Adobe has announced the latest data and insights on the Creator Economy from the Adobe Future of Creativity Study. The study finds that the Creator Economy grew globally by more than 165+ million creators over the past two years to 303 million. In Australia, the Creator Economy has increased by 3 million new creators (48%) since 2020.
Additionally, the study finds that the Creator Economy is reshaping every aspect of culture and society, from the future of work to social causes to mental health. The Future of Creativity Study provides the most comprehensive view into the global Creator Economy and how creativity is changing across the US, UK, Spain, France, Germany, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and Brazil. Adobe products have always been the solution of choice for the world’s creators, from individuals and solopreneurs to small business owners and social influencers.
“The rapidly growing Creator Economy provides a platform for individuals, solopreneurs, small business owners and content creators to express themselves and explore creative and artistic pursuits in new ways,” said Maria Yap, Vice President of Digital Imaging at Adobe. “Increasingly, creators from all walks of life are turning their creative inspirations and passions into new careers and businesses supported by Adobe’s creative tools.”
The Australian Creator Economy Is Diverse and Thriving
Since 2020, the Creator Economy has grown exponentially:
- Globally, more than 165 million creators have joined the Creator Economy since 2020, with significant growth across all markets.
- In Australia alone, the Creator Economy grew by 3 million new creators (48%) which grew to 6 million total creators and 23% of the Australian population.
- Millennials represent 42% of the Creator Economy globally. By comparison, Gen Z represents 14%. Australia has one of the highest concentrations of Millennial (48%) and Gen X (37%) creators.
- While the global Creator Economy is skewed toward male creators, Australia has a higher share of female creators (50%) than males (49%).
- Australia also has a significantly higher number of daily social posters (80%) as compared to other countries like South Korea (47%), France and Japan (58%), Germany (60%), and the U.K. (65%). Among those who earn money, like business owners and influencers, posting daily further boosts positivity.
- Influencers make up only 14% of the global creator economy; only 12% of Australian creators are influencers.
- 24% of all creators stated that becoming an influencer is their current goal.
Redefining The Future of Work
- The creator economy has unlocked new full and part-time career paths, particularly for Gen Z and Millennials who are drawn to less traditional careers. The study found that content creation can be lucrative, but it takes time and commitment to be successful and while it remains a side hustle for most, many creators aspire to do more including owning their business:
- 2 in 10 creators own their own content-related business globally – with the U.S. (26%), the U.K. (24%), Australia (21%), and Germany (19%) noting the highest share.
- Australia (20%), among a few other countries like Spain (12%), Germany (12%), and Japan (10%), have a higher share of creators who work part-time, instead of having a full-time job.
- Creators in Australia earn around 109 AUD (75 USD) per hour, which is higher than the global average of 88 AUD (61 USD) per hour (177,375 AUD annually if done full time).
- Influencers in Australia earn around $75.09 per hour, which is lower than the global average of $81 per hour.
Creators and Mental Health
The study revealed the more time creators spend creating and sharing content, the happier they feel. This is the opposite of social media consumers, who studies have shown can experience adverse effects from social media use:
- 26% of Australian influencers say using social media or creating social content is more important to their mental health than exercising (24%), listening to music (25%), and going outside in nature (25%).
- Globally, personal, and professional growth (67%) and self-expression and health (58%) were the key motivators for all creators to engage in creative activities or create original social media content.
- Globally, creators who make daily content and/or spend 10+ hours per week creating reports are happiest. In Australia, 67% of all creators believe regular social media posting is tied to a more positive mood.
- Markets with higher concentrations of creators tend to have happier creators who create more and note locational creativity advantages. The U.S., Australia, Brazil, Spain, and the U.K. consistently stand out for these factors.
Creators are Key to Advancing Social Causes Online
- Globally, creators have embraced the opportunity to advance conversations around social causes online, taking action to fuel awareness and discourse:
- Nearly 94% of Australian creators and 95% of all creators globally take action to advance or support causes that are important to them. The top causes in importance across all generations are food and housing security (64%), social justice (55%) and climate change (56%).
- 31% of Australian creators stated advancing social causes as the reason behind developing creative social media content.
- By using their creativity and influence to advance social causes, creators across all countries believe they can drive awareness (51%), give a voice to those who otherwise wouldn’t have one (49%) and make it easier to voice opinions on social causes (47%).
- Globally, social cause creators feel the most optimistic (71%) and are more likely to create more often in the future (58%).
- 72% of all creators surveyed would take any social content action to support or advance causes or issues that are important to them.
Adobe Creative Cloud offers the most comprehensive portfolio of products and services across every creative category—including imaging, photography, design, video, and 3D and immersive—unleashing creativity for all, empowering millions worldwide to collaborate to tell their stories. Adobe recently expanded its offering to include Adobe Express, a web and mobile based app that makes it easy to create standout content from thousands of beautiful templates.
Adobe’s study, Future of Creativity: Creators in the Creator Economy, can be found here.
