Hi Creators,

Welcome to the first-ever Creator Reports! I’m so happy you’re here.

If you’ve been following me on LinkedIn, or through my personal branding Substack, Cringe Letter, you might have seen this stat I shared from Goldman Sachs a while back:

The creator economy is predicted to almost double in size over the next four years from $250 billion today to $480 billion by 2027.

This is the result of several factors, including:

✅ People spending more time consuming content

✅ Lower barriers of entry for creators (e.g., AI tools can now create and distribute content quickly)

✅ More platform options for connecting with new audiences

With so much going on in the creator economy, I wanted to create a resource to help people make sense of it all.

Every week, I’ll share articles, creator spotlights, and content creation tool reviews to give you the information, inspiration, and insights you need to become the best creator you can be.

First things first: WHAT EVEN IS A CREATOR?

“Creator” is a word we throw around a lot (obviously I’m guilty of this too). So, before we get any deeper, let’s break this term down.

I’m going to start like a fifth-grader and pull a definition from the dictionary:

Mindblowing, right?

If that’s the definition, then aren’t we all creators? Wouldn’t that mean that every time we doodle, write, or burp (sorry, in the fifth-grade mindset still) we’re technically creating?

The short answer is yes! We’re all creators.

Any time we bring something into the world, we’re creating.

Creating, in the religious sense, is considered to be “God at play.” Back here on Earth, creating is the act of bringing something from the imagination into reality, from the immaterial to the material.

Whether creating books, apps, people, conversations, etc., creating is at the root of what it means to be human, what it means to leave a mark on the world and push humanity forward.

In 2023, “creator” is often tied to the digital world and connected with bloggers, vloggers, writers, podcasters, TikTokers, and streamers.

Anyone who creates digital content could be considered a “creator.”

When speaking about creators within the context of the creator economy, however, things start to get more complicated.

Here are five of many definitions:

Though these definitions vary, the consensus seems to be that a “creator” within the context of the creator economy is really a “monetizer” (a creator who monetizes their content).

Creators monetize in all sorts of ways including:

• Sponsorships

• Affiliate Links

• Course and Digital Product Sales

• Video Ads

• Newsletter Subscriptions

• Community Memberships

• Support/Donations from Followers

There are also different levels of monetizers. Some make $3/month and some make $3 million/month (Looking at you, Kardashians).

Next week, we’ll drill down and talk about some of the characteristics and habits that top earners have in common.

Creator Stat of the Week:

I saw this stat from Adobe recently and was shocked.

Millennials represent the largest segment of creators right now, followed by Gen X, and Boomers +, with Gen Z coming in last!

Not what I would have predicted. Though Gen Z-ers have us all beat when it comes to hourly rates $$$.

For more, read Adobe’s fantastic report, Monetization in the Creator Economy.

🗞️ In Creator Economy News:

Patreon is going all in on community by giving fans their own space to chat and connect

Patreon has introduced member profiles and community chats, two new features that will help members build stronger relationships with creators and with each other.

LinkedIn Adds New Branded Content Library, Listing All Influencer Campaigns in the App

After rolling out its own branded content tags for posts last month, LinkedIn has now also added a new search functionality for branded content partnerships, which will enable users to explore all of the affiliate marketing campaigns that have used the new tags in the app.

TikTok now offers labels for disclosing AI-generated content
“As more creators take advantage of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance their creativity, we want to support transparent and responsible content creation practices. As part of that effort, we continue to invest in media literacy to empower creativity while giving people important context about content they're viewing. This week, we will begin launching a new tool to help creators label their AI-generated content. We'll also start testing ways to label AI-generated content automatically.”

Creator Tool of the Week: Canva’s Magic Edit

Learn about Canva’s Magic Edit feature in this 3-minute video.

P.S. Please bear with me as I fumble into this new chapter as a video creator. Is the intro obnoxious? Yes. Are there weird transitions and awkward pauses? Absolutely! But I'm out here trying, okay.

📚 What I’m reading: You Are The Brand: The 8-Step Blueprint to Showcase Your Unique Expertise and Build a Highly Profitable, Personally Fulfilling Business by Mike Kim

💭 My creator thought of the week:

Your weirdness may be your creator superpower.

If you're brave enough to share your "weirdness" with the world, you can shift your path and open yourself up to new opportunities.

Have the courage to be yourself and if people judge you, so be it.

Your weirdness may be the key to unlocking your destiny.

Until next week, Creators! Thanks for reading.