Will YouTube kill Netflix and classic television? We are right to ask ourselves the question when we see the phenomenal success of the documentary “Kaizen” on the ascent of Everest by Inoxtag. In just three weeks, the video racked up 35 million views online on YouTube.
Enough to whet the appetite of television channels who no longer hesitate to buy the rights to broadcast a video that is available free of charge to as many people as possible on the American platform. But to rejuvenate its audience, TF1 considered that it was a godsend to broadcast the documentary by Inoxtag, whose real name is Inès Benazzouz, which Europe’s leading television channel did at the beginning of October.
The exceptional success of “Kaizen” testifies to the colossal impact of YouTubers, and more broadly content creators, on the entertainment industry. These are now celebrities, just like actors or athletes, who have a great aura in society. A few days ago, the entry into the Grévin Museum of Léna Mahfouf, better known as Léna Situations on YouTube, is a further illustration of this. But in the end, what is the real weight of the creator economy in France at the moment?
6.8 billion dollars in turnover
To answer this question, the organizers of Paris Creator Week, a flagship industry event which brings together more than 2,000 participants at Station F on December 10 and 11, carried out a study in partnership with Coherent Marketing Insights. It appears that the French creator economy market today represents a turnover of 6.8 billion dollars and is expected to reach 31.2 billion dollars in 2031, at a growth rate annual rate of 21.5%. At the end of 2024, the sector represents 0.16% of France’s GDP. It is the third European country, behind the United Kingdom (8.2 billion) and Germany (8.3 billion). In total, the creator economy represents a market of 27.5 billion dollars on the Old Continent.
In detail, it is the nano-creators (between 1,000 and 10,000 followers) who are the most numerous in France. There are currently 167,000 of them per hour and represent a turnover of 1.2 billion dollars. But it is the micro-creators (between 10,000 and 100,000 followers) who have the greatest economic weight, with 3.9 billion in revenue. Mega-creators (more than a million followers), such as Inoxtag, Squeezie, Amixen and Nabilla Vergara, only represent $366.8 million in turnover.
1.5 million jobs
In terms of the impact of the Creator Economy on employment, the sector will generate a total of 1.5 million jobs in 2024, almost as many as in French Tech. In detail, the authors of the study count 28.7% of direct employment. These include content creators (YouTubers, Twitch streamers, TikTok influencers, podcasters, etc.), as well as roles in areas such as graphic design, video editing and marketing. These jobs are mainly located in urban areas, particularly in Paris, which serves as a real central hub for digital activity in France.
-At the same time, there are 71.3% of indirect jobs, which include technological infrastructure, logistics, legal services and advertising agencies. According to the authors of the study, each direct job can generate between 3 and 11 indirect jobs, in particular thanks to e-commerce platforms which support the sale of products derived from creators.
The sector faces content saturation and the rise of AI
Although the sector has grown considerably in recent years, it also faces its share of challenges. “Content saturation is becoming a major problem as a growing number of creators flood platforms, making it more difficult to differentiate and capture the attention of audiences. In addition, French creators face growing concerns over the protection of their intellectual property rights, with frequent copyright violations.write the authors of the study. Indeed, the explosion of the sector has led to an ever-increasing number of creators and therefore to tougher competition which makes it more difficult to succeed in the game. In this context, we must compete in ingenuity to be the most original possible.
In this context, the democratization of artificial intelligence is transforming the sector, since it brings automation to tasks such as video editing, writing and design. This allows creators to reduce their content production time to focus on more creative tasks. “Additionally, AI-powered analytics help creators better understand the behaviors and preferences of their audiences, thereby optimizing the engagement and relevance of their content”underline the authors of the study.
The creator economy at a time of maturation
Income diversification is also a promising area of development for the sector. “Merchandising, brand collaborations and long-term partnerships offer substantial financial opportunities, allowing creators to fully devote themselves to their business. These developments reveal a maturing of the creator economy, where content creation is becoming a viable full-time profession for a growing number of individuals.observes the Paris Creator Week team.
This greater maturity of the sector is accompanied by better consideration of regulations. 75% of French creators assure that they are aware of the legislation on influencer marketing. It must be said that the General Directorate for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) is keeping a close eye on things and has not failed to pin down many influencers, particularly on Instagram and TikTok, over the last few years. .
