How to Become a Content Creator
If you’ve ever wondered how to become a content creator, this guide is for you! According to research by WordPress, the creator economy is worth an estimated $104.2 billion – and the market is expected to double in size by 2027. So, if you’re curious about the world of content creation, now is the time to find out more.
In this post, we’ll explain how to translate your creativity, expertise, and unique perspective into shareable online content. Keep reading to get started.
What Is Content Creation?
Content creation involves producing and sharing different types of content across various platforms. Content creation isn’t limited to written content, and can include:
- Blog posts and articles
- Social media posts
- Videos
- Photographs
- Podcasts
Some content creators will focus on one type of content, while others will work with multiple types. Regardless of the format, each piece of content has a clear goal: to inform, entertain, persuade, or drive engagement. Many creators will use a combination of long-form and short-form content.
Types of Content Creators
Some common types of content creators include:
- Content writers create engaging written content for blogs, social media, email, and more. They can write about a range of topics, from lifestyle and travel to technology and finance. For example, content writer Colleen Welsch specializes in writing blogs and marketing copy for the beauty industry.
- Social media influencers share images and videos on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. They often use their following to promote products or services. For instance, influencer Noelle Downing posts midsize fashion content on Instagram.
- Vloggers produce and edit video content for platforms like YouTube and TikTok. Content can range from educational to aspirational. For example, YouTuber Alfie Deyes posts lifestyle and family vlogs.
- Photographers and videographers share their work on social media platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. They may also sell their virtual assets. Conservation photographer Jonathan Irish posts his photography online and contributes to print and online publications like National Geographic.
- Podcasters use platforms such as Spotify to create shareable audio content and commentary on different subjects. For example, in the Plain English podcast, tech, culture, and political writer Derek Thompson breaks complex news topics into more palatable chunks.
- Creator educators use online platforms to share their knowledge and teach their skills to other people. For example, the content creator behind the popular baking blog Sally’s Baking Addiction shares detailed, step-by-step recipes for a variety of pastries and breads.
What Does a Content Creator Do?
The day-to-day tasks and responsibilities of content creators can vary based on the platform they use and the type of content creation they do. However, there are many similarities in the kind of work they do, including:
- Researching and brainstorming content ideas based on their target demographic
- Creating and editing content
- Managing their social media channels (e.g., pre-scheduling posts)
- Engaging with their audience (e.g., replying to comments)
- Optimizing content for search engines (e.g., writing SEO-friendly blog posts)
- Analyzing relevant data and metrics to measure their content’s performance
- Collaborating with other creators or brands for partnerships and promotions
How to Become a Content Creator
Does the role of a content creator pique your interest? To become a successful content creator and stand out from the competition, you need a strategic approach that includes a combination of creativity, tech skills, and marketing know-how.
Keep in mind that most content creators don’t experience overnight success – it can take time to build an audience, so it’s important to stay consistent. Here are some steps you can take to start creating content:
1. Identify Your Niche
Although it isn’t necessary to have a niche to become a successful content creator, specializing can help build your brand and position you as an authority on a particular subject. For that reason, most creators choose a specific target audience and consider what will appeal to them.
When choosing what topic to specialize in, select a niche that you’re passionate about or have significant knowledge of (or don’t mind extensively researching). Keep in mind that the more passionate about a topic you are, the more you’ll convey that interest to your target audience. This will naturally lead to more authentic, compelling content that people want to engage with.
Here are some examples of content creators who have chosen a distinct niche:
- Jane Dunn, a food writer, photographer, and blogger, runs a highly successful blog – Jane’s Patisserie – and an Instagram account dedicated entirely to baking.
- Yoga teacher Adriene Mishler, of Yoga With Adriene, started her content creation journey by building a YouTube community. Now she has a large following on other social media platforms and a popular blog.
- Ova Ceren, the creator behind Excuse My Reading on Instagram, posts content on reading, writing, and cottagecore aesthetics. Her content is largely designed to appeal to people in the Bookstagram community.
2. Research Your Audience
Once you select a niche, it’s essential to understand your target market’s demographics, interests, and preferences. For example, are you targeting your content toward full-time students? New parents? People living abroad? Whatever your audience, tailor your content to what will meet their needs and provide value.
Keep in mind that a loyal audience is just as important as a large one, so it’s important to focus on creating engaging, valuable content as much as gaining new followers. Periodically polling and surveying your current audience can give you a better idea of the type of content they’re looking for.
3. Select a Platform
Decide which platforms align best with your content format and audience. Popular platforms include Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and X (formerly Twitter). You can also cross-publish your content across multiple platforms to reach a wider audience. You don’t have to be a tech wizard to repurpose your content and publish it across different platforms – tools like Canva and Wavve can help you get the most out of your audio and visual content.
4. Plan and Develop Content
Of course, the most important step to becoming a content creator is to create and share meaningful content with your audience. However, creating content isn’t as simple as it (sometimes) looks – a significant amount of behind-the-scenes work goes into each piece of content (e.g., planning and editing). Consider creating a content calendar to stay organized and ensure you’re publishing content regularly.
5. Market Your Brand
Develop your unique brand voice and personality, and stay consistent with how you present it; this helps build your brand awareness. Promote your content by sharing it across multiple social media channels and collaborate with other creators in your niche to expand your reach. It also helps to learn basic SEO principles to improve your content’s visibility and ranking on search engines like Google. Use relevant keywords your audience may search for, write meta descriptions, and include backlinks to enhance discoverability.
6. Monetize Your Content
While it can take time, many creators are able to monetize their content. For example, social media influencers often work with brands to market products or services to their followers. Podcasters and video creators can make money in the form of advertisements or product placements. Content writers can monetize their blogs, or earn an income writing content for brands.
7. Track Key Metrics
Use analytics tools to track the performance of your content (using metrics such as traffic and engagement). For example, if you’re a blogger, you can track your bounce rate to understand which topics encourage your readers to stay on your page the most. Or if you’re a social media influencer, you can track your interaction and engagement metrics, such as likes and comments, on your posts. This can help improve the quality of the content and better tailor it to your audience.
Becoming a Content Writer
If you’re interested in learning more about what it takes to create written content for different audiences, check out our comprehensive Becoming A Freelance Writer course. You’ll learn valuable skills you need to break into the content writing industry and kick-start a flexible, rewarding, new career path. Sign up to receive your free lessons and see for yourself today.
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