10 Things Successful Creators Do That You (Probably) Don’t
Follow these 10 tips to be a successful content creator one day
Being a successful content creator is a dream for thousands of people around the world. Today, more children dream of being YouTubers than astronauts.
If you’re a new content creator, odds are you have someone who you consider to be your hero in this field. A Youtuber, a TikToker, or a writer that you wish someday you will become successful like him.
But what does it take to become a good content creator? What successful creators are doing that you’re not?
It all starts with what you do before you put your fingers to a keyboard.
Here are 10 things successful creators are doing that you probably don’t.
1- They’re Disciplined
Creativity is important, but so is consistency. In order to be consistent, it is important to be disciplined. As a new creator, you will be wearing so many different hats. From shooting videos and editing to writing scripts and marketing, you will be doing it all alone.
So it is important to create processes and systems that allow you to work on the stuff that you like, without forgoing the things you don’t like.
It’s not easy. It will take time. It may look overwhelming sometimes. But it’s totally worth it.
Take a look at any successful creator today and see how many pieces of content he has posted since starting. Chances are, they’re more than 500!
- MrBeast posted 711 videos
- MKBHD posted 1347 videos
- Casey Neistat posted 1064 videos
That’s what we call discipline.
2- They’re Patient
The vast majority of creators quit before reaching 1000 followers. Reasons are either related to monetization, lack of motivation, or boredom.
For these people, content creation may not be for them in the first place.
Content creation is a long-term journey. If you’re getting into Youtube or writing for a get-rich-quick scheme, then you probably should look for something else.
According to research made by TheTilt.com, it takes on average 26 months to build a profitable content business. And you want to make money from your first month?!
Let me tell you something, successful content creators are patient. They’re sharing useful content because they enjoy the process of making content not because they want to make money.
Marques Brownlee (A.K.A MKBHD) posted 100 videos before reaching 100 subscribers. Today’s creators want to reach 1 million subscribers before even starting.
So if you want to be a successful content creator, you need to be patient.
3- They’re Focused
One of the most common mistakes new creators do is trying to jump between platforms trying to be a superstar everywhere.
That won’t work.
Pick one platform. Whether it’s Medium, Tiktok, YouTube, Instagram, or any other platform, then focus all your efforts to build and grow your audience around it.
This is what every successful creator does, and this is what you should do.
4- They See Themselves As Business Owners
Successful content creators see themselves as business owners, not just creators. That’s why most big creators have multiple sources of income (ads, affiliate links, clothing lines, sponsors…).
I’m not saying you need to do that since the beginning (and you probably shouldn’t), but this is something you need to keep in mind.
Your focus when you just started needs to be on posting useful content. But as you grow you will have to expand your business to other platforms, create higher quality content, and create more sources of income.
5- They’re Full-Time Content Creators
Full-time content creators are seven times more likely to support at least one person than someone who treats it like a side gig, according to The Tilt research.
Now, I want to make this clear: I’m not saying you should quit your job and become a full-time creator, especially if you have a family to support. But you can be a full-time entrepreneur, working for a business (your job) while building another.
This will take a lot of your personal time, and not everyone is willing to make this sacrifice. I won’t tell you you should do this or that because it’s your life and it’s up to you to take this decision.
But here are some ideas on how you can do this:
- Have a list of ideas: Having a list of titles for your next articles or videos can save you a lot of time.
- Choose one channel: Don’t try to be everywhere. Pick one channel and stick to it.
- Be efficient with work: Spend one day to plan all the content for this week. Then one day writing the first draft for all the content. This will make you more productive during the week.
And remember, be patient. No one is running after you.
6- They Have Newsletters
Email is here to stay.
Most successful content creators are collecting emails by offering free stuff, promising exclusive content, or offering discounts to their subscribers/followers.
The reason is that you don’t own the audience on these social platforms. Instead, the audience is owned by the company you’re posting on (whether it’s Youtube, Medium, or Tiktok).
These companies control what you can say and what you can’t. Plus, they can get you out of the platform anytime.
That’s why it’s a great idea to start collecting emails from day one.
People are usually careful to whom they give their emails and who they allow to email them. So if someone gives you his email, that means he’s either a fan of your work or interested in something you’re offering.
That’s why making money from your email audience is a lot easier than from your social media audience.
7- They Have Multiple Sources Of Income
As the English proverb says, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket”.
Making money from Google Adsense or Medium fees is good and all, but what if these platforms decided they don’t want you anymore?
Wouldn’t be amazing if you had another source of income?
That’s what successful creators are doing.
Google ads, affiliate marketing, clothing line, sponsors, crowdfunding, and selling their own products.
Usually, Google ads are 20% or less of their total income. 80% of their income comes from selling products or promoting products.
As a new creator with a small number of followers, you may want to stick with one source of income and focus instead on improving your content.
But once you have a large audience, you may start thinking of new ways to monetize your channel.
8- They Have Their Own Voice
Every content creator has a unique style, personality, and voice. No one of them is trying to be someone else.
Many new content creators are trying to be someone else. If you think people will love you because you’re imitating Youtuber X or writer Y, you’re wrong.
People will love you for who you are. For your personality.
If they don’t like your personality, that’s fine, you don’t need them.
Having 100 subscribers who truly love your content and engage with it regularly is better than having 10,000 subscribers not interested in your content and never comment on your posts.
Quality over quantity.
It may be hard at the beginning to find your own voice, and that’s the fun part.
If you open any successful Youtube channel and search for their first video then compare it to their most recent one, you will be surprised by the huge difference between the 2 videos.
Remember the 2nd point in this article? Be patient.
You will find your own voice and your own unique style. Just be yourself.
9- They Network With Other Influencers
One of the most exciting parts of being a content creator is having the opportunity to connect with other influencers.
You will be surprised by how many successful creators are willing to answer your email or respond to your tweet.
Most new creators are not even willing to even take the first step of reaching to big influencers asking for advice.
Why?
Because they’re underestimating themselves.
They think that this writer who has 100k followers or that Youtuber with 10 million subscribers is better than them and he won’t even read their emails.
WRONG!
Most successful creators are humble. They’re willing to help small creators who’re willing to put the work to succeed.
Plus, you can’t know if they will respond or not if you don’t message them, right?
Just make sure not to ask them to do free ads for your channel ;)
10- They’re Life-Long Learners
“Never stop learning, because life never stops teaching”.
Successful content creators may have mastered the basics, but they keep learning new stuff every day.
For you, in order to become successful, you need to dedicate your life to learning. Start with the basics, the boring stuff, and build your knowledge from there.
Learn writing styles, video editing, lighting, and all the basics you need to produce professional content. From there, you will be amazed by how much knowledge you’ve acquired in a short period of time.
Conclusion
There’s a lot of pressure on content creators to churn out great content every time they post something. Just know that being a successful content creator starts with the habits you form, as they’ll set you up to produce some seriously valuable content for your target audience.
Again, be patient. Success is waiting for you.
If you want to build good habits and stick to them, download Systemize, a habit tracking app inspired by James Clear’s book, Atomic Habits.
This post is part of a series of stories that explore business growth strategies that actually work.1. We Need To Redefine ‘Hard Work’ To Include ‘Hard Thinking’
The mind-shifting strategy to work smart not hard.2. How To Stand Out In A Crowded World
The power of story-telling.3. The Best Marketing Doesn’t Feel Like Marketing
How to market your products like a pro.4. The One Piece Of Advice That Changed My Life
A must read before starting any project.5. How I Went From 0 To 541 Email Subscribers In One Day
Give before you get.6. 10 Things Successful Creators Do That You (Probably) Don’t
Lessons from successful creators.7. 5 Side Hustles You Can Start This Weekend
Making money online is easier than you think.8. Here’s Why You Should Go Niche Your First Year Of Business
If you want to go big, go small first.9. 4 Actionable Tips To Find A Profitable Business Idea In 2022
A practical approach to come up with a profitable business idea.10. The Unfair Advantage Of Business Success
Here's why business is more than hard .
