Share There’s undeniably a plethora of content available on the internet. There’s just one huge challenge: how do you make your content exciting and compelling enough for your audience to love and devour? What are the habits of successful content creators? To answer these questions, let’s first define who — or what — a content creator is.
So Who’s a Content Creator?
For starters, a content creator is someone who contributes information to their chosen media platforms. This means that these creators focus on engaging with a niche or specific audience. A content creator can create content in any format: news, social media posts, pictures, videos, email, or audio — and the list goes on.
At present, the majority of content creators put out their work on the internet, given the exponential growth of social and digital media.
In other words, a content creator is someone who creates informative or entertaining materials through any platform or medium. Content creators are the brains behind creative content — an ad campaign, a series of posts, vlogs, you name it. Just name any online medium or format, and chances are content creators can create for it — and distribute it, as well. (Related: So Who’s a Content Creator, Anyway? (+ Why Content is King))
Ain’t no content without distribution.
Following this definition, we can say that influencers are unarguably a part of the content creation process, too; they themselves are content creators, they are also workers of the ever-growing, ever-dynamic content creation marketplace. (Related: How To Become an Influencer: A Beginner’s Guide)
We have to remember that content compels people to take action, and that’s why content creators drum up discussions, teach or engage with their audiences, and maintain a wide network.
Sums up the experience pretty well…
But for you to come up with that significant content which has the power to spark conversations, what attributes should you possess? In this post, we’ll run through the habits of successful content creators that will help you, too, become a successful creator.
1. Research: Understand Your Audience
How can you produce great content if you don’t know who your followers are? No one wants to work hard – and smart – for nothing! Content creation is primarily about serving an audience, and at one point, it’s about solving their problems. So what do they want? Research about it. What problems do they have that you can help solve? Do some research. Get to know the demographics of your audience. You may look at their gender, age group, and the time they spend online.
Go on, pick their brains. Discreetly, though…
Keep in mind that there are diverse sets of audiences, but you really do not have to cater to every segment. You just have to pick your niche audience and take it from there. If you want to become a successful content creator in your chosen field, you need to start establishing authority and influence in a particular topic. You can do this only if you start concentrating and creating content around your chosen niche. Study your audience, learn what they are thinking about and let the bits of information that you gather help you guide in your content creation journey.
And this brings us to the second habit you should consider building.
2. Pay Attention To Trends
We cannot stress enough that the majority of the content that people consume nowadays is found on the internet. While you don’t need to keep a close eye on your competitors, it’s still good to take a look at what they do and analyze how these pieces of content are performing.
Watch the content on various platforms. What works? What does not? Do the content that fare better have certain or specific messages in them? When you can spot the trends, your ability to create your own work will improve. Observing the trends will give you a better picture of the content creation landscape.
3. Read, Read, Read
Knowledge is power. And what better way to acquire that knowledge than by reading?
As a content creator, it’s good to regularly read news and matters about your chosen field and the industry in general. The returns will surely pay off. By accumulating all kinds of information, you will better understand the context behind what’s happening in your industry. This information will also guide you on how you plan to execute the content you want to produce. Reading will help you gain that inspiration you need to come up with great content.
Ah, reading. One of the habits of successful content creators that’s literally enjoyable.
Get in that habit of reading. It may be difficult at first, but there’s a trick to that. You can start by reading a few pages first and as days go by, you can increase the number of articles that you read. You may also want to utilize your social media accounts by following reputable news agencies and industry leaders who regularly post about their insights.
4. Write, Write, Write
Reading and writing come hand in hand.
Yes, it may be difficult to write especially when you are not in the zone, but writing has so many benefits. It helps you stimulate your mind by weaving those tangled thoughts in your head into one solid idea.
Journal writing is a good form of writing, and the best thing about it is that it’s just a simple activity. It also has a number of benefits – and these include boosting your mental and physical health. (Related: 5 Reasons Why Journaling Is Extra Beneficial for Content Creators)
You may also want to allot at least 30 minutes to one hour per day to sit down and write. There’s no need for you to worry because that writing does not need to be perfect. What’s important is that you just have to write something. Scribble down your thoughts, ideas, frustrations, and everything in between.
5. Be Consistent
Yes: consistency is the name of the game. Create content regularly.
In a report published some time a few years ago, it was found that companies that publish at least sixteen (16) blog posts per month get almost three and half times more traffic than the ones that publish a maximum of four (4) entries.
Consistency: one of the habits of successful content creators almost anyone can cultivate.
If you are Youtuber, it is recommended that you upload at least one video per week. This will help your community grow.
Creating and publishing regularly will allow your audience to look forward to your next work. In the process, this will set an expectation for your audience on when they can get back to check your content.
Just do it! (NOT a reference to Nike)
How to be consistent? You can put dates on a calendar and come up with a content strategy. You can also use project management tools such as Basecamp or Trello to track your progress and to make sure that you’re on track to beat your self-imposed deadlines.
6. Yes, Stay Curious
This may be one of the most important habits that content creators should maintain.
Well-versed and seasoned creators are curious by nature and this curiosity is what drives them to create good content and improve their work ethics and habits.
Always have your questions ready.
Curiosity kills the cat, they say. But not in the content creation field. Being curious allows you to explore new ideas about the world and how you can produce content out of it. Your curiosity may let you chance upon a fresh solution to a recurring problem that’s hounding your audience.
Keep thinking and yes, stay curious. Be a critical thinker.
Staying curious is one of the most important habits of successful content creators.
Happy creating and we hope that you get to build these habits!
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