The creator economic system has seen distinctive development over the previous couple of years and can solely develop extra sooner or later. So, what does that imply for manufacturers, and the way can entrepreneurs leverage this booming economic system? To reply this query, I spoke to a few HubSpot’s advertising and marketing consultants and researched the creator economic system’s measurement, development, and the adjustments we will count on down the road.

This is every thing entrepreneurs have to know, beginning with how the creator economic system has grown over time.

How the Creator Economic system Has Grown Over the Years

The precise measurement of the creator economic system can range, relying on who you ask. Whereas statistics present 50 million individuals are contributing to the creator economic system, a current report by Linktree mentioned there are about 200 million folks as of 2022. One purpose for the discrepancy could possibly be how the numbers are calculated.

For instance, there might solely be 50 million content material creators contributing to the creator economic system. Nonetheless, the economic system additionally consists of customers, entrepreneurs, firms, platforms, and advertisers who hold the economic system rising.

Both means, there isn’t any doubt the creator economic system is extremely worthwhile. As of 2022, the creator economic system market measurement is estimated at $104.2 billion, greater than double its worth since 2019.

Listed below are another fascinating info concerning the creator economic system’s measurement:

So now you understand how large the creator economic system is, however how a lot has it grown over the previous couple of years? Let’s discover.

How the Creator Economic system Has Grown Over the Years

In a examine printed in August 2022, Adobe discovered the creator economic system has grown by over 165 million folks globally within the final two years — a rise of 119%. In line with the examine, creators make up about 23% of individuals, which means virtually 1 in 4 folks worldwide are contributing to the creator economic system.

Adobe notes the creator economic system noticed vital development in 2020 — the yr over 1 in 2 creators (52%) started posting social content material, in line with the examine.

Picture supply: Adobe

The creator economic system has grown, however how has that contributed to change? To get extra perception, I spoke to Senior Advertising Supervisor at HubSpot Creators Andrèa Hudson. Hudson says the important thing chain she has observed during the last 5 years is that manufacturers at the moment are specializing in the facility of creators to drive influence.

“We have gone from an ‘influencer’ technique to a ‘creator’ technique, which implies that the creator is definitely part of the advertising and marketing combine,” Hudson mentioned. “This requires a major quantity of understanding what motivates creators, how omnichannel campaigns can carry creators even additional into the fold, and why creators are an integral piece of the puzzle.”

One other vital change within the creator economic system is its accessibility, in line with HubSpot Director of New Media Kyle Denhoff.

“The boundaries to making a media product have dropped considerably,” Denhoff mentioned. “Once we discuss creators, clearly there are of us that may produce one thing proper from their telephone and put up it on social media — however we’re additionally speaking to unbiased writers, podcasters, and YouTubers who’re constructing digital media merchandise.”

Denhoff mentioned, “It is a lot simpler for them to arrange a house studio with lighting, audio, and nice digital camera high quality — and the instruments and price of these instruments have gone down within the final couple of years. So it is simpler than ever for people to create these unbiased media merchandise and rise up and working.”

Denhoff additionally says creators who might usually work for bigger firms can now department out and carve their area of interest within the creator economic system.

“So, they have been writers for The Atlantic or writers for Digiday,” Denhoff mentioned. “That they had constructed up a profile as an professional … at that media firm, and since they have been already so good at their job, they’d an current viewers — and now they’ve branched off to create their very own unbiased media merchandise and generate income as a solo entrepreneur.”

An instance of this phenomenon, in line with Denhoff, can be The Atlantic author Derrick Thompson who went on to host his podcast, Plain English.

Why the Creator Economic system is Rising

An enormous enhance to the creator economic system got here in the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic when many individuals discovered themselves caught at residence or needing extra revenue on account of finances cuts and layoffs. Individuals turned to platforms like TikTok and Twitch to ease their cabin fever throughout a lockdown or to earn additional revenue after layoffs.

Nevertheless, each Denhoff and Hudson say different elements contribute to the creator economic system’s development.

Other than elevated affordability, Denhoff additionally mentioned one more reason the creator economic system is rising is how platforms cater to creators.

“The platforms the place folks put up their content material have constructed extra instruments and performance capabilities for creators,” he mentioned. “So, YouTube, Fb, TikTok, and many others., are providing them extra choices.”

A lot of these choices embrace alternatives to make more cash.

“Twitter is beginning to take a look at somewhat bit with providing a e-newsletter possibility, and I believe there’s a ‘tremendous follower’ choice to monetize,” Denhoff mentioned. “On YouTube, YouTubers can arrange paid subscriptions … there are alternatives for folks to go on these channels, product the content material for the viewers, and generate income off that.”

Talking of cash, Hudson mentioned one of many essential elements contributing to development is “the funding {dollars} from firms to creators.”

“Whether or not that is an oblique play or a direct play, the Creator economic system market has reached over $104 billion in income in 2022, and types shall be pressured to allocate spending to this sector in the event that they plan to evolve with the way forward for enterprise media,” Hudson mentioned. “Creators are working companies; they’re discovering a number of methods to generate income by diversifying their distribution channels.”

One other issue, Hudson mentioned, is that the pandemic pressured media retailers to tackle a creator-first method and adapt advertising and marketing campaigns to a brand new panorama.

“Even large-scale media networks have been made to report dwell from wherever they have been, principally their houses, and most community-focused platforms launched a dwell choice to tune in,” Hudson recalled. “Throughout this time, you would be hard-pressed to discover a social media platform that wasn’t creator-first with their concentrate on driving engagement by dwell feeds and social media. The one place to go was to the web; every thing else was closed with no open date in sight.”

How the Creator Economic system May Change within the Future

So what does the long run maintain for the creator economic system? Because the creator economic system continues to develop, I imagine the next will occur:

Area of interest content material will proceed to thrive.

I will always remember when a content material creator went viral on TikTok for reviewing lavatory sinks round New York Metropolis. That is once I realized right this moment’s customers love area of interest content material particularly tailor-made to their pursuits. And with content material creation changing into extra accessible, content material creators with distinctive tales will proceed to crop up.

This can even enable manufacturers to search out creators and micro-influencers who can introduce them to a brand new viewers.

Group-centric advertising and marketing will develop.

Area of interest content material goes hand-in-hand with community-based platforms like Twitch, Discord, and Reddit as a result of audiences wish to join with different individuals who share their pursuits — and community-based platforms enable for connection.

In consequence, the creator economic system will seemingly focus extra on establishing and sustaining a way of group sooner or later.

Influencers will change into extra integral to companies.

Because the creator economic system continues to concentrate on area of interest content material and group engagement, manufacturers could have issue connecting with audiences inside digital areas — as a result of folks wish to talk with different folks, not manufacturers.

To fight this, manufacturers should collaborate with influencers with a longtime and engaged viewers. Denhoff mentioned manufacturers ought to look to put money into long-term partnerships with creators — going past one-time paid ads on a creator’s platform.

“One of many issues [HubSpot] has began to do is put money into unbiased creators to assist them do what they do effectively,” he mentioned.

Denhoff says that funding contains offering creators with monetary worth, distributing their content material throughout HubSpot’s model channels, and cross-promoting their content material throughout HubSpot networks. He says this partnership will enable creators to develop and attain stability whereas introducing manufacturers to a brand new viewers.

“I believe entrepreneurs simply should begin to suppose by how they’ll accomplice with creators and the way they’ll present extra worth to creators to have a real partnership as an alternative of only a paid transaction,” Denhoff mentioned.

In abstract, the creator economic system is not going away anytime quickly, and it’ll proceed to amass extra income whereas specializing in creators and their area of interest communities. Suppose entrepreneurs wish to leverage this economic system to their benefit (and they need to!). In that case, they might want to kind long-term, mutually helpful partnerships with influencers and creators to achieve their viewers.