Becoming an influencer is no longer a fringe ambition. YPulse found 33% of 13–24-year-olds surveyed in 2025 were actively trying to become online celebrities. Brands are looking beyond famous faces too: smaller creators are forecast to claim 45.5% of US influencer-marketing spend in 2026. The reality check? CreatorIQ found 67% of surveyed creators earned under $10,000 from content in a year. Influence is spreading faster than the money.
