Download the Digital Learning Trends 2023 Report to learn more about the digital learning trends creator-educators can’t afford to ignore.
The five trends creator educators and their teams can’t afford to ignore
You’ll discover:
Digital Learning Trends 2023
Future feeling fuzzy? We dug into the data and uncovered the five biggest digital learning trends that can help you break through the uncertainty block and make a bigger impact in 2023—and beyond.
Proven ways to overcome the uncertainty block and future-proof your business
Data-backed, actionable insights that provide clear direction and focus as your business and audience grow
of people are considering pursuing additional income streams because of the economy.
71%
More than twice as many people (68%) prefer consuming digital content on mobile devices like phones and tablets than on desktop computers or laptops (29%).
68%
Nearly 1 in 4 people identify as a digital creator. Millennials more than other generations, with nearly half using this label.
1/4
We conducted a survey of more than 2,100 people, interviewed 10+ successful creators, and analyzed dozens of third-party data sources to identify the five biggest trends disrupting the digital learning industry this year.
Research Methods
Microlearning emerges as a solution for life on the go
Whether on the bus or at the dentist’s office, today’s audiences are on the go—and want to stay in the know. No longer tethered to their desks, we’re seeing a major uptake in engagement from audiences who learn on mobile devices compared to laptops or desktops.
The most common benefits people get from short-form educational content are:
Discovering new topics
It fits well into a busy schedule
It's easy to absorb
41%
14%
26%
TREND 1
Tides shift from creator entertainers to creator educators
Audiences are increasingly looking to creator-educators (those who create content designed to share knowledge or drive impact), not entertainers (those who create content purely for entertainment or self promotion), to help them learn new skills, grow their own businesses, and reach their unique goals.
TREND 2
More than twice as many people are interested in creators making digital content for education than for entertainment.
2x
Education
Entertainment
The rise of community-first digital learning
While digital communities have traditionally been an add-on to existing courses or learning products, there’s an undeniable move towards communities as freestanding solo acts for creator-educators looking for new ways to build and nurture an engaged audience.
TREND 3
TREND 1
People want to be seen, heard, and know that they matter, which is why engaging with a dedicated community is helpful for your business. As we build and strengthen our community, we're also building our pool of customers.
CHRISTINA MAE WOLF
Nia Technique Inc.
Multiple income streams provide security in uncertain times
Economic uncertainty means creator educators are looking to build as much of a financial safety net as possible—and they’re diversifying their income streams in response.
TREND 4
43%
27%
27% of those say they work on it on another employer’s time.
Invest in personal branding — not crowded marketplaces
It’s not where you learn — it’s who you’re learning from. The majority of respondents agree that too much importance is placed on an educational institution’s platform rather than the actual content or the people teaching it.
TREND 5
TREND 1
A course marketplace makes it difficult to differentiate your course against every other course of the same type.
KYLE SCOTT
President,
SERHANT. Ventures
Kyle Scott
President, SERHANT. Ventures
Christina Mae Wolf
Nia Technique Inc.
Focus your time and efforts where they matter most.
Thinkific partnered with survey panel provider, Centiment, to conduct a study of more than 2,000 individuals in the United States to understand current trends in digital learning, side hustles, and the creator economy. Centiment has completed the ESOMAR 28.
Methodology
Copyright Thinkific 2023
43% of people say they currently have a side hustle
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Thinkific assumes no obligation to update the report following publication in any form or format. The report should not be relied on and is not a substitute for the skill, judgment and experience of the user, its management, employees, advisors and/or clients when making investment and other business decisions. While Thinkific has obtained information from sources it believes to be reliable, Thinkific does not perform an audit and undertakes no duty of due diligence or independent verification of any information it receives.
