The creator economy is barely twenty years old, but already, it’s dramatically changed the social landscape for brands and marketers. Audiences crave real life, not challenge videos; excessive gifting is seen as out of touch, not aspirational; and TikTok has levelled the playing field by making creators out of everyday people sharing their stories. But if there’s one thing creators know how to do, it’s adapt. Creators are testing and learning, leaning into new content formats and features, and even building empires of their own. And old-school influencers who made a name for themselves on YouTube have diversified their platforms and income streams as their audiences have grown with them.