💵 Getting paid in the creator economy without burnout

Issue #360

If this issue were a health check on the creator economy I’d say the prognosis is good. Incomes are diversifying, the big advertisers are getting serious about what is going on and while we’re all working hard it’s important to remember to take a break every now and then. If you’re doing good work your fans won’t mind, they might even miss you. Happy Thursday, Simon.

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How are creators getting paid?

A new report has attempted to break down the future of the creator economy. There’s a lot of insights (including 94% of creators believing the right music is crucial to content success) but how creators are actually making a living. 95% of full-time and part-time creators are actively engaging their audience through direct-to-fan models. This is a strategic shift, moving away from relying solely on platforms towards building more stable, direct relationships with the audience. Income streams in the economy are diversifying too with creators making money from live streaming (32%), ads (29%), fan subscriptions (27%), platform creator funds (27%) and brand partnerships (27%). There’s more than one way to get paid in the creator economy.

Creators, advertisers want you

It’s official, ad revenue generated from UGC and creator platforms will surpass the amount earned from professionally produced content this year. It looks like brands are feeling more comfortable spending their money on platforms and creators, than expensive traditional advertising agencies. This would explain why creator and retail platform, Button, announced the launch of Creator Media at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity this week. Put simply the tool connects campaigns with relevant content and at the click of a button the campaign is activated with that content. Creators don’t even need to consider the brands - it’s a content first strategy.

Creation isn’t a 24/7 job

While there are a lot of opportunities for creators at the moment, this doesn’t mean they need to be “chronically online”. While some creators may see it as a badge of honour being social all the time, it isn’t healthy. Professional creators know what works with their audience so they don’t need to be constantly chasing the latest viral hit. They also know, meaningful content is more effective than fast content. Essentially social media reflects culture, it’s not the source. Taking a break gives you clear thinking, a fresh creative perspective and real work experience. They’re the tools for successful content.

Cool Tools

We've all done the thing where you put on headphones as a universal "please don't talk to me" sign, but it only has about a 50% success rate. I came across a neat little gadget that feels like a more direct solution: a small desktop box with a customisable pixel display that acts as a focus timer. It’s the perfect, quiet signal for the open-office introvert that you’re in the zone, but with actual digital backup. And for anyone who loves to tinker, the whole thing is open-source and smart home ready.

Hot Tips

If you've been wondering how to get that AI narrator voice for your own TikToks, the tip is pretty simple: most people are using CapCut. Just upload your video, type out what you want the voice to say, and hit the "Text to speech” button. It's the easiest way to make your trip to the fridge sound like a pivotal scene in a movie.

Viral Hits

The AI narrator trend feels like we're all just leaning into our collective desire to be the main character, even if our "story arc" for the day is just successfully making coffee before our first Zoom call. That slightly robotic, overly sincere AI voice becomes our personal bard, turning everyday struggles into heroic quests. It's a fun, fleeting way to romanticise the routine, and the narrator seems to be a surprisingly good sport about narrating our questionable life choices with unwavering gravitas.

Stuff from us

Office moves can be a huge logistical feat, but we've been enjoying the way Prudential is documenting their shift to the new Labrador Tower. Through a fun series of short Reels, they're showcasing the small, human moments of transition and team spirit as their corporate teams and ‘One Agency’ settle in together under one roof. It’s a clever way of showing, not just telling, how they're building a new, unified culture in real-time.

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Happy Thursday

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This week’s newsletter was written by Tim Colman and Simon Kearney (we’d love to hear your comments). Edited by Jeko Iqbal Reza and Andre Howson . GIF produced by Bayu Wisena .