The Creator Pulse: the creator economy right now

With over 50 million creators and numerous content creation tools, it’s no surprise the creator economy is ever evolving. While Forbes has labeled 2022 as the year to watch the creator economy, the industry’s constant change makes it difficult and overwhelming to stay on top of trends. Let’s cut through the noise together - Kajabi is here to help you make meaningful sense of the creator economy right now.

At the beginning of the year, we explored the big picture of the industry in the State of the Creator Economy, tackling the history of the creator economy, market size and growth, and COVID-19’s impact. Now as we move into the third quarter of the year, it’s time to check in again on the creator economy. This time around, we wanted to know more about the heart of the creator economy - creators themselves. Thus, we “took the pulse” of active customers on Kajabi, surveying them on their businesses and experiences as a creator.

The first-party survey data from knowledge creators has been compiled into The Creator Pulse, a quarterly report that provides current updates on trends and challenges in the creator economy. In doing so, it aims to help current creators, future knowledge creators, and anyone with a stake in the industry stay informed and grow a successful business.

TL;DR

(You should still read it, but here are some of the key takeaways.)

We asked creators about their online businesses including content they create, monetization strategies, and digital products they have. Here are some of the most compelling highlights we found:

• Around 51% of creators said they started their online business because they wanted to be their own boss.
• The top three industries creators are in include personal development, business and marketing, and health and wellness.
• One in three creators who work full time are making over six figures per year.
• Seventy-four percent of creators said social media was where they interacted with their audience the most.
• Thirty-two percent of creators with a community make $10k-$49k while 19% make $100k-$249k. This is the largest percentage of that income tier for any digital product.

Didn’t find what you’re looking for here? The full report answers even more questions like:

• How many creators are monetizing on social media platforms?
• Where else are creators connecting with their audience?
• What types of in-person offerings are returning to the industry?

Don’t miss a beat — get the full report!

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Creator takeaways: turn data into action

Rich data is great. However, if you don’t know how to utilize it, it isn’t worth a dime. 

In the report, you’ll not only learn about the latest creator trends but also actionable insights you can apply to your personal brand and business.

Here’s an example.

Eighty-two percent of survey respondents reported they only post organic/free social media content, while just 5% take third-party sponsorships on social media posts. These numbers can clearly illustrate the common theme of creators struggling to directly monetize on social media platforms.

What can you take away from this data? 

Selling digital products outside of social media is essential to your success in the creator economy. Spending hours creating Instagram Reels or TikToks is good for audience building, but your online courses, coaching programs, and membership sites are where you’ll see the most cash flow. 

We’ve got more actionable takeaways where this one came from - read the full report today!

Methodology

The insights in this survey are first-party data. We sent a survey to over 10,000 active Kajabi customers between June 2nd - June 7th of 2022. The sample size included 528 complete responses with a 95% confidence interval and a 5% margin of error. Please note we cannot access email data from customers using an alternative email marketing service, and we cannot capture revenue numbers for any transactions or revenue processed outside of the Kajabi platform. All data is for general analytical use only. Individual responses are confidential, and we do not share the identity publicly or with third parties. 

For access to data or to discuss a collaboration, please email media@kajabi.com.