Social Rising

Understanding the Creator Economy

What is the Creator Economy? We interviewed 3 authors to explain it to us.

Social Rising’s mission is to connect the creator economy and inform people about it. We recently hosted a virtual event where we discussed the key players in the creator economy and how they work together. Our conversation with Gwarlan (author of Réussir son marketing d'influence), Gordon (author of Influencer Marketing Strategy), and Jason (author of Winfluence) happened on December 4th, 2025 and was an incredible opportunity to discuss the ecosystem.

by Kristýna, Jochen & Matteo.

What is the Creator Economy? We interviewed 3 authors to explain it to us.

Here are the points that we identified as most important from the discussion:

Who is part of the creator economy?

Before understanding how the ecosystem works, it’s important to know who participates in it. The main groups include:

  • Creators: Nothing works without the creator. People who spend their time creating content and sharing it on social media.
  • Talent managers/agency: They help creators build long-term value, negotiate partnerships, and grow sustainably. Talent managers can significantly influence a creator’s business, which is why choosing the right one (often taking around 20% of revenue) is essential.
  • Consultants: Consultants—like Gordon and Jason—work with creators, brands, and agencies to define best practices, improve marketing efforts, and structure effective influencer strategies.
  • Marketing software: Tools that support creator analytics, campaign management, and monetization.
  • Platforms: TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, X, and others form the backbone of distribution. As discussed, creators should not depend on a single platform—especially in a world where platform bans or algorithm shifts can happen at any time.
  • Brand/Retailers: They collaborate with creators for campaigns, long-term partnerships, and user-generated content. Increasingly, brands want not just reach, but frequency, authenticity, and even content they can repurpose on their own channels.

How do they work together?

  • Creators work with brands through collaborations, gifting strategies, ambassador programs, or long-term partnerships.
  • Creators work with agencies/talent managers who help them access opportunities and grow their businesses.
  • Consultants work with brands to design influencer strategies, assess talent, and ensure campaigns align with business goals.
  • Platforms partner with creators offering tools, programs, and support to help them grow (e.g., TikTok talent managers).
  • Agencies coordinate between creators and brands, ensuring smooth communication and strategic alignment.

Strategies on how to make a living through social media

  • The panel highlighted several key strategies for creators building sustainable careers:
    Create great content — the foundation of everything.
  • Stay consistent — posting regularly and tracking performance is essential.
  • Understand your niche — analyze at least 10 competitors and 10 pieces of their content to identify what works.
  • Use multiple monetization models — brand deals, Patreon/membership models, e-commerce, long-term partnerships, and more.
  • Take your business seriously — treat content creation like a real profession: plan, batch content, and develop a long-term strategy.
  • Know when to say YES/NO — avoiding over-commercialization is key to maintaining authenticity.
  • Adapt constantly — the creator economy changes daily. With AI rising, creators must differentiate themselves through authenticity, creativity, and strategic positioning.
  • Prepare for platform uncertainty — diversify across platforms to protect your brand.

The future points toward more professional creator-entrepreneurs, more B2B influencers, the rise of UGC campaigns, and an evolving landscape shaped heavily by AI, e-commerce, and the ongoing battle for creator talent.

Berlin, Dec. 20 2025.
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