What's Happening In The Creator Economy?
Published Mar 23, 2026
Todd Nicolini
Todd is a career research and insights professional covering the convergence of media and the consumer. This Creator Economy Research Tear Sheet was prepared to help advertisers and executives better understand the dynamics at play within the creator ecosystem and how to create an advantage for themselves in it.
$44B — Brands will spend this on creator content in 2026
Growth & Activity
Industry Growth
+18% up from last year
Posting Habits
37% spend 5 to 10 hrs/week creating
Engagement
29% favourite way to connect: Reply directly to comments (highest engagement method cited by creators)
What They Create
Top Content Topics
- Lifestyle: 22%
- Food: 13%
- Gaming: 10%
Platforms
- YouTube: Most time spent
- TikTok: Most money earned
- Instagram: Audience skews female
How They Make Money
Ad Revenue
22% — Brands pay to show ads next to content
Platform Payouts
13% — TikTok and YouTube pay per views
Brand Deals
30% — 1 in 3 creators pitch themselves to brands
Artificial Intelligence
56% believe AI will change how they work, soon
Tools mentioned: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Opus Clip, Meta AI
- Editing photos and videos: 25%
- Coming up with new ideas: 21%
What's Coming Next
Paid Communities
40% plan to launch a paid community. Exclusive membership clubs replacing free content.
Skills to Build
- Video production: 22%
- Branding: 20%
- Storytelling: 14%
Tools They Use
| Category | Tools |
|---|---|
| Making Content | CapCut, Canva |
| Newsletter | Substack, Kit, Beehiiv |
| Podcasting | Patreon, Riverside, Spotify |
| Selling Online | LTK, ShopMy, WhatNot |
| Earning Money | Visa, Karat |
| Link in Bio | Linktree, Later, Beacons |
Source: The Influencer Marketing Factory - 2026 Creator Economy Report
SOS. Research