Steps, tips and truths you cannot ignore in 2025

Here’s the thing about content creators: everyone is one, but only a few are one at the same time. For example, I create content as part of my job, but I’m not a content creator – at least not in the sense you’re interested in learning more about here. But I understand her.

Content creators are members of the Creator Economy and are dedicated to building and monetizing their audience and the content they create for their personal niche and brand.

With the promise of flexibility, creative freedom and low entry costs“Content creator” sounds like a comfortable job, but it’s anything but easy. And those who succeed deserve their flowers.

Do you want to know how to become a content creator? With over a decade of experience in content marketing and social media, I’ve learned the tricks of the trade and some hard truths about the industry. Here’s the scoop.

Table of contents

What is a Content Creator?

Truth #1: The creator economy is overcrowded.

According to our 2024 Consumer Trends Report One in five consumers consider themselves a content creator or influencer in some form. This number rises to 45% if we focus on Generation Z and Millennials. But what exactly do they do?

A content creator is someone who regularly creates content on a specific topic or for a specific audience. This content may be entertaining, helpful, or educational; written, visual or acoustic.

Well, I know – that’s a vague definition. You could say that “content creators” have been around for centuries. But we’re not talking about traditional performers, artists, or media people (e.g., journalists, comedians, photographers, videographers).

When we talk about “content creators” in 2025, we mean:

• Podcaster: People who host podcasts on niche topics.
• Vloggers: People who post videos of their daily lives or unique perspectives online. This can be general or niche.
• Bloggers/authors: Creators who publish in-depth written content related to a specific niche or industry.
• User-generated content (UGC) creators.: Creators who create a variety of content focused on showcasing products or offerings from brands.
• Social media influencer: People with large, engaged audiences on social media, usually related to a specific niche or industry, but can also be more general in nature.

Of course, media personalities can also create content. Just take a look The Dancing Weatherman, Nick Kosir.

However, the title of “content creator” is actually reserved for people who focus on creating content for their digital audience and generating revenue through sponsorships, affiliations, and collaborations. People like Mr. Beast.

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Influencers vs. content creators

Like Mr. Beast, content creators can “Influencers“ – People with large, engaged audiences who value their opinions on social media – but they don’t must be.

These days we often use the words interchangeably, but not all influencers are content creators and vice versa. I mean, Search engine journal lists Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo is considered a top social media influencer, but that’s certainly not what he’s known for.

In modern marketing, influencers are simply people who can influence your target audience’s beliefs and purchasing decisions. They could be influential because they create content, but it could also be for other reasons.

“Content Creator” also does not refer to Content Marketer like me.

Content marketers vs. content creators

Yes, both content marketers and content creators produce content to reach their audiences, but there are key differences.

The most Content creator Create content for yourself. (There are exceptions, which we will discuss in the next section.) Their efforts are aimed at building their own brands and public personas and creating content primarily on social media.

Content marketers tend to create content for others. They are professionals who use various content marketing tactics to promote other products, brands or offers.

This can include creating social media content, but also articles, videos, slide decks, infographics, podcasts, website pages, emails, ad copy, and white papers.

However, depending on your profession, there is a certain gray area between the two worlds.

Want to learn more about content marketing? Check out our free content marketing certification in HubSpot Academy.

Types of Content Creator Jobs

While many of the most popular content creators, as we’ve discussed, create content for their own brands, some also create content for others. This usually occurs in one of three forms.

Freelance content creators

Freelance content creators are entrepreneurs. They create social media content for brands and companies that don’t necessarily want an influencer appearance, but rather something that feels authentically user-generated.

Advantages: Autonomy, time flexibility, content diversity and you determine your “salary”.

Disadvantages: Limited resources, no employee benefits, no guaranteed income, no team, must wear multiple hats (e.g. sales, contracts, taxes)

Internal content creators

Internal content creators work for a company and create content for it and its brand, products or services.

Advantages: Resources, financial stability, focused solely on content

Disadvantages: Less variety of content, less creative control, income is fixed

Agency content creator

Agency content creators are the best of both worlds, so to speak. You work for one company and enjoy the financial stability that comes with it, but you also have the appeal of working for a variety of different brands and companies.

Advantages: resources, financial stability,

Disadvantages: Less variety of content, less creative control

Looking for more on influencer marketing strategy? Check this out.

What Types of Content Can a Creator Create?

The possibilities are endless when it comes to the types of content a creator can create. especially thanks to artificial intelligence (AI). However, the most common are blog posts, podcasts, or a mix of videos, photos, and graphics on social media.

The medium or type really depends on the creator, audience, platform, and even topic.

For example, if you’re a “gamer” and want to introduce a new video game, your audience probably wants to see what it looks like.

You want to see the graphics in action and hear feedback on how to navigate and play. Video is best suited to meet these needs.

With 10.8 followers, Streamer KaiCenat often posts videos like this Twitch.

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But of course Twitch is not the best platform for everyone.

Where do content creators publish their content?

Statistically speaking, Epidemic sound found that TikTok is the top revenue generating platform for creators, followed by YouTube. (However, that could change with the looming TikTok ban in the US.)

Otherwise, which platform is right for you depends on your brand and audience.

Here are some of the most popular by creator type:

• Podcaster: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, Google Podcasts, SoundCloud, YouTube
• Vloggers: YouTube, TikTok, Twitch
• Bloggers/Authors: personal websites, Substack, medium, Patreon
• UGC creator: Instagram, TikTok, YouTube (but honestly, wherever the brand takes you)
• Social media influencer: Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, LTK

Consider our gamer example again. Gamers typically share things like gameplay, reviews, and hacks. With this in mind, streaming on Twitch or posting videos on YouTube makes more sense than Instagram or a podcast.

On the other hand, fashion bloggers like Smita Patel are more likely to use Instagram and an LTK page to make shopping easier for their followers.

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How to Become a Content Creator (Without Experience)

Truth #2: Like all good things, becoming an expert content creator doesn’t happen overnight, and many people never get there.

Becoming a content creator requires endless dedication and, in an algorithm-driven world, sometimes a bit of luck. But with these steps you will surely do your best to achieve your goals even without experience.

Regardless of the specifics, here are some basic steps to becoming a truly successful content creator.

1. Discover your niche and audience.

If you’re thinking about becoming a content creator, you probably already know the topics you want to discuss or the audience you want to reach.

Maybe you have a background as a social media manager and want to give tips to small businesses and entrepreneurs. Or maybe you’ve paid off a lot of debt and want to share your personal finance tips with new college grads.

Creator Christine Buzan began her career in print media and marketing and assisted in fashion photo shoots. Today, she teaches nearly 800,000 Instagram followers how to pose and look their best in photos.

Whatever you choose, all of your content should be tailored to that niche or position. But don’t feel the pressure to settle into a niche right away.

“The process of discovering the niche that perfectly fits your unique style and personality is a key to success as a content creator,” reiterates the creator Kyle Hamm-Martin, known as “Millennial Kyle,” on-line. “That’s where the real excitement begins!”

“Creating nostalgic videos inspired by the 90s and 2000s allows me to relive the magic of my own childhood while bringing back precious memories of this unforgettable era.”

Content creator Vanessa Lau encourages newcomers to experiment to find their brand.

“If you’re just starting out, I would say that experimenting with a broader niche and audience will help you accelerate the path to unlocking that niche over time,” she shared on her YouTube channel.

“The mistake I see many aspiring content creators make is that they place so much emphasis on finding a niche to the point where they stop creating content at all,” she said.

Translation: Just do the thing. Put your ideas out into the world and see what resonates and what doesn’t.

2. Improve your creative skills.

Being a content creator means, well, creating something. So, if you are new to the industry, you need to improve your creative skills like writing, photography, video editing, and graphic design.

Write

I hate to break it to you, but even if you’re not a blogger, writing is a skill that will help a content creator.

Captions, video scripts, brand presentations, newsletters – in all of these, you want to be able to convey your messages to your audience clearly and memorably, and good writing skills are an essential part of this.

How can you strengthen this muscle? Here are some of my favorite resources:

Note: If you encounter writer’s block (even the best of us), try HubSpot’s free AI Content Writer first. Give an idea of ​​what you’re looking for, then use the results as a first draft to rephrase and develop further into your own language.

When I’m out of ideas, I’ve even turned to ChatGPT to find examples to get my creativity flowing.

Photography and photo editing

Thanks to smartphones, everyone can take a high-quality photo these days, but that doesn’t mean everyone knows how to take a good photo.

(Trust – I’m reminded of this whenever I reluctantly ask a stranger to take a photo for me.)

As a content creator, investing in your photography skills can really boost your exposure and help you communicate effectively with your audience.

That doesn’t mean you have to spend thousands on professional equipment, but make the effort to familiarize yourself with some photography best practices.

Here are some tips I live by whether I’m taking a photo:

• Always wipe your camera lens clean.
• Follow that Rule of thirds in your framing.
• If all else fails, center your subject and aim for symmetry.
• Capture small details.
• Opt for natural light.
• Regardless of the type of light, always aim the light source at your subject.
• Avoid digital zoom and extreme cropping. (This reduces photo quality.)
• Take shots from multiple angles of the same pose/setup.

Additionally, become familiar with camera elements such as exposure and shutter speed. All of this can have a dramatic impact on your final product. Udemy offers a ton of free courses on these and other topics.

Once you’ve taken your photos, don’t be afraid to light edit them to improve lighting and clarity. Some options include:

This, too, can add just that little bit of sophistication to your presence that audiences look up to.

Video editing

Whether you’re making videos for TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube, you need to know how to edit them. All of these platforms have in-app tools with unique special features, but there are some overarching concepts and features that you will see.

This includes:

• Selection of film material
• Trim
• Clip arrangement
• Transitions
• Color correction and grading
• Add text and graphic overlays
• Add subtitles
• Audio editing
• Special effects including VFX, filters and presets
• Export

These are different areas Udemy can help youbut if reading is more your style, check out these articles:

Graphic design

Graphic design is another skill used across all content media. Maybe you need a video thumbnail or graphic for your Instagram, an infographic for your blog, or a banner for your website.

When you have a firm grasp of the basics of design, you can create visuals that fit your brand and convey to your audience exactly the vision you envisioned.

You also don’t feel like you need professional software like the Adobe Suite. Canva, Adobe Expressand even a variety of AI tools make graphic design accessible to developers of all levels and are free or low-cost.

Here are a few resources to get you started:

3. Focus on your brand and your voice.

First of all, your brand is not your niche. Your niche is more about your topic. With your brand you approach your niche.

It is what makes your content unique and special. This can include the colors and fonts you use, as well as music, words or slogans. It could also be your personal style of presenting information.

To find it, ask yourself:

• How do you stand out?
• What will make your content different?
• What will it look and feel like?
• How could anyone recognize it even if it wasn’t on your platform?

In my opinion, it is a creator who controls this Lilly Singh.

Lilly Singh first rose to fame as YouTuber IISuperWomanII, sharing satirical skits and vlogs about growing up in a South Asian family.

But even as her career expanded beyond that—she starred in and produced films, wrote books, and was one of the first women ever to host a late-night talk show—her trademark style and humor remained:

The key to finding your style and personal brand like Lilly? Be yourself.

Content creator Erica Schneider has built a large following on X (formerly Twitter) by sharing writing and editing tips. These are common themes, but Schneider excels at infusing her voice and personality into everything she shares.

“It sounds simple, but it’s easy to lose your voice in the flood of ready-made tips,” she posted. “Let your personality out. Add your unique flair. Take a stand for or against something.”

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The audience may click on your content for the information, but they will come back for the personality.

Pro tip: Other YouTubers’ styles can inspire you, but don’t copy them. Find something that really fits your personality and let it shine through in your content.

And remember: style can be anything. Don’t force humor or sarcasm because “everyone else is doing it.” Do what you enjoy and you will quickly find your audience.

4. Choose your platform(s).

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As we’ve already discussed, there are dozens of platforms where you can publish your content. But where will you achieve the greatest success? When deciding what to focus on, consider three things: your niche, your audience, and your content medium.

niche

Some topics are more common on certain platforms than others. In addition, some platforms are better for promotions (e.g. shopping) than others.

Consider your topic and the actions someone would normally take after learning about it. Would you like to sign up to find out more? Would they want to buy something?

You want where you post your content to make sense of what you’re talking about and the behavior of your audience.

Target group

Posting content is pointless if it isn’t seen by the right people. You need to meet your target audience where they already are. Publish content where it lives.

Let’s say you’re targeting Generation Z. YouTube, Instagram and TikTok are the social media platforms they use most often. Are you trying to reach baby boomers? Reach out Facebook. Corporate executives? Maybe your platform is LinkedIn.

Dive deep into the nuances of your audience and buyer persona to determine where they actively hang out. This is the quickest and easiest way to reach them and build a following.

Content medium

Make sure the platform you choose is optimized for your preferred content format.

For example, if your topic requires long videos, YouTube is probably the best option over TikTok, which has a maximum duration of 30 minutes. If you’re mostly sharing static graphics, YouTube doesn’t make sense. Choose Instagram.

Pro tip: Be honest with yourself about your natural strengths when it comes to choosing your medium. Anyone can learn new skills, but if you’re just starting out, choose what works best for you.

If you freeze in front of the camera but are a very eloquent speaker, maybe opt for a podcast instead of a vlog. If you’re a talented photographer but a terrible writer, try Instagram rather than a blog.

5. Create a content calendar.

Next, sit down and list the content you want to publish. Success as a content creator depends on consistency. You need to regularly share content related to your niche to grow and maintain your audience and relevance. So plan ahead.

Create a content calendar for as far into the future as possible. I recommend planning on at least two weeks and having your content ready a week before publishing so you don’t end up with a last-minute mess.

HubSpot has one Social media calendar template to make it easier for you to get started.

6. Invest in all the necessary tools.

For most content creators, a smartphone is the only thing they need to get started. But if you have the resources, a few additional tools can give your content that little bit extra.

Visual content may require an investment in graphic design software (e.g. Canva or Adobe Illustrator) or video editing tools (like CapCut). Maybe it’s a ring light or a studio backdrop.

Maybe a Pro subscription for Grammatically or audio editing software like Descript would be beneficial for texts or podcasts. Take some time to consider what might be beneficial and put together your toolbox.

7. Create!

Now to the fun part – actually creating your content.

This is what you’ve been waiting for, so enjoy it and give it your all. Perfection is the enemy of productivity. So don’t let this stop you from publishing content.

Mishaps and mistakes are human, and people love creators who are human. So don’t be afraid if you distort your words or forget a point. These little things can actually make content more engaging.

And the sooner you send out content, the sooner you can start analyzing what works and what doesn’t.

8. Track and refine performance.

Clicking “Post” or “Publish” does not mean you are finished with your content. Now you need to track performance and use this information to guide future creations.

Which posts received the most views, comments, likes and shares? What wasn’t so popular? These insights will help you know what to bet on in the future.

If you’re a HubSpot user, ours is free Marketing analytics Tools make tracking many of these social metrics easier.

9. Create a portfolio.

Creating for the sake of creating is great, but getting paid to do it is even better. So this last step is all about money.

According to Influencer Marketing HubOne in ten influencers earns more than $100,000 per year.

How do they do that? Well, some platforms like YouTube will pay you for creating content once you have built a large enough audience and engagement. But if you’re not at that level yet, you need to do brand deals or collaborations.

A brand deal can take many forms:

• Sponsored post or ad: A brand pays you or offers you a free product in exchange for a post about their product on your platform.
• UGC: A brand pays you to create a piece of content that they can use on their platforms or in ads.
• Affiliation or partnership: You talk about a brand or product and get a commission if someone buys through your referral link.

(For more information, see our article “Affiliate Marketing for Beginners: What You Need to Know.”)

Regardless of the arrangement, a portfolio is often the first step in achieving this.

If one of your creations performs well or you’re just proud of it, document it in a portfolio. Having a collection of your best work makes it easier to suggest brands you’d like to work with or simply communicate what type of content someone can expect.

Pro Tip: Need help building an online portfolio? HubSpots Content Hub is a great free solution.

10. Master your brand pitch.

You probably need to take the first step with brands when you’re just starting out. In other words, you have to make your pitch.

My HubSpotter colleague Caroline Forsey surveyed more than 500 social media marketers and put together a guide on how to get brand sponsorship as a content creator.

She suggested, “Once you’ve compiled a list of brands that might want to work with you, send them an email. In your pitch, describe clearly and briefly who you are, what you do, and what accomplishments you have in the field that make you an expert.”

“Then explain why you’re a good fit for the brand and include data like follower count and average engagement rate.”

“Alternatively, you could consider DMing a brand directly from Instagram. It’s certainly more relevant to the job you’re applying for, but it could be lost if a brand receives hundreds of DMs every day.”

9 Tips for Aspiring Content Creators

1. Stay true to your brand/niche.
2. Monitor your industry.
3. Keep your creative skills sharp.
4. Study your audience.
5. Curate other people’s content (when it makes sense).
6. Offer solutions, not just comments.
7. Understand your metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs).
8. Say what you think.

As you get started, remember these tips to improve your skills as a content creator.

1. Stay true to your brand/niche.

Once you find your brand/niche, stay true to it.

Creating content on a topic or product that is completely irrelevant to your audience or area of ​​expertise is not only ineffective; confusing.

The content you share should be natural. You should be able to speak confidently and with genuine passion about the topic or product.

Success as a content creator is all about trust and authenticity. People follow YouTubers and influencers because they feel connected and believe they have their best interests at heart.

If something you post is off-brand or a hard sell, your audience won’t buy it, literally or figuratively. So be strategic about the content you post and the offers you accept.

Popular productivity expert Ali Abdaal has done a great job staying true to his niche.

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In this video Abdaal shares 12 productivity toolsincluding the messaging app Slack. As a Slack partner, he includes an affiliate link in the video description that offers viewers a generous discount and earns him a commission.

Obviously, Adbaal benefits from talking about the tool. But because it’s in its niche and provides relevant value to its audience, that doesn’t matter.

2. Monitor your industry.

Creating great content that resonates with your audience will help you stay on top of your industry.

This will help you better understand what’s going on in the world and how it influences your audience’s mindset and interests. It also allows you to react quickly and use trending topics or memes to stay relevant.

The Marketing Millennials – a meme account that many of my teammates and I love – is a master at this. Pick up this post following the release of Taylor Swift’s latest album, The Tortured Poet’s Department.

Subscribe to newsletters, listen to podcasts, set up alerts, and read industry publications and blogs.

Also, ask your audience what they are reading and watching these days and follow suit. By finding out where your audience spends time online, you can learn even more about the topics and types of content they are drawn to.

3. Keep your creative skills sharp.

Remember those creative skills we talked about? You have to keep them sharp!

Take 10 to 15 minutes each day to write down ideas or simply reflect on your day. Simply taking the time to string a few sentences together will keep your writing muscles engaged.

Follow accounts like Creator on Instagram Here you’ll find video ideas, tutorials, and updates on trends you can try on any platform.

I’m also a fan of the newsletters Laura Belgray and HubSpot alum Jay Acunzo for writing tips and ideas.

4. Study your audience.

Truth #3: Content creators are often there the grace of her audience; Sometimes these needs and expectations can feel limiting.

But ultimately, your audience is the reason you have the platform and influence that you do. You will find new ways to help and create if you continually listen to them.

One of the most important characteristics of all successful content creators is that they know their audience inside and out. Keep an eye on your pulse. By tracking and analyzing specific metrics, you can determine whether your content is resonating with your audience.

For example, a high open rate tells you that your subject line appealed to your subscribers if you have a newsletter. A high click-through rate shows you that people wanted to know more about what you wrote about.

Look for key behaviors, interests, and trends and respond accordingly with your content.

If you’re still stuck, ask your audience directly. Tools like SurveyMonkey or even Instagram polls and question stickers make it easy to reach an engaged audience.

The people who are genuinely interested in your content and your brand are happy to give feedback.

5. Curate other people’s content (when it makes sense).

There is no shortage of people curating content these days.

In fact, curation is built into most platforms in the form of “shares,” “retweets,” and “repost with your thoughts.”

However, successful content creators know that simply reposting relevant news as is is not enough. The key is to contribute something to the conversation.

Get into the habit of curating content when you have something valuable to add. Perhaps that means explaining why you agree or disagree with the statements made in the republished content.

Many social media platforms promote this with “remixes” (Instagram Reels) and “duets” (TikTok). In fact, such “reactions” can even become a livelihood for many people. Take Jordan Howlett, for example.

Much of Howlett’s social media strategy involves re-sharing parts of videos shared online (about gadgets, recipes, etc.) and then explaining what’s going on in the video or just sharing funny comments.

Howlett’s musings have garnered over 12 million followers on Instagram alone, along with collaborations with celebrities like Donald Glover, Kevin Hart and Method Man.

6. Offer solutions, not just comments.

While it’s important to share your thoughts, don’t stop there.

The people who consume your content aren’t just interested in hearing you talk – at least not all the time. They come to satisfy certain needs. Provide actionable tips and walk through the solutions you suggest.

That’s a tip Stylist Nina Walder implements them regularly in their content.

Here you’ll notice that she verbally tells viewers, “Save and follow for more tips.” In the caption, she also provides steps to access her free course.

This is similar to what content marketers do when they publish an article and end with a call to action on a relevant offer. We provide readers with added value through the content of the article and give them guidance on what to do next with the offer.

7. Understand your metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs).

I can’t lie to you: I don’t like metrics. I often try to run away from them, but they catch up to me as they are crucial to achieving any goal. This also includes becoming a successful content creator.

Publishing content doesn’t mean you’ll automatically become famous. Rather, your audience and impact will hopefully improve and slowly grow.

By tracking KPIs, you monitor that growth is happening And Make sure this is the case. Let me explain.

A KPI is a specific metric you’ve chosen to measure how well your content meets your goals. For example, if I want to reach more people on YouTube, channel subscribers could be my KPI. To achieve my goal I would:

1. See where my subscriber number is currently.
2. Set a number and a date by which I want to achieve it.
3. Check the subscriber count regularly (e.g. weekly) to ensure that my work is driving this growth.

Other KPIs content creators could track include:

• Number of impressions or views
• Number of shares
• Number of comments
• Number of followers
• Click-through rate (if there is a link or call-to-action)

Monitoring metrics can also help you plan and refine your content strategy.

8. Network at every opportunity.

Great content creators know that they didn’t get to where they are alone. It is also thanks to those who taught, inspired and encouraged new thinking. They know that there is always more to learn and are open to new ideas.

Networking forces you to do just that. It is time to make contacts, but also to listen to outside perspectives.

Don’t miss an opportunity to network with and learn from other creatives. That means online (they’re called social networks for a reason), but also in person. Attend conferences, meetings and workshops.

Have business cards or your QR codes handy to stay in touch. These connections can lead to learning and career opportunities.

9. Say what you think.

Great content creators are naturally curious and vocal. They are always looking to expand their existing knowledge and ask questions about the world around them. It is these thoughts that lead to engaging content.

So get into the habit of challenging the status quo.

Don’t be afraid to play devil’s advocate. It may be difficult at first to take a less popular view of a topic, but it will help you stand out and attract an audience who will be interested in what else you have to say.

Critical thinkers make great content creators.

“Create” your own destiny

Truth #4: Not everyone has what it takes to be a content creator.

But don’t let that put you off.

Being a content creator comes with a lot of autonomy and the extent of your success is in your hands.

It takes confidence to stand your ground, but it also takes humility to recognize that you have to put in the effort to stand out from the competition. It requires originality, authenticity, great commitment, sharp strategy and a great deal of self-management, resilience and organization.

Just know that being a successful content creator starts with passion.

If you are passionate about your niche, your audience, and the value or message you want to share with the world, the steps outlined above are a no-brainer. And most importantly, you will be in the best position to launch a well-thought-out and fruitful career in content creation.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in October 2013 and has been updated for completeness.