Here’s How to Know if You’ll Make It as a Content Creator
No need for a crystal ball.
Put down your keyboard, because I can see your future.
You’re on the grind. You want to quit the 9–5 and make content creation your thing because damn it, if you don’t try you’ll never know what it’s like.
Right now you’re speaking to a crowd of none. You’re the 99% starting from zero. But you don’t want to be like the 99%, because they’re always on the wrong track. And if you’re on the wrong track it doesn’t matter how fast you peddle.
You’ll end up in the same place — failure.
It’s not that failure is so bad, it’s a learning experience. But perhaps you want to take the fast track to success from the start. A smart thing to want.
So here it is — the one question that will reveal your fate as a creator:
What is the best reason to make a piece of content?
Your answer to this question will determine your success.
Let’s explore the thought process of finding the optimal answer, and the mindset of a content creator that is guaranteed to make it.
“I have more content out there”
This seems sound at first. The more of your content out there, the more internet space you take up. You expand your reach like a spiderweb linking back to your brand.
You created a piece of content and purchased a lottery ticket to win virality.
Alas, this is not a good reason for creating content. Your potential audience isn’t potentially subscribing to you because you’re putting more content for the sake of it. They want something from you. Besides, there are way better strategies to blow up quickly.
Onto the next answer.
“I’m glad to have content this week / I’m keeping up with my creation habit”
If your goal was to make a new piece instead of a great piece, you’ve already failed. Yes, showing your potential audience that you’re an active creator is good.
But publishing often is not the key to making it. Publishing great pieces is. But it’s also not quite as simple as that.
“I’m a human being with insights worth sharing”
It’s true that we all come with our own experiences, insights, and perspectives. Sharing these can be a key ingredient to making any content highly engaging. But it’s not a good reason to be a content creator if you intend to make it.
Truth is — people are selfish. They don’t care what you have to say. They’ll start caring when you show them how what you have to say will benefit them.
Onto the next answer.
“The world needs to know this”
This is quite an effective trap.
Any writer taking to a platform because they believe what they have to share will revolutionize their space is soon to be disappointed. People don’t know what they need to know, so you are speaking to an empty room. People DO know what they want, though, and the creators who realize this will rise above.
People don’t want to be revolutionized — they want to be catered to.
“I finally have an idea for content”
Having an idea is not what people want to see. Having a great idea is what readers want. This includes a well-packaged idea (hint hint).
The trap lies within the word “finally”.
The right answer + game-changing mindset
I’ll ask again — what is the best reason to make a piece of content?
Correct answer:
“I know a way to make a piece of content clickable.”
Perfect. You understand what the game is about.
Does this mean I encourage you to make nothing but clickbait? No. I’m encouraging you to make something CLICKABLE. A great idea WORTH CLICKING ON.
The reason this answer (and mindset) ensure you’ll make it is simple. If you get someone to click, you’ve collected attention. Attention = Money.
(Money = The ability to pay rent and other preferables.)
Your job as a content creator is to identify, whether it be education or entertainment, an angle where you can provide value based on what the audience wants.
How do you know what the audience wants?
Research. You’re not going to get away from it.
What’s popular, what FORMATS are popular, pain points, struggles, untapped niches with high demand — it’s all found in the research. Mix and match until you’ve found your golden ticket.
FIND and DELIVER what the audience wants. Then package it well, because if they don’t CLICK you are wasting your effort.
If you can do that, you will make it. It’s already written in the stars.
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