Media Technologies and Epistemologies: The Platforming of Everything| Economics of Educational Content Creators on Social Media

Abstract

In current social media production, several revenue models have been proposed by platforms to reward online creators for their work. However, they are designed to meet the needs of only some types of creators: those who achieve very high popularity or those involved in influencer marketing strategies. In this research, we will illustrate how certain online creators who have developed a more educational and cultural editorial line try to adapt the revenue models proposed by the platforms to sustainably and profitably manage their activities. Through 40 semistructured interviews with creators who can be defined as “educational” in the Italian landscape, we analyze how they develop their own economic strategies, both by using tools proposed by the platforms and by establishing relationships with offline cultural institutions and physical markets.