The Creator Economy Is Shifting In 2025 (And So Am I)

Marketing is shifting. It always does.

The strategies that once felt like a sure bet are now outdated, and the gap between those who thrive and those who fade into the background is growing wider by the day.

The difference between those who fall behind and those who surge forward lies in how quickly they can pivot, adapt, and recalibrate their approach.

For the past year, I’ve been deep in the trenches, balancing multiple projects, offers, funnels, and experimenting across platforms.

Some of those experiments yielded breakthroughs.

Others fell flat.

But what became undeniably clear is this.

The creator economy is entering a new phase.

To prove that, I have included my 4 top reflections of this year, and also my predictions for the future.

By the end of this post, you’ll get a few take-aways for your marketing strategy and some insights for your next steps.

Hopefully.

Let’s begin.

1. The Creator Economy Is Saturated (But Not Full)

If you’re reading this newsletter, you probably know this already.

Everyone is a creator now.

This is a fact.

Before the pandemic, many businesses were still debating whether to dip their toes into the ‘digital marketing’ world.

Some saw it as a trend, while others clung to traditional methods.

Then, COVID-19 hit, and the choice disappeared. Everyone had to be online.

The first step was building websites. So businesses built websites.

But as the dust settled, they realized websites alone weren’t enough.

The next step was creating social media accounts.

“You need to be visible where people spend their time”, they thought.

Fast forward to today, and it’s no longer just about “being online” or “just post.”

Now everyone is waking up to the fact that, to stay relevant, they need to be active creators.

This means that, in a way, content isn’t optional anymore.

It’s becoming more and more the heartbeat of modern marketing.

Content is how you promote. Content is how you communicate. Content is how you build a brand.

This shift in awareness is why everyone is a creator now.

The barriers that once kept the masses at bay have dissolved.

The tools are free or cheap, platforms are abundant, and audiences are waiting.

But…

Here’s the catch.

While it’s easier than ever to create…

It’s harder than ever to get noticed.

Think about it. Your competition isn’t just the creators who share your niche or style.

It’s the 13-year-old posting dance routines on TikTok, the podcaster with zero experience but endless charisma, and the entrepreneur live-streaming their journey to launch.

The sheer volume of content flooding every platform means that talent alone no longer guarantees success.

The game has shifted.

And if you’re wondering why your meticulously crafted posts aren’t breaking through, this is why.

I believe that the market is saturated, but it isn’t full.

There’s a difference. Hear me out.

Saturation means there are more people creating, but full implies there’s no room left.

And that's not true.

There’s plenty of room for creators who understand how to cut through the noise.

Just because it’s harder than ever to break through, it doesn’t mean it’s impossible.

I posted more than 1000+ pieces of content across different platforms this year, between all of my projects, and generated millions of views.

Here’s what I learned and what I see happening in the future.

The new formula to win at this game is a mix of volume, vulnerability, and precision.

Volume is non-negotiable. I won’t sugarcoat it—if you’re posting three times a week, you’re practically invisible. The harsh reality is that the algorithms are hungry for constant, fresh content. If you’re not feeding them, someone else is. To stay top-of-mind, creators are pushing 10 to 15 pieces of content daily across multiple platforms. It sounds exhausting because it is. But this is the new cost of entry. Those who show up relentlessly get remembered.

Vulnerability builds tribes. Gone are the days when audiences wanted polished, unattainable perfection. They crave relatability. They want to see the messy middle—the failures, the awkward moments, the missteps. When you pull back the curtain and reveal your authentic self, you build trust. And trust is what transforms passive viewers into loyal fans. In other words, show the grind, not just the glory.

Precision over broad strokes. Casting a wide net used to work. Today, it gets lost in the noise. The most successful creators speak to a very specific audience. They niche down so tightly that their content feels like it was custom-made for a handful of people. Ironically, by narrowing their focus, they unlock broader engagement.

Why? Because specificity resonates with algorithms.

If algorithms can categorize your content, they know who might be interested in it. And they can begin the process of stimulating vitality.

The final reflection is that creator economy isn’t just a numbers game anymore. It’s a relevance game.

In 2025, it won’t be about who can create the most content, but who can create the most resonant content at scale.

2. The New Hybrid Funnel

There was a time when all it took to succeed online was a decent ad, a half decent offer, and a half-decent funnel.

Ads in 2015 were like “This Guy Quit His Jobs To Travel The World & Make Money! Here’s How You Can Do It Too…” and people clicked.

Simpler times.

Ads like that worked because few people were doing it.

And…

Webinars weren’t labeled as ‘a pitch in disguise’.

Books were trusted more in the ‘before GPT’ era.

Courses didn’t have that bad of a reputation they have today.

In other words, consumers had fewer options to sift through.

Back then, if someone saw your ad, the purchase decision was straightforward.

It wasn’t about checking credentials, researching competitors, or digging through social media profiles.

It was a matter of curiosity and impulse.

If the offer looked appealing, they’d hit the buy button.

It didn't matter if your social media presence was absent.

But fast forward to today, and the landscape has shifted dramatically.

If you run that same ad now, the buyer’s journey doesn’t stop at the landing page...it barely begins there.

The moment someone clicks, their next move is to stalk your socials.

They’ll type your name into Instagram, scroll your LinkedIn, check for reviews, and dive into your YouTube videos.

If they find an active, valuable online presence, you pass the 'sniff test'.

If they encounter silence or outdated content, the interest evaporates instantly.

Well, maybe not exactly instantly, but it surely gets harder.

The harsh truth for marketers it that we’re no longer dealing with impulsive clicks.

We’re dealing with informed, skeptical consumers who want more than just a flashy offer.

They want to see the person behind the brand.

They want proof. Not just testimonials or sleek designs, but consistent content that proves you walk the walk.

And if you’re absent from the platforms they frequent, they’ll find someone else who isn’t.

All of this to say that people don’t buy from strangers anymore.

They buy from creators that can demonstrate their value.

This is because anyone can set up a funnel, landing page, or Shopify account.

It's 'too easy' to trying to look legit today. People are more skeptical as a result.

So social media isn’t a marketing tool anymore. It’s the storefront window that shows what you’re about, and the more aligned it is with your offer, the faster the conversion happens.

Sales now happen because of relationships, not just funnels.

Of course, ads still work. But ads alone aren’t enough.

The game isn’t ads OR organic content—it’s both, working in tandem.

The ad grabs attention, but your social ecosystem seals the deal (more on that later on).

This hybrid model creates a loop.

Ads bring them in, your content nurtures them, and the relationship builds naturally over time.

By the time they’re ready to buy, they aren’t hesitating.

3. AI is Eating the Creator Economy (And You Can’t Outrun It)

AI is no longer just looming on the horizon. It’s clearly here, and it’s transforming the creator landscape faster than most realize.

In 2024, AI tools were generating blog posts, videos, music tracks, and even entire podcast episodes at lightning speed

Here’s the uncomfortable truth—AI will outproduce you.

It can create content faster, in greater volume, and at a lower cost.

This means that if your strategy relies on sheer output alone, you’re already behind.

The days of thinking you can “out-hustle” AI are over.

But this isn’t a doomsday scenario. It’s an opportunity, if you play it right.

Here’s why.

AI can replicate tasks, but it can’t replicate humanity.

That’s the edge you still have. People crave connection.

They don’t just want information.

Information is easily available.

A quick Google (or Chat GPT) search can give you anything you might need.

People know that. So it’s not longer valuable.

What they want instead something only humans can give.

Insight, perspective, and emotional resonance.

AI can remix trends, but it can’t share personal failures, hard-won lessons, or the unique way you see the world.

That’s where creators will thrive.

In 2025, I believe the differentiator is going to be raw connection and real storytelling.

The creators who win will be the ones who inject personal experience and raw authenticity into their content.

AI can write ten blog posts an hour, but it can’t share what it felt like to lose your biggest client or celebrate a hard-earned win.

The more you infuse your work with personal stories, the harder it becomes for AI to replicate.

The rise of AI is inevitable. Fighting it is futile.

But adapting to it—leveraging its strengths while amplifying your own humanity—is how creators will thrive in this new landscape.

My reflection (and recommendation) for 2025, don’t try to outrun AI.

Instead, out-human it.

4. The Future of Venture Capital is in Creators (Not Companies)

This is a bold prediction and I might be terribly wrong, I know.

BUT…

The way I see it, the future of venture capital won’t be in backing companies.

It’ll be in backing creators.

It's the only logical conclusion.

AI can replicate products, automate services, and even build entire businesses from scratch.

But it can’t replicate the human essence behind a creator.

AI won’t replace charisma, personal stories, or unique perspectives.

Investors will realize that a creator with an audience, trust, and influence is more resilient than a startup built on tech that AI can clone overnight.

I believe we’ll see a rise in businesses structured to invest in creators directly—taking a cut of their revenue, scaling their influence, and developing them like talent agencies for the digital age.

Creators will become micro-empires, and businesses will flock to be part of that growth, providing resources, funding, and strategy in exchange for a percentage of their overall ecosystem.

Let me break down how this works in practice.

You might have your personal brand (let’s call it the “face”), but alongside it, you build complementary sub-brands, media channels, or even businesses that reinforce and cross-promote one another.

A creator in the fitness niche might have:

• A personal Instagram for lifestyle and authenticity.

• A YouTube channel dedicated to long-form workout tutorials.

• A paid community or app for exclusive programs.

• A podcast featuring industry interviews.

Imagine businesses investing in creators the way they once invested in tech startups.

This is going to happen because the cost of being a creator is only going to rise.

You'll need more. More views, more equipment, more people behind you.

You'll need a business machine that operates as a creator.

Here's an example.

A podcaster with 100,000 loyal listeners, a YouTuber driving millions of views monthly, or an Instagram creator with a tight-knit community becomes more valuable than a product-based startup.

Each piece of their brand—podcasts, courses, merchandise—feeds into their overall influence, making them a powerhouse that AI can’t replicate.

If the YouTube audience grows, it funnels people into the paid community.

The podcast attracts guests, which drives traffic to the Instagram.

It’s not about creating one mega-brand but about fostering an interconnected web that grows in tandem.

Why does this matter now?

Because audiences are fragmented.

Some people live on TikTok, others binge podcasts, and some prefer email newsletters.

By creating an ecosystem, you’re meeting your audience where they are.

You’re reducing risk and multiplying your opportunities to be discovered.

The real shift is that it's no longer a linear funnel, but rather an ecosystem where growth in one area fuels the others.

Creators who embrace this model will be untouchable.

If one platform disappears, they have five others.

If one income stream slows, three more pick up the slack.

Resilience will come from creators forming partnerships with businesses that see them as long-term investments, not just influencers for hire.

In other words, creators will become the startups of the next era.

And venture capital will pivot towards nurturing individual talent over corporate entities.

My Plan For 2025

For Marketing For The Tribe, my new plan is actually simple.

I’ll give away ‘the sauce’ of what I’m doing trying to convert strangers into customers on the internet by documenting more.

I believe the best way to grow isn’t to guard your knowledge but to share it freely, knowing that value reciprocates.

The more I share—whether it’s wins, lessons, or even the missteps—the more I build trust and attract the right people into my ecosystem.

In other words…

My game plan is to share.

My goal is to attract.

Share my strategies to attract people who resonate with the journey, learn from it, and eventually—when the time is right—hire me, collaborate with me, or invest in what I’m building.

That’s basically it.

Hope you found value in this.

Talk soon,

Nick