Creators used platforms like Instagram and the burgeoning TikTok (which had recently merged with Musical.ly) to drive traffic to long-form content.

The media landscape of late 2017 set the stage for the "Creator Economy" we see today. It proved that convenience, personalization, and portability are the three pillars of modern entertainment. As we move further into the era of AI-generated media and the metaverse, the lessons of 2017—prioritizing the user's immediate access and emotional connection—remain more relevant than ever.

In the 24/12/17 era, media was no longer a single-stream experience. To be successful, entertainment had to live across multiple touchpoints:

Netflix and Hulu were no longer just repositories for old licensed content; they were powerhouse studios. This era saw the release of high-budget originals that rivaled Hollywood cinema.