This Study Unveiled How 40 Million Creators Made Money in 2023
And it missed the point completely
Linktree studied 40 million creators who grew their audiences & monetized in 2023.
Here's the $$$ breakdown:
72% made less than $500
17% made $500-$5,000
5% made $5,000-$10,000
4% made $10,000-$50,000
2% made over $50,000
Imagine making $50K on the internet 10 years ago.
Impossible.
Now some make that per month on Twitter(X).
I read the full report, and here's my takeaway:
Community > Entertainment
While many of us can agree Twitter(X) or Substack are all about building tribes, hopping on calls, and creating offers based on audience pain points...
This Linktree study completely missed the mark.
“We’re seeing a huge opportunity for creators to turn their Linktrees into moneymakers, especially through direct payment features like tips, gifts, and paid requests…”
Value determines your valuation.
Not how hard you beg.
Tim Denning tweeted this:
"You'll make more money as a writer selling digital products than you ever will asking for people to buy you a coffee or donate to your Patreon/Kofi."
While this study didn't focus on writers but on broad "creators," it missed how creators can use audiences they've painstakingly built to provide real value.
It doesn't touch on the sense of community created on all-in-one apps like Twitter(X) which will skyrocket in 2024.
It doesn't talk about creators making waves on platforms, moving people to newsletters, and selling value products or services.
Creators can't make $50K with "tips."
2024 looks promising for creators in the right place
When people say, "We're in the early days," they're 100% correct.
If LinkTree really studied 40 million creators, it's a good sign they didn't notice what's really going on.
I've made friends on Twitter(X) and Substack, hopped on calls and gotten great feedback.
I care about the content I put out because I know who's going to see it, and I know they'll call me out.
I love the accountability here, and that's worth more than a cup of coffee. I'm not here to beg. I'm overloaded with value every time I open the app.
So here's a final thought:
If you're new here, you're early.
Don't compare yourself to the heavy hitters.
Writing online, filming shorts, and sharing stories isn't about the money.
It's about the friends you make along the way and what they can teach you.
Build your skill stack
Hop on free calls
Learn people's pains
Get testimonials
When you've got something to add to the world...
Ship it.
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