How to Become an Author in 2023?
Ten years ago, who would have known that anyone could earn six figures just by communicating with cameras as well as making a couple of gestures on one-minute video clips? And from the comfort of their own home, as well? Now, fast forward to 2023: Khaby Lame has created one of the biggest professional careers in the field of content creation by producing funny TikTok videos. But he's not the only one. Over 50 million individuals around the world consider themselves creators, with the majority of them making income from sharing original content that educates and entertains their followers.
Maybe you've watched your favorite creator's latest TikTok video and have wondered, "Can I do this as well?" The answer is: yes, you can.
You don't necessarily need particular skills or experience to be a successful content creator. If you're able to produce consistently videos, as well as share your ideas in a fun and entertaining manner, you will succeed and may even become many people's favorite creator, too!
This article is your all-inclusive guide on how to become the next content creator. This isn't a secret formula- just tried-and-true tips that will transform you from novice to professional creator.
What is a content creator?
A content creator is someone who consistently creates content. Think videos, photos, digital art, blog posts, ebooks and even tweets.
You don't need any special skills to become an author of content or create content. You must however commit to posting content regularly so that you can build an audience, become an expert in your field in the end, and earn income.
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What are the different kinds of content creators?
As there are a variety of types of content and platforms There are a myriad of kinds of creators. This means that, as an aspiring content creator, there are plenty of options!
When you're aspiring to become a content creator, don't try to put yourself into a box. Instead, play to your strengths and choose different formats of content as well as digital platforms that can help you connect with the ideal audience.
1. Influencer
In a press conference held in 2021, Portuguese footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo, removing two Coca-Cola bottles off his table and requested water in lieu. The one-time decision took away $4 billion of Coca-Cola's stock market value. This is the power of an influencer!
A person who is an influencer has earned some credibility in their niche due to their unique ability or knowledge. They usually have a decent and loyal social media followers -- people who know, like, and trust their company's brand and are able to influence their fans on their choices. The companies that are looking to sell their products or services to an influencer's community engages with them via sponsorships and partnerships.
Influencers on social media are platform-agnostic, meaning they create media across several channels at the same time. Many social media influencers begin on one platform, and then move onto other ones once they've established a solid footing.
Related: How to be an influential social media person and earn a living
2. Blogger
There are many options to earn money blogging. If you post content on your website, you can make money from paid ad spots. This means that people pay to advertise their products and services on your site.
Companies and other creators in your area can also hire for you to write a blog post (or many!) for their site. You can start your own newsletter on platforms like Substack.
3. Podcaster
In with radio shows, In with podcasts. Podcasters are able to share your thoughts and views on current topics -- glamorous red carpet fashion at the Grammys or pop culture information, or more mundane issues like economic downturns or recessions -- to your audience via the spoken word.
There is no need for prior experience in radio hosting to start podcasts. Most people don't want the following. The audience of podcasts usually wants you to impart your expertise and experience with a unique and authentic point of view. That is they would like to hear the things you think.
It doesn't cost much to set up a podcast. You can create and edit podcast episodes using your phone with applications like Riverside and Descript. After you've got it all set you're able to upload the podcast on Spotify, SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts and many other audio hosting websites.
4. Vlogger
Most likely, you've seen "get prepared to go with me" or "a day in my life" videos on YouTube These are great examples of Vlogs.
Vloggers -- also known as video blogger, creates videos and shares them on platforms like YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok. Most of these videos are about the person who created them, like their travels or new purchases or their career experiences.
It's true that videologging requires some effort however, it's something that you can pull off using a small amount of effort. The first step is to understand how to create amazing videos. Your audience doesn't expect cinema-quality vlogs, but your video must tick three boxes:
- Good lighting
- Clear audio
- Good camera angles
Once you've filmed your video It's now time to modify it to ensure it's suitable for your audience's viewing pleasure. Add background music, insert a cover image, remove unnecessary clips, and add a watermark if you like. You might also need modify your content based on the content guidelines and the specifications of your platform.
After you've got everything set, upload your vlog and share the link with your audience to drive traffic to the vlog.
5. Photographers and Videographers
Video and images are the currency of social media, so there are a ton of potential for people who have a background in these fields.
As a photographer or videographer and videographer, you could earn money by sharing your work via social media networks like Instagram as well as YouTube. Once you have a decent quantity of followers, and a good engagement rate, you'll be able to grab awesome brand deals or earn money through the creator program.
If you're not a fan of personal branding or being a social media influencer, it's possible to assist other creators in publishing professional content to their sites at a cost. You could also go down to the route of a content creator freelance and then sell the visual assets to royalty-free stock images and platforms.
7 Steps to become a successful content creator
Once you've decided what kind of creator you'd like to develop into, it's time to start working. Here are seven steps that will help you get started becoming a content creator.
Step 1: Determine the personality of your creator.
Figuring out your creator personality is the most important thing to do when you're just starting out. This step will provide clarity to the next decision-making actions you'll undertake during your creative journeystarting with the people that you'll reach, through the kind of content you produce and the platforms you select.
In general, there are two types of creator personalities to choose from: creator educator and the creator entertainer.
Simply put, creator educators teach while creator entertainers delight and delight and. It is possible to divide your most loved creators into two types of. In the case of Miss Excel, Miss Excel and Erika Kullberg are both creator educators. However, TonyTalks and Brian Moller are creator entertainers.
All of these creators are accomplished in their own way This tells you a single fact: there is no one more or less successful than another. Your focus, therefore, is on identifying the personality that aligns with your values and allows the freedom to express your personality.
Allow the "why" guide you. Consider the reasons you want to be the creator you are. What is the thing that you'd like to do and be known for? If you want to bring people joy and assist them in coping with stress, entertainment is the best way to do it. If you're looking to pass on knowledge and to improve the lives of your followers then you could be an educator at heart.
Related: Why creator educators are earning money
Step 2: Choose a niche
What would you say If someone were to ask you to describe Marques Brownlee in two phrases? Most likely "tech maker."
Brownlee has built a solid name by sharing videos of various tech gadgets such as iPhones and MacBooks, to video gaming and camera. Also, he has found his niche and his career as a creator is better for it.
As a first-time creator, it's tempting post random content spontaneously and then post it on the internet. However, this could be the only way to speed up progress and burnout. Thus, you must discover your passion: a topic or area which you're passionate about.
Your niche can be anything that is related to technology, fitness and even astrology. The more precise it is, the greater chance your posts will be noticed and attract the attention of readers. There's a big contrast between a common author of financial content and a creator that shares easy, money-saving tips for millennials and Gen Z.
Feel free to look beyond conventional subjects. You'll be amazed by the number of people who share your interests. For instance, who would have thought that learning about Microsoft Excel could be fun up until Miss Excel came along?
Once you've nailed your niche, brainstorming content ideas, getting traction from your targeted users, and generating regularly-updated content becomes a breeze.
Step 3: Develop your personal brand and style
Your style is what makes your content unique. Consider it your trademark. It could refer to your background music, the specific one you choose to use, how you edit images, or the tagline you use to sign off the blog post. The elements that define style are a part of your own personal brand.
Once you've nailed a style and fine-tuned your brand's image it will be easy to be noticed in the ocean that is filled with content makers. Numerous successful creators of content prove this point. For example, Khaby Lame was quickly a A-list TikToker thanks to his distinct style of humor in silent video.
The trick to find the style you want? Do what you like! Styles of other artists could inspire you, however do not copy them in a blatant manner. Choose something that resonates with you and let it shine through on your blog posts.
Also, keep in mind that style can mean anything. Do not force the use of humor or sarcasm, if it doesn't come naturally to you. Do what you're comfortable with and you'll get your target people quickly.
Step 4: Pick a platform
The platform you choose is the main platform where you'll post your content. Additionally, it's where you'll communicate with your intended audience and perhaps, begin developing a following. In addition, from Instagram from TikTok to YouTube There are a myriad of different platforms to choose from.
When wading through the options, two things should guide your choice of platform the target audience as well as content formats.
1. Target audience
Make content available where your ideal public hangs out. This is the quickest and easiest way to get your brand in front of them.
For example, if you're looking to target Gen Z, then YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok are among the top platforms because these are the places they hang out most. If you're targeting millennials as your primary target audience, then Facebook can be definitely one of the top places for them to be reached..
2. Content format
Be sure to select a platform that supports your preferred content format. If you're creating videos that are long in length, YouTube should be your option. On the other hand for photographers, then a visual content platform such as Instagram could be a great location to show off your photography.
Step 5: Develop a content calendar
Many new creators of content have trouble achieving the consistency. Initially, they can't help but be excited to write material and then publish it. In the course of a couple of days but that enthusiasm can dwindle and they might stop showing up altogether. This is where an absence of passion may not be the main reason. Instead, they may have failed to hatch a consistency plan that includes a plan for creating and publishing content frequently.
A content calendar helps you plan your content creation and publishing schedule to ensure that you keep putting out material even when you're not motivated to create content. This way, you build trust with your community.
The process of creating a content calendar is simple. There is no need to account for three things:
- Content creation days
- Days of content publishing
- Content formats
Here's a content calendar that is simple to help an YouTube content creator who puts on a brand new video each week.
Saturday
- Create a brand new video (15 minutes in length).
Monday
- Edit video.
Tuesday
- Post video snippet on Instagram and invite users to sign up to the YouTube channel.
Wednesday
- Upload video to YouTube.
- Share a 1-minute clip on TikTok.
Friday
- Promote the video via Twitter.
Be sure that your strategy is real-time so that you are able to consistently create quality content and develop in your craft. In the course of time and you adjust your schedule based on the performance of your content and on feedback from your audience.
Step 6: Use the best tools for creating content.
Making quality content is simple provided you've got the right equipment. Imagine you're a professional video maker. You'll need a good camera, excellent lighting and a great background make eye-catching videos.
In contrast If you're a blogger then you'll need to invest in SEO tools like Semrush to boost the odds of your web content ranking highly on Google for organic traffic to your website.
As your content creator career grows, you'll be able to invest in better tools and make content with higher quality. Don't let a lack of tools keep you from sharing your work!
Step 7: Keep track of performance metrics
Monitoring the performance of content lets you know which elements are working and what needs improvement -- since you cannot improve what you don't measure.
It also gives you important details about your audience's behavior, such as the times they're on the internet and what types of content they prefer. Using this information will allow you to optimize your content production and publishing process the most efficiently.
So what metrics should you be tracking? The answer depends on the platforms you're on. If you're an Instagram content creator, it's worth looking at metrics like followers, shares, and impressions. If you're an TikTok creator, you'll have the ability to monitor your daily views as well as your monthly rate of growth for followers as well as the total number of views for a specific period.
As a content creator when you make your choices upon hard-to-find facts.
How much money can creators of content make?
Kylie Jenner reportedly makes $1,835,000 on average per sponsored video. If you're tempted to roll your eyes and say "But Kylie Jenner is a star," here's another piece of info: YouTube star MrBeast made a whopping 54% million for 2021.
Are these outliers, or do people who create content for social media really make this much? Let's examine the numbers.
- In 2022, an average YouTuber from the U.S. earned $4,616 each month that's about $55,000 per year. Not good!
- ZipRecruiter estimates the median salary for the average U.S. author is $50,510 per year.
- A Hype Auditor research revealed that Instagram's micro-influencers (less as 10,000 fans) make $2,970 per month.
- Big Instagram influencers (with over 1 million followers) earn $13,356 per month. .
- TikTok influencers that have more than 100,000 followers make an average of $793 per post.
- Influencers on Twitter with weniger than 5,000 followers will charge $56 for each post. However, those with over 250 followers make an average of $126 per post.
Not every content creator will be able to make millions of dollarsbut that's fine. But, one thing's for sure: you can make some decent money by creating content The numbers below demonstrate this.
Create content to earn a little extra money.
The act of creating is a satisfying experience. You get the chance to create a trusting community your work. It is possible to experiment with content creation and content creation that is different in format and for different platforms. Additionally, you are able to collaborate with the brands you love and on projects you enjoy. It's lots of enjoyment and flexibility!
Although being a full-time content creator has a plethora of upsides, it isn't everything sunshine and roses. As a creator, there are times when you may be in dry spells, tough clients as well as online trolls and blockages in your creativity at various times. It is important to be prepared to deal with these issues, and the most effective way to do that is to begin by experimenting with content as a side hustle first before you fully dive into.
Consider this as a paid internship where you get to learn about the business while also having the safety net of a regular job. After you've established your own rhythm as a moonlighting creator, you're free to quit your work and dive into it!
And, having learnt how to become an expert in content creation, all you need to do is begin.
Need help starting your business of content? Join The Creative Starter Bundle from The Leap, which includes free courses and workshops delivered by seasoned creators!
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FAQ
Here's our answer to some of the most popular concerns of new content creators.
What do you need to be able to prove to become a content creator?
It's not necessary to have any particular qualifications to get started as a creator. However, if you're a creator educator, you'll have to have some sort of expertise in the subject particularly for more complicated and delicate topics. In this way, you'll establish confidence with your students by providing them with correct and accurate information.
How much money do content creators make?
The average content creator earns about $44,000 annually. The amount depends on factors such as the location, their experience and sometimes the type of content they make. The most famous creators like Kylie Jenner earn millions of dollars every year.
Could I become an content creator without prior experience?
Yes! There is no requirement for prior experience to become a content creator. You can be a successful creator when you possess a unique idea and knowledge to share with the world.
Can it be made easy to become a content creator?
No. Like any other job creating content comes with its difficulties. For success as a content creator, you need to learn how to create and distribute content, build your brand identity, and consistently deliver high-quality content.
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