YouTube’s ‘creative entrepreneurs’ contributed Rs 6,800 crore to the Indian economy in 2020: report

As per the report, a ‘creative entrepreneur’ stands for YouTube creators, regardless of their gender identity, with at least 10,000 subscribers on their largest channel and for creators with fewer subscribers who receive funds directly from YouTube, generate funds from other sources with their YouTube videos and / or permanently employ other people to support their YouTube activities.

“The creator economy in the country has the potential to emerge as a soft-power impacting economic growth, job creation, and even cultural influence,” Ajay Vidyasagar, Regional Director, APAC, YouTube Partnerships said. “As our creators and artists build the next generation of media companies that are connecting with a global audience, their impact on the economy’s overall success will only continue to accelerate.”

These revenue sources not only support jobs and income for creative entrepreneurs themselves, but also wider activity in supply chains, the company said. Interestingly, the number of channels in India with over 100,000 subscribers stands at 40,000, which marks a growth of over 45%, year on year. In addition, YouTube said that with eight different ways to monetize content on the platform, the number of channels making six figures or more in revenue is up more than 60% year on year.

“This report is the first of its kind to unpack and quantify the economic, societal and cultural impacts of the YouTube ecosystem in India,” Adrian Cooper, CEO Oxford Economics, said. “Our research shows that YouTube fosters significant positive impacts for Indian creators in terms of helping them achieve their professional goals and grow their businesses.”

Discover the stories of your interest