New York, April 2026: As the creator economy continues to mature, brands are tracking how creators are evolving using deep insights as a guide to plan smarter partnerships and more effective campaigns. Today, #paid, the creator marketing operating system powering the world’s largest consumer brands, releases its 2026 Creator Signals Report, a collection of network data and insights that provide a deeper look at how creators are shaping their careers, priorities, and everyday lives, giving brands a clear understanding of where they can authentically match and align with creators.
As investment in creator marketing from brands scales to $2T this year, knowing what’s top of mind for creators, from goal setting to life priorities to spending behavior, gives brands an advantage in building partnerships that feel authentic and match the trajectory of the creator economy.
“Across today’s most successfully executed creator campaigns, alignment between brands and creators underpins everything,” said Adam Rivietz, Co-founder of #paid.
“Knowing what creators are prioritizing is a sign that brands are now viewing creators as long-term partners. The brands that understand creators are the ones that will ensure stronger partnerships and better campaigns,” said Olivia Harris, Product Marketing at #paid and author of the Creator Signals report.
Compared to last year, the 2026 data shows sharp increases across multiple trends and significant lifestyle changes. The report also covers updated insights on how creators earn income, the products and brands they use daily, the partnerships they aspire to, and the overarching goals they’re working toward.
Key Topics from the 2026 Creator Insights Report:
● Financial Planning: Creators are prioritizing stability, with those focused on saving money rising from 32% in 2025 to 76% in 2026.
● Life Milestones: There’s been an increase in planning major personal changes this year, with those preparing for a big trip jumping from 30% to 59%, along with notable growth in plans to move, buy homes, get married, and launch new businesses.
● Lifestyle Shifts: Intentional living across creators continues to grow, led by clean beauty / low-tox living, increasing from 14% to 32% this year, as interest in sobriety and self-optimization habits also increases.
● Content Evolution: Creators are leaning into more personal and story-driven formats, with travel and vlog content rising from 17% to 58%.
● New Insights in 2026 – This year’s report also explores creator income streams, daily-use products and brands, recurring content series, dream partnerships, FIFA team fandom, and the top goals creators are working toward this year.
For access to the full report, please visit https://hashtagpaid.com/creator-signals.
