Outlook Business Desk
A growing number of Indian influencers are stepping away from full-time content creation, citing burnout, unstable income, and weak monetisation. Without large followings, many find it hard to survive on brand deals and YouTube ads, leading them to seek more secure career options.
According to Mint, India has over 8 million creators, but nearly 200,000 have exited since 2024. Low earnings, burnout, and dropping engagement are key reasons. While some see this as natural churn, others say it reveals deeper cracks in the creator economy’s sustainability.
Indian creators earn between $0.40 and $3 per 1,000 YouTube views—10 to 30 times lower than global rates. Despite high reach, monetisation remains weak. Only 5–10% of creators earn over ₹50,000 per month, forcing many to rely on inconsistent brand deals, which are mostly barter or unpaid collaborations.
Brands tend to choose celebrity influencers for reach or nano-influencers for better engagement at lower costs. This leaves mid-tier creators stuck in between—too expensive for some, not famous enough for others—making it hard for them to get consistent brand deals. Experts call this the "sandwich" problem.
Many creators now treat content as a side hustle. Some creators, who started with a certain niche, now work full-time in digital marketing, or work as freelances, or do acting and voice-over, while creating content only on weekends.
For instance, YouTuber Om Suri, with 73,000 subscribers, quit full-time content creation after inconsistent income and a failed venture. He’s now exploring job opportunities in writing and editing.
Another content creator, Aashish Gupta, who started with solo travel content in college, later joined a popular creator’s team. He realised solo content creation wasn’t financially sustainable and preferred a stable income while staying connected to the digital ecosystem.
Many creators are stepping back due to burnout, unstable income, and pressure to stay constantly active online. With no fixed hours or structure, the mental toll is high—unlike regular 9-to-5 jobs.
India’s creator economy is worth ₹3,500 crore, but most of the earnings go to the top 1%. Experts say a 2–3% exit rate is normal, but the bigger worry is how the rest struggle to earn or grow.