2026-01-14 23:38:47

The creator economy is booming, but most creators' wallets haven't grown accordingly.

The report from CreatorIQ initially left people a bit confused: brands and agencies are increasing their investment in creator marketing by 171% year-over-year, a growth rate that exceeds the total of the past four years combined. It sounds like good news, but upon closer inspection—here's the problem. Although the big spenders are pouring money in aggressively, the actual share of the cake that reaches the creators hasn't grown proportionally.

This is awkward. Investment is skyrocketing on one side, but supply isn't keeping up, and ultimately, those who produce content and attract fans are the ones who suffer. In simple terms, too much is being eaten up in the middle links. That's also why more and more people are exploring how to connect directly with fans, how to use Web3 tools to bypass intermediaries, and how to protect their income.

View Original

This page may contain third-party content, which is provided for information purposes only (not representations/warranties) and should not be considered as an endorsement of its views by Gate, nor as financial or professional advice. See Disclaimer for details.

19 Likes

Reward
19
5
Repost
Share

Comment

0/400

BlockImposter

· 01-17 23:36

Big companies and intermediaries are making a fortune, while creators are still worried about traffic? 171% of the growth has been taken by middlemen, and there's nothing wrong with that.

View OriginalReply0

BrokenRugs

· 01-17 12:54

Middlemen profit from the price difference, an eternal truth across ancient and modern times. Brand owners spend 171% more, yet creators hardly see any benefits. Who loses and who gains in this deal? --- Is the Web3 savior coming again? Honestly, skipping intermediaries sounds great, but how many can actually do it? --- So, in the end, that 171% growth all goes into the pockets of agencies and platforms, while creators are still struggling day by day. --- That's why I increasingly feel that I need to build my own fan economy and not rely too much on those so-called agencies. --- Honestly, the prosperity of the creator economy has always been superficial; until the money reaches the creators, it's all talk. --- Wait, so brands spend so much money hiring creators, but middlemen take the biggest cut? Are you sure the data isn't inflated?

View OriginalReply0

HodlVeteran

· 01-14 23:59

It's the same old story, middlemen profit from the spread, and we, the retail investors, are always the last to benefit. I've been taught how the market works this way over all these years. --- With a 171% investment, the amount I received isn't much. I've seen this too many times; almost bloodied out. --- Honestly, at the end of the day, it's just capital trying to squeeze creators at the lowest cost. Can Web3 save us? I doubt it, but we definitely need to give it a try. --- Haha, when I was creating content back in the day, it was even worse. Now I'm just figuring out how to connect directly with fans. That's the mindset of an experienced veteran. --- Middlemen take 80%, creators get the leftovers. I've heard this story so many times that my ears are calloused. --- So everyone, don't just look at the fundraising numbers. See where the money ultimately flows—that's the real truth. --- Web3, direct connection, removing middlemen—all sound good, but I don't know which one is the real opportunity to get on board. Or should I just keep doubling down on Bitcoin for safety?

View OriginalReply0

ColdWalletGuardian

· 01-14 23:58

It's the same old trick again, the platform and intermediaries take all the money, and creators are still working hard Just go directly to Web3, don't wait any longer That's why I've always said to build your own community; fans are your assets 171% growth looks great, but the actual money you get is still that little bit, what a joke The old trick of middlemen making a profit margin, when will it ever be broken Honestly, it's naive to still trust traditional distribution channels for creators I've already figured it out, skipping these intermediaries is the right way

View OriginalReply0

LiquidityOracle

· 01-14 23:49

Middlemen profit from the spread, an eternal truth... Big companies are pouring money into the creator economy, but in the end, the agents take most of it, and creators end up with very little. This logic is truly brilliant.

View OriginalReply0