India's creator economy grew by 919% between 2020 and 2026: Survey
The study is based on Indeed job posting data for India from 2020 to early 2026
India’s creator economy is entering a more structured phase with creator-related job postings growing by 919 per cent between 2020 and early 2026, says a new study by global hiring platform Indeed.
It also said roles such as content creators, influencers and social media professionals are increasingly becoming embedded within formal organisational structures, signalling a shift from one-off collaborations to long-term in-house hiring.
"Creator roles, which accounted for roughly 1 in every 1,000 marketing jobs in 2020, now represent nearly 1 in every 100, highlighting their rapid rise as companies shift from one-off influencer collaborations to more consistent and embedded hiring models," the study said.
"Roles that once accounted for a very small share of marketing jobs now account for a materially larger share, indicating a shift from niche hiring to a more embedded function," it said.
The growth in creator roles comes at a time when India is also beginning to formally recognise the creator ecosystem within its policy framework.
Saumitra R Chand, career expert at Indeed, said, “When a creator represents your brand, trust is your biggest asset and your biggest risk. That is why companies are moving fast to bring creators in-house. Our data shows a massive surge in formal creator roles because employers are not just looking for reach anymore; they are looking for accountability."
The survey also noted that while the ecosystem continues to produce new influencer talent, the organisational demand for structured creator roles is far outpacing this supply, creating a significant talent gap.
Analysing the distribution of roles between March 2025 and February 2026, the report said creator roles have become multidisciplinary.
"While 40 per cent of such roles are directly classified as influencer roles, who become the face of the brand, a larger share is embedded within broader marketing functions, including 20 per cent marketing executives, who drive strategy and 17 per cent marketing interns, representing the next generation of talent entering the ecosystem," it said.
"Nearly 60 per cent of creator-related hiring now sits outside traditional influencer titles, suggesting that organisations are building integrated, end-to-end content capabilities rather than relying solely on individual creators," it added.
Eshaanya Maheshwari, a content creator with 1.6M followers on Instagram, said, “With more recognition for creators and recent policy moves, there is lot more clarity and trust in how things are done. And as everything becomes more structured, it just makes it easier to think bigger and plan for the long term."
The study is based on Indeed job posting data for India from 2020 to early 2026, focusing on roles with “content creator” or “influencer” in the job title as well as related marketing and social media roles.
