In the late 1990s, Web 2.0 ushered in an era of user-generated content and interactivity, and the rise of mobile contributed to always-on internet consumption. The phenomenon of the creator economy has been growing for more than a decade, but its roots can be traced back even earlier. With this tech, creators are able to build personal brands, attract viewers, and earn money. This includes everything from content creation apps to ecommerce-enabled social media platforms and monetization tools like Patreon.
The easel to this canvas is yet another group of entrepreneurs-the founders building the technology that scaffolds this economy. An estimated 50 million influencers, artists, curators, and community builders make up the creator economy. The creator economy refers to a type of business run by online content creators who monetize their audiences through paid partnerships, ad revenue, tipping platforms, and product sales. And with lines between the creator economy and entrepreneurship blurring, independent creators are having a moment. Many are now anchoring their brands to owned channels and building platform-agnostic communities.
Monetization tools soon followed, and the audience-first business was born. Platforms like Twitch, Patreon, and TikTok democratized distribution and enabled creators to reach audiences directly. But in the past decade, a new, digitally native playing field emerged, allowing creators to become their own publishers. Once, a few large media companies, music labels, and publishers owned the creator-to-fan pipeline, deciding who and what audiences see, and wielding financial power over creators and their content. With lines between the creator economy and entrepreneurship blurring, independent creators are having a moment. This is the creator economy, where stars are self-made in suburban living rooms and millions of fans peek through the curtains. And a gamer on Twitch streams a battle royale to thousands from her bedroom.
On Instagram Live, a globally revered musician hosts an intimate concert. A YouTube stuntman buries himself alive for 24 hours in a box stuffed with provisions-and a camera.
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