Even taking into account the power and ease of use of user-generated content tools like digital cameras and affordable audio/video production software, there are more content consumers than creators.
In the US, the number of users of user-generated content will hit 101 million by 2011, up from the 2006 estimate of 69 million.
Globally, the estimated number of user-generated content users will hit 254 million by 2011, up from 128 million in 2006.
Not surprisingly, the number of people who create content — i.e., post videos, photos, music, blogs, wikis, personal profiles and personal Websites — is expected to increase significantly as the user-generated content movement gathers steam, rising to 95 million in the US by 2011, up from 70 million in 2007.
Globally, the number of user-generated content creators will reach 238 million in 2011, up from 137 million in 2007.
John Horrigan of the Pew Internet & American Life Project said in a Clickz interview, "[The Web is] shifting now to user-generated content; it shows people engaging with the Internet in a number of different ways in their lives. It shows that people are pretty interested in using the technology to put something of themselves on the Internet, not just pull down information from the Internet."
Is user-generated content a threat or an opportunity? Find out in the eMarketer User-Generated Content: Will Web 2.0 Pay Its Way? report.