More than half of creators (51.7%) cite algorithm unpredictability as their biggest challenge, significantly outpacing concerns about brand budgets (13.8%) and content oversaturation (13.8%), according to a new survey from influencer marketing agency The Digital Dept.
The “2026 Creator Marketing Report” surveyed The Digital Dept.’s creator network to examine current trends, monetization, and partnership preferences as the influencer marketing industry continues to evolve. The report notes that social media algorithms are constantly changing, with potentially thousands of versions in use simultaneously, making it difficult for creators to predict content performance.
“Social media algorithms were all over the place in 2025, and that led to a lot of uncertainty for creators,” the report states.
Only 12% of surveyed creators reported increased brand budgets this year; the majority reported stagnant or declining budgets.
Platform Usage and Monetization
Instagram remains the primary platform for creators, with 58% naming it their top platform, compared with 41% for TikTok and 1% for YouTube. However, most creators now maintain active presences on both Instagram (100%) and TikTok (95%).
Paid partnerships remain the dominant income source, with 92% of creators earning through this channel. Affiliate links generate income for 65% of creators, while 51% participate in user-generated content programs. Product and service sales account for 22% of creator income, and ad revenue accounts for 24%.
The report highlights creators’ increasing control over monetization opportunities through platforms such as LTK and ShopMy for affiliate revenue, as well as services that offer merchandise, premium content, and subscriptions.
“Creators aren’t waiting around just for brand partnerships to support their livelihoods; they’re taking control of monetization opportunities,” the report states.
Partnership Preferences and Brand Alignment
Flat fee arrangements remain the preferred compensation model, accepted by 95% of surveyed creators. However, 42% will accept brand equity, 36% will accept in-kind partnerships, and 30% will accept either CPM-based (Cost per Mille) rates or affiliate revenue models.
Brand alignment emerges as the primary factor in partnership decisions, with 73% of creators citing it as their main consideration when evaluating opportunities. It is also the top reason creators decline partnership proposals, followed closely by low or nonexistent budgets.
“Brands do best when they treat creators as partners, not just promoters,” one surveyed creator notes in the report. “Clear communication, trust, and letting us bring our own voice make the content authentic.”
Long-Term Relationships Gain Importance
The research shows 83% of surveyed creators prefer multi-post brand opportunities over one-off partnerships, indicating a shift toward sustained collaborations.
“Finding the right creators who can serve as long-term ambassadors is proving to be a powerful strategy,” the report states.
The Digital Dept. recommends that brands make relationship-building a core component of their campaigns and seek creators who can serve as long-term ambassadors.
Engagement Metrics and AI Integration
The report identifies saves and shares as increasingly important engagement metrics, as platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube prioritize content that extends watch time and encourages users to remain on the platform.
On artificial intelligence, The Digital Dept. describes it as useful for creator discovery, demographic matching, analytics synthesis, and content translation. However, the report expresses concern about AI’s role in creative content, noting a rise in contract clauses restricting AI use in paid partnership content creation.
“We see AI as a great tool for campaign optimization, but it cannot replace the human-to-human connection that makes influencer marketing such a successful industry,” the report states.
Mainstream Creator Influence
The report documents creators’ expansion into traditional entertainment, citing examples such as Benny Drama and Jake Shane securing TV deals, Addison Rae’s music career, and TikTok comedians joining the cast of “Saturday Night Live.” Leah Kateb, formerly of ‘Love Island USA,’ now serves as creative director for the fragrance brand Skylar.
The report also highlights the growing prominence of wearable technology, particularly Ray-Ban Meta Glasses, which creators use for POV-style content and livestreaming. The Digital Dept. predicts increased immersive livestream content as technology barriers lower.
Image credits: The Digital Dept. Follow this link to get the full report
David Adler is an entrepreneur and freelance blog post writer who enjoys writing about business, entrepreneurship, travel and the influencer marketing space.
More than half of creators (51.7%) cite algorithm unpredictability as their biggest challenge, significantly outpacing concerns about brand budgets (13.8%) and content oversaturation (13.8%), according to a new survey from influencer marketing agency The Digital Dept.
The “2026 Creator Marketing Report” surveyed The Digital Dept.’s creator network to examine current trends, monetization, and partnership preferences as the influencer marketing industry continues to evolve. The report notes that social media algorithms are constantly changing, with potentially thousands of versions in use simultaneously, making it difficult for creators to predict content performance.
“Social media algorithms were all over the place in 2025, and that led to a lot of uncertainty for creators,” the report states.
Only 12% of surveyed creators reported increased brand budgets this year; the majority reported stagnant or declining budgets.
Platform Usage and Monetization
Instagram remains the primary platform for creators, with 58% naming it their top platform, compared with 41% for TikTok and 1% for YouTube. However, most creators now maintain active presences on both Instagram (100%) and TikTok (95%).
Paid partnerships remain the dominant income source, with 92% of creators earning through this channel. Affiliate links generate income for 65% of creators, while 51% participate in user-generated content programs. Product and service sales account for 22% of creator income, and ad revenue accounts for 24%.
The report highlights creators’ increasing control over monetization opportunities through platforms such as LTK and ShopMy for affiliate revenue, as well as services that offer merchandise, premium content, and subscriptions.
“Creators aren’t waiting around just for brand partnerships to support their livelihoods; they’re taking control of monetization opportunities,” the report states.
Partnership Preferences and Brand Alignment
Flat fee arrangements remain the preferred compensation model, accepted by 95% of surveyed creators. However, 42% will accept brand equity, 36% will accept in-kind partnerships, and 30% will accept either CPM-based (Cost per Mille) rates or affiliate revenue models.
Brand alignment emerges as the primary factor in partnership decisions, with 73% of creators citing it as their main consideration when evaluating opportunities. It is also the top reason creators decline partnership proposals, followed closely by low or nonexistent budgets.
“Brands do best when they treat creators as partners, not just promoters,” one surveyed creator notes in the report. “Clear communication, trust, and letting us bring our own voice make the content authentic.”
Long-Term Relationships Gain Importance
The research shows 83% of surveyed creators prefer multi-post brand opportunities over one-off partnerships, indicating a shift toward sustained collaborations.
“Finding the right creators who can serve as long-term ambassadors is proving to be a powerful strategy,” the report states.
The Digital Dept. recommends that brands make relationship-building a core component of their campaigns and seek creators who can serve as long-term ambassadors.
Engagement Metrics and AI Integration
The report identifies saves and shares as increasingly important engagement metrics, as platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube prioritize content that extends watch time and encourages users to remain on the platform.
On artificial intelligence, The Digital Dept. describes it as useful for creator discovery, demographic matching, analytics synthesis, and content translation. However, the report expresses concern about AI’s role in creative content, noting a rise in contract clauses restricting AI use in paid partnership content creation.
“We see AI as a great tool for campaign optimization, but it cannot replace the human-to-human connection that makes influencer marketing such a successful industry,” the report states.
Mainstream Creator Influence
The report documents creators’ expansion into traditional entertainment, citing examples such as Benny Drama and Jake Shane securing TV deals, Addison Rae’s music career, and TikTok comedians joining the cast of “Saturday Night Live.” Leah Kateb, formerly of ‘Love Island USA,’ now serves as creative director for the fragrance brand Skylar.
The report also highlights the growing prominence of wearable technology, particularly Ray-Ban Meta Glasses, which creators use for POV-style content and livestreaming. The Digital Dept. predicts increased immersive livestream content as technology barriers lower.
Image credits: The Digital Dept.
Follow this link to get the full report
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