A near-ban on TikTok in the US. Vine shutting down. Instagram going dark for six hours.
These are just a few of the many wake-up calls the creator economy has faced over the years. Each is a reminder that many creators build their businesses on platforms they don’t control. If something goes wrong, they have no way to reach their followers, make good on brand deals or in some cases, keep their businesses running.
Jo Burford, head of creator marketing for EMEA at Edelman, estimates that about 70% of Vine creators’ careers disappeared overnight when Twitter shut down Vine. Burford was working at Twitter at the time.
But diversifying to platforms where creators have more ownership over their audience and income isn’t just about hedging against a potential disaster: It’s about creating a valuable and sustainable business.
“I always like to say to creators, your YouTube channel or your Instagram page is the marketing arm of your business,” said Tyler Chou, a lawyer focused on the creator economy who runs Tyler Chou Law for Creators and advisory firm CreatorArq M&A. “But what is your business? Most creators don’t have a business.”
Diversification could also better set creators up for exits. Buyers, such as private equity firms or studios, are less interested in data like follower counts and more focused on whether a creator has multiple revenue streams that go beyond income from social platforms, according to Chou.
“They don’t want you to just be a tenant to YouTube,” she said of potential acquirers.
Burford and Chou, along with Renée Kaplan, the head of Substack partnerships in France, were part of a conversation about audience ownership that Kaya moderated at tech conference VivaTech in Paris last month. Here are the key takeaways.
Ownership Comes in Different Forms
Newsletters (like this one!) and other email lists are obvious examples. They let creators reach their audience directly, with no algorithm in the way. Plus, virtually every newsletter provider from Substack to Beehiiv allows creators to take their lists with them if they want to leave. (That’s one reason why it seems like everyone has a newsletter these days, as we discussed on last week’s podcast.)
Creators can also launch physical brands, roll out technical products like apps or ink media deals that allow them to retain or co-own their IP. Some YouTubers like Markiplier have been able to self-finance and direct movies that went into theaters. Still, creators typically have to reach a certain level of scale before these become viable options.
Then, there’s the slew of community apps from Patreon to Circle that allow creators of any size to connect with their most engaged audiences. Slack and WhatsApp groups have also become popular among B2B creators. But not all of these communities are directly monetizable and there are only a small number of creators who can rely on income from fan memberships.
Only 9% of creators’ monthly income came from subscriptions and 5% came from selling their own merchandise, according to November 2025 data from the Consumer Technology Association. Meanwhile, 43% came from ads, sponsorships and affiliate links.
It’s Not An Either-Or Decision
On average, creators make their content available on roughly six different platforms and monetize about four of them, according to the CTA’s research. Many of these are social platforms.
That’s because social media remains critical for creators to share content, grow their audiences, and get discovered by new fans. It’s still where all the eyeballs are!
Social media is also where most creators make the bulk of their ad and sponsorship income: Influencer marketing spending on social media alone is expected to reach about $13 billion this year, per EMARKETER.
Kaplan said that launching a newsletter doesn’t mean creators walk away from social media. “There are enormous benefits to the reach that platforms give you,” she said. “It’s not either or.”
The key, though, is for creators to use social media to help drive people toward assets they own, instead of treating it as their only business.
The Metrics That Matter
Social media apps have increasingly become driven by algorithms, which has made follower counts less important. That’s spurring debate in the industry over what carries the most weight now, from shares and comments to what counts as a respectable number.
Increasingly, the creator economy is leaning toward quality over quantity. But the actual figures can vary by industry, platform and type of content.
Chou says 100,000 followers on Instagram or YouTube is a solid baseline, unless the creator is a niche expert like a doctor, where she says they’d need 10,000 or above.
But Chou argues that views are more important than follower counts. “On YouTube, if your last five videos got you above 10,000 views, that’s an indicator to a brand that your audience is watching you and actually listening,” she said.
Substack, meanwhile, considers 100 paid subscribers enough for a publication to be labeled a “best seller,” according to Kaplan. Successful WhatsApp or Slack communities also tend to be smaller, ranging from 300 to 5,000, Burford said.
Sorry to anyone hoping for a silver bullet!
Brand Buzz
Gap Inc. expanded its creator program to include employees, following other brands like Starbucks. Staff can now earn commissions when promoting the retailer’s brands, which also include Old Navy, Banana Republic and Athleta.
Moves like these signal a major shift in influencer marketing. Brands previously didn’t want employees to post about their work in case the content put the company in a negative light, but now brands are paying them to post. That goes hand-in-hand with a shift in attitudes toward brand safety—and a glow up for affiliate marketing: Spending is expected to reach nearly $14 billion in the US this year, with growth outpacing that of retail ecommerce overall, per EMARKETER.
As more brands formalize marketing relationships with their employees, we’re curious to know what the content guidelines look like—and what happens if creators don’t adhere to them. We’re also curious to see how these efforts pay off both for brands and the employees.
The Kansas City Chiefs launched its first creator program called “Kingdom Creators” in an effort to deepen fan engagement. The application-only program will initially launch with a group of 30 creators and the roster will include established Chiefs creators, Chiefs fans with engaged followings and emerging creators.
The Round Up
Patreon laid off 20% of staff, or 93 employees, CEO Jack Conte wrote in a blog post on Thursday. He called the membership startup’s business “healthy and strong,” but said the move is intended to “flatten” the organization and refocus teams on top priorities, such as improving the user experience and helping creators grow. Larger tech giants like Meta have also been laying off middle managers. Conte was also careful to call out that the layoffs were not because the company believes “AI replaces humans.”
Substack announced an integration with AI detection firm Pangram, which helps users estimate how much content on Substack’s app, including posts and comments, is generated by AI. “We’re sick of slop and we don’t want Substack to turn into LinkedIn,” Substack CEO Chris Best wrote on X. Ouch.
The Roost Podcast Network, owned by Night, relaunched as Podium and is focusing on video shows. It also announced a deal with creator Trisha Paytas, to bring her podcast “Just Trish” to the network.
Deals, Deals, Deals
Passionfroot, a German startup offering a marketplace to connect B2B creators with brands, raised $15 million in Series A funding led by Insight Partners. The startup’s co-founder and CEO Jen Phan will also move from Berlin to New York to open an office and expand the company’s US presence.
Yope, a new private social network with no algorithms, ads or public content, raised $12.3 million in funding led by venture capital firm Northzone. The app is focused on “micro communities,” or small groups of friends and family members who can chat in private or even play games.
⚽By the Numbers: World Cup Edition
The World Cup final on Sunday drew more than 62.8 million viewers in the U.S., making it the most-watched soccer telecast ever in the country, Axios reported.
We broke down social media’s biggest winners and losers of the World Cup on Thursday’s podcast. Spoiler alert: We weren’t impressed by the content from creators who were at the games.
We also discuss what FIFA’s restrictive and fragmented approach could mean for creator strategies at sports leagues and teams moving forward. Watch below on YouTube or tune in anywhere you get your podcasts.
Regulatory Woes (And Wins)
Meta will avoid a trial in a second teen addiction lawsuit after the plaintiff dropped the case on Wednesday. The teen plaintiff had previously settled with YouTube, TikTok and Snap. But another trial is underway for Meta in Tennessee, with the state claiming that Instagram’s design has harmed young people’s mental health.
TikTok’s Chief Security Officer Will Farrell will testify before a US House committee on September 15 over Chinese involvement in the app. It will be the first public testimony in the US House from TikTok since the company spun off its US operations into a joint venture earlier this year.
Creator Moves
Pinterest brought back its Inclusion Fund, which gives new creators grants, coaching, training and other benefits.
YouTube partnered with psychologist and parenting expert Dr. Becky Kennedy on an exclusive video series with tech advice for families, including screentime and healthy boundaries.
Drew Afualo is bringing her pop culture podcast “The Comment Section” to Acast. Full episodes will be available on YouTube and other podcasting services. The show had been exclusive to Spotify since 2023.
PAVE Studios, an entertainment company that builds video shows with creators, announced new talent joining its roster, including true crime creator Kimbyrleigha, attorney Reb Masel, podcast host Emma Klipstein, journalist Alexis Linkletter and former CIA officer and FBI agent Tracy Walder.
Ryan Bartlow, the New York chef, will join food media company Caper as its “Chef in Residence.” He’ll be paid to write a column twice a month about the behind-the-scenes of being a restaurant owner and chef. Bartlow will also appear in video content on social media and participate in Caper events.
We spoke to Caper CEO and co-founder Max Tcheyan on a previous Scalable episode about building the company, including how he chooses writers and topics.
Microdrama Mania
Paramount+ is planning to add microdramas to its app in the coming months, Business Insider reported. Soon you’ll be able to scroll through Paramount+ shows on your phone while watching a Paramount+ show on your TV!
WWE is partnering with microdrama app ReelShort on a microdrama that will include wrestling stars Drew McIntyre, Joe Hendry and Jacob Fatu.
Talent Tracker
Ryan Schram was named the first executive director of Syracuse University’s new Center for the Creator Economy. His past roles include COO at influencer marketing company IZEA and managing partner for advisory firm Particle Wave, which counsels companies on navigating the creator economy.
Syracuse’s academic center will launch this fall, alongside a new minor in the creator economy. In April, Jasmine hosted a live recording of Scalable at Syracuse’s satellite campus in Los Angeles, discussing how to effectively design a college degree for creators.
Stacy Martinet is now Adobe’s first-ever chief content and creative officer. Previously, she was the company’s vice president of marketing and communications.
Chris Rojas joined TopFan as chief revenue officer and senior vice president of creators. The fan monetization platform that works with sports teams like the Denver Broncos and celebrities like Pitbull, recently opened up its platform to independent creators.
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to reflect Martinet’s correct new title.
