The creator economy isn’t what it was even five years ago. Back in the day, being a YouTuber or influencer felt a bit niche or even like a side hustle. Now, in 2025, we’re looking at a whole new world.
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There are an estimated 200 million people creating content in some form around the globe, up from just 60,000 full-time creators a decade ago. The industry is now worth around $250 billion globally (Goldman Sachs via The Leap, 2025). It’s grown up, and with that comes new challenges, smarter strategies, and more heart.
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On Tuesday 25th March 2025, this year’s bCreator Awards judges, including our own Co-founder & Director, Beckii Flint, came together for the bCreator Creator Economy Panel. The session brought together a stellar lineup of voices shaping the future of the creator economy:
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• Alice Audley, Founder of bCreator
• Ben Webster, Director of Programme Publicity, ITV
• Eleanor Neale, Creator
• Rajarshi Lahiri, Head of Creator Partnerships, YouTube UK
• Jessica Joseph, Founder of Season25
• Shabaz Says, Creator
  
  

From Perfection to Personality

As Shabaz said at the recent bCreator Economy Panel: “Less perfection, more authenticity.” That really sums up where things are headed. People are tired of overly polished, perfect content. They want real stories and real people.
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Creators like Eleanor Neale and Shabaz shared how platforms like YouTube allow them to show depth and vulnerability in a way short-form content can’t always manage. This kind of comfort content, chilled vlogs, storytelling you can watch while doing the washing, helps audiences feel connected and seen.
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A 2024 survey backs this up, with 61% of consumers saying they prefer influencers who feel genuine and relatable (Firework, 2024). Similarly, 77% of social media users said they’d rather see influencer content than brand ads (IZEA, 2025). Even MrBeast has said he’s shifting away from super-fast edits to more personality-driven videos, and it's working: “This past year I’ve slowed down our videos, focused on storytelling... and our views have skyrocketed!” (MrBeast, 2024).
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YouTube Is Still the Go-To

Raj from YouTube UK nailed it when he said: “YouTube is accessible to everyone, at every stage.” And that’s the magic of it. Eleanor mentioned how short-form can flatten nuance, but long-form lets her tell real stories with room for complexity. And audiences are loving it.
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YouTube isn’t just a video platform,it’s a space to build trust. It still boasts over 2.5 billion monthly users, and it's the most trusted social platform for Gen Z, with 59% citing it as trustworthy compared to just 22% for TikTok (LinkedIn/YouGov, 2023).
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YouTube’s long-form content builds deeper relationships. Viewers now spend around 48.7 minutes a day on the platform (DataReportal, 2024). Unlike short clips that fade fast, YouTube videos can remain relevant and continue gaining views for years.
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Creator Marketing is About Real Relationships

Ben from ITV summed this up perfectly: “Creator marketing isn’t just a media channel,it’s about relationships.” This idea kept popping up at the panel. Brands and creators need to trust each other. The best campaigns come from collaborations where both sides are aligned on values and story,not just impressions.
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Eleanor talked about her partnership with Gymshark: true crime and women’s safety might not seem like a match, but it worked beautifully because the brand cared about the message, not just the metrics. As Ben said, “Real engagement isn’t driven by scripts, but by trust.”
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And that trust pays off: 63% of consumers say they’re more likely to buy from a creator they trust than from a brand ad (Dash Hudson, 2024). Long-term partnerships also deliver better results. Many brands now run always-on influencer programmes rather than one-off campaigns.
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Platform Power: Where Your People Are

Each platform has its place now. TikTok is brilliant for reach, and discovering new audiences. Instagram is for community and can be a place where your audience already lives. And YouTube? That’s where you build. As Shabaz put it, creators want to “go back to long-form” because it allows them to be themselves and tell their stories. Short-form content can leave much open to interpretation, whereas long-form can allow creators to make themselves clearer.  But whilst, short-form is quicker, and often less polished,  it’s all about finding balance.
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Here’s a quick summary of the platform vibes:
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• TikTok: Best for viral reach and discoverability. Great if you want to grow quickly or start a trend.
• Instagram: Perfect for maintaining relationships and building community. Great for Stories, polls and DMs.
• YouTube: Ideal for trust, storytelling and longevity. The place for long-form, nuanced content.

It’s no longer about picking one, it’s about using each intentionally, based on what your audience wants and how they engage.
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New Ways to Make Money

Jess from Season25 was spot on: “Creators are now owning their audiences,and their income.” It’s no longer just about brand deals. Platforms like Patreon, YouTube Memberships, and even paid newsletters are giving creators more control over their income.
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In fact, 67% of creators now sell products or services, and direct monetisation is growing fast (The Leap, 2025). Patreon alone sees creators earning over $100 million a month from fans (EcommerceBonsai, 2024). And OnlyFans paid creators more than $5 billion in 2022. Whether it's fan subscriptions, merch, or online courses,creators are building sustainable income streams.
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Jess also mentioned the rise of the business influencer - creators who are thinking like entrepreneurs and building income beyond algorithms. But it’s not all smooth sailing. As she noted, "Earnings feel more volatile and sporadic than ever before." With economic shifts and ad budgets tightening, income can fluctuate, so having multiple revenue streams is key.
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AI in the Mix: A Tool, Not a Threat

AI came up too, and the consensus was clear: it’s a tool, not a replacement. Raj said: “AI should unburden the repetitive tasks so creators can focus on creativity.” Eleanor uses AI for subtitles and translation, making her content more accessible. But she warned against using it for visuals or video generation, saying it can feel "soulless."
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Shabaz made a great point: "AI can be a great skeleton, but human touch must shape the final result."
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A 2024 study found 84% of creators use AI tools, mainly for productivity,editing, subtitles, and content planning (Business Insider, 2024). But fewer are using it for actual creation, and many are cautious about overusing it. 49% worry about losing originality, and creators are learning to balance tech with personal flair.
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What Brands Still Get Wrong

This was a biggie. So many creators shared their frustrations about tight deadlines, creative restrictions, and then… radio silence or late payments. Shabaz described it well: brands want you to deliver fast but don’t pay on time. Jess echoed this, saying the system needs a reset.
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As Eleanor said, creators are "feeling empowered to push back." And rightly so. If creators are expected to act professionally, they should be treated like professionals too.
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Nearly 48% of creators were paid late in 2024, with over one-third waiting more than a month past the agreed date (Lumanu, 2024). And 55% said they’d refuse to work with a brand again if payment was late. Creators aren’t just being picky,they’re setting healthy boundaries, and the industry is finally starting to respect that.
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Final Thought

Alice Audley, founder of bCreator, said it best: “We are a human industry.” Behind every post, video, or campaign is a person telling a story. And in a world of automation and AI, that human spark is what stands out.
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And remember this gem from Ben: “60% of what we watch is still driven by personal recommendation.” That’s the power of real people, sharing what they love.
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Here’s to a creator economy that’s more honest, more empowered, and more human than ever. 🫰
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Sources:

Firework 2024, Firework Influencer Stats (2024)​ (firework.com)

LinkedIn/YouGov 2023, LinkedIn/YouGov Gen Z Survey 2023 (linkedin.com)

The Leap 2025, Goldman Sachs via The Leap – Creator economy market size $250B (2023) ​(theleap.co)

Dash Hudson 2024, Dash Hudson (Traackr data) (dash.app)

Business Insider 2024, (Epidemic Sound study) (businessinsider.com)

Lumanu 2024, Lumanu Influencer Payment Survey 2024 ​ (lumanu.com)

DataReportal 2024, Backlinko (DataReportal) (backlinko.com)

EcommerceBonsai 2024, (Patreon Stats 2025) (ecommercebonsai.com)

bCreator Panel 2025

The Social Shepherd 2025,(YouTube Stats 2025) (sproutsocial.com)

IZEA 2025, IZEA “Trust in Influencer Marketing” Report 2025 (globenewswire.com)

MrBeast/X 2024, MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson) via X/Twitter (benzinga.com)