YouTube released a report on Tuesday showing how influential the creator economy is.
According to a survey by Oxford Economics, YouTube said its creative ecosystem contributed more than $55 billion to US GDP, supporting more than 490,000 full-time jobs.
When YouTube talks about its creative ecosystem, it’s not just about creators. This includes people who work with YouTube creators (video editors, assistants, public relations officers) and those who work for creator-oriented companies (such as Patreon, Spotter, Linktree).
But these numbers continue to grow, even when venture capitalists aren’t putting their money into the industry like they did around four years ago.
In 2022, YouTube and Oxford Economics reported that their creative ecosystem created approximately 390,000 jobs and donated more than $35 billion to US GDP.
These numbers are very large as YouTube offers the most consistent and advantageous opportunities for creators. Those qualifying for the YouTube partner program can earn 55% of their revenue from advertising. Even mid-distance creators (not the world’s Mrbeasts) can go up to thousands of dollars a month. Tiktok and YouTube shorts have tried to monetize the platform, but the industry has not found a way to ensure that advertising revenue is distributed among short story creators.
As both a rapidly growing and often misunderstood sector, creators have defended American institutions, from banks to government, to improve their industry. Some creators struggle to qualify for a business credit card or obtain a specific business loan, regardless of their demonstrable financial solvency.
These issues have become common enough to attract attention. Last week, US representatives Yvette Clark (D-NY) and Beth Van Doin (R-TX) announced the bipartisan Congressional Creators Caucus to support and recognize the potential of the creator economy.