"During our conversations, a few key takeaways emerged. For starters, everyone's expecting more of what we saw in 2025. More video podcasts, more Hollywood deals, more traditional celebrities crossing over into digital domains. My expert sources are also predicting that 2026 will be the year of the sports creator, the year of the friend group and the year that a creator-first company files for an IPO."
"Before I dive in, I want to take a moment to personally thank all of you who subscribed over the past year - and invite Ankler subscribers to sign up now for more of my in-depth coverage in 2026 (which won't all make its way into your Ankler feed). What began as a hunch that there were a lot of you eager to read more deeply about the forces shaping the creator economy today has led to an incredibly rewarding and fun year for me,"
2025 delivered significant growth in creator businesses and influence driven by large deals and the rise of creator-led brands. Competition between major platforms fueled high-profile acquisitions of podcast talent and expanded monetization opportunities. Industry experts predict 2026 will amplify existing trends with more video podcasts, increased Hollywood collaboration, and greater crossover from traditional celebrities into digital spaces. Forecasts single out sports creators and friend-group formats as breakout categories and anticipate a creator-first company pursuing an IPO. Persistent questions remain about AI's effects on creator business models and how social platforms will shape audience discovery and reach.
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