The American Influencer Council’s launches trailblazing creators list

The list highlights the rise of the creator middle class

Influencer marketing is dominated by a handful of ultra-famous personalities with millions of followers. But beneath the surface, a larger and more diverse group of creators are the ones actually shaping much of online culture. A new initiative from the American Influencer Council (AIC) is aimed at spotlighting these creators on this crucial but often overlooked segment of the creator economy. (The AIC is a trade association for U.S.-based social media creators).

The AIC’s Creators Trailblazing to the Top List recognizes 34 influencers who have built engaged followings within what’s often called the creator middle class—nano (1k-10k), micro (10k-50k), and mid-tier (50k-500k) creators. These are the voices driving conversations, setting trends, and fostering niche communities, often without the financial security or brand deals that top-tier influencers enjoy.

“Fewer than one percent of US creators have follower counts totaling half a million or more. Most creators working in the creator economy are part of the middle class,” said Qianna Smith Bruneteau, AIC Founder and Executive Director, who authored the report.

The creator economy is growing at an exponential rate. Industry estimates predict its economic valuation could balloon to $480 billion by 2027, according to Goldman Sachs. Creators are part of a growing labor market, with reports suggesting that the U.S. is home to 38 million content creators, according to a report by the AIC.

The AIC polled the influencers and revealed a few interesting stats:

The digital landscape is shifting. As social media matures, brands and marketers are looking beyond vanity metrics like follower count and instead prioritizing engagement and the ability to cultivate a dedicated community. The AIC partnered with HypeAuditor, an analytics company specializing in influencer marketing data, to analyze millions of U.S.-based creator accounts on Instagram, and the honorees were selected based on criteria including audience engagement, content quality, brand partnerships, and overall impact.

For those looking to work with influential but under-the-radar creators, the full list of honorees is now available on the AIC’s website.