The creator economy is the business of people who earn money from content they publish themselves: videos, podcasts, newsletters, social posts, courses and digital products. In 2026 it is a mature advertising and commerce channel rather than a side trend. This page gathers the most useful creator economy statistics for business owners and marketers in Canada and the US, explains what each number means in practice, and lists the original publisher of every figure at the bottom so you can check the latest edition yourself.
Key creator economy statistics at a glance
| Statistic | Figure | Published by |
|---|---|---|
| Global creator economy size, 2023 | About US$250 billion | Goldman Sachs Research (2023) |
| Projected creator economy size, 2027 | Close to US$480 billion | Goldman Sachs Research (2023) |
| Creators worldwide | About 50 million, growing an estimated 10% to 20% a year | Goldman Sachs Research (2023) |
| Paid by YouTube to creators, artists and media companies | More than US$100 billion over four years (2021 to 2024) | YouTube, announced September 2025 |
| Global influencer marketing market | More than US$32.55 billion | Influencer Marketing Hub (2026) |
| US podcast advertising revenue, 2024 | US$2.4 billion, up 26.4% on 2023 | IAB and PwC US Podcast Advertising Revenue Study (2025) |
| Americans 12+ who listened to a podcast in the last month | 55%, a record high | Edison Research, The Infinite Dial 2025 |
| Businesses using video as a marketing tool | 91% | Wyzowl State of Video Marketing 2026 |
| Marketers who say video gives a good return | 82% | Wyzowl State of Video Marketing 2026 |
Canada Create™ plans and runs search, websites and advertising for Canadian businesses.
How big is the creator economy?
Goldman Sachs Research estimated the creator economy at roughly US$250 billion in 2023 and projected it could approach US$480 billion by 2027. That projection rests on two forces: more people treating content creation as paid work, and more advertising and commerce budgets moving to creator channels. The same research put the number of creators worldwide at about 50 million, with growth of 10% to 20% a year.
The estimate covers brand deals, platform payouts, subscriptions, tips, merchandise and the sale of courses and digital products. It is a forecast, not an audited total, so treat it as a sense of scale rather than an exact figure.
What it means for a business
Creators now compete with traditional media for the same budgets and the same attention. For a local or B2B company, the practical question is not whether creators matter but which of three roles you take: hiring creators to reach their audiences, becoming a creator brand yourself through your own video and social channels, or both.
Platform payouts: where creator income comes from
YouTube said in September 2025 that it had paid more than US$100 billion to creators, artists and media companies over the previous four years. That makes advertising revenue sharing the single largest, most predictable income stream for many video creators.
Most creators combine several income streams rather than relying on one platform:
- Platform revenue sharing: ad revenue on long videos and Shorts, plus creator funds on other platforms.
- Brand partnerships: sponsored videos, integrations, affiliate links and ambassador deals.
- Fan payments: memberships, subscriptions, tips and paid communities.
- Products: merchandise, courses, templates, presets and other digital products.
- Services: consulting, coaching, speaking and freelance production.
Creators who own a direct channel, such as an email list or a community platform, are less exposed to algorithm changes than those who rely on a single feed.
Influencer marketing statistics
Influencer Marketing Hub values the global influencer marketing market at more than US$32.55 billion, after years of steady annual growth. Influencer marketing is the brand-paid slice of the creator economy: money companies spend to have creators feature their products or services.
Trends shaping influencer spend in 2026
- Smaller creators, tighter niches: brands increasingly use many small and mid-sized creators whose audiences match a specific customer group, rather than one celebrity post.
- Performance tracking: discount codes, affiliate links and landing pages are now standard so spend can be tied to sales and leads.
- Creator content in ads: brands license creator videos and run them as paid social media ads, which often outperform polished studio creative.
- Ongoing partnerships: repeat collaborations with the same creators build more trust than single posts.
Disclosure rules in Canada and the US
In Canada, the Competition Bureau expects any material connection between a brand and an influencer to be clearly disclosed, and Ad Standards publishes Influencer Marketing Disclosure Guidelines with practical wording such as #ad or #sponsored placed where viewers will see it. In the US, the Federal Trade Commission’s Endorsement Guides set the same principle. Free products, payments, discounts and family or business relationships all count as material connections.
Video marketing statistics
Wyzowl’s State of Video Marketing survey for 2026 reported that 91% of businesses use video as a marketing tool, and 82% of marketers say video has given them a good return. Short vertical video on YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels and TikTok has become the default format for reach, while longer videos on YouTube and websites do the work of explaining services and building trust.
How businesses are using video in 2026
- Explainer and service videos on key website pages.
- Short clips cut from one longer recording to fill a month of social posts.
- Customer story videos, filmed with permission, for sales pages and ads.
- Founder or team videos that put a face to the brand.
If you are choosing tools to produce this content in house, our guide to the best video editing software compares the main options.
Podcast statistics
Edison Research’s Infinite Dial 2025 found podcast listening at a record high in the US, with 55% of Americans aged 12 and over listening to a podcast in the past month and 70% having ever listened. Podcasts are also increasingly watched: 51% of Americans 12+ have watched a podcast, and video podcasts on YouTube and other platforms have become a major part of how people discover shows.
Advertising has followed the audience. The IAB and PwC US Podcast Advertising Revenue Study reported that US podcast ad revenue grew 26.4% in 2024 to US$2.4 billion, after 5.5% growth in 2023. Host-read ads, where the presenter delivers the message in their own voice, remain the format most associated with listener trust.
What it means for a business
For professional services and B2B companies, a podcast is often less about downloads and more about relationships: each guest interview is a conversation with a potential client, partner or referrer, and each episode can be cut into short videos, articles and newsletter content.
The creator economy in Canada
Canadian creators work in the same global platforms as US creators, but a few local factors matter:
- Tax: creator income is generally business income for tax purposes. Once taxable sales pass the CRA’s small supplier threshold of $30,000 over four consecutive calendar quarters, GST/HST registration is required.
- Currency: many platform payouts and brand deals are paid in US dollars, so exchange rates affect real income.
- Bilingual audiences: creators and brands serving Quebec and French-speaking Canadians can reach audiences that English-only content misses.
- Disclosure: Competition Bureau and Ad Standards guidance applies to Canadian brands and creators, as covered above.
How to use these statistics in your marketing plan
- Decide your role: hire creators, become one, or both.
- Pick one primary channel: the platform where your customers already spend time, rather than all of them at once.
- Plan for repurposing: one long video or podcast episode should feed several short clips and posts.
- Track results: use codes, links and landing pages so every creator partnership or video can be tied to enquiries.
- Own the audience: move followers to your email list or community so you are not dependent on one algorithm.
If you want help turning this into a plan, our social media management and videography teams build creator-style content for businesses across Canada and the US.
Common mistakes when reading creator economy statistics
- Mixing forecasts with results: market size figures are estimates; platform payouts and ad revenue studies are reported totals.
- Using global numbers for local decisions: check whether a figure covers the world, the US or Canada before applying it.
- Quoting old editions: most of these reports are annual. Check for the newest edition before citing a number.
- Assuming reach equals sales: large audiences do not turn into enquiries on their own, without clear offers and tracking.
Bottom line
The creator economy is measured in hundreds of billions of dollars, platform payouts alone have passed US$100 billion over four years, and video and podcast audiences are at record levels. For most businesses, the opportunity is to borrow the creator playbook: consistent, personal, useful content on one or two channels, backed by tracking and a direct line to your audience.
References
- Goldman Sachs Research, “The creator economy could approach half-a-trillion dollars by 2027” (2023): goldmansachs.com
- YouTube payout figure reported by CNBC, September 16, 2025: cnbc.com
- Influencer Marketing Hub, influencer marketing market size (2026): influencermarketinghub.com
- IAB and PwC, US Podcast Advertising Revenue Study (April 2025), as reported by Barrett Media: barrettmedia.com
- Edison Research, The Infinite Dial 2025: edisonresearch.com
- Wyzowl, Video Marketing Statistics 2026: wyzowl.com
- Ad Standards, Influencer Marketing Disclosure Guidelines: adstandards.ca
- Canada Revenue Agency, GST/HST small supplier rules: canada.ca
Frequently asked questions
How big is the creator economy in 2026?
Goldman Sachs Research estimated the creator economy at about US$250 billion in 2023 and projected it could approach US$480 billion by 2027. Growth comes from more paid creators and more brand and commerce budgets moving to creator channels.
How many content creators are there?
Goldman Sachs Research put the number of creators worldwide at about 50 million, growing an estimated 10% to 20% a year. Only a minority earn a full-time professional income.
How much has YouTube paid creators?
YouTube said in September 2025 that it had paid more than US$100 billion to creators, artists and media companies over the previous four years.
How big is the influencer marketing industry?
Influencer Marketing Hub values the global influencer marketing market at more than US$32.55 billion. It is the brand-paid part of the wider creator economy.
How many people listen to podcasts?
Edison Research's Infinite Dial 2025 found that 55% of Americans aged 12 and over listened to a podcast in the past month, a record high.
How much do advertisers spend on podcasts?
The IAB and PwC podcast study reported that US podcast ad revenue grew 26.4% in 2024 to US$2.4 billion.
What percentage of businesses use video marketing?
Wyzowl's 2026 survey reported that 91% of businesses use video as a marketing tool, and 82% of marketers say it gives them a good return.
Do influencers in Canada have to disclose sponsored posts?
Yes. The Competition Bureau expects material connections to be clearly disclosed, and Ad Standards publishes Influencer Marketing Disclosure Guidelines with wording such as #ad placed where viewers will see it.
Do Canadian creators have to charge GST/HST?
Once taxable sales pass the $30,000 small supplier threshold over four consecutive calendar quarters, GST/HST registration is required. Speak with an accountant about your situation.
How can a small business use the creator economy?
Hire creators whose audiences match your customers, publish your own video and social content, or both. Track every partnership with codes or links, and see our social media management service for help.
