YouTube survey of 20,617 EU creators: 83% depend on its recommendations

YouTube asked 20,617 EU creators from all 27 member states what holds them back, and published the answers on October 12 in a report called Creative Capital. The consultancy Public First ran the online survey between June 1 and July 8, 2026, and added 20 interviews.

Creators tell YouTube they get no help from governments

Two thirds of respondents, 65%, said creators get little or no help to reach public grants. The same share of professional creators said they lack access to studios. 63% said they get little or no support when they deal with government bodies. 60% said the same about training.

Recognition is a theme too. 64% said more acknowledgment from industry would help them do well. 60% want creators to be included in creative industry awards, next to film and TV.

83% of creators depend on YouTube’s recommendations

The finding YouTube puts most weight on concerns its own algorithm. 83% of creators said recommendations and discovery are important for their growth and revenue. Among channels with more than 100,000 subscribers, 71% said less visibility from changes to those systems would hit their income.

That number supports the report’s fifth policy ask. YouTube wants the EU to avoid “rigid prominence mandates,” rules that force platforms to show selected content first. It says such rules would favour a small group of organisations chosen by governments. The other four asks are to count creators in official statistics, open the Creative Europe programme to them, fund training, and offer loans and shared studios.

YouTube puts its EU economic impact at €8.4bn

The report also cites an Oxford Economics estimate. YouTube’s creative ecosystem added more than €8.4 billion to EU GDP in 2025 and supported over 220,000 full-time jobs. More than 70% of watch time on EU channels comes from viewers outside the EU.

The survey was commissioned by YouTube, which has a direct interest in the outcome. It follows a similar push in Washington, where a Senate creators caucus was set up with YouTube’s help. YouTube has also published research comparing creators with Hollywood names.

Brands that pay creators for sponsored videos can take one practical point from the 71% figure. A contract priced on expected views carries platform risk. It is worth checking whether your creator agreements say what happens when reach drops for reasons outside the creator’s control.