Michelle Phan, one of the earliest YouTube creators, built her beauty empire one makeup tutorial at a time. But before she found fame and fortune, she got her start on the platform developing video content and growing an audience without making a dime. She had a hunch that though she couldn’t yet make money on the platform, it would become “the future of TV.”
Over a decade later, Michelle’s priction has held true: YouTube is an entertainment juggernaut with over two billion monthly active users watching one billion hours of content each day. Newer platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok have only generat more opportunities for online creators to showcase their creativity, find an audience, and build a business. A career as an online content creator is now highly desir—according to a 2019 survey, 54% of young Americans, given the opportunity, would become an influencer.
Perhaps most importantly,
online influencing has been legitimiz as “real work.” Creators now earn money for their efforts—sharing plant tips on TikTok, writing newsletters on Substack, and livestreaming on YouTube—compensating for the time and effort it takes to develop compelling content, plus the impact it has on audiences.
Platforms are waking up the idea that with creators comes eyeballs and engagement.
From Facebook to Pinterest, online platforms previously reli on creators developing content for free. Creators were largely uncompensat for their creativity and didn’t telegram data share in the upside captur by companies. Eventually, creators struck out on their own, partnering with brands to make money. Today, brand deals still remain the primary way online creators earn money.
However, the rise of the creator
From Snapchat to Spotify, platforms are courting influencers with creator funds and financing options to fuel their growth online. Platforms are waking up the idea that with creators comes effective landing page templates that can increase your conversions eyeballs and engagement. They’re betting that funding upcoming and establish creators—paying them to livestream, host be numbers audio shows, and develop short videos—means incentivizing them to create content on their platforms and keep viewers coming back.