Influencer marketing survival playbook: How the creator economy is shaping up in the back half of 2025

Between the TikTok ban and the tariffs eating into marketing budgets, the first half of the year was full of growing pains in the creator economy. As the second half of 2025 shifts into focus, trends in how brands spend and creators monetize are coming into full view.

Amid the so-called cultural wars, marketers are pulling back on diversity, equity and inclusivity-driven campaigns, disproportionately impacting multicultural creators. Meanwhile, lifestyle and mid-sized influencers are feeling the squeeze as brands prioritize micro and niche content creators. Simultaneously, the creator lifespan has increasingly been a talking point on the heels of the TikTok ban, forcing creators to think about building businesses off-platform.

The creator economy is taking in more ad spend than ever — as U.S. brands are expected to shell out $13.7 billion on influencer marketing by 2027, according to eMarketer. But as it continues to mature, the emphasis is less on virality and more on strategy for survival. 

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