How tariffs and economic uncertainty could impact the creator economy

The news: Creators are the largest and fastest-growing job segment within the digital economy, per a new report from the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB).

• There are now 1.5 million full-time equivalent (FTE) digital content creators in the US, up from just 200,000 in 2020. The IAB defines full-time equivalent creators as those earning an annual income of $66,622, the national average wage at the time of the study.
• Digital creators account for 30% of the digital economy's growth in the US, compared with 8% for consumers who are making money from, but not working for, platforms like Uber, DoorDash and Airbnb.
• The number of FTE creators has grown 5 times as fast as the traditional media sector annually since 2020.

Yes, but: Burnout, unpredictable income, and increasing competition are simultaneously prompting many creators to seek more traditional jobs. (We predicted this in our Creator Economy Trends to Watch 2025 report).