The rise of Australia’s creator economy is nothing new.
Content creation is fast becoming one of the most desired careers for Gen Z, with more than six million digital creators in Australia alone. It’s not hard to see why: free holidays, endless skincare, and not being forced to work in an office? Talk about a Gen Z dream.
Despite this, more than half (51%) of content creators are struggling to monetise their content at all, according to the Fujifilm Forecast: Content Creation Trends for 2025 report.
The research surveyed more than 1,000 Aussie content creators to provide a state of play for the industry, with monetisation, algorithm changes, creative burnout, balancing content creation with other responsibilities (like a full time job), and the difficulty in going viral all cited as the biggest challenges for content creators in 2025.
From those that do monetise, 27% only earn sporadically – meaning their content creation can’t function as a full-time, sustainable source of income.
@ashhonestaffiliate It’s been a year #momsoftiktok #sahmsoftiktok ♬ it's been a year – Ashley Cooke
Of particular note is that a big chunk of creators (43%) attribute their monetisation challenges to the difficulties surrounding building and maintaining a loyal audience.
With #CancelCulture never failing to rear its head, the fickleness surrounding influencer communities continues to be a hindrance for creators being able to monetise their content.
So, what else did Fujifilm’s report tell us?
For content creators, comedy is king
Talk about an escape from the real world – comedy continues to be the top content type creators plan to consume in 2025 (65%).
This is closely followed by:
- Educational (60%)
- Travel (54%)
- Podcast (54%)
- Sport (52%)
- Photography (52%)
Instagram is slightly more popular than TikTok
Unsurprisingly, the same content platforms and genres continue to reign supreme, with content creators ranking Instagram (60%), Facebook (52%), and TikTok (46%) as preferred platforms for creating content. The rest of the ranking is as follows:
- YouTube (37%)
- Twitter/X (34%)
- Snapchat (28%)
- LinkedIn (22%)
- Personal blogs/websites (22%)
Interestingly, there’s a slight difference with the preferred platforms for consuming content. YouTube (74%) is the top pick, but despite this, the love for short form content is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
Our attention spans are broken, and short form content continues to dominate
Sorry for the attack, but it had to be said.
We can expect short form content (think TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YT Shorts) to keep killing it in 2025, with 65% of respondents agreeing we’ll remain in short form’s chokehold.
Similarly, short form content is expected to have the most impact in the content creation space, according to 46% of respondents.
@igotstinkyfeet TikTok has ruined our attention spans 😭 #foryoupage #foryou #fyp #viral #funny ♬ original sound – Isaak Bacha
With these findings comes a newfound fear in the uncertainty of TikTok’s future in the US. When looking at Gen Z and millennial content creators explicitly, close to two-thirds feel concern as to what this ban would mean for the national industry here in Australia.
Most content creators foresee a shift to Instagram and YouTube (57%) in the instance of a TikTok shutdown, which is fitting with these being some of the top platforms that Gen Z and millennials use to create and consume content.
Yep, that’s right, it’s another AI conversation
Okay, so it’s a little tired at this point, but we can’t talk about the shift behind content creation without talking about good ol’ artificial intelligence.
Despite the reluctance of some (many), AI is clearly here to stay, so it’s all about making it work with you, not against you.
@caroline.belangia I’m sick of all the AI “art” on my FYP. #studyabroad #ai #art ♬ Pas de deux – Symphony Orchestra of Russian State Musical TV-Radio Centre
The way content is created, curated, and consumed is rapidly changing, starting with powerful algorithms that know exactly when you want to be served up three kitten videos in a row.
These algorithms study your user profile so strongly, they’ll even start serving you ads and reels about Scottish castle renovations after watching just ONE video in the same realm. If you’re a believer of ‘to be loved is to be known’, you might be a fan.
Even more complex than that is the explosion of Gen AI in recent years, now allowing creators to automate everything from simple video edits to bustling visual designs.
There’s no doubt that AI is making content creation faster, smarter, and more personalised than ever, with 34% of creators believe that AI is set to redefine content creation in 2025.
Pro tip? Get around the idea now, and start adapting to a future where AI is set to reshape the standard.
Forever nostalgic, even in our content
Nostalgia isn’t just that feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when Spotify’s Smart Shuffle decides to play “Nutbush City Limits” on a random Wednesday afternoon.
Perhaps we can blame it on that feeling of the entire world going to shit, but there does seem to be a collective increased yearning for nostalgia-based content.
Reworking classic pop culture moments with a digital age spin aren’t just about aesthetics – think more comfort, familiarity, and throwbacks that evoke memories of a simpler time.
We’ve already seen this grow in recent years, but it’s looking to become even more of a thing. Research from Digital World’s The Rise of Nostalgia Marketing in a Digital World report shows that 92% (yep, you read that right) of consumers think that nostalgia makes advertisements feel relatable.
What does that tell us? Nostalgia isn’t just making a comeback — it’s a clear facet of digital storytelling moving forward.
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