The creator economy has never been bigger. In 2025, the global influencer market is projected to surpass $33 billion, more than triple its size just 5 years ago.
And while this is an exciting reality for many in the space, the state of the creator economy has never been more fragile. While brands pour billions into influencer marketing, the very people driving this growth are quietly burning out.
A global study by Billion Dollar Boy found that 52% of creators are experiencing burnout and 37% are considering leaving their careers altogether. At the same time, marketers continue to increase spending in this space. For brands and agencies, this isn’t just a wellness issue — it’s a looming threat to the sustainability of the entire industry. This disconnect raises urgent questions about the long-term sustainability of influencer marketing and the role brands and agencies must play in safeguarding the very people fueling this industry.
Why Creators Are Burning Out
Burnout is not just “being tired.” Psychologists define it as a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress. For creators, the stressors are uniquely layered:
Creative fatigue (40%) – The constant demand to produce fresh, original content on a daily or weekly basis drains even the most inventive minds. Unlike traditional jobs with clear boundaries, content creation requires a perpetual flow of ideas that must resonate with ever-shifting audience preferences.
Demanding workloads (31%) – From managing brand campaigns to editing, responding to comments, and staying active on multiple platforms, creators often juggle the responsibilities of an entire production studio—without the support system.
Constant screen time (27%) – With smartphones doubling as both workplace and personal space, there’s little separation between work and life. Many creators are effectively “on call” 24/7.
Financial instability (55%) – When asked to rank the most severe cause, creators pointed to income unpredictability as the biggest driver of stress.
Psychologist Maria Conceição explains that burnout is “poorly managed chronic stress” with both physical and psychological consequences: exhaustion, depression, anxiety, irritability, lower productivity, and even memory problems.
Creators are particularly vulnerable, she says, because their work is not just about output — it’s about validation. The metrics of likes, shares, and engagement often double as a measure of self-worth. “Creators are always seeking recognition, continuously driven by results. Many are perfectionists, workaholics, or overly self-critical. Without boundaries, this accelerates the risk of burnout.”
The Career and Well-Being Toll
The effects of burnout are both personal and professional. The Billion Dollar Boy survey revealed that 59% of creators say burnout negatively impacts their careers, while 58% report it damages their overall well-being.
The story of Gabe Dannenbring, a science teacher turned influencer with over 2 million followers, illustrates the cycle:
“I’ve come up with hundreds, if not thousands, of video ideas. That’s emotionally exhausting. And the algorithm is inconsistent—your success depends on something you can’t control.”
This combination of creative exhaustion and algorithmic unpredictability leaves creators feeling powerless. For many, burnout leads to declining output, shrinking opportunities, and doubts about whether their careers are sustainable.
For brands, this instability can derail campaigns, delay deliverables, or result in sudden creator dropouts.
Pressure from Algorithms, Audiences, and Themselves
Burnout isn’t driven by workload alone. It’s compounded by pressure from three major forces:
Algorithms: Success is tethered to opaque, constantly changing systems that creators can’t control. A dip in visibility can devastate income overnight.
Self-expectation: Many creators are perfectionists, pushing themselves to outperform peers constantly. This relentless comparison fuels anxiety and overwork.
Audience scrutiny: Every post is exposed to public judgment. Conceição explains: “In a small circle, criticism has limited impact. On social media, those opinions can snowball into movements that creators may not be emotionally prepared to handle.”
For creators, these pressures overlap. When content underperforms, they often work harder, leading to deeper exhaustion—a cycle that is difficult to break.
And even for brands, this cycle creates volatility where creators may withdraw and deliver inconsistent results.
The Financial Reality Behind the Glamour
Despite the industry’s growth, most creators aren’t earning enough to sustain themselves. A NeoReach report revealed:
- 50.71% of influencers earn less than $15,000 annually
- The share of low earners has risen steadily since 2023
- Only 15.41% of influencers earn over $100,000 annually
Even experienced creators face financial insecurity. As Dannenbring warns:
“Influencers essentially operate in a 100% commission-based field. If you build a lifestyle around your peak earning year, then make significantly less the following year, you could be in huge trouble financially.”
Financial instability amplifies every other stressor. Creators may overcommit to brand deals, dilute their authenticity, or sacrifice quality for quantity just to stay afloat. For brands partnering with these creators can mean rushed work, less authenticity, and ultimately, weaker campaigns.
The Disconnect Between Creators and Marketers
One of the most striking findings from Billion Dollar Boy’s research is the gap between how creators and marketers perceive support.
71% of creators believe brands and platforms should do more to protect their well-being.
76% of marketers believe they already provide adequate support.
This misalignment reflects a fundamental difference in how each group views the creator–brand relationship.
Creators see their role as deeply personal. They aren’t just producing ads for key brands; they’re sharing parts of their lives, personalities, and values with an audience they’ve carefully built over years. That makes their work emotionally taxing, and it means “support” is measured by more than money. Creators value things like fair deadlines, clear communication, respectful negotiation, and acknowledgement of their humanity.
By contrast, many marketers still view creators through a transactional lens. Just valuable but replaceable “media channels.” When marketers say they provide “adequate support,” they often mean they pay on time and supply briefs. For them, that feels like enough.
Fabio Gonçalves, Director of Brazilian and North American Talent at Viral Nation and an expert in influencer marketing for over a decade, notes:
“Many companies believe they already provide adequate support, but fewer than half of influencers feel that daily. This lack of alignment can create frustration, harm professional relationships, and even compromise the quality of deliverables.”
The Role of Brands and Agencies in Combating Burnout
Bridging this gap requires a shift in mindset. Instead of treating creators as temporary vendors, brands and agencies need to see them as long-term partners whose well-being directly impacts campaign success.
Here’s how that integration can look in practice:
Fair pay and longer-term contracts
Short-term, one-off deals may deliver quick results, but they also perpetuate financial instability for creators. Longer-term partnerships not only reduce stress for influencers, they also give brands more consistent messaging and deeper audience engagement.
Realistic timelines
Burnout often spikes when creators are given unrealistic deadlines. Brands that plan campaigns with creators’ bandwidth in mind get higher-quality content and avoid last-minute stress that damages relationships.
Transparent communication
Many creators report feeling “left in the dark” after initial negotiations. Regular check-ins, constructive feedback, and follow-through after campaigns foster trust and keep creators motivated to deliver their best.
Agency advocacy
Agencies are uniquely positioned to play a dual role: representing brands while protecting creators. By building genuine relationships—listening, advising, and guiding—agencies can serve as stabilizing forces in a volatile industry.
As Gonçalves puts it:
“Our role is not just to negotiate deals but to listen, advise, and show real concern for creators’ well-being. Recognizing their human needs allows for more authentic, consistent work—and ultimately strengthens partnerships for the long run.”
For brands and agencies, the payoff is clear: healthier creators mean more reliable deliverables, more authentic engagement, and stronger long-term ROI. In other words, supporting creator well-being is strategy and not charity.
The Future of Influencer Marketing
The creator economy is expanding at breakneck speed. U.S. marketers are now investing on average $1–3 million annually in creator campaigns. With more than 50 million influencers worldwide, growing 10–20% each year, this workforce is only going to get larger and more competitive.
But scale without sustainability is dangerous. If creators continue to burn out while brands ramp up investment, the entire industry risks becoming a high-spend, low-return environment.
For brands and agencies, this is the inflection point. Will they treat creators as disposable resources in the pursuit of short-term growth, or as essential partners whose health and stability determine the industry’s long-term success?
“If we don’t pay attention to creators’ well-being, we risk building an inflated market with exhausted talent and little long-term sustainability.” - Gonçalves
So, the influencer industry is at a crossroads. The money is flowing, the audiences are growing, but the people at the center are struggling.
For brands and agencies, the path forward is clear:
Treat creators as partners, not media buys.
Build structures that reduce instability like fair pay, consistent contracts, better communication.
Prioritize the human side of influencer marketing, not just the transactional side.
Because the future of this industry won’t be determined by budgets alone. It will be shaped by whether brands and agencies choose to protect and invest in the people driving its growth.
