.</p><h3><strong>Add or verify your banking information </strong></h3><p>You'll need to verify your financial information in order to withdraw the donations you receive. To add or verify your banking account:</p><p><strong>1. </strong>Sign into your <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/sign-in" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe profile</a>. </p><p><strong>2. </strong>Click the "Withdraw" button on your page.</p><p><strong>3.</strong> Click "View withdrawal overview."</p><p><strong>4.</strong> Click the pencil beside the words "Bank information."</p><p><strong>5.</strong> Add or verify your routing and account information and click "Confirm" to confirm it. </p><h3><strong>Verify your email address</strong> </h3><p>You'll also need to verify your email address within 14 days of the first donation to avoid a pause on donations. If you don't verify your address within 30 days of the first donation, GoFundMe will fully refund any donations to your donors.</p><ul><li>To verify your email address, track down an email labeled "Verify Your GoFundMe Email" in your inbox and follow the email's prompts to verify your address. </li></ul><h3><strong>Share widely</strong> </h3><p>Your campaign won't raise money if you don't promote it. While this may be uncomfortable for you, good people are not likely to judge someone in financial need. Any worries about that will begin to melt away once you start to see the results.</p><h3><strong>Be patient</strong></h3><p>Your campaign may not take off right away, but that doesn't mean it won't. Don't post incessantly about it, but don't be shy either. Campaigns grow exponentially one share turns to three, three shares turns to nine, and so on. Even if you think sharing on Facebook wouldn't yield a big response from friends or family, someone from your past or present life may be eager to help you.</p><h2><strong>Related coverage from <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tech-reference" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tech Reference</a>:</strong></h2><ul><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-receive-money-on-venmo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to receive money on Venmo and transfer funds to a connected bank account<br /></a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/is-there-a-limit-on-venmo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">There's a limit on your Venmo transactions - here's how much money you can send and receive with each account type</a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/can-you-send-money-from-paypal-to-cash-app" target="_blank" rel="noopener">'Can you send money from PayPal to Cash App?': Not directly, but you can use your bank account - here's how</a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-does-cash-app-work" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How does Cash App work?': Cash App's primary features, explained</a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-make-a-carrd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to make a simple, one-page website using the Carrd site-building platform</a></h3></li></ul>

How to set up a GoFundMe campaign and raise money for a cause of your choice

<ul class="summary-list"><li>You can buy a <keyword id="54611" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="domain">domain</keyword> name from a domain registrar if you're thinking of launching a business or personal website. </li><li>Most domains should only cost a few dollars, though you need to renew it annually.</li><li>Here's an overview of everything you need to know about buying a domain.  </li></ul><p>If you're starting a business, launching a website, or publishing a blog, you might be in need of your own domain, like www.your-domain-name.com.</p><p>Having your own domain makes it easier for people to find you and makes you seem more professional and credible. It also affords you the opportunity to have an email address that's built on your custom domain rather than having a free Gmail account. </p><h2><strong>What is a domain name?</strong></h2><p>Your domain makes it easy to find your website - it's part of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-a-url" target="_blank" rel="noopener">URL (Uniform Resource Locator)</a> that people type into the address bar of a browser to go there. In reality, the domain is a user-friendly, plain-English representation of the website's IP address. When someone enters a URL into a web browser, the browser looks up the IP address using a tool called a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-a-dns-server" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Domain Name Server (DNS)</a>. The DNS is like a phone book used by every web browser. </p><p>As a general rule, though, you don't need to worry about most of that. The important thing to know is that you can purchase a domain name from a domain name registrar (or through your web hosting company, which can buy the domain name from the registrar on your behalf). As long as you renew the domain name when it comes due (usually every 12 months), it's yours to keep and will allow people to find your website. </p><h2><strong>How to buy a domain name</strong></h2><p>First of all, don't procrastinate. You might be inclined to wait to purchase a domain name until you really need it - such as when your business is launching or you're almost ready to publish the website. But the longer you wait, the more opportunity there is for your ideal domain name to be purchased by someone else. </p><p>In fact, there are people and organizations known as cybersquatters that buy potentially attractive <keyword id="145115" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="domain-names">domain names</keyword> and hold them for the specific intention of trying to sell them at an inflated price to businesses who want them. If you were hoping to acquire a simple conceptual domain, odds are it's already gone. So buy your domain now and hold it for when you eventually need it. </p><p>To purchase a domain name, simply visit a domain name registrar, use the site's search tool to find a domain you want to use, and then follow the instructions to purchase it. Common registrars include <a href="https://www.domain.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Domain.com</a>, <a href="https://www.godaddy.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoDaddy.com</a>, and <a href="https://www.namecheap.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Namecheap.com</a>. </p><h3><strong>How much domain names cost</strong></h3><p>Domain names vary dramatically in price. The price for a .com domain is about $10 to $18, but you will find that prices vary by registrar, domain name, and extension. Many registers will deeply discount the domain (or even offer it for free) but you will need to pay full price in subsequent years. </p><p>You may also find a list of domains which cost more than the standard fee. These are domains being held by cybersquatters, and you can purchase a domain from them if the price is acceptable - they vary from slightly above standard price to stratospheric, depending on how valuable the domain is perceived to be.  </p><p>Remember that when you purchase a domain name, it is generally for only one year (though you may be able to pay for several years at once or set up auto-renew payments using your credit card). If you do not pay the fee at annual renewal, you lose the domain and it can be purchased by someone else. Cybersquatters often quickly purchase lapsed domains under the assumption that the owner neglected to renew by accident and will then need to pay an inflated fee to reclaim the URL. </p><h2><strong>How to choose a domain name</strong></h2><p>You can purchase any domain name you like as long as it's not already owned by someone else and doesn't violate the technical rules of creating a domain name. Specifically, domain names can't include spaces or any kind of punctuation or special symbols with the exception of hyphens. </p><p>When you buy your domain name, you need to choose what domain name extension (also called top level domain, or TLD) to associate it with. You're familiar with .com, but there are about 1,600 others including extensions for countries (.ca for Canada and .uk for the United Kingdom) as well as .info, .net, .mil and hundreds of generic extensions suggestive of various industries like .auto and .health. You are free to choose any extension you like, though many <keyword id="6470839" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="websites">websites</keyword> tend to stick with a more common TLD like .com for the simple reason that it's more common, and hence easier to remember. </p><p>From there, the sky's the limit. You'll probably want to choose a domain name that matches or is very similar to your business name, and most experts suggest keeping the domain name as short as possible. </p><p><strong>There are a few commons dos and don'ts:<br /><br /></strong></p><ul><li><strong>Avoid hyphens,</strong> because if someone forgets to enter the hyphens they will end up on the wrong website. </li><li><strong>Avoid using numbers</strong> because it adds ambiguity to the URL: Are you meant to enter the number symbol or spell out the number as a word?</li><li>Make sure it's <strong>easy to type and memorable</strong>.</li><li>For <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-seo-search-engine-optimization" target="_blank" rel="noopener">search engine optimization (SEO)</a>, try to create a <strong>domain that matches your business name</strong> or features important keywords that reflect your website.</li><li>Find the right <strong>combination of domain name and extensions</strong> for your needs. This is often a compromise. If the domain name you really want isn't available at .com, for example, you may be able to get it with a different extension. Be careful, though - keep in mind that many people may type [your-domain-name.com] out of habit when your domain name is really [your-domain-name.game]. It might be worth it, though, if the alternative is a much less attractive .com domain. </li></ul><h2><strong>5 things to watch out for when buying a domain</strong></h2><ul><li><strong>Beware of fees.</strong> While domains are often inexpensive, web-hosting companies and registrars sometimes add substantial fees to increase the cost. Some are valuable - for example, you can pay a small privacy protection fee to mask your personal information - but it's even better to find a registrar that offers privacy protection for free. Review the invoice carefully before making a purchase to ensure you're not paying for unnecessary features.</li><li><strong style="color: #222222;">Make sure you know what the renewal fee will be</strong>. If you're getting the first year for a deep discount, make sure that subsequent years won't feature a domain renewal fee that balloons to a rate you don't want to pay.</li><li><strong style="color: #222222;">Avoid buying several similar domains</strong>. Web-hosting companies sometimes suggest buying multiple variations of the same domain with different extensions with the intention that you can redirect them all to one URL. While a good idea in principle, it's rarely necessary and is likely a waste of money.</li><li><strong style="color: #222222;">Don't work with registrars who only want to upsell you.</strong> The support staff of your registrar should be able to genuinely address technical support issues and solve your problems. If the company appears to offer a thinly disguised sales staff who can only upsell you to new products and services, look elsewhere.</li><li><strong style="color: #222222;">Make sure it's possible to transfer your domain.</strong> It's common to need to transfer your domain to a different registrar, so make sure that the registrar you are about to work with makes this process easy - ask about the process or check the online help files for details. If it's extremely convoluted, or the company charges a fee to do this, look elsewhere. </li></ul><a data-type="600b689b619e7822cc486374">What is a URL? Here's what you need to know about the internet tool that locates webpages</a><a data-type="5fce836df45c23180c2fb338">How to make a simple, one-page website using the Carrd site-building platform</a><a data-type="5efa5a1b3f737057fd0a1d55">'Why isn't my internet working?': How to identify why you can't connect to the internet and troubleshoot accordingly</a><a data-type="60199527ae88574fe90aa1f9">What is a DNS server? How Domain Name System servers connect you to the internet</a>

How to buy a domain name for your business or personal website, and 5 things to watch out for

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="1494563" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="K-Pop">K-pop</keyword> stans have recently come into the digital spotlight after leading efforts online to spam a police app with fancams and flood hashtags on Twitter and Instagram in order to drown out racist posts.</li><li>The actions stans have taken amid <keyword id="2771111" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="black-lives-matter">Black Lives Matter</keyword> are built on a <keyword id="1610727" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Fandom">fandom</keyword> history of digitally organizing around trending hashtags or leading charity campaigns for non-profits.</li><li>While the majority of the attention the K-pop fandom has experienced recently has been positive, it fails to address the racism that Black fans still face in the community.</li></ul><p>In the wake of George Floyd's killing and amid Black Lives Matter protests, there's been a paradigm shift in the perception of K-pop stans online. While locals (non-stans) have typically had an adversarial relationship with K-pop fandom in the past, recent events have shaken that relationship up.</p><p>K-pop stans have made their presence known across the US and around the world. They <a href="https://www.insider.com/kpop-stans-fancams-iwatch-dallas-police-department-report-spam-blacklivesmatter-2020-6">spammed a police app with fancams</a>, took <a href="https://www.insider.com/kpop-stans-flood-spam-whitelivesmatter-hashtag-fancams-memes-2020-6">over hashtags on Twitter and Instagram</a> in an effort to drown out racist posts, <a href="https://www.insider.com/blackpink-fans-blinks-trend-blacklivesmatter-sour-candy-lady-gaga-chromatica-2020-5">worked to stop their own hashtags from trending</a> out of respect for #BlackLivesMatter, and in the case of BTS' ARMY, <a href="https://www.insider.com/bts-army-black-lives-matter-donation-one-million-matchamillion-blm-2020-6">matched the group's $1 million Black Lives Matter donation</a> in approximately a day.</p><p>Reactions to those events typically bore a tone of shock or surprise, with Twitter users later using the #kpopstans hashtag to express appreciation or to alert stans of another hashtag. As <a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/06/05/1002781/kpop-fans-and-black-lives-matter/">MIT Technology Review's Abby Ohlheiser noted</a>, "Online <keyword id="24504" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="culture">culture</keyword> loves a vigilante in times of crisis."</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—❖ Zo⁷⟭⟬   (@sgsseokie) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1268648878418493441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2020</a></blockquote><p>Previously, locals have <a href="https://www.insider.com/kpop-fancams-explained-stan-twitter-history-whitelivesmatter-police-app-2020-6">complained about fancams</a> (short fandom-focused videos or edits) and <a href="https://www.insider.com/isoverparty-hashtag-wednys-cancel-culture-twitter-doja-cat-dojacatisoverparty-2020-6">argued that stans are too quick to start cancelation hashtags</a>. Now, fancams are a good thing and K-pop stans are being praised by celebrities like <a href="https://twitter.com/KekePalmer/status/1268171613041684481?s=20">Keke Palmer</a> and Jordan Peele.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—Jordan Peele  (@JordanPeele) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1268551370195509251?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2020</a></blockquote><p>While the public's change of heart around K-pop stans may come as a surprise, what doesn't is the fact that K-pop stans were able to mobilize so quickly. Modern K-pop fandom, after a decade of leveraging social media as a way to bring awareness to artists and using fandom organizing to raise money for worldwide causes, is built around digital organization on a massive scale.</p><h2><strong>K-pop stans have a history of organizing digital campaigns</strong></h2><p>K-pop fans have a long history of mobilizing around projects related to their artists, and that's part of what makes quick, collective action so possible. K-pop fans are well-accustomed to trending hashtags around new releases, and they're quick to respond to new content: for instance, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UWBYJjuIL0">BTS released a new music video on June 11</a> for the song "We Are Bulletproof: The Eternal." Within an hour, ARMY (BTS fans) were trending <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23WeAreBulletproofTheEternal&amp;src=typed_queryuery">#WeAreBulletproofTheEternal</a> to celebrate the new release.</p><p>Even if K-pop fans sometimes trend a hashtag or keyword on Twitter without intending to (this <a href="https://twitter.com/for_ARMYs/status/969133814797627392?s=20">happens frequently</a>), <a href="https://twitter.com/ForeverKimJisoo/status/1208233192605401088?s=20">fans work to trend things on purpose plenty of the time as well</a>, sometimes voting and deliberately choosing when and how to trend tags for birthdays, music drops, or other events.</p><p><a href="https://twitter.com/ATEEZcommunity">Fanbases of individual groups</a> publicize voting campaigns to their significant followings on Twitter that typically number in the thousands; many fandoms focus on voting for idols on Korean music shows so that they can notch their first coveted music show win, a major signifier of success. </p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—LOONA <keyword id="6356001" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="international">INTERNATIONAL</keyword> ♯ ️ (@INTL_LOONA) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1225677716743024640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2020</a></blockquote><p>Post-"Gangnam Style," PSY's breakthrough 2012 hit that brought Korean pop music into the US <a href="https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/k-town/8544218/psy-gangnam-style-songs-that-defined-the-decade">mainstream</a>, fans turned towards platforms like YouTube and Twitter primarily to try and increase K-pop's visibility online, said Michelle Cho, a professor of East Asian popular cultures at the University of Toronto who specializes in Korean film, media, and the Korean wave. Cho <a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/06/05/1002781/kpop-fans-and-black-lives-matter/">also recently spoke with MIT Technology Review</a>.</p><p>"[K-pop fans] have developed a certain kind of repertoire and skills on how to use social media platforms to bring things to prominence," Cho told Insider. "I think that the K-pop fandom over time has developed an awareness that they can have influence in this way."</p><p>Recent works of so-called "fancam activism," like <a href="https://www.insider.com/kpop-stans-flood-spam-whitelivesmatter-hashtag-fancams-memes-2020-6">flooding hashtags like #whitelivesmatter with videos of dancing K-pop idols</a>, was possible because K-pop stans were able to leverage the stability of pre-existing fandom networks in order to coordinate to take over tags (it's worth noting that K-pop stans have a reputation on local Twitter for <a href="https://www.insider.com/isoverparty-hashtag-wednys-cancel-culture-twitter-doja-cat-dojacatisoverparty-2020-6">starting or commandeering #isoverparty hashtags</a>).</p><p>Furthermore, through engaging in public acts like disrupting racist posts on social platforms, stans also stand to change public opinion of the fandom itself. Boy band fandoms have been denigrated in frequently sexist ways since the Beatles era, but Cho says that K-pop fans could present themselves in a different light, as a group of "diverse, politically progressive, social media savvy people."</p><h2>BTS fans matching the band's $1 million donation to Black Lives Matter relied on previous fandom systems</h2><p>One of the most compelling events in K-pop fans' wave of digital activism was a massive fundraising campaign by BTS' ARMY in an effort to match the group's million-dollar donation to Black Lives Matter. </p><p>The campaign was successful — just a day after<a href="https://variety.com/2020/music/news/bts-big-hit-1-million-black-lives-matter-donation-1234627049/"> Variety reported BTS' contribution</a>, ARMY managed to collectively raise the same amount, splitting donations across organizations like Reclaim the Block, the NAACP, and Black Lives Matter.<a href="https://www.oneinanarmy.org/"> One in an ARMY,</a> (OIAA) a volunteer collective of BTS fans who have been organizing monthly charity projects since 2018, tracked the donations through a<a href="https://secure.actblue.com/donate/btsarmy"> split donation page on ActBlue</a>.</p><p>Erika Overton, who does outreach and communications for OIAA, told Insider that the group typically plans out its charity projects months in advance in order to liaise with non-profits and prepare campaign materials. That model doesn't allow for quick responses to crisis events — in those cases, OIAA <a href="https://www.oneinanarmy.org/bonus-missions">typically compiles threads</a> of resources for ARMYs who want to help.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—One in an ARMY⁷ Charity Project   (@OneInAnARMY) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1267532447379533826?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 1, 2020</a></blockquote><p>On June 1, OIAA put out a Carrd website listing donation pages for non-profits as well as the split donation page that became the lynchpin of the #MatchAMillion campaign. Overton said that ARMYs had donated upwards of $50,000 before news of BTS' donation broke on June 6. After ARMY <a href="https://twitter.com/naija0329/status/1269415264703184896?s=20">decided to try to match it</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/MonospIaylist/status/1269415368700973057?s=20">settled on the #MatchAMillion hashtag</a>, the Carrd began to circulate widely and donations began to climb into the hundred-thousands.</p><p>The donation match was possible due to existing fandom structures like One in an ARMY. However, just as <a href="https://www.oneinanarmy.org/about">OIAA itself originated</a> from a group of ARMYs wanting to leverage the fandom's power to raise money for Syrian relief in 2018, the #MatchAMillion campaign started with ARMYs calling on each other.</p><p>"These kinds of things are not usual," Overton said. "But when BTS themselves actually make a statement… that's like pouring rocket fuel on a fire that's already burning. So when they did their donation, [ARMY] was like, heck yeah, we're doing this."</p><h2><strong>K-pop fandoms, however, are still full of anti-Blackness</strong></h2><p>Recent attention regarding ARMY's donation match or the fancam activism has largely referenced "K-pop stans" as if they were a homogenous group, rather than a diverse set of people who vary in terms of race, age, country of origin, gender, and political beliefs. Flattening the broad fandom into a singular force fails to account for the racism that Black K-pop stans face.</p><p>Most recently, <a href="https://variety.com/2020/music/global/big-hit-entertainment-apologizes-suga-cult-leader-jim-jones-1234622958/">BigHit Entertainment and BTS' Suga apologized</a> for using a sample of cult leader Jim Jones, who was <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/jonestown-13-things-you-should-know-about-cult-massacre-121974/">responsible for the death of hundreds of his followers</a>, many of whom were Black. Prior to the apology, and the removal of the sample from the track, some Black fans who had raised concerns over the sample were <a href="https://www.teenvogue.com/story/bts-fandom-needs-to-check-anti-blackness">harassed and labeled as "antis"</a> attempting to defame Suga's reputation.</p><p>Cho says that these kinds of situations are how anti-Blackness frequently manifests in K-pop fandoms: some Black K-pop fans will call out an idol for cultural appropriation, blackface, or any other anti-Black action, and fans of an idol or group will become defensive and angry at those who leveled the criticism. "The reason why some fans don't see that as an expression of systemic racism is that they really feel like, 'No, we're just defending our individual idol against these unfair attacks," she said.</p><h2>Black fans are sometimes left out of the conversation when it comes to anti-racist efforts</h2><p>Black fans have been left out of much of the conversation about K-pop fandom's recent viral anti-racism efforts, said Ellie Forte, a 19-year-old Black K-pop stan who goes by <a href="https://twitter.com/nctbussyy">@nctbussyy</a> on Twitter and primarily follows SM <keyword id="4578" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="entertainment">Entertainment</keyword> groups. "When it came to talking about, 'Oh, K-pop fans are revolutionary, they're combatting racism,' what people forgot about a lot was that Black stans were the ones who were really bringing up awareness about George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement."</p><p>Ellie said that Black fans' voices are silenced in K-pop fandom, most recently when she saw K-pop fans continuing to spread videos of George Floyd's death, especially without trigger warnings, despite Black fans asking them to stop doing so. She said that she's also seen pushback against Black fans who call on idols to speak up about Black Lives Matter. </p><p>De'Andra, a 23-year-old Black K-pop stan who goes by <a href="https://twitter.com/tytaped">@tytaped</a> on Twitter and preferred to not use her last name, said that she has seen Black fans harassed and doxxed for speaking up about idols' actions in addition to seeing K-pop accounts pretending to be Black, using AAVE (African American Vernacular English), and weighing in on issues "as a 'Black' person."</p><p>Certain efforts by groups of K-pop stans can also have effects other than those intended. De'Andra said that while she thought that spamming the Dallas police app and hashtags used to attempt to identify protesters were clever, she didn't like how the tactic was applied to hashtags like #whitelivesmatter because they ended up trending higher than they had been previously. </p><p>"[The trending hashtags] triggered a lot of black people actually. Sometimes, we don't realize how counterproductive our actions can be," Ellie said. "I may see it as counterproductive, but another Black person may see it as, 'Oh my gosh, this was great because I don't have to see racist posts.'"</p><h2>Some Black fans feel that idols have a responsibility to speak up</h2><p>As <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2020/06/twitter-k-pop-protest-black-lives-matter/612742/">The Atlantic's Kaitlyn Tiffany wrote</a>, many K-pop stans were taking action to support protests even before their favorite idols spoke up. Still though, idols speaking up does make a difference — while some BTS fans were already donating and working to support Black Lives Matter long before <a href="https://twitter.com/BTS_twt/status/1268422690336935943?s=20">BTS spoke out in support on June 4</a> or their donation was made public, the group's action indubitably spurred the fandom into re-action with the donation campaign.</p><p>More importantly, however, idols speaking out does matter to some Black fans, particularly given the extent to which K-pop draws on Black culture. In an <a href="https://www.teenvogue.com/story/k-pop-stars-speaking-up-black-lives-matter">op-ed for Teen Vogue, Natasha Mulenga argued</a> that K-pop artists should keep speaking up about Black Lives Matter due to K-pop's roots in and reliance on Black culture.</p><p>"Lately, I've been thinking now more than ever when I hear [K-pop artists] say that they care about and appreciate the support of all their fans if I am included in this, if Black people are included in this," De'Andra said.</p><p>Ellie, along with other Black K-pop fans including De'Andra, <a href="https://twitter.com/DavonnaDarling">@DavonnaDarling</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/BlaxSeoul">@BlaxSeoul</a>, organized a hashtag project for June 12 calling on SM Entertainment, one of South Korea's major entertainment companies, to use its platform to "stand in solidarity with Black people in our fight for racial and social equality in all areas."</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—FUCK THE COPS  (@nctbussyy) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1270749111285952512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2020</a></blockquote><p>Early in the morning on June 12, people began to use the hashtags <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23SMBlackout&amp;src=typeahead_clicklick">#SMBLACKOUT</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SMuseyourplatform?src=hash">#SMUseYourPlatform</a> to call on SM Entertainment to speak out, with some expressing that they wouldn't support the company until they did so. While some SM Entertainment idols like <a href="https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/johnny-of-nct-127-yeri-of-red-velvet-and-other-k-pop-idols-who-spoke-out-in-support-of-the-black-lives-matter-movement.html/">NCT's Johnny and Red Velvet's Yeri have spoken out on social media</a>, SM Entertainment has not made a public statement.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—Dee  (@DavonnaDarling) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1271416982450167808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 12, 2020</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—blacknetizen✊  (@blacknetizen) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1271449194218369026?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 12, 2020</a></blockquote><p>Ultimately, Ellie said that it's important to listen to Black fans and include them in conversations about K-pop fandom. However, she said that anti-Blackness is far from exclusive to K-pop stan spaces online: "Even though Black K-pop stans are finding themselves stuck in this anti-Black fandom, they can't go anywhere else because every fandom has anti-Blackness in it," she said. "Black fans, no matter where they go, don't have those safe spaces really to just be themselves."</p><ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more:</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/kpop-fancams-explained-stan-twitter-history-whitelivesmatter-police-app-2020-6">K-pop stans are using short videos called fancams to drown out racists online. This is how the movement started.</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/kpop-stans-flood-spam-whitelivesmatter-hashtag-fancams-memes-2020-6">K-pop stans flooded the #WhiteLivesMatter hashtag on Twitter and Instagram with fancams and memes to drown out racist posts</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/bts-army-black-lives-matter-donation-one-million-matchamillion-blm-2020-6">BTS stans matched the K-pop group's $1 million Black Lives Matter donation in one day through the #MatchAMillion campaign</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/kpop-stans-fancams-iwatch-dallas-police-department-report-spam-blacklivesmatter-2020-6">Dallas Police asked people to report illegal protest activity via an app. K-pop stans organized to spam it with fancams instead.</a></li></ul>

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