Exclusive: Digital creator jobs jump 7.5x since pandemic
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The number of people with full-time equivalent jobs as digital creators in the U.S. jumped from 200,000 in 2020 to 1.5 million in 2024, according to a new report.
Why it matters: Creators are now the largest and fastest-growing segment of the 28.4 million internet-dependent jobs in the U.S.
By the numbers: The study, which is published every four years by the Interactive Advertising Bureau and written in conjunction with Harvard Business School professor emeritus John Deighton, found creator jobs have grown 7.5x since 2020.
- Creator media revenue is growing five times the rate of the traditional media sector, the researchers found.
- The internet-supported economy of $4.9 trillion accounts for 18% of U.S. GDP, up from 2% in 2008, and is the leading driver of GDP growth, according to the report.
Zoom out: Creator job growth is driven by new tools and services that have lowered the bar of entry for making and monetizing online content.
- Newer platforms like Substack and Beehiiv allow individuals to easily launch and monetize their own online publications.
- Apps like ByteDance's CapCut — and more recently Instagram's Edits — enable creators to quickly edit and publish videos.
How it works: More consumer choice is driving creator job growth, Leora Kornfeld, principal research consultant and co-author of the study, told Axios.
- "You decide what's good, not hierarchies or intermediaries. We heard about that decades ago with the internet, but now there are actual business cases attached to it," Kornfeld said, noting the abundance of new songs and videos uploaded online every day.
- More ad dollars are also going to digital platforms, streaming services and online publishers that personalize content recommendations.
The big picture: The digital economy has expanded from technical jobs like coding to creative jobs like content creation and service jobs like food delivery — both of which make up the bulk of new internet jobs.
- Creators building businesses through content and community comprise 30% of new digital economy jobs generated since 2020.
- Individuals on service platforms like Uber, DoorDash, and Airbnb make up 8% of new digital economy jobs generated since 2020.
Between the lines: The IAB commissions the report to educate legislators on the growing importance of the digital economy as they create and amend legislation, said Chris Bruderle, vice president of industry insights and content strategy at IAB.
- "Each of the congressional districts in the United States, from big to small ... has people, a not insignificant amount of people, whose jobs rely on the digital economy," Bruderle said.
- He said the report also serves to educate the group's members. IAB's membership includes internet giants like Google, Meta and Amazon alongside media companies like Disney, NBCUniversal and Netflix.
What we're watching: The growing creator economy has attracted more investment dollars and spurred acquisitions from traditional companies.
- The report noted Publicis bought creator-focused agency Influential, and Live Nation acquired a majority stake in creator-focused talent management firm Timeline.
Go deeper: "No-code" miracle for startups
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional details about the new digital jobs created.
