Key Takeaways:
- Most creators treat content creation as a side job.
- There’s a big gap in understanding between creators and brands.
- Creators want clearer guidelines, not complete freedom.
- Payment issues and poor communication are major pain points.
- Creators prefer long-term partnerships with brands.
The Creator Economy is Growing Fast, But Challenges Remain
The creator economy is booming. By 2024, brands spent over $24 billion on influencer marketing. But even with all this money flowing in, most creators don’t make a full-time living from their content. In fact, 88% of creators still treat it as a side hustle. Only 12% are lucky enough to create content full-time.
This might surprise you, especially since it feels like everyone has a YouTube channel or TikTok account these days. But the reality is, making a steady income from content creation is tough. Even top-tier creators, known as Hero or Mega creators, mostly don’t rely on content creation as their main source of income. Only 25% of them do. For micro-creators (those with smaller audiences), only 7% can make a living from their content.
Why is this happening? It’s partly because platforms like TikTok and YouTube don’t pay much unless you have millions of followers. Brands also don’t always pay creators enough for their work.
Creators Want to Learn More About Brands and Marketing
One of the biggest issues in the creator economy is the gap between what brands want and what creators understand. Most creators (64%) want to learn about what brands consider successful in their campaigns. They also want to understand how they fit into the bigger marketing picture (57%) and how they can play a bigger role in brand strategies (55%).
This lack of understanding means brands and creators aren’t always on the same page. Brands might think creators care most about follower growth and reach, but creators actually care more about creating good content. While both agree that engagement is important (56% for brands and 55% for creators), creators rank creativity as their second most important measure of success (52%), while brands place it fifth (39%).
Creators Want More Than Just a One-Time Deal
Most creators (72%) prefer working with brands long-term, but only 54% actually have such partnerships. This shows another mismatch between what creators want and what’s available.
When deciding whether to work with a brand, creators care about a few key things:
- Brand reputation and values: They want to work with brands they believe in and that align with their personal values (78%).
- Personal experience with the brand: They prefer brands they’ve tried and trust (67%).
- Relevance to their audience: They want partnerships that make sense for their followers (64%).
Creativity Matters, But Guidelines Help
You might think creators want total creative freedom when working with brands, but that’s not the case. Most creators (58%) prefer clear guidelines. Only 21% want complete control over the content they create. This makes sense because guidelines can help creators produce content that aligns with what the brand wants, while still giving them room to be creative.
One creator, @mrscotteddy, said, “Having guidelines Helps me create better content that works for both me and the brand.”
Challenges Creators Face When Working with Brands
Working with brands isn’t always smooth sailing for creators. Some of the biggest issues include:
- Payment delays: 41% of creators face this problem.
- Creative constraints: 37% feel limited by what brands want.
- Lack of long-term opportunities: 37% wish for more stable partnerships.
- Unrealistic deadlines: 32% struggle with tight timelines.
- Too many revisions: 31% feel brands ask for too many changes.
- Pay gaps: 31% think they’re not paid fairly.
- Poor communication: 27% have trouble talking with brands.
Almost a third of creators (29%) don’t feel they can be their authentic selves when working with brands. This is a problem because being real is what makes their content relatable and trustworthy. Also, 31% say brands often ask for too many changes to their content, which can be frustrating and time-consuming.
Why Quality Content Matters for Brands
Good content isn’t just important for creators; it’s crucial for brands too. Research shows that boring ads cost 11-15% more to achieve the same results as interesting ones. Creators bring something special to the table: authentic connections with their audiences and the ability to create content that resonates emotionally.
Building Better Relationships Between Brands and Creators
To make the most of the creator economy, brands need to do better. Here are some tips from the report:
- Recognize creators’ hard work: Understand that many creators juggle multiple jobs. Offer flexible partnerships and realistic expectations.
- Invest in creators as partners: Treat them as long-term collaborators, not just one-time tools for a campaign.
- Focus on genuine engagement: Work with creators who are passionate about their content and audience.
- Speak the same language: Share your goals upfront and avoid using complicated marketing terms.
- Build strong relationships: A good partnership starts with trust and respect.
- Value authenticity: It’s not just about style; it’s a strategy for building trust.
- Provide clear guidelines: Help creators understand what you want without restricting their creativity.
- Define success clearly: Make sure you and the creator agree on what makes a campaign successful to avoid unnecessary revisions.
The Future of the Creator Economy
The creator economy is here to stay, and it’s growing fast. Creators have the power to connect brands with audiences in a way that feels authentic and personal. But for this to work, brands need to listen to creators and treat them as partners, not just influencers.
By understanding what creators need and want, brands can build stronger, more meaningful relationships. This means supporting creators, respecting their creativity, and offering fair pay and clear communication. When brands and creators work well together, everyone wins—brands get better content, creators build stable careers, and audiences get content they love.
In the end, the creator economy is all about people. It’s about helping brands and creators collaborate in a way that feels natural, authentic, and beneficial for everyone involved.
To learn more about the report and its findings, you can read the full report here.
