20 best content creator platforms to grow your following

As a content creator, you're doing more than just sharing content; you're building a community around your unique voice and vision. But with countless platforms at your disposal, choosing the right one to grow your following can be challenging. 

In this blog, we'll explore the best content creator platforms designed to supercharge your audience growth. We'll break down each platform's key features and benefits, focusing on those that offer robust monetization and engagement tools. 

We'll also introduce Gelato's innovative print on demand service, which allows creators to offer custom merch alongside their content. 

• Exploring top platforms can help content creators grow their audience effectively and identify which tools align with their goals.

• Key features of the platforms include monetization, engagement tools, and smooth integration with services like Gelato for merchandise sales.

• These platforms offer diverse content formats, from social media networks to specialized content creation outlets.

• Insightful advice on essential platform features supports creators in selecting solutions that enhance their brand and revenue potential.

Content creator platforms are essential digital spaces where creators share their work, connect with audiences, and grow their followers. They offer content creation tools to help with creativity, engagement, and monetization, catering to bloggers, video creators, and more individuals in the creator economy. These platforms streamline content production and distribution, allowing creators to generate income.

Without further ado, let's jump into exploring some of the best platforms available to showcase your unique content.

Formerly LIKEtoKNOW.it, LTK is a premier social shopping platform that connects influencers with top brands. It enables creators to monetize their content through affiliate marketing and sponsored collaborations.

• Best for: Fashion and lifestyle influencers aiming to monetize their social media presence.

• How to monetize: Earn commissions from affiliate sales and collaborate with brands for sponsored posts.

Pricing

• Connect Launch: $417/month

• Connect Pro: $833/month

Connect Sale: Customized to your needs.

2. Planable

Planable is a collaborative social media management tool designed for teams to streamline the content creation process. It offers a smooth visual interface for planning, creating, and approving social media posts.

• Best for: Social media teams and agencies seeking efficient collaboration and content scheduling.

• How to monetize: Improve workflow efficiency to attract more clients and manage larger projects effectively.

Pricing

• Free Plan

• Basic: $33/month

• Pro: $49/month

• Enterprise: Customized to your needs.

3. Rakuten

This is a global ecommerce and affiliate marketing platform that connects publishers with leading brands. It provides tools for tracking, managing, and optimizing affiliate marketing campaigns.

• Best for: Bloggers and content creators looking to monetize through affiliate marketing.

• How to monetize: Promote products and earn commissions on sales generated through affiliate links.

Pricing

• Starter: Free for 15 days 

• Professional: $50 per license

• Enterprise: Inquire with Rakuten

4. Substack

Substack is a platform for writers to publish newsletters and build a subscriber base. It offers easy monetization options through paid subscriptions for premium content.

• Best for: Writers, journalists, and thought leaders aiming to monetize their content through subscriptions.

• How to monetize: Charge subscribers for access to exclusive newsletters and premium content.

Pricing

Substack is free for writers and creators to use. However, if writers opt for paid subscriptions, where readers pay a fee to read their content, the platform takes a 10% revenue cut.

5. CreatorIQ

This leading influencer marketing platform helps brands manage and scale their influencer programs. It offers advanced analytics and tools to optimize influencer partnerships.

• Best for: Brands and large-scale marketers looking to manage extensive influencer collaborations.

• How to monetize: Enhance brand campaigns through effective influencer partnerships, driving sales and engagement.

Pricing

CreatorIQ requires an annual commitment, with plans typically starting at $2,350 monthly. 

6. Aspire

Formerly known as AspireIQ, this community intelligence marketing platform connects brands with creators. It facilitates collaboration, content creation, and campaign management for influencer marketing.

• Best for: Brands seeking to build authentic relationships with a network of creators.

• How to monetize: Drive brand awareness and sales through collaborative influencer campaigns.

Pricing

Custom pricing tailored to business requirements; contact Aspire for a quote.

7. Medium

This is a popular publishing platform that allows writers to share stories and engage with a large audience. It offers a Partner Program where writers can earn based on reader engagement.

• Best for: Writers and bloggers looking to reach a wide audience and earn through content.

• How to monetize: Participate in the Medium Partner Program to earn based on member reading time and engagement.

Pricing

• Medium Member: $5/month

Friend of Medium: $15/month

This membership platform enables creators to receive recurring funding from their fans. It supports various content types, including podcasts, videos, and written work.

• Best for: Creators seeking a steady income stream through fan subscriptions and memberships.

• How to monetize: Offer patrons exclusive content, rewards, and experiences in exchange for monthly support.

Pricing

Patreon is free to join, but a percentage of earnings (5%, 8%, or 12%) is taken based on the chosen plan.

9. Gumroad

Gumroad is an ecommerce platform tailored for creators who want to sell products directly to their audience. It supports digital goods, memberships, and physical products and has a simple setup.

• Best for: Independent creators looking to sell digital products, such as ebooks, courses, and artwork.

• How to monetize: Directly sell digital and physical products to your audience, leveraging Gumroad's storefront.

Pricing

Gumroad doesn’t charge a monthly fee. Instead, fees are deducted as a small percentage of every sale. 

10. Skillshare

This is an online learning community offering thousands of classes across various disciplines. This professional networking site allows experts to create and monetize courses for a global audience.

• Best for: Educators and experts looking to create and sell online courses.

• How to monetize: Earn royalties based on the number of minutes premium students watch your online classes.

Pricing

• Premium Plan: $29/monthly

• Team Plan: $159 per user/ per year

11. Upfluence

Upfluence is an influencer marketing software platform that helps brands discover, manage, and analyze influencer partnerships. It offers comprehensive tools for campaign management and performance tracking.

• Best for: Brands and marketers aiming to scale their influencer marketing efforts with data-driven insights.

• How to monetize: Optimize influencer campaigns to increase engagement and sales, maximizing ROI.

Pricing

Custom pricing based on business size and needs; contact Upfluence for a tailored quote.

12. Captiv8

This social listening and analytics platform provides insights into audience behavior and trends. It helps brands and creators understand and effectively engage with their target audience.

• Best for: Brands and creators seeking in-depth audience insights and trend analysis to create a content strategy.

• How to monetize: Use data-driven strategies to create targeted content that increases engagement and monetization opportunities.

Pricing

Offers customized pricing based on feature requirements; contact Captiv8 for details.

13. Statusphere

Stratosphere is a social media management tool focused on engagement and community building. It provides scheduling, analytics, and audience interaction features to grow your presence.

• Best for: Small to medium-sized businesses and creators looking to enhance their social media engagement.

• How to monetize: Increase audience engagement to boost brand loyalty and drive sales through effective social strategies.

Pricing

Stratosphere is free to join. 

14. Trend.io

This trend analysis and forecasting platform helps creators stay ahead of industry movements. It provides actionable insights and data to inform content creation and marketing strategies.

• Best for: Content creators and marketers leveraging current trends to boost audience growth and relevance.

• How to monetize: Create trend-aligned content that attracts more viewers and increases monetization opportunities through timely topics.

Pricing

• Starter: $550/month

• Essential: $1045/month

• Growth: $1980/month

Scale: $3972/month

Next, let’s move on to the best social media platforms for creators. Here are the top picks to help support your content creation career. 

TikTok: Short-form video content

TikTok is a leading platform for creating and sharing short-form videos. It allows users to express creativity in a dynamic format and boasts a highly engaged global community. 

• Benefits and features: Offers powerful editing tools, effects, and a vast music library to enhance content quality and appeal. Features a robust algorithm that promotes content discovery. 

• How to monetize: Creators can earn through brand partnerships, sponsored content, and the Creator Fund, which rewards popular videos.

Gelato’s TikTok Shop integration allows creators to sell merchandise directly on TikTok, expanding income potential.

YouTube: Long-form video content

A premier platform for hosting and sharing long-form video content, catering to various niches and interests. It provides creators with a stable and enduring space to build an engaged subscriber base.

• Benefits and features: Advanced analytics tools help creators understand their audience and optimize content strategy. The platform supports live streaming, premieres, and community posts. 

• How to monetize: Creators can monetize through ad revenue, channel memberships, Super Chat during live streams, and affiliate marketing. 

Facebook: Community building

Facebook is a powerful platform for building and nurturing communities through dedicated groups and pages. It connects creators with their audience through versatile content formats. 

• Benefits and features: Robust community management tools enable creators to engage with followers, organize events, and facilitate discussions. 

• How to monetize: Through Facebook Shops, creators can generate revenue through ad breaks in videos, fan subscriptions, and product sales. 

Instagram: Building a visual brand

A leading platform for visual storytelling, it enables creators to build a cohesive and appealing brand aesthetic by emphasizing high-quality images and videos. 

• Benefits and features: Stories, Reels, and IGTV offer diverse ways to engage and showcase content creatively. Advanced analytics tools, shopping integration, polls, and Q&A enhance engagement.

• How to monetize: Sponsored posts, affiliate marketing, and selling products via Instagram Shopping. The platform offers features like badges in live streams and IGTV ads to generate income.

Twitch: Engagement for streamers

A premier platform for live streaming, particularly popular among gamers, creators, and entertainers. It builds real-time interaction and community building through live chats and interactive features.

• Benefits and features: It offers tools like overlays, alerts, and emotes to enhance the streaming experience and engage viewers. It also features community tools such as subscriptions, bits, and raids. 

• How to monetize: Subscriptions, donations, bits, and ad revenue. Partnerships and sponsorships provide further monetization opportunities.

X (Twitter): Real-time engagement

X, formerly known as Twitter, is a dynamic platform for real-time communication and content sharing. It facilitates instant interactions, trending conversations, and viral content dissemination.

• Benefits and features: Features like threads, polls, and multimedia tweets enable diverse and engaging content creation. Advanced analytics and hashtag systems help creators reach targeted audiences. 

• How to monetize: Sponsored tweets, affiliate marketing, brand partnerships, and Twitter’s Tip Jar for direct audience support. 

Key features of a good creator platform

With an overview of all 20 platforms, let's examine the key features that make a platform stand out for creators.

Discoverability and algorithm support

Platforms with intelligent algorithms analyze user behavior, preferences, and engagement patterns to surface relevant content. This ensures that creators' work is recommended to users who are most likely to appreciate it, increasing discoverability and growth potential. Effective algorithm support also means timely content recommendations, helping creators stay relevant and maintain momentum. 

Engagement tools

Comments, likes, shares, and direct messaging enable meaningful conversations and community building. Live streaming capabilities, real-time chat, and interactive polls or Q&A sessions enhance the immediacy and intimacy of interactions. Tools like story features, Reels, and ephemeral content also allow creators to share moments spontaneously, keeping their audience engaged. 

Monetization options

Platforms offering ad revenue sharing, subscription models, merchandise sales, and sponsorship opportunities provide creators with flexibility in earning income. Features like tipping, virtual gifts, and paid memberships allow fans to support creators directly. Platforms that integrate with external ecommerce solutions or offer branded storefronts further enhance monetization potential. 

Analytics and insights

Detailed metrics on views, engagement rates, audience demographics, and content performance help creators identify what resonates with their followers. Advanced platforms offer real-time analytics, trend analysis, and comparative performance tracking, enabling data-driven decisions. Insights into peak activity times, content reach, and conversion rates assist in fine-tuning promotional efforts. 

Community-building features

Tools such as dedicated groups, forums, and membership tiers allow creators to build a sense of belonging among their followers. Features like exclusive content, member-only live streams, and private chats incentivize deeper engagement and loyalty. Event organization tools, such as virtual meetups and collaborative projects, further strengthen community bonds. 

Flexibility in content format

Platforms supporting multiple content types—text, images, videos, live streams, podcasts, and interactive media—enable creators to experiment and innovate. This versatility ensures that creators can adapt their content to different contexts and trends, keeping their offerings engaging. Features like customizable layouts and cross-platform compatibility facilitate smooth content integration. 

Seamless ecommerce integration

This includes built-in storefronts, easy product listings, and secure payment processing, enabling creators to sell merchandise, digital products, or services without leaving the platform. Features like customizable storefronts, inventory management, and integrated shipping solutions streamline the selling process. 

User-friendly interface

Intuitive design, clear navigation menus, and accessible features ensure that users can focus on content creation and consumption without technical hindrances. Responsive layouts that adapt to various devices enhance the user experience across different platforms. Customizable dashboards and easy-to-use content management systems allow creators to organize and publish their work efficiently. 

Support for collaboration

Features like shared workspaces, collaborative editing tools, and integrated communication channels facilitate smooth teamwork. Platforms that offer co-streaming, joint live sessions, and content co-creation features allow creators to engage with each other's audiences, building cross-promotion and mutual growth. 

Content protection and privacy controls

Platforms that offer watermarking, licensing options, and secure content hosting ensure that creators maintain control over their intellectual property. Comprehensive privacy settings allow creators to manage who can view, share, and interact with their content. Features like secure messaging, two-factor authentication, and data encryption enhance overall security. 

Elevate your brand with custom merch from Gelato

You now have the lowdown on the top content creator platforms. So, how about amplifying your reach and engaging audiences on these platforms through custom merchandise? 

This is where Gelato steps to be your one-stop shop for print on demand custom merch. 

Gelato provides the tools to create custom products and enhances your brand identity through smooth ecommerce integration. With a robust network of over 140 production partners worldwide, you can count on Gelato for fast, local production and delivery, minimizing carbon footprint and maximizing customer satisfaction.

Whether it's custom t-shirts, mugs, or photo books, Gelato's platform is intuitive and easy to use.

Ready to make your mark? Sign up for Gelato and transform your brand today! 

What is the best platform to create content on?

The best platform depends on your content type and audience. YouTube excels for long-form videos, TikTok for short-form and viral content, Instagram for visual and brand-focused material, and Twitch for live streaming. 

What apps do content creators use?

Content creators use apps like Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, Premiere Pro) for editing, Canva for graphic design, Final Cut Pro for video editing, and Lightroom for photo enhancement. Social media management tools like Hootsuite and scheduling apps like Buffer are essential for managing content.

What types of content creators do well on Instagram?

Visual-centric creators thrive on Instagram, including photographers, fashion influencers, beauty gurus, and lifestyle bloggers. Artists and designers also excel by showcasing their work. Fitness trainers, food enthusiasts, and travel bloggers also work well on Instagram.