Back in the day, I don’t think anyone assumed the internet would become what it is today. I certainly didn’t. 

When I first started, it was a way to create, entertain, and connect with other like-minded individuals. I never thought I’d become a “social media influencer.” That wasn’t even a thing when I started a Facebook account using my hotmail.com email address. We just used it to post photos of food and statuses about the most basic thoughts and actions.

But today, content creation has become so much more.

If you’re looking to build your career or skill as a content creator, here are some things I’ve learned that will help you grow. 

1. Make Your Niche Your Biche

Because content creation has been so popular, a lot of creators have similar goals, audiences, and subjects they cover. In the sea of videos and photos, you need to stand out. 

Ask yourself:

• What are my interests?
• What are my strengths?
• What makes me different?

Your personality, your quirks, your look, your expertise in some part of a broader subject all make you stand out. 

I started out by advocating for a character that no one was really talking about. She was my niche. I stuck to talking about her and creating content around her. My work was heavily concentrated around that differentiator. She was my niche.

Over the years, that niche has been my anchor. And because I was such a niche champion, people began associating me with her. To this day, a google of the character will have at least several results featuring me. 

It’s also important to note that it doesn’t matter if your subject is already being talked about because your differentiator could be the secret ingredient to making you even more successful in it. 

When you create content, stick in the wheelhouse of that niche because people will begin to follow you for it and anything too different will cost you followers. 

2. Put a Lot of Thought into Your “Brand”

I know the term “brand” when referring to yourself is bordering on overused, but it’s true. Your identity, your brand, as a content creator is just as important to you as it is to a company. 

In addition to your niche, your name will follow you everywhere! Whether you have five followers or 500k, that name is your identifier. 

Think about a name for your handles or brand that is unique, represents you, and is something that has an evergreen, or lasting potential.

If you put “girl” in your name, will it work 20 years down the road? What about a character name? Does it allow you the flexibility to stay anchored but also grow? 

Your Name as a Brand

Some creators wish they’d have started out by just using their name. Unfortunately, there is a downside to that.

As you gain popularity and fans, you’ll also gain people who want to find you -- your address, your phone number, etc. Be careful with your name. Remember that nothing is private anymore and your information is already a few Google clicks away. 

Using your name is still a great option as that is how people will still mainly refer to you. But perhaps even consider a pseudonym. Just be sure to be cautious and protect yourself. 

Your Brand Look

Also, don’t forget to consider how you want your brand to look. In addition to what topics you cover, your physical look will also help you stand out.

I use a red and black filter for my Instagram and in pretty much everything I do, people have said they love it and they now think of me when they see red and black. 

Make a guide of colors, fonts, tone, and other elements that will represent you and complement your name and what you do. 

3. Don’t Get Hung Up on Perfection, Just DO

You know the phrase, “Practice makes perfect.” In this case, “Practice makes you better.” 

The more you do, the more you’ll learn about yourself, creating, and what works best for your audience.

Don’t try to make your work perfect right away, it won’t be. You must be open to and anticipate growth. 

I’m a deep thinker. I care a lot about what I do. But I can’t deny that the pursuit of perfection stresses me out, takes longer, and turns my creative safe space into a place I dread. It’s most important to get yourself out there. The more content you make, the better the chances that you’ll reach more people. The more time you spend on a single piece of content, the less you’ll put out.

Now, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have quality content. You should. You just shouldn’t put so much pressure on yourself to be the best version of you if you haven’t even learned what that is yet. Quality will come in time.

Meanwhile, make sure you’re also learning…

It’s always important to put in a little extra effort to learn. Watch your favorite creators, make a list of what you like about them, and learn how to follow in their footsteps. Learn about lighting, microphones, cameras, editing, graphic design, and everything that goes into being a one-person creator. Learn about structuring content in videos. 

Eventually, you’ll be able to hire help. But in the meantime, it’s all on you, boo. So make sure you’re tracking.

If you need a guide to keep you on track with what matters most in your life, whether it be a business or a side hustle, our Pose Weekly Planner helps you with 12 months of planning your to-dos, goals, appointments, expenses, leads, sales, and more!  

4. It Takes Work (Seriously) 

Some people are lucky enough to get overnight stardom and go viral. But, unless they create consistently great content, they’ll fade away.

The success of your content may take months or even years to get to a successful point. Especially one that can sustain you full-time. 

This is why considering your interests and passion for a subject are so important. In times when you feel stuck in growth or even creatively, this passion will push you to keep going. You’ll love what you do so much that it won’t matter because you’re enjoying it. 

Don’t give up. Keep going. 

5. Set Goals and Make Choices That Help You Smash Them

Set goals and set a vision for yourself. When you visualize where you want to go, you will head in that direction as goals influence the decisions you make. 

Write your goals down, repeat them in your head, put them as the background on your computer, set them as your passwords. Take steps to also work smarter toward these goals. 

Review your analytics, make changes, write down your content ideas, and put them into a schedule.

Platforms like YouTube reward those who post on a consistent schedule and other social platforms reward you for engagement. 

Posting at least once a day keeps you in their line of sight, and thus, boosts your visibility for them and elsewhere.

Planners like our Instagram Planner work wonders for tracking, testing, and planning your social content. Take a look…

Need some help planning content? We Gotchu.

Our planners are a great way to get you organized and going on your content creation way.

• Social Media Planner: Plan 12 months worth of content for all of your social media pages, set goals, track your progress, and more in one spiral-bound planner. Includes annual goal-setting, password bank, a month at a glance, a week at a glance, and inspirational quotes. 
• Instagram Planner: Plan, grow and dominate your Instagram feed with our Instagram Planner! Start things off right with a profile checklist, hashtag planner page, monthly trends, and vision boards to get started. Break into Instagram stories and organize them into highlights with the help of the new stories pages!
• YouTube Planner: Keep track of what needs to be filmed, edited, and uploaded then make sure you properly push them out to the world in the right places! Use the month at a glance and weekly planning pages to give structure to the when's, where's, and how's of your YouTube videos. The fill-in calendar makes it easy to start any time of the year with 12 motivational quotes to keep you inspired in your video creation.
• AND MORE!

Plus, we have some excellent resources to boost your POSE in the world of content creation.