What if you could be a content creator? Or a content writer? Is content creation a good option for you? Do you have what it takes to become the next top creative content creator? Becoming a content creator can be a fun journey. (Been there, done that!)
If you are wondering how to become a content creator, blogger, or freelance writer, you’re going to love this interview with Nathan Aguilera also known as the Foodie Flashpacker.
Nathan started his blog when he was traveling. Eventually, he became a freelance writer and a social media manager.
Before we start, let’s take a look at what a content creator is. Then, we’ll see how you can become a content creator. We basically want to know if content creation is as sexy as it sounds.
I’ll also share some bits of my personal story – since I successfully created my own personal brand.
How To Be A Content Creator
First, let’s talk about how to become a content creator. In this section, we’ll discuss what is a content creator and how Nathan became one. You’ll get plenty of tips and steps to help you be a content creator too!
You could also watch the video below for a quick summary.
Content Creation Job Description
A content creator is someone who creates content. It can be anything from copy to social media content.
Content creators can also be called influencers if they can manage to have a major impact on their audience.
Interview With Nathan, Content Creator
In this section, you can read our interview with Nathan who does web content creation.
Keep reading to learn more about his story.
Why Did You Want To Become A Digital Nomad?
I had been traveling for more than two years and I was getting a bit burnt out of traveling but not so burnt out that I wanted to go home.
I had to come up with something that allowed me to continue traveling, working on my own schedule, where I could work from anywhere in the world.
So, I suppose like many people, I got a taste of travel and didn’t want to stop – becoming a digital nomad allowed me to stay on the road.
How Did You Get Started And How Long Have You Been On The Road For?
I first started a blog and from blogging came freelance writing and social media management, which is actually where I make most of my income now.
I’ve now been on the road for four and a half years.
How Long Did It Take To Make A Decent Income?
Definitely more than a year. In the first year of blogging, I’m sure I actually lost money on my blog. I paid for hosting, courses, buying my domain, attending conferences, etc.
For anyone starting, especially if you’re going to start a blog, I wouldn’t plan on making any real money for the first year.
Some people/sites do, but when you hear about them, it’s because they are anomalies. It takes time to build an audience.
If you want to freelance write or do some other type of online work, it’s possible to secure clients before your trip begins, which I strongly recommend.
How Did You Want Your First Client?
My first freelance writing client was actually a referral from a friend I met at a conference. It paid $40.
After I did two of these I thought to myself- if some people are paying $40, others must be paying more. So I set out looking for other freelance clients that pay better.
Did You Take Any Course?
Yes, when setting up my site I used Nomadic Matt’s Superstar Blogging Course which I found to be incredibly helpful, especially for setting up the tech side of my course. I knew nothing about plugins, installing themes, etc.
The course allowed me to set up my site completely by myself.
Also, now that my site is set up I’ve found SEO to be very helpful in writing posts that actually deliver traffic to my site.
PSST. You can also check this affordable SEO course to increase your organic traffic on your blog. Want to learn how to launch your blog for free? Join our 7-day challenge!
Where Can We Find You?
You can find Nathan on Foodie Flashpacker. He is also on Facebook and Instagram. That’s an excellent opportunity to learn more about the life of a content creator.
Q&A – All About Content Creation
In this section, we’ll answer all your questions regarding content creators and social media content creators.
Why And How To Get Into Creative Content Creation?
Content creation is getting pretty popular, especially in the digital nomad industry.
If you’re an expert in your field or if you are good at expressing yourself through your writing, vlogging, or photography – becoming a content creator could be an interesting solution for you.
Creating content is one of the key points to being able to succeed in the digital marketing industry, sell products or become a social media influencer.
Depending on what type of business you have in mind, you might have to create content eventually, so you might want to consider getting good at it!
Obviously, if you’re starting your own brand – then, you must understand the content creation basics as you will have to create a lot of content along the way.
Let’s take a look at the different options for content creators:
- Content writer
- Photographer
- Videographer
- Social media influencer
- Social media manager
STORYTIME: I, myself, became a content creator a few years ago when I first started blogging at A Broken Backpack. I obviously write but also I create a few videos and social media content over the years. It was the best way for me to deliver a message, and also to get into the digital nomad world. I knew I had some kinds of writing skills and I was hoping to make it work – which I did. Read more about making money blogging.
How To Become A Content Creator Without Experience?
The first step is to pick a platform where you will create content. Will it be a blog, a Youtube channel, a podcast? Or will you concentrate on social media such as Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram?
Then, you’re going to think about how you can potentially monetize your ideas/platforms? Having a business plan in mind is important as it can take time before being able to monetize a personal brand.
So, you might want to make sure there are ways to monetize all this time you’re going to spend on your project.
You will have to learn many new things – algorithms, social media marketing, copywriting. These new skills will help you market yourself.
If you’d want to work as a freelancer in the content creation field, it’s also possible to become a ghostwriter or a social media manager.
Being a freelancer means you’re going to get paid to create content, and you won’t have to grow and build your own brand – which can take a lot of time.
Learn To Be A Content Creator With These Free Resources
- Social media tools for content creators
- Writing tips for content creators
- Secrets for content creators
Invest Money In A Course To Become A Content Creator
Invest Money In A Book
What Are The Skills Required To Become A Successful Content Creator
If you are sitting there, still wondering, “how do I become a content creator” – keep reading! Apart from being creative and disciplined, some skills should be learned to be a successful content creator, whether you work for yourself as a freelance content creator or as a social media content creator.
Web content: Are you able to write content that suits the web? From copywriting to blogging, the best way to become a writer is to practice!
Video content: Are you able to make killer videos? Most people don’t have enough patience to film awesome footage and edit them afterward. Being able to create great video content, whether it’s a movie or a vlog, is a great skill to have.
Facebook: Understanding the algorithms on Facebook and being able to create engaging content isn’t as easy as it sounds!
SEO: If you’re able to create content that is SEO-friendly – it’s going to be a big plus.
Social media management: If you can master all the different social media channels such as Pinterest, and Twitter, on top of the popular ones like Facebook or Instagram, you should be able to drive traffic to a website.
Instagram: Nowadays, many people create their brands using Instagram as the main channel. Connecting with people with visuals seems to be pretty popular. Of course, you have to be willing to create great photos as well as engaging captions.
How Much Does A Content Creator Make?
It varies a lot! Depending on if you’re working for your own brand or someone else, your financial status may vary.
If you work for yourself, how you market yourself and your success will undoubtedly influence your bank account.
Some social media influencers, bloggers, and vloggers can make “a lot of money”, but it might take them months or even years to make a living out of it.
Like Nathan said, freelancing on the side is a great way to support yourself until you can actually make it happen.
What Degree Do You Need To Become A Content Creator?
You don’t need a degree to become a content creator. You need to improve your skills to get noticed amongst the competition.
How Do You Become A Content Creator On Instagram?
You must learn how to stand out on Instagram. To be successful, you’ll have to improve your photography skills, create a killer profile, learn how to make beautiful edits, and write captivating captions.
Then, you’ll have to engage with other accounts to build your own following.
How Do You Create Content?
Creating content is related to writing, photography, and/or videos. It’s basically taking a product, a destination, or a service and creating content around it.
Final Thoughts On Content Creation
Becoming a content creator can be challenging at first, but it is a fun career path, especially if you’re a creative person.
A content maker can create content about pretty much everything with any desired media – whether it’s photography, videography, or blogs.
Want to use blogging as the primary channel to create content? Get started with these helpful blog posts: