Top Earners in 2024 & What’s Next in 25-26
2024 saw content creators in Tech Reviews, Comedy/Entertainment, and Gaming/Roasting emerge as top earners driven by massive audience engagement and high-value brand deals.
But as we step into 2025, new forces are reshaping the landscape: short-form video, nano-influencer UGC, AI-led creation, and direct monetisation.
Snapshot of 2024:
– YouTube paid ₹21,000+ Cr to Indian creators over the past 3 years.
– Brands spent ₹2,344 Cr on influencer marketing in 2024; projected to hit ₹3,375 Cr by 2026 (25% CAGR).
– 90% of content creator revenue came from brand deals but the ecosystem is evolving fast.
1) Top-Earning Niches in 2024:
Tech, Comedy & Gaming led by margin
– Education, Fitness, Fashion/Lifestyle creators also grew, but trailed leaders by 30 to 50%
2) Evolving Revenue Streams:
– Ad Revenue & Brand Sponsorships still dominate.
– Direct-to-Fan Models gaining traction:
* Paid subscriptions (e.g. Insta, YouTube) are helping creators earn ₹10–20L/month
* Live commerce & virtual gifting are building steady parallel income
– Creator-led Product Sales & merchandise are on the rise.
3) 2025 Trends to Watch:
* Short-Form Video Dominance:
– 70%+ of UGC brand campaigns use 15–30 sec Reels/Shorts/
– They deliver high engagement at low production cost
* AI in Content & Strategy:
– 76% of creators use AI for ideation, editing, trend analysis
– 61% of brands now use AI for influencer operations
* Nano & Micro-Influencers Rising:
– 2M+ nano creators (1K–10K followers) now power hyper-local campaigns
– 47% of brands prefer nano/micro creators for authenticity & ROI
* Content-to-Commerce Shift:
– BCG projects $1T+ creator-led commerce by 2030
– In-video shopping, affiliate links, live shopping—especially in Tier 2/3 cities—are driving new revenue
* UGC as Brand Strategy:
– UGC campaigns improve web conversions by 29%
– 75% of brands now include UGC in paid and organic content strategies
4) Advice for Brands & Creators:
– Diversify revenue, don’t depend solely on brand deals
– Double down on short-form UGC with regional/nano creators
– Use AI to streamline content creation & performance tracking
– Build community-commerce loops via live sales & affiliate models
2024 rewarded reach, but 2025, 26 will reward relevance
Creators who are community-first, AI-aware, and commerce-ready will lead India’s next wave
Image captured by Akash Shukla
