How to get started as a content creator
The benefits of content creation are endless: independence, flexible hours, honing in on your interests. But like any job, reaching the point where you know what you are doing feels far away. Where content creation may look glamorous, the grind of getting there is anything but. We’re breaking it down for you with a roadmap on how to get up and running. New hires get mentorship and direction, so why shouldn’t you?
Decide your niche
Easier said than done. Think about each of the creators you admire, bet you could list three words per follow on what keeps you going back to their page. Even if it’s as simple as making you laugh, there is immense value in that. Something often omitted in the discourse around content creation is the fact that content creators are doing a good deed. They are lifting moods/ providing distraction/ giving FREE (!!) advice/recs. Approaching the field through this lens is critical.
But back to deciding your niche. What makes you tick? What are your last ten Insta searches or what types of videos are you constantly seeing on TikTok? What pictures do you find yourself snapping? What tweets are you constantly circulating with your friends?What could you talk about, 9-5, Monday through Friday and beyond. Write these down. And then test them out. The beauty of content creation is that, contrary to popular belief, you aren’t married to the category! Professional pivots exist for a reason.
Choose your medium and establish your voice
Where will your content live? The easiest way to decide this is through establishing your tone. Content can be manicured and editorial, it can be vulnerable and unedited and it can be sharp and provocative. Photographers may be better equipped for Instagram, where posts are thoughtful and intentional, whereas a comedian may fare better on YouTube or TikTok to fuel their spontaneity.
Finding your tone is an extension of establishing your purpose. Do you want to make people laugh? Do you want to challenge their thoughts? The opportunities a singular platform provides are limitless but understanding the objective of your work will help illuminate the next steps. For example, if your goal is to share book recommendations, TikTok is optimal for multiple book recaps in a succinct presentation.
Start Posting
Get to it! In social media, quantity is quality. With each post, you are building credibility. More content to interact with means there is more substance to engage with. It may feel unnatural, but putting yourself out there for the first time is the hardest part of the job.
Start engaging and showing up
Build your community! A unique aspect of content creation is the endless appetite for more. More creators, more posts, more volume to consume. Social media truly can be an endless network for peers and friends. If you show up for your internet peers, they will do the same for you. Comment on their posts, attend in person events to forge relationships, offer to swap snapping outfit pics. Even if it means showing up to an event solo where you know no one, your presence is noted. Engagement results in relationship building which leads to partnerships which leads to $$$. The content creator field flourishes when the community is in sync.
Our last step in the roadmap: patience. Finding your groove will take time. This is not a fool-proof plan but a gut check that you are on the right track. Content creation can be excruciating: it is intimate, exposing and vulnerable. When in doubt, remind yourself of the joy that countless creators before you have brought to their followers. You are next.
We covered the topline of getting started and will continue to delve into growing your brand and following.
