5 ways to join the creator economy in the new year

The start of a new year is a prime time to reflect, realign, and set fresh goals for personal and professional growth.

For creators, this moment is an opportunity to elevate their businesses, expand their reach, and deepen their impact.

If you're ready to embrace 2025 as a year of transformation, read on for actionable steps and inspiring ideas tailored to Teachable creators.

Defining the creator economy

Did you know that over 50 million people consider themselves creators?

In fact, Influencer Marketing Hub reported that not only do people identify themselves as creators in the traditional sense, but they’re also making money. According to the report, 43% of surveyed creators made over $50,000 annually from monetizing their passions online.

If one thing’s for sure, it’s that many have turned to making money online from their skills through various avenues. Needless to say, turning passion into profit is working well for many.

And the creator economy, as the phenomenon is dubbed, is only going to grow from here.

Before we get into how you can enter the creator economy in 2025, let’s define the buzz term first.

Simply put, the creator economy is a sector of business where those creators make a living online from monetizing their presence, passions, and talent. From musicians who create an online fanbase and earn money from music streams (vs. a traditional record deal) to influencers who monetize their online presence through sponsored content, there are many ways to enter the creator economy and make a consistent living from it.

Ways to join the creator economy in 2025

If you have a skill set or talent that you’re passionate about, chances are you can find a way to make serious money. Keep reading for some ways to join creator economy if you’re considering betting on yourself in the new year.

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1. Create and sell a course, of course

If you’re reading this, you’re probably already familiar with online course creation. You may already have a course available through Teachable. Teaching people online about something you’re an expert in is one of the best ways to make money online from your passions. Don’t underestimate how eager someone may be to learn something new that comes second nature to you. Click here to learn more about the endless possibilities of teaching online.

2. Launch a blog

Blogging is one of the oldest profitable creator mediums. However, it’s not entirely that old (the oldest recognized blog dates back to 1994 and the first blogging platform, Open Diary, launched in 1998). It’s one of the more common ways to enter the creator economy. Launch a blog that features content about topics that you’re passionate about within your niche.

There are many ways to monetize a blog, including publishing ads with platforms such as , sponsored posts, and affiliate marketing. Like most platforms, making money from blogging won’t come overnight. You’ll have to post high-quality content consistently to get traffic and eventually be approved for advertising and affiliate networks. It’ll also take time to get the attention of brands willing to pay you to feature them in your content. However, the multiple revenue streams that can come from blogging make it worthwhile way to enter the creator economy.

3. Publish an e-book

Long gone are the days when you have to find a publishing house to get your book idea off the ground. You also no longer need to write an excruciatingly long body of work to be respected as an author. If you have an expertise or skill that you can put into a book, using a self-publishing platform such as Kindle Direct Publishing is a great way to teach people what you know and monetize in the process.

4. Create a newsletter

If running a blog or writing an e-book isn’t quite right for you, another great route is launching a newsletter. Traditionally newsletters were looked at as a means to support an online community such as a blog, but more and more creators are using newsletters to generate income on their own.

For starters, you can incorporate affiliate links into your newsletter. This way you can promote commissionable products or services within your niche. Additionally, you can create a subscription-based newsletter with platforms such as Substack to generate income from your newsletter alone. Tipping platforms such as Buy Me A Coffee can generate a profit in your newsletter so people can show their appreciation through small donations.

5. Bring your talents to YouTube or TikTok

YouTube is the second largest search engine behind Google. TikTok is one of the fastest-growing social media platforms. If you’re talented with a camera or are passionate about something that you can teach or entertain people with, you should seriously consider venturing into these two powerful platforms.

Specifically, there’s a lot of potential to make money through Google Adsense (once your channel meets monetization requirements). There are also sponsored videos and affiliate linking to products and services. TikTok also offers a ton of earning potential through sponsorships and affiliate marketing, but also through TikTok’s Creator Fund, which essentially pays you to create engaging content on the platform.

How to set SMART goals for creators

Setting goals is crucial for staying on track and achieving growth, but not all goals are created equal. Use the SMART framework to create goals that are:

• Specific: Focus on a clear objective, such as launching a course or growing your email list.
• Measurable: Define success with numbers, like aiming for 50 course enrollments.
• Attainable: Choose goals that are challenging but within your reach.
• Realistic: Align your goals with available resources and time.
• Timely: Set a deadline to maintain focus and accountability.

Let's break down each of these in more detail.

Specific: Define Your Focus

A goal should be clear and precise, leaving no room for ambiguity. Specificity helps you understand exactly what you want to achieve and why.

Examples for Teachable Creators:

• Instead of “I want to grow my audience,” set a goal like, “I want to grow my email list by 1,000 subscribers using a lead magnet by the end of Q1.”
• Replace “I want to sell my course” with “I want to enroll 50 students in my new course by March 15.”

Actionable Tip: Break down larger goals into smaller milestones. For example, to grow your email list, focus on creating one high-value freebie and launching a social media campaign to promote it.

Measurable: Track Your Progress

To know if you’re succeeding, your goal must have measurable criteria. Use numbers, percentages, or deadlines to quantify progress.

Examples for Teachable Creators:

• Track metrics such as course enrollments, email subscribers, or community engagement rates.
• For digital downloads, measure success by aiming to sell 20 downloads within the first two weeks of launch.

Actionable Tip: Use tools like Teachable’s analytics dashboard, Google Analytics, or email marketing platforms to monitor and evaluate your progress.

Attainable: Keep It Realistic but Challenging

While it’s important to stretch yourself, your goals should also feel achievable given your current resources and circumstances. Unrealistic goals can lead to frustration and burnout, while attainable goals keep you motivated.

Examples for Teachable Creators:

• If you’re new to creating courses, aim to launch one high-quality course instead of three.
• If you have limited time, set a goal to grow your community by 10% over three months instead of doubling it.

Actionable Tip: Assess your current bandwidth, skills, and resources. If a goal feels daunting, break it down into incremental steps or delegate parts of the process to tools or collaborators.

Realistic: Align Goals with Resources and Time

A realistic goal takes into account your personal commitments, resources, and the external environment. Ensure your objectives match your capacity and avoid overcommitting.

Examples for Teachable Creators:

• If you’re working full-time, commit to creating two lessons per week instead of trying to finish an entire course in a month.
• Align your goals with your budget. For example, aim to start with Teachable’s free plan to test one product before upgrading to a paid plan for scaling.

Actionable Tip: Perform a quick audit of your available time, budget, and support systems. Use this to set achievable timelines and expectations.

Timely: Set Deadlines for Accountability

Without a deadline, a goal is just a wish. Adding a time element ensures you stay focused and motivated to achieve your objectives within a reasonable timeframe.

Examples for Teachable Creators:

• “I will write the first draft of my course outline by January 15.”
• “I will publish my course by March 1 and achieve 20 sales by April 15.”

Actionable Tip: Work backward from your ultimate deadline and set smaller deadlines for intermediate steps, such as completing research, creating content, and launching marketing campaigns.

Combining SMART Criteria

Here’s how you can combine all elements of the SMART framework into a cohesive goal:

• General Goal: "I want to sell my course."
• SMART Goal: "I will launch my course on March 1, 2025, and enroll 50 students by April 15, using a marketing strategy that includes email campaigns, a free webinar, and social media promotions."

No matter where you are right now, there’s still time to find your place in the creator economy. We encourage you to share your skills and explore that in the new year.

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