Linktree issued its first Creator Report looking at its own data and the input of over 9,500 creators to understand what it means to be a creator, and what it takes to ‘make it’ online in 2022.

Broken down into three chapters, the report explores the present opportunities for creators to understand and work alongside one another, the elements they tend to have in common, and how the future looks for the creator landscape.

Linktree reports that there are 4.2 billion people using social media, around 500 million ‘passion economy users’ who engage in activities to monetize their individuality and non-commoditized skills, and around 200 million creators who use their influence, skills, or creativity through their digital presence.

So the creator economy is a competitive one. But with an audience of over 4 billion, the market is there – and growing – for creators to act on and create value from.

Most content creators see themselves as unique individuals – after all, it would be harder to monetize their social presence if they were all the same. And though it’s true that there is no one-size-fits-all definition for what it takes to become a creator, Linktree found that they do have more in common than they might realize.

• 66% of creators consider themselves part-time creators with another job as their main hustle.
• 52% of creators who make $50-100k in a year spend less than 10 hours per week creating content
• 59% of beginner creators haven’t earned any money from their content
• 6% of beginner creators have made over $10k
• 12% of full-time creators and 3% of part-time creators make more than $50k a year
• 13% of full-time creators say they are consistently stressed
• Less than 20% of full- and part-time creators say they aren’t stressed at all

As more and more creators aim to join the creator economy, the stats show that this kind of work isn’t for everyone. Only the most passionate and driven can make it as a full-time creator without succumbing to the stress. But for those cut out for the job, it can be a lucrative and fulfilling career move.

So how does the future look for digital creators?

Linktree suggests that quality over quantity is key when it comes to building an engaged audience. Growing their owned platforms is a better way to monetize a smaller audience than chasing brand collaborations. In fact, 67% of creators say they have never collaborated with a brand on their social channels.

Similarly, niche content creation that connects with a specific audience can be a better way to gain super-fans than going mainstream. 62% of niche creators believe their specialization is useful for growing engagement and reach. The report shows that 14% of niche creators earn revenue through influencer marketing, compared to only 9% of non-niche creators.

And of course, the platform creators choose to work with can influence the size and engagement of their audience. Now, 58% of creators work across 2 to 4 platforms to increase their chances of reading broader audiences. So keeping an eye on newly emerging platforms and the popularity of existing channels is a key element in monetizing content creation.

In summary, Linktree concludes that the creator economy is an increasingly exciting space to be in. Led by the creators themselves, it gives both niche and non-niche influencers a platform to monetize what they do and, as long as they use the right tools and commit the right amount of time, creators can thrive.

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