Influencers seek independence from social media, report finds

The Kajabi “State of Creator Commerce” report revealed a significant change in the behavior of content creators: many are moving away from exclusive reliance on social networks and seeking greater financial autonomy.The study found that influencers have increased their concerns about potential disruptions to social platforms by 400%, which demonstrates the degree of insecurity many face by relying solely on these tools.

The concern makes sense in the face of significant declines in the main traditional sources of monetization within networks. The data indicate that direct payments from platforms have suffered a reduction of 33%, revenue from affiliate marketing has fallen 36%, and revenues obtained through agreements with brands have decreased 52%. This scenario of instability has driven creators to seek alternative and more stable sources of income.

Among the new paths, the products and services themselves stand out. The research indicates that there was an increase of 47% in the revenue generated by podcasts, which demonstrates one of the ways in which creators have sought greater financial independence.In addition, the report also points to a growth of 20% in sales of digital downloads, 14% in sales of educational content and 10% in subscriptions to groups of members. These data reinforce the trend that influencers are becoming digital entrepreneurs, creating their own monetization ecosystems and reducing the intermediation of social platforms.

For Fabio Goncalves, director of international talent at Viral Nation and an expert in the influencer marketing market for more than ten years, this movement represents a breakthrough in the professionalization of the sector.“The exclusive dependence on social networks for income generation is becoming unsustainable. Creators are realizing the importance of diversifying their sources of revenue and building their own assets, such as courses, podcasts and digital and physical products, which offer greater control and financial stability”, he analyzes.

The professional explains that the first step for influencers is to change the mentality of “only creator” to “own brand entrepreneur”: “Who wants to thrive in this new scenario needs to think beyond the likes. It is essential to understand the public in depth, identify real monetization opportunities, become authority in one or several subjects and bet on scalable formats, such as mentoring, digital and physical products and subscriptions. Creators who dominate their communities and know how to deliver constant value can build solid businesses and less dependent on the rules and algorithms of social networks”, he advises.

He points out that this transformation requires a new attitude also from the influence agencies.“In the Viral Nation, we are adapting our strategies to support creators in this transition.This includes supporting the development of digital products, creating communities and implementing sustainable business models.Our goal is to empower influencers to become digital entrepreneurs, with multiple sources of income and greater independence from social platforms”.