There is a platform available for every type of person and creator. You’re probably familiar with platforms for content creators like YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, but there are dozens more as well!
It can be tempting to want to try everything, but since your time is limited, you’ll want to find the right platforms that work best for you in the creator economy.
How do you do that? First, think about the type of content you create and start from there—for example, writing, video content, streaming, audio, photos, etc.
You don’t need to limit yourself to just one platform, but try focusing your efforts on 1-3 leading platforms; otherwise, it’s easy to become overwhelmed.
When I managed social media, one of my clients tried out about five or six platforms, and once she figured out which ones worked best for her business, she chose three to focus on.
Now, let’s explore some of the top platforms for content creators.
1. YouTube
Even if you’re not a YouTuber, you’ve probably used it as a viewer.
According to Hootsuite, YouTube is the second most-visited website worldwide, with 79 billion visits annually.
Even after 20 years, YouTube is still one of the top platforms for creators.
How to Make Money With YouTube
- The YouTube Partner Program (YPP)
- Affiliate Marketing
- Brand Sponsorships
- Channel Memberships
- Shorts Feed Ads
- Super Chats
If you prefer to create short-form content, don’t forget about YouTube Shorts as an option for content creators.
2. Medium
For long-form written content, Medium is one of the best places to be.
If you’ve been blogging and feel like you aren’t gaining traction yet, you might give Medium a try. Medium is an excellent complement to blogging because the website has a high domain authority.
One of the best aspects of Medium is that you can find all sorts of written content, from poems to listicles, and both short and long posts.
How to Make Money With Medium
To make money with Medium, you can join the Partner Program and get paid for views and reads of your articles.
Or, you can also use Medium to build your tribe and then direct followers to your website or email list.
If you offer coaching or consulting services, you can share helpful info and use Medium as a way to find potential customers or clients.
I’ve had brands reach out to me about potential sponsorships or brand partnerships through my Medium posts, so this is another way to make money.
3. Substack
If you are looking at platforms for content creators, but video isn’t your thing, Substack is a popular newsletter provider option for writers.
You are probably subscribed to at least one writer on Substack, and you might not even realize it.
You can publish both free and paid content on the platform.
To connect with your readers and other writers, you can also utilize other features like Notes, Posts, and Chat.
How to Make Money With Substack
Most Substack writers make their money through Paid Publications. These are publications that offer additional content such as Q&As, podcasts, live meetups, digital products, or audio access.
You can also use Substack to gain subscribers and direct them to other products or services that you offer.
This guide has everything you need to know to get started with Substack.
4. Spotify
Spotify is a streaming service for audiobooks, podcasts, and music.
With over 678 million users, it is the largest audio streaming service. If you’re interested in podcasting, humor is the most popular genre for men, while health and fitness are the most popular genres for women.
How to Make Money With Spotify
Spotify has two primary ways to earn money directly through the platform:
- The Spotify Partner Program
- Subscriptions
The Partner Program allows you to make money through ad revenue whenever someone plays your episode, both on Spotify and other platforms.
Another way is through Premium Video Revenue, where you earn based on the amount of time premium subscribers spend watching your content.
You can learn more about how to qualify for these programs here.
Podcast subscriptions are another way to make money, where you create exclusive content either directly on Spotify or use a platform like Substack or Patreon that partners with Spotify.
5. Instagram
Instagram is one of the top platforms today for sharing photos and short-form video content.
The platform has 2 billion monthly active users, with 72% of US teens and 76% of 18- to 29-year-olds using the platform. India has the largest number of users, followed by the US.
How to Make Money With Instagram
In the past, Instagram has offered invitation-only incentive programs and may do so again in the future.
6. TikTok
TikTok is an excellent platform for creators looking to share short-form video content.
With 1.5 billion users, it’s one of the most popular platforms today, especially with younger creators in the 18-24 age range. The countries with the most users are the US, India, and Brazil.
How to Make Money With TikTok
- Secure brand deals or partnerships
- Join Creator Rewards
- Receive video gifts
- Be a brand ambassador
- Create premium content with the Series feature
- Receive tips
- Place ads
- Create your own shop or be an affiliate to promote other products
7. LinkedIn
LinkedIn has a reputation as the ultimate career social media platform.
Many people use LinkedIn to apply for jobs, connect with current and former coworkers, and post their work history and resume.
Today, the platform has over 1 billion users from more than 200 countries.
How to Make Money With LinkedIn
If you offer consulting or other services, LinkedIn integrates with Calendly to simplify scheduling calls with potential clients.
8. Snapchat
Unlike many other social platforms where users observe others from a distance, users on Snapchat often send snaps to close friends or family, making it a platform where people connect with people they are close to.
Snapchat currently has 850 million monthly active users, primarily comprising younger millennials and Gen Z.
How to Make Money With Snapchat
Of course, you can also use Snapchat as a way to promote any digital products or services you offer as well.
9. Pinterest
Pinterest isn’t your typical social media platform, as it functions more like a search engine.
If you have a website or even a landing page, you can use Pinterest to drive traffic, as the platform has 553 million active monthly users. And with one in three Pinterest users having an income of over $100,000, users are willing and able to spend money. This is excellent news for you if you have products or services to sell.
How to Make Money With Pinterest
The first thing you’ll want to do is to turn your personal Pinterest account into a business account. This will enable you to view key statistics, including saves, impressions, pin clicks, and outbound clicks.
- Create a media kit and reach out to brands for collabs
- Use affiliate links
- Link back to your website with products or services you offer
Pinterest does a great job of predicting trends, so check out the current trends to have a better idea of what to post.
10. Twitch
Twitch is a live streaming platform that grew in popularity for streaming video games.
While the majority of streamers are gamers, you can also find other types of content, such as cooking and music.
The platform has over 240 million monthly active users.
How to Make Money With Twitch
The first step to getting monetized with Twitch is to meet the affiliate requirements, which are:
- Stream for 4 hours
- Have 25 followers
- Broadcast on 4 separate days
- Have an average of 3 viewers (on four separate days)
With the Twitch affiliate program, you can make money with donations, ads, affiliate marketing, bits, and subscriptions.
As you gain more followers, you can then work to advance to the Partner Program. If you want to live stream and are looking for a Twitch alternative, consider checking out Kick.
Can You Still Make Money With X (Twitter) and Facebook?
Since we’re talking about platforms for content creators, you might also be wondering if it’s still possible for creators to make money with X and Facebook. Great question.
The short answer is yes, you can. X offers the X Creator Program, also known as Creator Revenue Sharing. To be eligible for this program, you’ll need to have one of the premium subscriptions, have at least 5 million organic impressions in the past three months, have at least 500 verified followers, be in a country supported by X, and follow the X user agreement.
To earn money with Facebook, you can offer paid subscriptions, open a Facebook shop, monetize a Facebook group or Facebook Live, sell products through Marketplace, monetize your Reels with ads, or do sponsored content.
Like many of the other platforms we’ve talked about, you can also use affiliate links on both Facebook and X, or use these platforms to drive people to your website, newsletter, etc.
A Few Other Suggestions and Ways to Make Money
Sell Courses or Products
Another option is to sell your content and package it into a course, product, or merchandise. Some platforms for this are ThriveCart, Teachable, Thinkific, Kajabi, and Gumroad.
You could do video, audio, e-books, or printables, depending on your content and your viewers’ preferences.
With content creation, the algorithms are often changing, and your earnings will undoubtedly vary from month to month, so it’s always a good idea to have multiple income streams.
Offer a Membership or Subscription
Once you’ve built up a following, you can think about offering your content through subscriptions or memberships.
An advantage of this is that it allows you to create a steady income stream on a monthly or annual basis. Some platforms to consider for this would be Mighty Networks, Patreon, Discord, and Ko-fi.
Use AI for Content Creation Ideas
One of the biggest challenges for content creators is maintaining a consistent, frequent posting schedule.
Utilizing AI platforms like Perplexity or ChatGPT can be a valuable tool for generating content ideas.
You can also use AI to do market research into what topics are trending and what your audience is looking for.
Platforms for Content Creators Conclusion
As you search for the right platform, consider exploring both internal and external monetization options. For example, you can utilize built-in partner programs and also explore external sources of income, such as affiliate links or product or service offerings.
Remember that the best content creator platforms are the ones that work well for you, so don’t be afraid to try different platforms or change your content strategy if things aren’t working.
Another key to success and high engagement is understanding your target audience and creating high-quality content tailored to them. Use polls, analytics tools, and read the comments to get feedback from your fans.
If you aspire to go full-time with content creation, consider pursuing a job in influencer marketing or content management to gain more experience and understand what it’s like from the brand side. Alternatively, consider reaching out to other creators about potential collaboration opportunities!
And there you have it. Have you tried any of these platforms for content creators? Which ones interest you the most? To learn more, check out this article on 7 Easy Ways to Make Money as a Content Creator.
