Growing a media & creators brand
US creator ad spending was projected to reach $37 billion in 2025, and in 2024, 37% of adults under 30 got news from influencers. Reach them on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, and label every paid deal.
How big is the media and creator industry?
Advertisers were projected to spend $37 billion on US creators in 2025, up 26% in a year. YouTube alone says it paid over $100 billion to creators, artists and media companies in four years.
| Measure | Figure | Year |
|---|---|---|
| US creator ad spend (projected) | $37 billion | 2025 |
| US creator ad spend | $29.5 billion | 2024 |
| YouTube payouts to creators, artists and media companies | Over $100 billion | Four years to Jan 2026 |
| YouTube ecosystem's contribution to US GDP | $55 billion | 2024 |
| US full-time jobs the YouTube ecosystem supported | More than 490,000 | 2024 |
The ad spend figures come from the IAB's 2025 Creator Economy Ad Spend & Strategy report; the YouTube figures are YouTube's own.[1, 2]
Who are media and creator audiences?
Younger adults lean on creators most: in 2024, 37% of 18-to-29-year-olds regularly got news from news influencers, against 21% of all adults.
| Group | What the figures show |
|---|---|
| Ages 18 to 29 | 37% regularly get news from news influencers |
| All US adults | 21% regularly get news from news influencers |
| People 15 and older | 2.6 hours a day watching TV, the most of any leisure activity |
The news figures come from Pew's 2024 survey, and the TV figure from the BLS American Time Use Survey for 2025.[3, 4, secondary]
Which platforms should a media or creator brand grow on?
YouTube reaches the most US adults, while Instagram and TikTok reach most adults under 30.
For paid writing, Substack counts 5 million paid subscriptions, and Patreon says fans have paid creators more than $10 billion since 2013. Keep a .com as the home your audience can always find. When a brand pays for a mention, YouTube requires you to select its paid promotion button, which adds a disclosure label to the video. The FTC asks creators to disclose any financial, employment, personal or family relationship with a brand. For domain endings and trademark classes, see naming a media brand.[5, 6, 7, 8, 9, secondary]
Checks the .com, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Substack and Patreon in one search.
Who are the top media creators?
MrBeast tops Forbes' 2026 list of top creators, and Steven Bartlett and Alex Cooper host two of Spotify's five biggest podcasts of 2025.
| Creator | Known for | Named by |
|---|---|---|
| MrBeast | YouTube stunts turned into a production studio; more than 640 million YouTube subscribers | Forbes Top Creators 2026 (opens in a new tab), #1 |
| Steven Bartlett | Host of The Diary of a CEO, Spotify's No. 2 podcast of 2025 | Forbes Top Creators 2026 (opens in a new tab), #3 |
| Alex Cooper | Host of Call Her Daddy, Spotify's No. 4 podcast of 2025 | TIME100 Creators 2025 (opens in a new tab) |
| Colin and Samir | Interviews with top creators about how they build their careers | TIME100 Creators 2025 (opens in a new tab); Webby Awards 2026 (opens in a new tab), Best Duo or Group |
Which sites are the authorities on media and creators?
The IAB, Pew Research Center, the FTC and the U.S. Copyright Office are the main authorities for media and creator brands.
| Site | What it is | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| IAB (opens in a new tab) | Trade group of more than 700 media and marketing organizations | Creator ad spend reports |
| Pew Research Center (opens in a new tab) | Nonprofit, nonpartisan research center | Audience and news habits |
| FTC: Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers (opens in a new tab) | FTC staff guide on when and how to disclose | Labeling sponsored posts |
| U.S. Copyright Office (opens in a new tab) | Administers the nation's copyright laws | Registering videos, shows and writing |
Sources (15)
- PrimaryIAB: Creator Economy Ad Spend to Reach $37 Billion in 2025 (opens in a new tab); and IAB: Our story (opens in a new tab)
- PrimaryYouTube Official Blog: The future of YouTube in 2026 (opens in a new tab), Neal Mohan's letter
- SecondaryPew Research Center: America's News Influencers (opens in a new tab) (archived)
- PrimaryUS Bureau of Labor Statistics: American Time Use Survey, 2025 results (opens in a new tab)
- SecondaryPew Research Center: Social Media Fact Sheet (opens in a new tab), survey of US adults
- PrimarySubstack: About (opens in a new tab)
- PrimaryPatreon: About (opens in a new tab)
- PrimaryYouTube Help: Add paid product placements, sponsorships & endorsements (opens in a new tab)
- PrimaryFTC: Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers (opens in a new tab)
- SecondaryForbes: Top Creators 2026 (opens in a new tab) (archived)
- PrimarySpotify: 2025 Wrapped top artists, songs, albums and podcasts (opens in a new tab)
- SecondaryTIME100 Creators 2025 (opens in a new tab): profiles of Alex Cooper and Colin and Samir
- PrimaryThe Webby Awards: Creators 2026 winners (opens in a new tab)
- PrimaryPew Research Center: About (opens in a new tab) (archived)
- PrimaryU.S. Copyright Office: About (opens in a new tab)