Digital creators across 20 countries generate $368 billion in annual revenue, comparable to Hong Kong’s GDP, according to new research from Richard Florida and the Creative Class Group.
The global survey, commissioned by Meta and conducted by Factworks in 2023, identifies 362 million creators who produce and share original content via social media platforms and have at least 1,000 followers. India leads with 137.3 million creators, followed by Indonesia (46.8 million), Brazil (40.1 million), and the United States (38.7 million).
The research reveals two distinct segments within the creator economy. The first consists of high-profile creators with massive followings and substantial earnings. The second and larger segment comprises creators with modest followings and limited revenue. Less than 1% of creators have over one million followers, while more than 75% have fewer than 10,000.
The study finds that most creators maintain traditional employment alongside their content creation. Over half work full-time jobs, and 14% work part-time. Only 9% identify as business owners or self-employed, slightly below the 11% self-employment rate for U.S. workers overall.
Revenue distribution shows a similar disparity. Over three-quarters of creators earn less than $10,000 annually from their content, with 37% reporting no revenue. Only 7% earn $50,000 or more, and 2% make $100,000 or above.
Source: Creative Class Group
Demographics, Education, and Geographic Aspects
Despite assumptions about creator demographics, the research indicates diversity in age and education. While 16% of global creators are teenagers, over 40% are between 20 and 34 years old, and 21% are between 35 and 44. Nearly 10% are 55 or older.
Educational attainment among creators exceeds population averages in many countries. In the United States, 43% of adult creators hold at least a bachelor’s degree, compared to 36% of the general adult population. The disparity is more pronounced in other nations – in India, 33% of creators have completed tertiary education versus 12% of the adult population.
Source: Creative Class Group
Geographic clustering emerges as a significant pattern. In the United States, 32% of creators live in metropolitan areas with populations exceeding five million. Large creators, defined as those with over 100,000 followers, show even stronger concentration, with 40% residing in major metropolitan areas.
Motivation and Monetization
The study also examines creator motivations. Top reasons for creating content include showcasing talent (29%), having fun (29%), entertaining others (28%), connecting with people (28%), and sharing content (28%). Earning money ranks sixth at 25%.
Source: Creative Class Group
Regarding monetization methods, creators report diverse revenue sources. Leading channels include platform advertising (28%), subscriptions (25%), digital gifts from followers (25%), affiliate programs (24%), sponsored content (22%), and merchandise sales (21%).
The research indicates limited adoption of emerging technologies, with only 5% using virtual reality and 4% using augmented reality. However, 78% express interest in adopting these technologies as they become more accessible and affordable.
Dragomir is a Serbian freelance blog writer and translator. He is passionate about covering insightful stories and exploring topics such as influencer marketing, the creator economy, technology, business, and cyber fraud.
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Digital creators across 20 countries generate $368 billion in annual revenue, comparable to Hong Kong’s GDP, according to new research from Richard Florida and the Creative Class Group.
The global survey, commissioned by Meta and conducted by Factworks in 2023, identifies 362 million creators who produce and share original content via social media platforms and have at least 1,000 followers. India leads with 137.3 million creators, followed by Indonesia (46.8 million), Brazil (40.1 million), and the United States (38.7 million).
The research reveals two distinct segments within the creator economy. The first consists of high-profile creators with massive followings and substantial earnings. The second and larger segment comprises creators with modest followings and limited revenue. Less than 1% of creators have over one million followers, while more than 75% have fewer than 10,000.
The study finds that most creators maintain traditional employment alongside their content creation. Over half work full-time jobs, and 14% work part-time. Only 9% identify as business owners or self-employed, slightly below the 11% self-employment rate for U.S. workers overall.
Revenue distribution shows a similar disparity. Over three-quarters of creators earn less than $10,000 annually from their content, with 37% reporting no revenue. Only 7% earn $50,000 or more, and 2% make $100,000 or above.
Source: Creative Class Group
Demographics, Education, and Geographic Aspects
Despite assumptions about creator demographics, the research indicates diversity in age and education. While 16% of global creators are teenagers, over 40% are between 20 and 34 years old, and 21% are between 35 and 44. Nearly 10% are 55 or older.
Educational attainment among creators exceeds population averages in many countries. In the United States, 43% of adult creators hold at least a bachelor’s degree, compared to 36% of the general adult population. The disparity is more pronounced in other nations – in India, 33% of creators have completed tertiary education versus 12% of the adult population.
Source: Creative Class Group
Geographic clustering emerges as a significant pattern. In the United States, 32% of creators live in metropolitan areas with populations exceeding five million. Large creators, defined as those with over 100,000 followers, show even stronger concentration, with 40% residing in major metropolitan areas.
Motivation and Monetization
The study also examines creator motivations. Top reasons for creating content include showcasing talent (29%), having fun (29%), entertaining others (28%), connecting with people (28%), and sharing content (28%). Earning money ranks sixth at 25%.
Source: Creative Class Group
Regarding monetization methods, creators report diverse revenue sources. Leading channels include platform advertising (28%), subscriptions (25%), digital gifts from followers (25%), affiliate programs (24%), sponsored content (22%), and merchandise sales (21%).
The research indicates limited adoption of emerging technologies, with only 5% using virtual reality and 4% using augmented reality. However, 78% express interest in adopting these technologies as they become more accessible and affordable.
The full report is available here.