The American Influencer Council (AIC), in partnership with HypeAuditor, has released a list of the top 34 creators from the “creator middle class” – those with followings between 1,000 and 500,000.
The “Creators Trailblazing to the Top List” aims to recognize the talent and vision of influencers representing what the AIC considers an essential sector of the creator labor market. The inaugural edition of the list was launched to empower content creators to build careers from the bottom up and champion diversity in the labor market.
Qianna Smith Bruneteau, Founder and Executive Director of the American Influencer Council, explains the significance of the list: “The Creators Trailblazing to the Top List is significant because no comprehensive list features the creator middle class, which comprises most of the creator economy workforce. When you look at influencer lists like the 2024 Forbes Top Creators that featured 50 honorees who earned a reported $720M, it’s a clear indication that a small group of workers are securing the available paid marketing dollars.”
In putting together the list, the AIC selected 34 honorees who are “redefining creatorpreneurship and forging their path in the creator economy. Diversifying deal flow within the nano to mid-tier [level] will ensure the creator economy supports all workers. Leveling the distribution of brand opportunities supports long-term growth for all. “
Focus, Significance, and Key Indicators
The research focused specifically on Instagram because, as Smith Bruneteau notes, “it dominates U.S. influencer marketing spend. U.S. influencer marketing spend on Instagram was projected to exceed $2B in 2024, according to EMARKETER.”
She adds that “sponsored content spending was estimated to be $8.14 billion in 2024, according to EMARKETER’s March 2024 forecast. Fifty creators in 2024 earned 8.1% of the estimated marketing spend.”
The AIC tapped HypeAuditor, a leading data-driven influencer marketing platform, to analyze and produce a distribution of U.S.-based nano, micro, and mid-tier creator accounts on Instagram from January 1, 2024, to January 1, 2025, based on four (4) KPIs: 1) audience engagement, 2) content quality & consistency, 3) brand advocacy, and 4) brand mentions. HypeAuditor then compared results to accounts of top influencers on other social networks to determine performance impact.
The 34 honorees were evaluated on these 4 KPIs Source: AIC
Revenue Streams and Brand Partnerships
The report accompanying the list reveals that 94% of surveyed creators identify brand deals as their primary revenue stream. The research indicates that 59% of creators require between two and four brand deals monthly to maintain a sustainable income.
Source: AIC
The survey found that creators predominantly work with mid-sized companies (50% of respondents) and large corporations (41%), while only 9% primarily collaborate with small businesses under 50 employees.
Despite the importance of ongoing relationships, 47% of creators report that one-off collaborations remain the standard partnership length, with only 12% securing long-term partnerships (six months or longer).
Challenges and Industry Distribution
The research identifies several misconceptions creators face when working with brands. Seventy-nine percent of respondents indicated that brands often assume they will accept gifts and press trips instead of fair compensation.
Smith Bruneteau points out that “according to a study by CreatorIQ last year, 29% of marketers said they struggle to find creators. Creators Trailblazing to the Top List aims to drive awareness for the many types of talent and niches brands can consider.”
The list has been marketed to key industry leaders and publicized in creator economy newsletters. “The pages on the AIC website are indexed by Google and, therefore, now include a critical segment of the labor market that does not get the exposure it deserves when searching for ‘influencer lists,'” Smith Bruneteau adds.
The AIC worked with a review committee to select the honorees, composed of distinguished members including industry experts Aliza Licht, Founder, Leave Your Mark and Board VP, AIC; Jamie Gutfreund, Founder, Creator Vision; Sully Guzman, Career Creator and Board VP, AIC; Nefatari Cooper, Creator VIP Relations, Influential; Brooke Erin Duffy, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Cornell University and Board Advisor, AIC; and Reesa Lake, Head of Creator Agency Partnerships, LTK.
David Adler is an entrepreneur and freelance blog post writer who enjoys writing about business, entrepreneurship, travel and the influencer marketing space.
The American Influencer Council (AIC), in partnership with HypeAuditor, has released a list of the top 34 creators from the “creator middle class” – those with followings between 1,000 and 500,000.
The “Creators Trailblazing to the Top List” aims to recognize the talent and vision of influencers representing what the AIC considers an essential sector of the creator labor market. The inaugural edition of the list was launched to empower content creators to build careers from the bottom up and champion diversity in the labor market.
Qianna Smith Bruneteau, Founder and Executive Director of the American Influencer Council, explains the significance of the list: “The Creators Trailblazing to the Top List is significant because no comprehensive list features the creator middle class, which comprises most of the creator economy workforce. When you look at influencer lists like the 2024 Forbes Top Creators that featured 50 honorees who earned a reported $720M, it’s a clear indication that a small group of workers are securing the available paid marketing dollars.”
In putting together the list, the AIC selected 34 honorees who are “redefining creatorpreneurship and forging their path in the creator economy. Diversifying deal flow within the nano to mid-tier [level] will ensure the creator economy supports all workers. Leveling the distribution of brand opportunities supports long-term growth for all. “
Focus, Significance, and Key Indicators
The research focused specifically on Instagram because, as Smith Bruneteau notes, “it dominates U.S. influencer marketing spend. U.S. influencer marketing spend on Instagram was projected to exceed $2B in 2024, according to EMARKETER.”
She adds that “sponsored content spending was estimated to be $8.14 billion in 2024, according to EMARKETER’s March 2024 forecast. Fifty creators in 2024 earned 8.1% of the estimated marketing spend.”
The AIC tapped HypeAuditor, a leading data-driven influencer marketing platform, to analyze and produce a distribution of U.S.-based nano, micro, and mid-tier creator accounts on Instagram from January 1, 2024, to January 1, 2025, based on four (4) KPIs: 1) audience engagement, 2) content quality & consistency, 3) brand advocacy, and 4) brand mentions. HypeAuditor then compared results to accounts of top influencers on other social networks to determine performance impact.
The 34 honorees were evaluated on these 4 KPIs
Source: AIC
Revenue Streams and Brand Partnerships
The report accompanying the list reveals that 94% of surveyed creators identify brand deals as their primary revenue stream. The research indicates that 59% of creators require between two and four brand deals monthly to maintain a sustainable income.
Source: AIC
The survey found that creators predominantly work with mid-sized companies (50% of respondents) and large corporations (41%), while only 9% primarily collaborate with small businesses under 50 employees.
Despite the importance of ongoing relationships, 47% of creators report that one-off collaborations remain the standard partnership length, with only 12% securing long-term partnerships (six months or longer).
Challenges and Industry Distribution
The research identifies several misconceptions creators face when working with brands. Seventy-nine percent of respondents indicated that brands often assume they will accept gifts and press trips instead of fair compensation.
Smith Bruneteau points out that “according to a study by CreatorIQ last year, 29% of marketers said they struggle to find creators. Creators Trailblazing to the Top List aims to drive awareness for the many types of talent and niches brands can consider.”
The list has been marketed to key industry leaders and publicized in creator economy newsletters. “The pages on the AIC website are indexed by Google and, therefore, now include a critical segment of the labor market that does not get the exposure it deserves when searching for ‘influencer lists,'” Smith Bruneteau adds.
The AIC worked with a review committee to select the honorees, composed of distinguished members including industry experts Aliza Licht, Founder, Leave Your Mark and Board VP, AIC; Jamie Gutfreund, Founder, Creator Vision; Sully Guzman, Career Creator and Board VP, AIC; Nefatari Cooper, Creator VIP Relations, Influential; Brooke Erin Duffy, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Cornell University and Board Advisor, AIC; and Reesa Lake, Head of Creator Agency Partnerships, LTK.
Read the full report here.