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.

Copyright Thinkific 2024

By entering your email here you are consenting to receive updates from Thinkific. Find out more by visiting our Privacy Policy.

Make 2024 your most

profitable year ever

Download the report to discover the top online learning trends and get a leg up for your online education business

Discover five data-backed trends that will help you make more impact and more money in online learning this year

Online Learning

Trends 2024

Download Now

49%

of people have or would consume content they knew was created by AI

You'll learn:

  • Five trends Creator Educators and their teams should know heading into 2024

  • How to future-proof your business and ensure you’re monetizing your unique genius effectively

  • Actionable insights backed by data that provide clear direction on how to grow your audience and your bottom line

92%

of people dedicate at least 1 hour per month to learning digitally

62%

say they’re more 
interested in creators who make digital content for educational purposes 
than entertainment purposes - this is up from 57% last year

Research methods:
We surveyed more than 2,500 people, researched dozens of third-party sources, and spoke to creators just like you to identify the five biggest trends disrupting the digital learning industry in 2024.

AI isn’t destroying online education; it’s increasing creator productivity.

Most people don’t want to follow or learn from an anonymous source. They want your unique genius; the culmination of your lifetime of work and passion. Thankfully, AI allows Creator Educators to overcome blockers, increase their productivity, and extend their skillset to build more profitable businesses. You just need to buy in!  

TREND 1

53% of people have or would consider using AI in their work

TREND 2

Downloadables emerge as the quickest path to creator monetization

The path to monetization is going to become more straightforward. New and experienced creators are monetizing quickly with digital product sales. These guides, ebooks, and templates are quick to create — if you don’t already have them lying around. And your followers are more than willing to pay for bite-sized education.

48% of people already have or would be willing to pay for downloadable content from a creator that they follow

Online learning isn’t just limited to traditional platforms anymore. Channels like YouTube, podcasts, and TikTok, are all viable platforms to grow audiences focused on educational content. People are looking for new and interesting ways to consume learning content – expand to unconventional platforms and watch your audience grow.

All platforms become learning platforms

TREND 3

47% of 18-25 year olds use TikTok for learning

TREND 4

Private communities provide welcome respite from social media fatigue

It’s no secret the internet is pretty depressing. But there’s a positive. People are seeking out private chats and communities as safe havens to learn and connect with others. That means you can provide that space for your audience to authentically connect (and pay you for it).

69% of people believe that social media has more negative content now than it did five years ago

The average creator is older than you might think! As the creator economy shifts away from entertainers and towards educators, people are seeking out educators with life experience and expertise. Plus, creator tools are becoming more accessible. These shifts, coupled with the down economy, means we’ll see more older creators enter the online learning space primed to succeed in 2024. Like a fine wine! 

The creator economy is no longer a young person’s game

TREND 5

Almost one out of every five people (19.2%) between the ages of 41-56 consider themselves digital creators. This is up 16% since last year.

1.