How political creators are juggling platforms to find the three Rs: reach, revenue and rules
Political and news creators are relied on now more than ever, but what platforms are working for them? Which ones aren't?
Political influencers seeking to maximize their reach, earnings and understanding of platform rules often find themselves juggling multiple social media networks. No single platform consistently delivers on all three fronts: YouTube provides ad revenue, Instagram boasts massive audiences without creator fees, while TikTok's moderation policies remain uncertain.
Ryan Schram, executive director of the Center for the Creator Economy at Syracuse University, explains that an ideal platform for political creators must accomplish four key objectives: attract new audiences to their content, compensate them fairly for their work, clearly communicate platform rules, and allow creators to maintain relationships with their followers even if they switch to another platform.
Unfortunately, few platforms excel at all four aspects. Schram observes that political creators tend to gravitate towards where political discourse is already prevalent. According to a 2024 Pew Research study, 85% of the most-followed news influencers reside on X, 50% on Instagram, and 44% on YouTube.
Written by urgent.news from Digiday's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
