Creator Economy in Saudi Arabia Outpaces Global Growth Rate

Saudi Arabia’s creator economy grew by 32.37% in Q1 2025, which revolutionized the digital world. TikTok leads at the vanguard of this expansion with an impressive 88% penetration rate among Saudi’s population. Over 1 million active creators now turn their passions into green careers.

TikTok’s SAR 2.3 billion contribution to the national GDP showcases Saudi Arabia’s creator economy market size evolution. The platform serves as the life-blood of the content creator economy by supporting 25,000 jobs. It has attracted 175,000 Saudi SMBs to its ecosystem. Content priorities show Beauty and Lifestyle categories have grown remarkably at 56% and 45.8%. TikTok’s diverse creator community has altered the map of consumer behavior. Users now find new topics and trends through the platform 81% of the time.

TikTok Drives 32% Growth in Saudi Creator Economy

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TikTok’s dominance in Saudi Arabia has propelled the creator economy’s development in Q1 2025. The short-form video platform has become the heart of digital content creation since its launch. This has led to remarkable expansion and economic effects throughout the Kingdom.

Platform’s Explosive User Base Expansion

TikTok has gained unprecedented market share in Saudi Arabia and now reaches 88% of the population. The Kingdom ranks among the top 15 global markets for the platform. TikTok’s advertising reach shows strong numbers, with ads reaching 138.2% of adults aged 18 and above in early 2025. Many users have multiple accounts, which shows their high level of participation.

Saudi Arabia’s adult TikTok users are 38.7% female and 61.3% male. The platform lost 984,000 users (-2.8%) between early 2024 and early 2025. However, it gained 1.33 million users (+4.1%) from October 2024 to January 2025. These numbers show renewed momentum in user growth.

TikTok has proven valuable for Saudi businesses. Over 175,000 local SMBs used TikTok for marketing and customer outreach by Q1 2024. This widespread adoption added SAR 2.3 billion to Saudi’s GDP and supported 25,000 jobs across the Kingdom.

Key Growth Metrics from Admitad & Stllr Report

The Saudi creator economy grew by 32.37% in Q1 2025, according to the joint Admitad and Stllr Network report. Three main factors drove this growth:

• Influencer marketing partnerships
• Content-driven commerce initiatives
• More user-generated content (UGC)

TikTok leads the way for influencer-driven orders. Admitad analyzed over 300,000 influencer transactions and found major improvements year-over-year:

• 15% increase in Gross Merchandise Value (GMV)
• 5% rise in overall order volume
• 14% growth in influencer earnings
• Average Order Value (AOV) of AED 198.28

The platform’s fastest-growing content areas include:

• Beauty: 56% growth
• Lifestyle: 45.8% growth
• Fashion: 18.2% growth

Mohannad Alzahrani, Cofounder and VP KSA of Stllr Network, shared his thoughts: “The surge in Saudi’s creator economy isn’t just about growth, it’s about transformation. Creators are becoming the new entrepreneurs — shaping industries with authentic, high-impact content”.

People now prefer user-generated content more than ever. “Audiences trust real creators more than traditional ads,” Alzahrani explained. “UGC is now a key driver of authenticity and conversions. Brands that exploit UGC see much higher engagement and conversion rates”.

Brands now spend more on partnerships with Saudi Arabia’s homegrown talent. The creator economy platform grows faster each day. The content creator economy in Saudi Arabia looks set to keep this impressive growth going throughout 2025 and beyond.

Saudi Government Invests Billions in Digital Content Creation

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Saudi Arabia has committed unprecedented financial resources to accelerate the creator economy boom through strategic digital transformation initiatives. The government has positioned itself as a key driver of the expanding creator ecosystem among platforms like TikTok by making multi-billion riyal investments in content creation.

Vision 2030 Digital Transformation Initiatives

The National Transformation Program, the life-blood of Vision 2030, has made remarkable progress in speeding up the Kingdom’s digital transformation. We focused on developing the digital economy and improving business operations. The program achieved 92% digital transformation maturity for key government services. This complete approach will build the digital infrastructure that supports content creators and digital entrepreneurs across the country.

The Digital Content Council leads the implementation of these digital transformation strategies. Their efforts focus on making Saudi Arabia a leading hub for digital entertainment and media production. This deepens the content creator economy. The Council manages investments and initiatives that improve the creator economy market size by supporting content formats on multiple platforms.

New Creator Support Programs Launch Nationwide

Saudi Arabia launched Ignite, a groundbreaking program for digital content creation and media production with AED 4.04 billion in investment. This program will triple the Kingdom’s digital content market size in gaming, audio, video, and advertising sectors. The program covers several key areas:

• Financial support for local, regional, and international companies and startups
• Infrastructure development for content creation
• Talent development programs
• Better policies and regulations to enable sector growth

The Kingdom has established specialized training courses in three vital sectors—gaming, films, and digital ads. These courses will upskill over 4,400 participants within three years. This training program develops local talent to meet industry needs and gives Saudi youth the skills to succeed in the creator economy.

The LEAP 2025 Tech Conference announced additional investments of AED 6.54 billion to accelerate AI and digital talent development. Microsoft’s first Data Center Academy opened in partnership with the National IT Academy. Huawei also launched its Future Skills Center with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.

Tax Incentives Attract International Content Producers

The Kingdom offers some of the most attractive financial incentives globally to draw international content producers, which expands the creator economy platform ecosystem. The Film Saudi Incentive Program gives up to 40% cash rebate on production spending to Saudi and international production companies.

Production companies need minimum capital expenditures of AED 734,388.09 for fiction feature films and AED 183,597.02 for documentaries and animation projects. The program covers above-the-line costs for Saudi crew, below-the-line expenses, rental costs, travel expenses via local carriers, insurance from local providers, and local consultant fees.

Special incentive programs work alongside the main government initiatives throughout the Kingdom. NEOM runs a separate 40% cash rebate program for films, TV productions, reality shows, documentaries, TV commercials, and short-form content. NEOM’s rebates can grow based on producers’ contributions to the local media ecosystem, including production placements and internships for young Saudis.

Saudi Arabia has become the current “land of opportunity” for content creators through substantial financial backing, complete infrastructure development, and generous tax incentives. This is a big deal as it means that the creator economy statistics and projections for 2025 and beyond will grow significantly.

How Saudi Creators Generate Revenue on TikTok

Saudi creators have found multiple ways to earn money on TikTok. They turn short videos into profitable business ventures. The platform’s money-making features give creators many paths to financial success in the fast-growing creator market.

Brand Partnerships Dominate Monetization Landscape

Brand collaborations are the biggest source of income for Saudi TikTok creators. Admitad and Stllr Network’s report shows a 15% yearly increase in Gross Merchandise Value from influencer-driven orders. Saudi influencers now prefer hybrid payment models that combine fixed fees with performance-based earnings through the CPA (cost-per-action) model.

A case study proves TikTok’s value in brand partnerships. Kraft Foods worked with Saudi influencers and got 1.8x higher return on investment compared to Nielsen’s digital regional measure. This partnership helped Kraft substantially increase its market share in Saudi Arabia and showed TikTok’s ability to create meaningful brand connections.

Direct-to-Consumer Product Sales Surge

TikTok’s connection with Shopify in MENA has changed how creators make money from their influence. Users can buy products shown in videos with a simple “swipe up,” which creates a smooth shopping experience. TikTok’s head of retail, Aref Yahia, calls this “community commerce” because it builds trust through genuine creator recommendations.

Saudi creators use this feature to launch their own products and build direct relationships with customers for better profits. Studies show 75% of users look for shopping content on TikTok, and half of them regularly find interesting brands and products on the platform.

Content Licensing Creates New Revenue Streams

Saudi Arabia’s “Mouathaq” (trusted) licensing system has made content monetization official. Creators pay about USD 4,000 (SAR 15,000) for a three-year license to legally earn money across major platforms, including TikTok.

The TikTok Change Makers program offers another licensing option. Saudi dentist Abdullah Al-Alawi joined 50 global creators who received platform support, wider reach, and financial backing. TikTok gives AED 91,798.51 to each Change Maker’s chosen non-profit, adding value beyond direct earnings.

Live Streaming Emerges as Major Income Source

Live streaming has become a big money maker for Saudi creators. Creators can earn real money when viewers send virtual gifts during TikTok Live. The platform updates creator rankings hourly based on estimated earnings from these gifts.

Some limits exist—searches show “TikTok Live in Saudi Arabia Is Not Allowed”. Many creators work around these restrictions through technical fixes or focus on other options like the Creator Fund. In spite of that, live streaming keeps growing as viewers enjoy immediate interaction with their favorite content creators.

Saudi SMBs Leverage Creator Economy for Market Expansion

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Saudi Arabia’s small businesses now see TikTok as their main marketing channel. This shift has turned the creator economy platform into the life-blood of business growth. Business operations and content creation have merged to create new chances for market expansion in many sectors.

175,000 Local Businesses Join TikTok

More than 175,000 Saudi SMBs now employ TikTok’s ecosystem to reach new markets. Their adoption has added SAR 2.3 billion to Saudi Arabia’s GDP and supported 25,000 jobs throughout the Kingdom. The platform’s easy-to-use interface lets businesses launch campaigns with minimal setup, making advertising available to companies of all sizes.

“For businesses looking to grow organically and enhance performance marketing, TikTok presents an unprecedented opportunity,” noted industry experts from Arbaaa. Saudi influencers on the platform have some of the highest engagement rates worldwide, which makes brand-creator partnerships highly effective.

The “TikTok for Business Bootcamp – Start, Create, Grow” program has helped over 100 Saudi SMBs through complete training in three learning tracks. Each participant received special benefits: ad credits, personal guidance, and ongoing support from TikTok representatives during registration, creation, and activation.

Case Study: How Beauty Brands Achieved 56% Growth

Beauty content has become TikTok’s fastest-growing category in Saudi Arabia, with a 56% growth rate. This success comes from the platform’s strength in showcasing products through creator partnerships.

The Beauty Story shows what the platform can achieve:

• 12.5x return on ad spend through Video Shopping Ads
• 6.6x return on ad spend via Live Shopping Ads
• Average reach of 66,000 users per campaign
• Generated 12,800+ engagements and 3,400+ profile visits

Shgardi, a Saudi-based delivery app, saw similar success through creator partnerships:

• 25,000+ app installs during their campaign
• 75% lower cost-per-install than other digital platforms
• 30% drop in cost-per-install two days after launching creator content

Mohannad Alzahrani, Cofounder of Stllr Network, notes: “Having an environment set up to work with creators can help put your business ahead of the pack and assist in bringing more customers in the meantime”.

Creator Economy Platform Wars Heat Up in Saudi Market

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Saudi Arabia’s creator economy faces intense competition as social media giants roll out new features to win back creators and audiences from TikTok’s commanding position.

Snapchat Counters with New Creator Tools

Snapchat stands as a powerful force in Saudi Arabia’s creator economy, reaching 76.5% of the population in 2024. Saudi users’ preference for the platform’s privacy features shows in their behavior – they open the app 50 times each day. Snap Inc. expanded its footprint in the Kingdom by opening a new office and Saudi Arabia’s first creator hub, “Majlis Snap for Content Creators,” located in Diriyah’s JAX District.

This strategic collaboration strengthens the company’s partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture and provides direct support and training programs to local talent. Snapchat’s reach extends to 25 million monthly active users, connecting with 90% of Saudis aged 13-34. The platform has seen its Snap Stars double in the last three years.

YouTube Shorts Gains Traction Among Saudi Youth

YouTube’s presence in Saudi Arabia continues to grow with 28.30 million users in 2024. A newer study by Kantar showed that Saudi viewers of all age groups, including Gen Z, chose YouTube as their preferred platform if limited to just one for a year.

The platform’s connected TV viewership has soared to more than 12 million people aged 18+ in Saudi Arabia as of May 2024. YouTube Shorts has built a community of over 1.5 billion monthly logged-in users worldwide since its launch. Channels that combine Shorts with long-form content experience improved watch time and subscriber growth.

Meta Platforms Struggle to Maintain Relevance

Meta Platforms works to regain market share through major investments in Saudi Arabia’s creator economy. The company launched the MENA region’s first metaverse academy in Riyadh with plans to train 1,000 people in its first 18 months.

Saudi Arabia has committed AED 3.67 billion to metaverse-related projects. Meta projects the Kingdom’s economy could benefit by AED 74.17–139.90 billion in additional GDP by 2035. The company also joined forces with Dubai-based Creators HQ to introduce the Creators for Purpose Program, which supports regional content creators on Instagram and Facebook. Notwithstanding that, these initiatives have not matched TikTok’s rapid growth and user engagement in the Saudi market.

TikTok’s exceptional market reach and the government’s digital programs have energized Saudi Arabia’s creator economy. Saudi users spend significant time on TikTok, with 88% of them actively using the platform. The app contributes SAR 2.3 billion to the country’s GDP and continues to reshape the digital world.

Saudi content creators have built diverse income streams. They partner with brands, sell products directly, and license their content. More than 175,000 local businesses now thrive in TikTok’s ecosystem. These businesses generate substantial revenue and create thousands of jobs throughout the Kingdom.

The Saudi government has invested billions of riyals to support this growth. Without doubt, their digital transformation programs, creator support initiatives, and tax benefits strengthen the ecosystem. Vision 2030’s focus on digital development has made Saudi Arabia a content creation powerhouse in the MENA region.

Snapchat and YouTube Shorts compete for users’ attention, but TikTok leads the market and drives state-of-the-art changes across the sector. Saudi Arabia’s creator economy shows strong potential for growth. Government backing, business participation, and a talented community of content creators support this expansion.