How often do social media creators post new content? How do they typically find brand deals? How are they leveraging AI tools?

To find out, researchers at The Influencer Marketing Factory conducted a survey in January 2026 among 1,000 creators based in the United States.

Most (52%) creators say they post new content at least daily, and 37% say they spend five to ten hours per week creating content, on average.

Some 30% of creators say they typically find brand deals by pitching themselves, 27% say they typically receive direct outreach from brands, and 18% say deals are typically facilitated by third-party platforms.

More than half (52%) of creators say their earnings have increased over the past year.

 

A quarter of creators say they're using AI tools for editing, and 21% say they're using AI tools for idea generation.

Some 56% of respondents say they definitely believe that AI will significantly change how creators work over the next few years.

About the research: The report was based on data from a survey conducted in January 2026 among 1,000 creators based in the United States.