New research from creator-first social agency Billion Dollar Boy reveals burnout has emerged as a significant barrier to growth in the creator economy, affecting more than half of creators surveyed across the U.S. and UK.
According to the study, 52% of creators have experienced burnout as a direct result of their careers, with 37% actively considering leaving the profession entirely. The findings, based on surveys of 1,000 creators and 1,000 senior marketers across the U.S. and UK, indicate that creative, emotional, and operational pressures are overwhelming existing support systems.
Creative fatigue tops the list of burnout triggers at 40%, followed by demanding workloads (31%) and constant screen time (27%). When ranked by severity, however, financial instability emerges as the most significant factor, cited by 55% of creators who have experienced burnout.
Regional differences exist in how creators experience these pressures. UK creators report screen time as a more significant stressor, while U.S. creators struggle more with navigating platform algorithm demands.
The research demonstrates burnout’s wider impact, with 59% of creators reporting negative effects on their careers and 58% citing impacts on overall wellbeing. While two-thirds of marketers (66%) acknowledge burnout as a widespread challenge, and more than half (56%) recognize its career impact, a perception gap exists between industry professionals and creators.
Responsibility Shared Across Industry
Both creators and marketers agree on shared responsibility for addressing burnout. Among creators, 71% believe brands and platforms have a responsibility to protect their wellbeing, while 68% say the same for agencies. Marketers assign even higher responsibility, with 76% citing brands and agencies, and 78% platforms.
Support implementation appears inconsistent. Only about half of creators feel they receive adequate support from brands (48%), agencies (49%), or platforms (49%), while 60-63% of marketers believe these groups provide sufficient support.
Systemic and Cultural Changes
Creators identified several strategies to prevent burnout, including setting work-life boundaries (38%), taking time off more regularly (34%), and using AI and scheduling tools to reduce workload (32%). Mental health resources, honest audience communication, and peer support were also identified as critical needs.
This research emerges as U.S. marketers continue to invest heavily in creator marketing, with 71% now committing between $1 million and $ 3 million annually, according to Billion Dollar Boy. As investment grows, marketers face scaling challenges, with maintaining authentic content and managing creator relationships cited as primary concerns by approximately one-third of respondents.
New research from creator-first social agency Billion Dollar Boy reveals burnout has emerged as a significant barrier to growth in the creator economy, affecting more than half of creators surveyed across the U.S. and UK.
According to the study, 52% of creators have experienced burnout as a direct result of their careers, with 37% actively considering leaving the profession entirely. The findings, based on surveys of 1,000 creators and 1,000 senior marketers across the U.S. and UK, indicate that creative, emotional, and operational pressures are overwhelming existing support systems.
Creative fatigue tops the list of burnout triggers at 40%, followed by demanding workloads (31%) and constant screen time (27%). When ranked by severity, however, financial instability emerges as the most significant factor, cited by 55% of creators who have experienced burnout.
Regional differences exist in how creators experience these pressures. UK creators report screen time as a more significant stressor, while U.S. creators struggle more with navigating platform algorithm demands.
The research demonstrates burnout’s wider impact, with 59% of creators reporting negative effects on their careers and 58% citing impacts on overall wellbeing. While two-thirds of marketers (66%) acknowledge burnout as a widespread challenge, and more than half (56%) recognize its career impact, a perception gap exists between industry professionals and creators.
Responsibility Shared Across Industry
Both creators and marketers agree on shared responsibility for addressing burnout. Among creators, 71% believe brands and platforms have a responsibility to protect their wellbeing, while 68% say the same for agencies. Marketers assign even higher responsibility, with 76% citing brands and agencies, and 78% platforms.
Support implementation appears inconsistent. Only about half of creators feel they receive adequate support from brands (48%), agencies (49%), or platforms (49%), while 60-63% of marketers believe these groups provide sufficient support.
Systemic and Cultural Changes
Creators identified several strategies to prevent burnout, including setting work-life boundaries (38%), taking time off more regularly (34%), and using AI and scheduling tools to reduce workload (32%). Mental health resources, honest audience communication, and peer support were also identified as critical needs.
This research emerges as U.S. marketers continue to invest heavily in creator marketing, with 71% now committing between $1 million and $ 3 million annually, according to Billion Dollar Boy. As investment grows, marketers face scaling challenges, with maintaining authentic content and managing creator relationships cited as primary concerns by approximately one-third of respondents.
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