In the ever-evolving digital world, creators have a lot of platforms at their fingertips to invest in. Each platform offers unique opportunities, features, and audiences. Not every platform is a great fit for every creator, but the right platform for the right creator can change someone's life by giving them a loyal following and monetization opportunities.
Here, we'll cover all the various platforms and major opportunities creators might want to stay up to date with. In particular, given that social media platforms are algorithmically driven platforms, their small changes impact large swaths of creators in really meaningful ways. Staying updated with the latest trends, features, and best practices for each platform is crucial for creators looking to maximize their reach and impact.
Let's dive into some of the top platforms and opportunities for creators in 2023.
The short-form video platform that took the world by storm. With its algorithm-driven feed, TikTok offers creators a chance to go viral and reach global audiences. With over 1 billion monthly[1] active users, including more than 150 million users in America, TikTok is here to stay and only becoming more powerful despite regulatory fears of a non-America platform having such deep social influence.
For creators, though, TikTok is a gold mine to build a following, and to ultimately monetize. The platform has more than 5 million businesses and is just getting started with its monetization ambition. They recently announced TikTok Shops and are building out a deeper affiliate functionality to connect creators and brands. The next few years will be exciting for TikTok, which means most creators should have a plan for how they want to incorporate this short video platform into their personal plans.
Learn more about TikTok here, including the Top 50 TikTok Creators, and Learning From Success of The Biggest TikTok Creators like Addison Rae and Charli D'Amelio.
The video-sharing platform that has become synonymous with online video content.
As of 2023, YouTube boasts more than 2.70 billion active users[1], making it a dominant force in the online world. With its vast user base, YouTube offers creators a platform to reach a global audience, share their content, and build a dedicated following.
For creators, YouTube presents significant opportunities, from ad revenue to brand partnerships, which tend to have the highest CPMs on YouTube. The platform's algorithm is designed to promote content that engages users, making it essential for creators to produce high-quality, engaging videos. With features like Super Chat and Channel Memberships, creators have additional avenues to monetize their content directly from their audience.
The next few years are poised to be transformative for YouTube, with the platform continuously evolving to cater to the needs of its creators and users. Whether you're a seasoned YouTuber or just starting out, it's crucial to stay updated with the platform's latest features and trends to maximize your growth and revenue potential.
There's a ton of insights from successful creators around things like the Best Thumbnail Strategies, How Much YouTubers Make, and even How to Create Faceless YouTube Channels. We'll dig into all of it for you.
A visual storytelling behemoth, Instagram is an essential part of every day lift and creators are a central piece of the experience. Owned by Meta, and with over 2 billion monthly users, it's a hub for all types of content from photos to Reels with every imaginable community present.
For creators, Instagram is more than just sharing photos; it's about monetization and brand partnerships. With features like Instagram Shopping and influencer whitelisting, the platform is evolving to better serve creators. As Instagram continues to innovate, creators should strategize on leveraging its tools for growth and revenue.
Dive deeper into Instagram's offerings in our guide: Instagram for Creators. Also, explore insights from the Top 50 Instagram Creators.
Twitch is the leading live streaming platform. It has become synonymous with gaming broadcasts and interactive content. Originally designed for gamers, Twitch has expanded its horizons, welcoming a diverse range of creators from musicians to talk show hosts. With over 140 million monthly active users and 7 million unique streamers monthly[1], Twitch's influence in the live streaming realm is undeniable, making it a hub for community-driven content.
For creators, Twitch offers a unique opportunity to engage with their audience in real-time, fostering a sense of community and loyalty. The platform has been proactive in rolling out features to help creators monetize their content, from channel subscriptions to the recent introduction of the Discovery Feed and stories format. With the continuous evolution of the platform and its features, Twitch remains a compelling choice for creators looking to diversify their content and reach a dedicated audience.
Dive deeper into Twitch here.
Twitter, now rebranded as X, has been a staple in the social media landscape for years. While it's come to age in the same era as Facebook (now called Meta), Twitter has never crossed the same thresholds as Facebook. This presents interesting challenges for creators interested in monetizing, but X has seen more change in the past year than it has in the last 5. As of 2023, X has around 528.3 million monthly active users1. This is no small amount even if it's a fraction of Meta's 2 billion+.
Twitter has evolved from simple text-based tweets to incorporating multimedia content, making it a versatile tool for creators to share their voice and content. The platform is prioritizing free speech, but also creators moving forward since Elon Musk acquired it.
For creators, Twitter provides a platform to engage with a global audience, share real-time updates, and even monetize through various means such as sponsored tweets and Twitter's Super Follows feature. The platform's emphasis on real-time conversation makes it a hub for trending topics and discussions, offering creators a chance to tap into current events and cultural moments. With its vast user base and continuous innovations, creators should consider leveraging Twitter to expand their digital footprint and engage with a broader audience.
Dive deeper into Twitter's landscape, explore strategies for growth, and stay updated with the latest trends and features here1.
Snapchat, known for its ephemeral content and unique AR features, continues to be a favorite among younger audiences. In 2023, Snapchat commands the attention of 750 million daily active users worldwide[1], putting it in the top 10 social media platforms by number. It's emphasis on short-lived content and interactive features like Bitmoji, filters, and Snap Maps makes it a distinct space for creators to engage with their audience in a more personal and immersive manner. It's still the single platform creators might feel comfortable enough sharing more than a 100 stories.
For creators, Snapchat offers a canvas for storytelling, with features like Stories and Spotlight allowing for creative expression and monetization. The platform's Discover section also provides an avenue for creators to reach a wider audience and collaborate with brands. With its strong user engagement and continuous rollout of creator-centric features, Snapchat is an important part of the social media world, but monetization opportunities are still a bit lacking.
Learn more about Snapchat's New Features, Snapchat Monetization Opportunities, and Best Practices to Grow your Snapchat Following.
Pinterest, a visual discovery and bookmarking platform, is a significant player in the social media landscape. As of 2023, Pinterest has 463 million monthly active users, positioning it as the 14th most 'active' social media platform globally. The platform continues to grow despite having almost half a billion users already.
For creators and marketers, Pinterest offers a unique opportunity. For instance, Pinterest is unique in that almost 80% of it's global user base is female. If you cater to a female audience, Pinterest should be a part of your strategy. Likewise, more than 57% of users on Pinterest are between 18 and 34. This age demographic is particularly influential in driving trends and purchasing decisions. Long story short, Pinterest is highly underutilized by both creators and marketers. Pinterest, as the leading visual discovery platform, also has a lot to contribute with the rise of AI, so it'll be interesting to see how the platform evolves in the next decade.
What does all this mean for you as a creator? It means that Pinterest could be a source of traffic for your efforts (e.g. something like Etsy) or that you could create pins and build a following. Learn more about Pinterest Monetization.
The leading music and podcast streaming platform, Spotify, has solidified its position as a primary choice for listeners globally. Spotify has a staggering 515 million active users worldwide, including 210 million paying subscribers, showcasing its expansive reach and influence in the audio streaming industry. While Spotify might have competitors in terms of the consumer listening experience (e.g. Apple Music, YouTube Music, etc.), for creators and musicians looking to be discovered, it reigns supreme.
For creators and artists, Spotify presents a lucrative opportunity for exposure and monetization.
Podcasting has exploded over the last few years. More than 464.7 million people listen to podcasts in 2023, which is 40 million more people than the prior year. Experts anticipate this number to rise to roughly 504.9 million by the end of 2024 with more than 100 million of these users in the US. Podcasting is massive and it's going nowhere.
From a creator's perspective, podcasting provides an avenue for monetization through sponsorships and ad revenues. It's relatively easy to start a podcast, and there are platforms available that assist creators in monetizing their content (See: Best Podcast Editing Tools). The podcast advertising market is projected to achieve a revenue of $3.46 billion by 2023, with expectations of it growing to over $5 billion by 2027. There are many ways for creators to tap into this growth and start and monetize their own podcast.
Learn more here in our Everything Podcasting for Creators Guide.
Shopify, a leading e-commerce platform, has been instrumental in empowering millions of merchants to establish their online presence. As of 2023, there are over 4 million e-commerce stores built using Shopify, showcasing its widespread adoption and trust among online sellers. While there are plenty of competitors in this space (like this, this and this), Shopify has the more creators and small businesses than any other platform. The platform's versatility and user-friendly interface have made it a top choice for both budding entrepreneurs and established businesses.
For creators and merchants, Shopify presents a lucrative opportunity to tap into the vast e-commerce market. With the platform's extensive app ecosystem, comprising over 8,000 apps, sellers can enhance their store's functionality and improve the shopping experience for their customers. Moreover, the recent surge in online shopping trends indicates a promising future for e-commerce, with Shopify at its forefront.
Bonus: Shopify released Linkpop as their entrant into the Link in Bio space to woo creators to join it's ecosystem. Creators can not only start their own online stores and sell to their followers, but they can tap into the Shopify ecosystem to drive sales for other brands (i.e. brand deals, affiliate deals.)
There's a lot of opportunity for creators within the Shopify ecosystem.
Livestreaming has become a dominant force in the digital space, allowing creators to interact with their audience in real-time. Platforms like YouTube Live, Twitch, and Instagram Live have made it easier than ever for creators to broadcast their content to millions of viewers. According to some sources, livestreaming reaches almost 28 percent of internet users worldwide1.
For creators, livestreaming offers a unique opportunity to engage with their audience, answer questions, and build a stronger community. Brands have also recognized the potential of livestreaming, partnering with creators for live product launches, tutorials, and Q&A sessions. Livestreaming is likely to get bigger than to shrink over the next decade as more platforms embrace livestreaming like TikTok, Instagram, and Bigo Live.
Dive deeper into the world of livestreaming, explore the best platforms, and understand the latest trends here.
Gaming is no longer just a pastime, it's a massive industry with a global reach with more than 3 billion active video gamers worldwide[1]. The gaming community spans across continents, age groups, and cultures. Creators are a significant part of this world, including Twitch creators who stream themselves playing.
For creators, the gaming world offers vast opportunities, from streaming gameplay on platforms like Twitch to creating game reviews, tutorials, and more on YouTube. With the rise of esports and competitive gaming, there's also a growing demand for commentators, analysts, and content related to professional gaming events. As technology continues to advance, with developments in VR and AR, the gaming landscape is set to offer even more opportunities for creators in the coming years.
Discover more about the gaming industry, its major players, and how creators can tap into this lucrative market here.
Answer to question 1
Answer to question 2.
Answer to question 2.
Answer to question 2.
.png){kind=small}
