Google is making more space for creators in Search with the introduction of Search Profiles. It's a new feature that gives creators a shareable, customizable page that brings together their social accounts, content, and links in one place.

During its recent Investor Day 2026, Spotify announced that it will launch Memberships this summer.

Memberships are a set of tools that allow eligible creators to offer subscriptions to their fans for new and exclusive content and experiences, such as early access to podcasts and bonus episodes.

Facebook announcedCreator Fast Track, a new program aimed at bringing established creators from Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube onto the platform

The new year is approaching, bringing one of my favorite rituals: reflecting on the past year and forecasting what comes next.

Based on my experience as a creator and marketer, and what I’ve observed across the industry, here are my 10 key trends for 2025.

YouTube checks the box for a lot of things, but one big gap it has had? Direct messaging. YouTube actually had native messaging for a few years but shut down the feature in 2019 to focus on public interactions like comments.

YouTube is upgrading the TV experience. Creators can soon upload 4K thumbnails, and an AI-powered tool will automatically enhance video resolution. The platform also added immersive homepage previews and contextual search within individual channels.

Music has become synonymous with the social media experience. It drives trends, fuels engagement, and adds personality to short-form video content, which makes up the bulk of today’s feeds. Whether you are scrolling TikTok, Instagram Reels, or YouTube Shorts, chances are the video you are watching is paired with a song. In fact, 85% of videos on TikTok, 84% of videos on YouTube, 58% on Instagram, and 49% on Facebook contain at least 10 seconds of music.

At its Made On YouTube event, YouTube announced over $100 billion in payouts to creators, artists, and media companies, alongside 30+ updates across shopping, brand deals, AI creation tools, podcasts, live streaming, and music.

Google is updating the Discover feed in its Search app. In the coming weeks, users will see more creator-driven content, including Instagram posts, X posts, YouTube Shorts, as well as traditional articles and stories. Google says more platforms will be added, with my predictions being TikTok, LinkedIn, and Substack content as next.

Back in August, Kajabi announced a major milestone – it has paid out $10 billion to creators, just months after hitting the $9 billion threshold, 100% of which has gone directly to creators.

YouTube added a feature for creators to tag brand partners during video uploads or when editing existing videos.

YouTube relaxed its Advertiser Friendly Guidelines, now allowing strong language in the first seven seconds of videos without losing monetization eligibility.