In the digital age, becoming a social media star is a dream shared by many. Names like MrBeast on YouTube or Ibai on Twitch inspire millions of people to pursue careers as content creators. However, behind the glamour and fame, the reality for most of these creators is a constant struggle to earn a stable income and enough to live.
Currently, many young people aspire to have this type of work when they see the success stories. But the truth is that to get to that point, many factors must come together, such as talent, perseverance, studying the community and luck. Something that few achieve and that is why, although many continue to work as influencers, they do not really have enough income to survive.
Dream vs. reality
The Wall Street Journal tells the story of Clint Brantley, 29, a full-time content creator for three years, who posts videos on TikTok, YouTube and Twitch about “Fortnite.”
Despite boasting more than 400,000 followers and averaging 100,000 views per post,his annual income last year was lower than the median annual salary for full-time workers in the U.S., which according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2023 was $58,084.
Brantley is hesitant to commit to a rental agreement because the income, mostly from online tips and sponsorship deals, comes in randomly and can disappear at any time. Currently, she lives with her mother in Washington state. “I feel vulnerable,” she admits.
The path to earning a decent and reliable income as a content creator is arduous, and it’s getting harder. Platforms are reducing payments for popular posts, and brands are more selective with sponsorships. In addition, the real possibility that TikTok will shut down in 2025 increases creators’ anxiety about their ability to continue in this field in the long term.
According to a 2023 Goldman Sachs report, around 50 million people worldwide earn money as content creators, and this number is expected to grow by 10% to 20% annually until 2028. However, the income is not always high.
NeoReach, an influencer marketing agency, reported that last year 48% of creators earned $15,000 or less, and only 13% exceeded $100,000.
The difficulties of a stable income behind social networks
The job of a content creator is much harder than most people imagine. It requires constant production of engaging publications so as not to lose momentum. They spend their days planning, filming, and editing posts, while also looking to make connections with advertisers and interact with their followers.
“It’s a lot more work than people think. The creators who make a living from this have been doing it for many years. Most of them are not overnight sensations,” says Jasmine Enberg, an analyst at Emarketer.
Like other freelancers, creators don’t receive benefits like paid time off, health coverage, retirement contributions, and other benefits that companies typically offer their workers. This reality, coupled with persistently high inflation and mortgage rates, makes it even harder to get ahead as a creator.
Jason Cooper of Mobile, Alabama, created a puppet called Sock Cop a few years ago, which tells father jokes in live and recorded videos for TikTok and Twitch. Currently, she earns between $500 and $600 a month, almost exclusively from tips.
He thinks he could earn a lot more if he dedicated himself full-time, but with the lack of guarantees, the 37-year-old father doesn’t want to quit his job in marketing and risk losing his health coverage.
Yuval Ben-Hayun, who became popular on TikTok in 2022 for his posts about the Wordle word game, managed to expand into educational and linguistic content, reaching 2.9 million followers. However, although it has a large audience, its revenue has declined. At the beginning of 2023, it was receiving between $200 and $400 for every million views. But he recently only made $120 for a video with 10 million views.
An equally complicated future
A key factor in this whole panorama is the change that platforms have undergone by eliminating their creator funds. TikTok closed its $1 billion fund in 2023 and now has a bounty program with stricter requirements. YouTube has implemented an ad revenue sharing model, but profits are not guaranteed.
On the other hand, advertisers have become more demanding and are looking for evidence of strong engagement, not just large numbers of followers. They prefer to work with a few creators on long-term deals rather than many on one-off projects.
The possible closure of TikTok in the US adds one more uncertainty. Brandon Granberg, a creator known for interacting in fun ways with strangers in public places, fears losing his main source of income. “Losing TikTok would be devastating,” he says.
All of this goes to show that being a content creator may seem like an exciting and lucrative path, but for most, it’s a constant struggle to earn enough income to live on. Between reduced payments from platforms, changing demands from advertisers, and a lack of employment benefits, creators face a road full of challenges.
Although some manage to stand out and earn well, most must face the harsh reality of a volatile and competitive market.
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