Digital creator—a job en vogue

Working to monetize content for internet strangers has never been more popular. Online creator jobs have grown 7.5x since 2020, according to a newly released recurring study, published every four years by the Interactive Advertising Bureau and written in conjunction with Harvard Business School professor emeritus John Deighton.

Per the report:

• The number of people in the US with full-time equivalent jobs as digital creators increased from 200,000 in 2020 to 1.5 million in 2024.
• Creators are now the largest and fastest-growing segment of the 28.4 million internet-dependent jobs in the US, while creator media revenue is growing 5x the rate of the traditional media sector.

Decide to change careers in the morning, creating by lunch

The trend is being driven in part by the availability of platforms like Beehiiv or Substack, which streamline the process of launching and monetizing online publications. And apps like ByteDance's CapCut or Instagram's Edits also enable creators to quickly edit and publish videos.

The desire is there: 57% of Gen Z and 41% of adults overall would like to put on makeup while telling stories to a camera be influencers, according to 2023 Morning Consult data.

Newsletter callback: The internet-supported economy accounts for 18% of US GDP, up from 2% in 2008. It’s now the leading driver of GDP growth.