[Edaily Reporter Lee So-Hyun ] Naver (NAVER(035420)) announced that since the introduction of AI search, the revenue and support provided to blog creators have actually increased. The company explained that AI Briefing provides answers in search results while linking to the original blog posts that serve as the source, thereby expanding opportunities for content discovery and monetization.

On the 7th, Naver announced that as of June of this year, the combined total of AdPost payments, creator revenue through Brand Connect, and Naver Mate activity grants had nearly doubled compared to February 2025, prior to the introduction of AI Briefing.

Payments from AdPost, the existing monetization program, also increased by about 14% during the same period.

AI Briefing is a generative AI search feature introduced in March of last year. It provides answers tailored to users’ search intent while also displaying the source content—such as blogs—used to support those answers.

Naver explained that this has strengthened the framework through which original content—rich with creators’ experience and expertise—can reach new users.

Naver has also expanded its monetization programs to ensure that content discovery leads to tangible growth for creators. Through AdPost, launched in 2009, the company shares a portion of the ad revenue generated from ads displayed on blog content with creators.

Starting in 2024, Naver has been connecting creators with campaign partners—such as Smart Store merchants, Brand Store merchants, and advertising agencies—through Brand Connect. This initiative enables creators to leverage their content capabilities to generate revenue from brand collaborations.

Integration with the shopping sector has also been strengthened. Naver introduced “Shopping Connect,” where Smart Store merchants and creators collaborate to promote and sell products, sharing revenue based on sales performance. It also added a “Group Buying” feature that enables creators to collaborate with Smart Store merchants to drive short-term sales growth.

In June of this year, Naver also introduced “Naver Mate,” a new support program for professional creators. Naver Mate selects approximately 3,000 creators each month based on a comprehensive evaluation of factors such as the number of times their content is cited in AI briefings, subject-specific expertise, and activity levels. The program provides approximately 20 billion won annually in activity support grants.

Daesang creators receive a basic monthly stipend of 300,000 won. Top creators in each of the top 10 fields receive an additional 3 million won per month, while the top creator in each field receives an additional 10 million won per month.

Naver explained that it is building a multi-layered creator growth framework through programs such as AdPost, Brand Connect, Shopping Connect, and Naver Mate, which encompass ad revenue sharing, brand collaborations, and support for professional creative activities.

The vision is to strengthen a virtuous cycle in which AI search helps discover more high-quality content, and the resulting support for creators’ earnings and activities, in turn, leads to further content production.

Lee Il-gu, Head of Naver’s Content Services Division, stated, “In the AI era, content that reflects creators’ firsthand experiences and expertise will become an even more critical competitive advantage, and Naver views creators as key partners in jointly building the blog ecosystem.” He added, “While ensuring that high-quality content is discovered by more users through AI search, we have also supported creators’ monetization and sustained activities through various programs such as AdPost, Brand Connect, and Naver Mate.”