According to a new research on the state of the Creator Economy, individuals are ditching social media for private audience spaces.
The research, conducted by the UK-based Open University and commissioned by tube.com, surveyed 4,500 creators across social media platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitch. The results indicated that while social media is still the primary way that creators connect with their audience, there is a growing trend of creators moving away from social platforms and into private audience spaces.
(Image: Publir)
This trend is being driven by a number of factors, including the ever-changing algorithms of social media platforms, which make it difficult for creators to reach their audience, and the increasing pressure to create content that is “socially acceptable”. As a result, many creator are feeling censored and are seeking out alternative ways to connect with their audience.
Private audience spaces, such as Patreon, offer creators a way to connect with their audience without the interference of social media platforms. These platforms give creators the freedom to create the content they want, without having to worry about whether or not it will be “liked” or “shared”.
Patreon is just one example of a private audience space that is growing in popularity among creators. In the past year, Patreon has seen a surge in growth, with over 2 million creators now using the platform to connect with their audience.
This trend towards private audience spaces is likely to continue, as more and more creators seek out ways to connect with their audience without the interference of social media platforms.
According to the study, there are 50 million creators working today within the confines of social media platforms and "Big Tech." However, when independent creators are added to the equation, the number leaps to 8 times that figure, or 400 million.
According to the study, 57 percent of creators see direct revenue from features like subscriptions as the future of their industry rather than sponsored deals across social media platforms. The report continues, "In this model, Big Social play a role similar to that played by feeders and funnels in traditional publishing: they serve as feeders and funnels, not feudal.
(image:digitalmarketing.org)
Are you persuaded? If not, perhaps these statistics will change your mind. To make $1000 a month, the survey claims that you need 2 million monthly YouTube views, 100,000 Instagram followers, or 229 Substack subscribers or 224 Patreon supporters. The numbers speak for themselves here.
These developers bypass the need for large social followings by creating communities and providing more ways to interact. In this new paradigm, less is more, with content creators able to share more relevant material fewer times than before on Big Social sites.
In fact, 39% of creators are using or plan to use audience-interactive features like live streams, polls, and Q&As to increase audience engagement.
"It’s not just about the money for these creators, but also the connection with their fans. In the new social media world, it feels like we are missing that connection.”
-Dillon Downing, creator of the DillonDowning Show
What do you think about this trend? Are you a creator who has found success in private audience spaces? Let us know in the comments below!