And that’s just in the US. But (and this is a real shift) that’s not just going to the top 1% of influencers with millions of followers. Now, we’re seeing a new “middle class” of creators. People with 50,000, or even 5,000 followers, are getting a legitimate slice of that pie. Because yeah, hardly anyone is going to be the next MrBeast. But brands are realising that smaller, super-engaged audiences move product just as well as (if not better than) massive ones. And the data backs this trend up… [Read more]

- Charlotte Ellis, Editor ♡

Get more points, level up through tiers and earn YAP Dollars faster. Then spend them on actual stuff during Rewards Week. Here's what counts:

First Rewards Week is 31 March - 6 April. Check out your dashboard to see how much you've earned so far 👇

I’m so sorry to be the bearer of bad news on this fine morning, but our dreaded fates are finally upon us. YouTube TV is introducing 30-second UNSKIPPABLE ADS. WORLDWIDE. Google just announced the addition to the existing 6-second and 15-second ads that play when you’re watching a 3 fkn minute music video. Like. Please. Be so for real.

YouTube originally expressed its disdain for 30-second unskippable ads in 2017, given it didn’t provide a good user experience for viewers. But now, it seems, they don’t give a sh*t about our experience and prefer cold hard cash. Go figure.

“What outcomes did this ad or campaign cause that would not have happened otherwise?” That’s what we should be asking to measure the impact of our digital ads. But according to Meta, that metric needs work. So, starting this month, we will no longer only see “click-through attribution” on Meta's Ad Manager.

“Instead, Meta will segment the social media-type engagement that occurs on its platforms – including shares, like, saves, bookmarks, comments, etc. – into a category called “engage-through attribution,” as per Ad Exchanger. Clicks just don’t cut it anymore. But "meaningful interaction" – ads that were shared by one person and later prompted friends or followers to search for or click through themselves will now be more clearly attributed as actions driven by social network behaviour.

Lastly, Grammarly is using our identities without permission. *Pretends to be shocked* The company has been publishing "expert reviews." Turns out, these are either fully AI-generated or use real people's names and credentials to legitimise AI-written content without actually getting their input or consent. I know it sounds minor. But think about your professional identity being used to endorse something you never agreed to. Also, users have no way of knowing which reviews are real and which are synthetic. Gross. Boooo. 

-Sophie Randell, Writer

Go viral, build a massive audience, become the next MrBeast. Any other outcome and you’ve failed.

Ok well, not really. But I do feel as though we’re all competing to eventually, finally, one day make it up there with the big leagues. You look at their numbers, and you look at yours, and it feels like a stab in the heart. You tell yourself it’s all pointless until you’re there.

Except that's not what the data shows. For the first time, we're seeing the emergence of a viable "creator middle class": people making real money without needing to be "internet famous." And if you are, like me, one of the underdogs still grinding your little heart out, this is your sign to keep going.

That's not pocket change babes. That's supplemental income, part-time sustainability. For some, that's full-time viability.

On an even more encouraging note, 51.5% of creators achieved earnings growth year-over-year in 2025. The trajectory is upward. You don't need to be in the top 5.7% earning six figures to make this work.

What that means practically: you're better off with 5,000 genuinely engaged followers in a specific niche than 50,000 random people who barely interact. And brands are finally figuring this out, too. They want ROI, not vanity metrics. So they’re looking for creators who can actually move product, even if those creators don't have millions of followers. It’s about the moola, after all.

The data backs this up. Nearly 45% of creators now prioritise stability and consistency over chasing the next viral moment. They're building businesses, not gambling on algorithm luck. Because in this economy?? Who can afford to do that?

The report shows 22.4% are focusing on video production quality and 20% on branding. So, it’s not about looking polished for the sake of it, but more about being taken seriously, getting fair rates and building something sustainable rather than riding trends until they die.

What's in for 2026 according to Digiday:

These trends favour creators who actually give a sh*t about their work and their audience over large accounts.

The creator middle class is now a thing. And it’s evidence that you don't need to make it big to make it work.

So where to from here, you ask?

As AI slop floods platforms and faceless content farms multiply, there's never been a better time to be a real human creating thoughtful content for a specific community.

Success in 2026 looks different than it did even two years ago. The MrBeast model still exists for the ultra-ambitious (and the very few that make it up there). But there's now a viable middle path. You can make real money and build a sustainable creator business without going viral or burning out chasing trends.

Nearly half of all creators are earning between $10K and $100K. And more than half grew their earnings last year. The professional creator is in. Thoughtful, niche-focused content is in. Building community over chasing virality is in.

The creator middle class is rising. And there's room for you in it, baby!

-Sophie Randell, Writer

Shia LaBeouf gave us a gift we didn't know we needed. In his bizarre Channel 5 interview following his Mardi Gras arrest, he was asked about going to rehab and said "I'm just not into it bro- I don't think my answers are there, I don't, I really- I genuinely don't. If I genuinely did I'd go." The internet immediately ran with it.

People are using Shia as a green screen template, dropping him into the exact locations they're rejecting - gyms, offices, camping sites, anywhere outside their house past 7pm. His "the answers aren't there for me" energy is perfect for declining invitations you have zero intention of accepting. It's not that you're busy. You're just genuinely not into it, bro.

My fav examples include:

Use the Shia LaBeouf green screen template. Place him in the location or situation you're being invited to but have absolutely zero interest in participating in. Use OST to give context and you're done.

A few ideas to get you started:

-abdel khalil, brand & marketing exec

😂Yap’s funniest home videos: The most casual fail ever
❤How wholesome: we can’t get enough of punch
😊Soooo satisfying: hydraulic press goes crazy
🍝What you should make for dinner tonight: Viral Hot Honey Taco Beef Bowls

Hey Brooke,

That whole approach is honestly a bit of a false solution. When your content isn't working, it's tempting to think the answer is to do more. But more structure means more complexity, more things to manage. In our experience, the moment a strategy gets complicated it breaks. Nobody can execute on it consistently, and if you can’t execute on your strategy, what’s the point of having one?

So instead of trying to do everything, strip your content back. Because you’ll get a lot farther with a strategy that's simple enough to actually do every day versus one that's too hard to keep up. Think of it this way: if you can't explain your content plan in one sentence, you’re probably trying to do too much.

- Charlotte Ellis, Editor ♡

We get it. Creating content that does numbers is harder than it looks. But doing those big numbers is the fastest way to grow your brand. So if you’re tired of throwing sh*t at the wall and seeing what sticks, you’re in luck. Because making our clients go viral is kinda what we do every single day.