The content creator landscape might seem saturated, but the fact is that there are still plenty of opportunities for new and exciting content creators with great ideas to break through.
If you can find your niche and figure out what kind of content suits your style best, then there could be a ready-built audience out there waiting for you; you might even be the creator they’ve been waiting to see!
Of course, you can’t just click your fingers and become a content creator; it takes a lot more hard work than most people are willing to admit. Here’s how to get started as a content creator in 2024.
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Figure out your niche
First and foremost, it’s important to know what niche you’re going to occupy as a content creator.
Everyone will have a different niche; every content creator appeals to a different audience just by virtue of differing personalities and preferences, so trying to be all things to all people isn’t going to end well.
Some content creators, for instance, will focus on a single video game or a single genre of games, while others will create video essays about movies, popular culture, or something else about which they’re knowledgeable.
Build up some funds first
Life as a content creator isn’t going to be easy, and it certainly isn’t going to be cheap.
Most content creators stick to their day jobs for a time just to keep some money coming in while they pursue their dreams, and you should definitely consider doing the same.
If you’ve already left your job or you simply can’t countenance staying at work for another second, though, you should seek out alternative sources of income, like dipping into savings or even applying for £1000 loans to get your equipment budget going. Speaking of which…
Get the equipment you need
Depending on what kind of content you want to create, you’re going to need different kinds of equipment.
Are you going to be including your voice in the kind of content you make? If so, then you’re going to need a good-quality microphone. Most content creators plump for a mic like the Blue Yeti, but there are other alternatives out there as well.
You may also want to consider a webcam if you’re going to be showing your face, as well as good screen capture software if you’re playing games or streaming. These are the basics, but your particular situation might require more specific equipment as well.
Network with other content creators
Sometimes, there’s an attitude amongst content creators that borders on adversarial, and it’s a totally unnecessary attitude to adopt as a content creator.
Just like business owners, other content creators are not your enemies; they’re potential friends and collaborators, and they could help you to understand how to break into your niche better.
Reach out to other content creators and talk to them. Build yourself a network, and when the time comes, ask if other creators would like to collaborate with you. The potential benefits are immense!
Put the work in
There really is no substitute for putting the work in as a content creator. If someone tells you that they have a shortcut to instant fame in this line of work, then they’re definitely lying to you.
Being a content creator is a grind; it means putting in long hours not only creating your content, but also editing it and making sure it’s as good as it can possibly be before you release it.
If you’re entertaining fantasies about being a content creator and living the easy life, then it’s time to put them out of your mind, because content creation is no joke.
Make your content as good as it can be
We’re not kidding when we say you need to make your content the best version of itself before you put it out there in the world.
Your audience is going to be your most savage critic, and if your content isn’t good enough – if it’s poorly-edited, for instance, or if you haven’t done the research you should have for a video essay – it’s going to be obvious.
Making sure that your content is excellent before it’s released will ensure that you can take true pride in what you do, and that even while you’re not making money, you can still stand behind your core product. Speaking of which…
Do it for the love, not the money
Content creators who exclusively create content for money and for no other reason are very transparent to their audience.
You should absolutely love what you do and feel privileged to do it every single day. If you can’t muster up the enthusiasm after weeks or even months of creating content, try to think of one reason to love your job each day.
Naturally, there are going to be days when it feels like you’ll never make it, and if you do make it, you might have days where things don’t feel like they’re any fun anymore. When that happens, you should seriously consider taking a break or stopping, because it should always be fun.
Don’t create just for the algorithm
Many content creators will tell you that the algorithm is king and that you should bow to it above all else. Those content creators don’t know what they’re talking about, because you should never create content just for an algorithm.
A lot of content creators don’t know why their most famous piece of content “broke through”; sometimes it’s an accident, and sometimes it’s a targeted marketing campaign that worked for that specific video or blog post.
However, that same strategy can then completely fail to work for another video or post, so the truth is that the pieces of content the algorithm deems successful can change from day to day.
As such, you should rely on creating and editing videos, posts, or other types of content that your intended audience will enjoy and shirk trying to create just so you can be seen by a fickle algorithm.
