Really want to kickstart the economy, prime minister? Just ask YouTubers

By ensuring that content creators are at the heart of the UK’s industrial strategy, the government could help ignite the UK’s next creative era, writes YouTube UK’s managing director Alison Lomax

So popular is British content that 85 per cent of our creators’ watch time comes from overseas (AFP via Getty Images)

When the first video was uploaded to YouTube in 2005, there was no such thing as a creator – let alone a creator economy. Jump forward 20 years, and now the site regularly tops 1bn viewers a day, thanks to its thriving ecosystem of creative minds and media powerhouses.

There are tens of thousands of British creative talents who have built – and continue to build – their careers on YouTube. From every background and every corner of the UK, they bring some of the very best of creativity and innovation within the industry.

So far, the British creator industry has grown largely organically. I believe that this is no longer enough. We are looking forward to the government’s forthcoming industrial strategy, and the opportunity to harness the potential of the creative industries – including the vital role of the creative economy – to ensure their continued success.

The government’s plan to kickstart economic growth includes the creative industries, but still leaves room for a key part of the puzzle – British content creators. We are calling on the government and industry to recognise the huge potential creators have in contributing to that growth.

With professional studios, dedicated teams, and sophisticated storytelling skills, modern-day creators are the new media moguls – trailblazers like Brandon B, Sidemen and Eleanor Neale run businesses that generate millions of pounds of annual revenue and support many well-paying jobs. Hits like Amelia Dimoldenberg’s ”Chicken Shop Date” and the Sidemen’s “Inside” series have become must-see watercooler entertainment.

This rapidly expanding growth driver within the creative industries has the power to propel innovation and reinvigorate the creative economy – because, at the end of the day, creators mean big business.

In the UK alone, 15,000 YouTubers employ other people to work on their channels and, so popular is British content, 85 per cent of our creators’ watch time comes from overseas.

Thanks to our revenue sharing model, the majority of advertising revenue generated by those global viewers goes straight to the person who made that video, making the creator economy a huge and growing export. What’s more, YouTube’s low barrier to entry means that anyone, anywhere can build a thriving creative business connecting with people all over the world.

But creators are being held back. In my role as UK managing director, I hear day to day just some of the barriers they face as they seek to grow their businesses.

Creators are often misunderstood by financial institutions, and face difficulties securing basic products such as loans, mortgages, or insurance. Ensuring creators have access to the financial products they need would allow them to make long-term investments, such as building studios, ultimately accelerating growth and strengthening their role in the creative economy.

Likewise, the rules surrounding public filming are often difficult to navigate and inconsistently enforced, creating barriers for creators who thrive on producing content in real-world environments, and causing local businesses to miss out on valuable exposure. By simplifying and clarifying the permit process, creators could focus on producing more engaging content, driving growth both for their channels and local economies.

Creators also face challenges similar to those faced by small businesses, such as managing finances and hiring. Without access to funding or training opportunities for both business management and creative development, many creators struggle to scale. Better access to these resources would enable creators to grow more confidently, leading to more innovative content and stronger, sustainable businesses that contribute to the wider creative industries.

Our ambition is to identify the key priorities of our creators, and the policy changes that will have the greatest impact on growing the creative industries. We want to do our part to support the government mission to kickstart growth.

That is why we are today announcing a major consultation – the first of its kind – with our content creators, which will launch next month at our annual YouTube Festival. We want to find out directly from them what priorities they want government and industry to work together on to help them accelerate their businesses over the next decade.

We already give them a voice on our platform – now we want to give them a voice with the government, on what more can be done to help them set up businesses, develop skills, professionalise and deliver their high-quality content. We also want to know what kinds of barriers they face, and where they might face unfair disadvantages.

We plan to consult widely, both with small businesses who use YouTube mostly as a side hustle, as well as with the major modern studios who employ 50+ people. We know we don’t have all the answers – but they do.

The aim is simple: to ensure that our content creators’ interests are at the heart of the government’s industrial strategy. With their help, we can make lasting change that can help power the next creative era in the UK – the effects of which will be felt in every corner of the country.

Alison Lomax is the managing director of YouTube UK and Ireland