A content creator is an individual who consistently creates content on several topics meant for a particular audience. This content can be entertainment, education, written, visual, or auditory.
The creator economy is crowded.
According to the Consumer Trends Report, one out of five individuals consider themselves content creators or influencers. But what do they do exactly?
A content creator is a person who consistently creates content on a specific topic and for a particular audience. This content can be entertaining, educational, written or visual.
Now, I know this may seem like a vague, ‘catch-all’ definition. By this logic, you could argue that ‘content creators’ have existed for centuries.
But we’re not referring to traditional performers, artists, or media folks (i.e., journalists, comedians, photographers, videographers) here.
When we say “content creators” in 2024, we mean:
- Social Media Influencers: Individuals with large, engaged audiences who value their opinions on social media.
- Podcasters: Individuals who host podcasts. (Surprise!)
- Vloggers: Individuals who post videos of their daily lives or their unique perspectives online.
- Bloggers/Writers: Creators who publish long-form written content.
- User-Generated Content (UGC) Creators: Creators who create a variety of content focused on showcasing brands’ products or offerings.
Sure, the media and artists can create content too. Just look at The Dancing Weatherman, Nick Kosir, and Gaurav Taneja (Flying Beast):
However the title “content creator” is reserved for individuals who focus on creating content for their digital audience and generating income through sponsorships, affiliations, and collaborations like Mr. Beast.
RELATED: Video Editor: A Comprehensive Guideline To Becoming A Successful Video Editor [2024].
Content Marketers vs Content Creators.
Yes, both content marketers and creators produce content to reach audiences. But there are key differences.
Content creators work for themselves. Their efforts are on improving their own brands and public persona and also creating content primarily on social media.
Content marketers mainly work for others. They are professionals who use various content marketing strategies to promote products, brands, etc.
This may entail creating social media content. However, it also includes articles, videos, slide decks, infographics, podcasts, website pages, emails, ad copy, and white papers.
RELATED: Steps to Become a Successful Graphics Designer [2024].
What types of content can a creator make?
The world is a content creator’s mollusk when it comes to the types of content they create, most especially thanks to the use of artificial intelligence (AI).
The most popular content are blog posts, podcasts, a video mix, photos, and graphics on social media.
The medium or type really depends on the creator, audience, platform, or even the subject matter. For example, let’s analyze the life of a “gamer.”
If a gamer showcases a new video game, their audience will likely want to see what the game looks like. They’ll want to see the graphics in action and hear feedback on what it’s like navigating and playing. Video is best suited to meet these needs.
RELATED: Software Developer: 10 Powerful Tips on How To Become A Successful Software Developer.
Where do content creators post their content?
Statistically speaking, Epidemic Sound found TikTok to be the top platform for generating income among creators, followed by YouTube. However, what platform works for you depends on your brand and audience.
Consider our gamer example again. Gamers typically share things like gameplay, reviews, and hacks. Knowing this, streaming on Twitch or posting videos to YouTube makes more sense than Instagram or a podcast.
On the other hand, a fashion blogger is probably turning to Instagram and an LTK page to enable their followers to shop most easily. Think creator Smita Patel.
RELATED: How to Become a Social Media Manager in 5 Simple Steps.
How to Become a Content Creator.
Like all good things, becoming a skilled content creator will not happen overnight, and many people will never get there.
Being a content creator requires boundless dedication and, in an algorithm-driven world, sometimes a bit of luck. But with these steps, you’ll certainly put your best foot forward in achieving your goals.
Regardless of the specifics, there are some foundational steps to truly becoming a successful content creator.
Here, I’ve broken the process down into eight steps.
1. Uncover your niche and audience.
while considering becoming a content creator, you already have an idea of the topics you want to talk about or the audience you want it to reach.
Maybe you have experience as a social media manager and want to share tips with small businesses and entrepreneurs.
Christine Buzan a content creator started her career in print media and marketing, assisting on fashion photoshoots. Today, she educates nearly 800k followers on Instagram on how to pose and look good in photographs.
Also, take a look at Masoom Minawala, she started her career in fashion blogging and participating in photoshoots. Today, she teaches her large Instagram followers how to style, pose, and present themselves confidently.
Whatever you choose to focus on will be your niche, and all the content you create should align. But don’t feel the need to settle into a niche right away.
Vanessa Lau states that you don’t necessarily need to have a niche as soon as you get started.
“If you are just starting, I would say that experimenting with a broader niche is going to help you accelerate the journey of finding that niche over time,” she shared on her YouTube channel.
“The mistake that I see a lot of aspiring content creators making is that they stress so much about finding a niche to the point where they don’t create any content at all,” she said.
Translation: Put your ideas out to the world and see what and what doesn’t.
2. Develop your style and personal brand.
Ask yourself:
- How do you stand out?
- What makes your content different?
- How will it look and feel?
- What would make someone be able to recognize it even if it wasn’t on your platform?
Your brand is what makes your content unique and special. This could include the colors and fonts you use but also music. It could also be your style of presenting the information.
The creator who comes to mind for me in this respect is Lilly Singh.
Lilly Singh became a public name as YouTuber IISuperWomanII, sharing skits and vlogs about growing up in a South Asian family.
But as her career improved beyond this niche — acting and producing films, authoring books, and being one of the first women ever to host a late-night talk show — her signature brand and humor remained.
The key to finding your style and personal brand is to be yourself.
Content creator Erica Schneider built a large following on X (formerly Twitter) by sharing writing and editing tips. These are regular topics, but Schneider stands out by her voice and personality in everything she shares.
“Sounds simple, but it’s easy to lose your voice in a sea of templated tips,” she posted. “Let your personality out. Add your unique flare. Take a stance for or against something.”
And, remember, style can be anything. Don’t force humor or sarcasm just because “everyone else is doing it.” Do what you’re comfortable with, and you’ll find your audience quickly.
3. Determine your platform(s).
As we discussed earlier, there are lots of platforms to post your content. But where will you find success?
When deciding which one to focus on, consider three things: your niche, your audience, and your content format.
1. Niche.
Some topics are more engaging on some platforms than others. Furthermore, some platforms are better suited to action than others.
Consider your subject matter and the action one would usually take after learning about it. Would they want to subscribe to know more? Would they want to buy something?
You’ll want where you post your content to make sense of what you’re talking about and your audience’s behavior.
2. Target Audience.
Posting content is not necessary if it’s not reaching the right people. You need to meet your target audience where they already are. Publish and promote content where they hang out.
Say you’re targeting Gen Z. YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok are the social media platforms they use the most. Seeking a freelance gig, your platform is Lucres.
3. Content Format.
Make sure the platform you choose is optimized for your preferred content format.
For instance, if your topic calls for long-form videos, YouTube is likely your best option over TikTok, which has a maximum duration of 30 minutes.
If you share primarily static graphics, you should go for Instagram.
4. Create a content calendar.
Next, sit down and make a list of the content you plan to publish.
Success as a content creator depends on consistency. You must regularly share content related to your niche to grow and maintain your audience and relevance. So, plan ahead.
Create a content calendar for as far into the future as you can. I recommend mapping out at least two weeks and having your content ready a week before publishing so you aren’t left scrambling at the last minute.
5. Invest in any necessary tools.
If you want to become a content creator, a good smartphone is the major thing you need to get started. But, if you have the means, some additional tools can give your content that little extra something.
Take your time, think through to know what might be beneficial, and get your toolbox allied. Think during the extended period and figure out if these tools will still suit your needs.
If possible, look for platforms that can grow along with you. This relief you off the headache of always changing and getting used to new tools as you develop in your online appearance.
6. Create.
The most interesting part now is creating your own content.
I’m sure you must have been waiting for this, so make sure you enjoy it and do your best.
Perfection is the enemy of productivity. So don’t let it stop you from getting content published.
Errors are inevitable, So don’t be scared if you stutter your words or you don’t remember a point. These small things can enhance content engagement.
Plus, the sooner you ship content, the sooner you can start analyzing what works and what doesn’t.
7. Track performance and refine.
After you hit “post” or “publish,” it’s important to remember that your work isn’t finished. You must track the performance of your content and use that data to inform your future creations.
Analyze which posts garnered the most views, comments, likes, and shares, and also take note of what didn’t resonate as much with your audience.
These insights are invaluable for guiding your content strategy in the future.
8. Create a portfolio.
Creating for the sake of creating is great, but if you can get paid for it, that’s even better. So, this last step is all about money.
Influencer Marketing Hub says one in ten influencers makes upwards of $100k a year.
How do they do this? Well, some platforms like YouTube will pay you for creating content when you’ve built a large enough audience and engagement. But if you’re not at the level yet, you need to establish brand deals or collaborations.
A brand deal can come in many forms:
- Sponsored Post or Ad: A brand pays you or offers a free product in exchange for a post about their product on your platform.
- UGC: A brand pays you to create a piece of content for them to use on their platforms or in ads.
- Affiliation or Partnership: You talk about a brand or product and get a commission if someone buys through your referral link.
Tips for Aspiring Content Creators.
Here are 10 simple steps to aid you in your quest to be a content creator.
1. Stay true to your brand/niche.
Once you find your brand/niche, stay true to it.
If you create content on a particular topic that’s not relevant to your audience or niche, it won’t only be ineffective but it will also be confusing to your audience.
The content you share should be a natural fit. You should be able to talk about the topic with confidence.
For you to be successful as a content creator it’s all about trust and sincerity. That’s why people try to make friends with creators and influencers because they feel connected and they also believe they have their best interests in mind.
When your content doesn’t align with your brand identity, your audience will definitely not buy it. So, be tactical about the content you post and the deals you approve.
Popular productivity expert, Ali Abdaal, has done a great job of staying true to his niche.
2. Read content about your industry every day.
Making good content that relates to your target audience means being current with the industry advancement.
This sets them up nicely to understand what’s going on in the world and how that shapes their audience’s mindset. It makes them quickly react and join the trending topics to stay connected.
3. Write on the regular.
As content thought leader and author Ann Handley says, “Everybody writes.”
Successful content creators understand the importance of exercising their writing muscles, even if they’re not bloggers or writers by focus.
By doing this it helps to bring out ideas and identify bites that could come to accomplishments later. You will definitely need it for creating podcast notes, video scripts, and snappy post captions.
You need to get the habit of writing daily.
And I’m not saying you should write a polished, 2000-word essay on an industry-relevant topic every day. But make sure you set aside 20 or 30 minutes to jot down some thoughts and ideas.
4. Study your audience.
The success of a content creator hinges on audience engagement; sometimes, those needs and expectations can feel restricting.
As a result, your audience is still the reason why you have the platform. So you will definitely find new opportunities to help and create if you always listen to them.
One of the major qualities of all successful content creators is that they know their audience inward and outward. Keep a pulse on yours.
Monitoring and analyzing particular metrics can help you to determine if your content relates to your audience.
When you observe a high open rate for your emails, it indicates that your subject line resonated with your subscribers. Similarly, a high click-through rate suggests that your audience is interested in learning more about the content you have shared.
Take note of the behaviors, interests, and trends of your audience, and tailor your content accordingly. Those who are truly engaged with your brand will be eager to provide valuable feedback.
5. Curate other people’s content.
These days, there’s an abundance of people curating content.
Most platforms even have built-in features like “shares,” “retweets,” and “reposts with your thoughts” to make curation easy.
6. Offer solutions, not just commentary.
Sharing your thoughts has value, but it shouldn’t end there. Your audience isn’t just interested in your commentary—they have specific needs they want to address. Provide them with practical advice and walk them through the steps to solve their problems.
7. Understand your metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs).
I’ll be honest: I’m not a fan of metrics. I often try to avoid them, but they’re essential for achieving success, especially as a content creator.
Understanding and tracking your metrics is crucial for long-term success as a content creator. While creating content is an essential first step, it’s the consistent measurement of its impact that allows you to grow and refine your approach.
Before we delve further, it is important to understand why metrics matter.
So Why Does Metrics Matter
Metrics are the backbone of informed decision-making. They help you see what’s working, what needs adjustment, and where your audience is truly engaged.
Without metrics, you’re essentially flying blind, hoping your content resonates without any real feedback or data to support that hope.
Moving further, What are KPIs?
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are specific metrics that directly relate to your goals. They serve as measurable benchmarks to gauge the success of your content.
Posting content alone won’t make you famous overnight. Ideally, your audience and influence will grow steadily over time.
KPIs are crucial for tracking this progress and ensuring your growth continues. Let me explain.
For example, if you’re aiming to increase your visibility on Instagram, a KPI might be the growth in followers or the engagement rate on your posts. Let me show you how I would do it;
- I would keep track of the current number of my followers.
- I would also set a specific number of followers that I aim to reach by a certain date.
- I need to monitor the number of followers regularly, perhaps on a weekly basis, to check if my efforts are contributing to the growth.
Some other KPIs that content creators might track include:
- Number of impressions or views
- Number of shares
- Number of comments
- Number of followers
- Click-through rate (if you have a link or call-to-action present)
- Monitoring metrics can also help you plan and refine your content strategy.
Once you’ve set your KPIs, it’s essential to regularly review them. Look at your data weekly or monthly to assess your progress. If a particular metric isn’t improving, dig deeper to understand why.
This might mean adjusting your content strategy, experimenting with new formats, or even targeting a different audience segment.
Finally, use your metrics to inform your decisions. If your engagement rate is high but follower growth is slow, you might need to focus on outreach or collaboration to expand your reach.
If conversions are low, consider whether your calls to action are clear and compelling enough.
In summary, getting familiar with your metrics and KPIs isn’t just about numbers—it’s about understanding your content’s impact and using that knowledge to drive continuous improvement.
This strategic approach is what will ultimately help you grow and succeed as a content creator.
8. Build an active community.
As a content creator, your goal should not just be about reaching as many people as possible but you should also make sure you turn these people into loyal fans.
In other words, posting content isn’t enough. You need to get involved with your audience. This helps establish strong bonds and make your medium feel more like a unified community, rather than just a place to post content.
If you plan to develop a social presence, make sure you always engage your followers. Always reply to comments create polls and ask them how they feel about a particular topic. This will actually let your followers know that you really care about them and make them more likely to interact with you in your next posts.
It will definitely boost your engagement rates which might land you some brand deals.
9. Network at every opportunity.
Great content creators know they didn’t get where they are today alone. It’s also thanks to those who taught, inspired, and pushed them to think differently. They know that there is always more to learn and to be open to new ideas.
Networking forces you to do just that. It‘s a time to connect but also listen to outside points of view.
Never miss an opportunity to get in the room with fellow creators and learn from them. That means online (they aren’t called social networks for nothing) but also in person. Attend conferences, meet-ups, and workshops.
Have business cards or your QR codes handy to stay in touch. These connections can lead to learning and professional opportunities.
10. Question everything.
A good content creator should be curious by nature, they should be curious about their existing knowledge and also the world around them. It’s these thoughts that lead to engaging content.
So, make the habit of asking questions.
‘Create’ Your Destiny
Not everyone can become a content creator.
But don’t let this scare you.
To become a content creator also means that you want to become an entrepreneur, and the level of your accomplishments is up to you.
It takes a very big confidence to put yourself out there, but to rise above the competition, you must humbly commit to putting in the work
It takes a whole lot of fierce dedication, authentication, and organization.
If you want to be a successful content creator, it starts with a passion.
If you are passionate about your niche and audience and the value or message you have to share with the world, you will find the steps so easy to follow.
And you will also be in a prime position to launch a successful and impactful content creation career.