Creators are increasingly moving away from social platform dependency toward building their own revenue streams, according to a new report from Kajabi.
The “State of Creator Commerce” report, based on a survey of 1,717 respondents conducted between December 2024 and January 2025, highlights a growing shift from what Kajabi terms “Social-First Creators” to “Entrepreneurial Creators” who own their audience relationships and revenue channels.
Platform Volatility Drives Shift to Ownership
Fear around platform volatility has doubled over the past year, the report shows. Social-First Creators express 400% more concern about potential platform disruptions, such as a TikTok ban, than creators using Kajabi’s platform.
“The temporary disappearance of TikTok in January 2025 served as a major wake-up call for a lot of creators,” says Lia Haberman, creator economy expert and ICYMI Newsletter founder, as quoted in the report. “The uncertainty forced a lot of people to confront the reality of platform dependency.”
“Creators know the volatility of social platforms: algorithm shifts, unstable creator funds, unpredictable brand deals. TikTok’s future in the U.S. is uncertain yet again. None of that should dictate a creator’s livelihood,” Kajabi CEO Ahad Khan tells Net Influencer.
This concern appears well-founded, as creators report significant declines in traditional social media revenue sources over the past year:
33% decrease in platform payouts
36% decline in affiliate marketing income
52% reduction in brand deal revenue
Image source: Kajabi
Revenue Diversification Beyond Social Platforms
As social platform revenues decline, creators report growth in alternative income streams:
Podcast revenue increased 47%
Digital download sales grew 20%
Educational content sales rose 14%
Membership groups expanded 10%
The report also indicates that creators are becoming more selective about brand partnerships. The percentage of creators willing to compromise their values for high-paying brand deals decreased from 55% in 2024 to 33% in 2025.
Financial and Well-being Advantages
According to the report, Entrepreneurial Creators earn 25% more than Social-First Creators on average. Those specifically using Kajabi’s platform report earnings 200% higher than Social-First Creators.
Image source: Kajabi
The survey data suggests financial control correlates with improved creator well-being. Among Social-First Creators, 33% report negative impacts from algorithm changes, and 26% struggle with paycheck-to-paycheck stress.
“One of the most surprising and encouraging findings was around creator well-being,” Ahad notes. “Entrepreneurial Creators reported significantly better mental health than Social-First Creators. They enjoy more control, creative freedom, and work-life balance. It’s a clear signal: when creators own their business, they reclaim their peace of mind.”
In contrast, Entrepreneurial Creators on Kajabi report better outcomes across multiple dimensions:
42% report better work-life balance (vs. 32% of Social-First Creators)
49% experience greater creative freedom (vs. 28%)
58% have more control over work schedules (vs. 36%)
“Gaining independence from social media has been a game-changer for my wellbeing, work-life balance, and having more confidence in what I offer,” states Malcolm Duke Baxter III, a Kajabi creator quoted in the report.
Key Success Factors for Creator Businesses
The report identifies several factors driving success for Entrepreneurial Creators:
Direct audience access through email lists and private communities
Niche specialization (57% of Kajabi Creators cite this as critical vs. 22% of Social-First Creators)
Value-based pricing strategies
Community building (creators with communities generate 50% more revenue)
Creators are monetizing through multiple channels, with the top five non-social revenue sources being coaching/consulting, memberships, educational content, merchandise, and digital downloads.
Industry Implications
Ahad frames these findings as part of a broader industry movement. “The creator economy is much bigger than social media. Creator Commerce unlocks the next level—where creators become entrepreneurs,” he tells us.
This shift, Ahad adds, benefits the entire ecosystem because when creators take ownership—monetizing through newsletters, podcasts, memberships, coaching, etc.—they build deeper, more valuable communities. “Everyone wins: creators, brands, and platforms alike.”
“The findings of Kajabi’s State of the Creator Commerce report confirm a fundamental shift: the era of the Social-First Creator is fading, and the rise of the Entrepreneurial Creator is here,” Ahad asserts. “Creator Commerce is redefining the industry by empowering creators to fully own their audience, their products, and most importantly, their income. It’s time we stop seeing creators as just content makers and start recognizing them as business owners.”
Kajabi has helped over 100,000 creators earn more than $9 billion in revenue—without giving up a single dollar to intermediaries or algorithms, shares Ahad. “That’s the power of Creator Commerce. And this is only the beginning,” he concludes.
Nii A. Ahene is the founder and managing director of Net Influencer, a website dedicated to offering insights into the influencer marketing industry. Together with its newsletter, Influencer Weekly, Net Influencer provides news, commentary, and analysis of the events shaping the creator and influencer marketing space. Through interviews with startups, influencers, brands, and platforms, Nii and his team explore how influencer marketing is being effectively used to benefit businesses and personal brands alike.
Creators are increasingly moving away from social platform dependency toward building their own revenue streams, according to a new report from Kajabi.
The “State of Creator Commerce” report, based on a survey of 1,717 respondents conducted between December 2024 and January 2025, highlights a growing shift from what Kajabi terms “Social-First Creators” to “Entrepreneurial Creators” who own their audience relationships and revenue channels.
Platform Volatility Drives Shift to Ownership
Fear around platform volatility has doubled over the past year, the report shows. Social-First Creators express 400% more concern about potential platform disruptions, such as a TikTok ban, than creators using Kajabi’s platform.
“The temporary disappearance of TikTok in January 2025 served as a major wake-up call for a lot of creators,” says Lia Haberman, creator economy expert and ICYMI Newsletter founder, as quoted in the report. “The uncertainty forced a lot of people to confront the reality of platform dependency.”
“Creators know the volatility of social platforms: algorithm shifts, unstable creator funds, unpredictable brand deals. TikTok’s future in the U.S. is uncertain yet again. None of that should dictate a creator’s livelihood,” Kajabi CEO Ahad Khan tells Net Influencer.
This concern appears well-founded, as creators report significant declines in traditional social media revenue sources over the past year:
Image source: Kajabi
Revenue Diversification Beyond Social Platforms
As social platform revenues decline, creators report growth in alternative income streams:
The report also indicates that creators are becoming more selective about brand partnerships. The percentage of creators willing to compromise their values for high-paying brand deals decreased from 55% in 2024 to 33% in 2025.
Financial and Well-being Advantages
According to the report, Entrepreneurial Creators earn 25% more than Social-First Creators on average. Those specifically using Kajabi’s platform report earnings 200% higher than Social-First Creators.
Image source: Kajabi
The survey data suggests financial control correlates with improved creator well-being. Among Social-First Creators, 33% report negative impacts from algorithm changes, and 26% struggle with paycheck-to-paycheck stress.
“One of the most surprising and encouraging findings was around creator well-being,” Ahad notes. “Entrepreneurial Creators reported significantly better mental health than Social-First Creators. They enjoy more control, creative freedom, and work-life balance. It’s a clear signal: when creators own their business, they reclaim their peace of mind.”
In contrast, Entrepreneurial Creators on Kajabi report better outcomes across multiple dimensions:
“Gaining independence from social media has been a game-changer for my wellbeing, work-life balance, and having more confidence in what I offer,” states Malcolm Duke Baxter III, a Kajabi creator quoted in the report.
Key Success Factors for Creator Businesses
The report identifies several factors driving success for Entrepreneurial Creators:
Creators are monetizing through multiple channels, with the top five non-social revenue sources being coaching/consulting, memberships, educational content, merchandise, and digital downloads.
Industry Implications
Ahad frames these findings as part of a broader industry movement. “The creator economy is much bigger than social media. Creator Commerce unlocks the next level—where creators become entrepreneurs,” he tells us.
This shift, Ahad adds, benefits the entire ecosystem because when creators take ownership—monetizing through newsletters, podcasts, memberships, coaching, etc.—they build deeper, more valuable communities. “Everyone wins: creators, brands, and platforms alike.”
“The findings of Kajabi’s State of the Creator Commerce report confirm a fundamental shift: the era of the Social-First Creator is fading, and the rise of the Entrepreneurial Creator is here,” Ahad asserts. “Creator Commerce is redefining the industry by empowering creators to fully own their audience, their products, and most importantly, their income. It’s time we stop seeing creators as just content makers and start recognizing them as business owners.”
Kajabi has helped over 100,000 creators earn more than $9 billion in revenue—without giving up a single dollar to intermediaries or algorithms, shares Ahad. “That’s the power of Creator Commerce. And this is only the beginning,” he concludes.
The full report is available on Kajabi’s website.