How to succeed as a new content creator: 8 top tips for growth and success
- Toi
- Oct 1, 2024
- 6 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
As many of my readers know, I launched my website on the same evening that I launched my Youtube Channel. To speed past the long explanations, I basically got fed up with myself about wanting a perfect website and video before I launched. I decided to just launch and explain along the way. So now that I've uploaded a total of three Youtube videos, I figured it's time for an update for those that would like to try their hand in long form content. So here goes.....
Always make at least one improvement, with each upload. Don't worry about how many people watch your videos or read your blog, just keep watching your own video and scanning your own blog, so you can see what it is you already know and what you would personally like to improve on. You may jot down an extensive list, but only focus on one or two things that you can absolutely improve on for your next video/blog. You will always find a new improvement if you're your own biggest critic, like me. lol
There's an answer to every question online, you just have to find it. My best electronic friend is Google, but after that I immediately turn to Youtube or Pinterest. If it is blog related, you are absolutely guaranteed to find a wealth of knowledge via Pinterest. Pinterest is the only site that leads users directly to blogs and private websites. Youtube will give you a step by step video of the information you desire, but Google, is a different beast. Google can start your research journey by showing you all of the different extensions you can take to multiple rabbit holes, sometimes it can be daunting, but often times you will be presented information you didn't even know you needed.
Review your video or blog in private/preview mode before making it public. I get it, you already checked your grammar or your video before uploading it to your platform, but in order to make sure your everything is the way you like it prior to upload, please just review it privately to make sure your layout, video quality, ads, music, and links are all in the proper place prior to launching. It sucks having someone comment on your page or video telling you something isn't loaded properly. I found out my upload setting were lower than I would have preferred when attempting to watch one of my Youtube videos on the tv in the livingroom; everything was fuzzy. So I went back to my computer, opened another Youtube video and watched instructions on what I didn't wrong. Now the issue is fixed and I know what to watch for or modify when uploading my video to the site.
Everything is figureoutable. When thinking about how to add interest to my first couple of videos I realized I needed music in the background so there wasn't too much silence in the video. I watched a Youtube video about copywrite free music, and saw that others were screen-recording music from Youtube videos that provide copywrite free music. But then my next dilemma was turning the screen recording into an audio only clip. So I asked a friend what they did, and they recommended a video to mp4 app that takes any video and turns it into audio for my video. With knowing that, remember, I could have stopped when I didn't have music, but I found music, found a way to record said music, and figured out how to manipulate what I had into what I needed.
Get a planner. It's up to you on the type of planner you'd like to use (electonic or digital), whichever you select; make sure you have the capability to either expand on your calendar or that you have a notebook that details (at the least) your next few blog/video posts, and that it can hold at least an outline of said posts, so you can plan the post properly, and so you can keep up with things such as marketing, links, sponsorships/ads, etc. If I'm going to do a Vlog on an outing I have planned, I think about how I'd like for the video to playout (in a general sense). Like which shots I would like to take of the experience so I don't forget. Even if I've never been there, I still know what type of place it is, if we're going out for drinks and I'm getting dressed up, I may want to show you what I'm wearing, the entrance to the door, or walking to our table, the drinks, me taking the first sip, me and my friends laughing, the ambiance, etc. You'll get more meaningful shots that you can use this way rather than just going in blind with not plan. At least until you get a few videos under your belt.
Only focus on one form out social media outside if your main passion. Not saying you'll only ever have one, but as a new creator, your biggest goal is getting started and getting the Google algorithm to start ranking you; but it requires consistency. What does it matter if you push hard on your Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok and forget the one form that has the potential to bring more people to you site- Pinterest? What good does it make if you put elaborate posts on every other platform but your blog or your videos? Folks aren't going to come back and view your page or watch your videos. So, if I had to make a suggestion, and your focus is Youtube and your blog, I would focus my efforts on Pinterest. Luckily I already had a business page on Facebook so I posted my website and video links there, but not much else. Of course I have Facebook and Tiktok, but I've only made one post on my IG for my first Youtube video, and I waited until I had three uploaded to share that. I didn't create new content, I just posted the video's thumbnail. But I've totally revamped my Pinterest page to reflect my new venture. I've made all of my personal boards private and I've focused on the aesthetic I desire for my blog/youtube to shine through on my Pinterest, so there's no surprises when you get to my blog. If you are planning to become a fulltime Instagramer, I would suggest pushing your content to Tiktok and vice-versa, since these two are parallel and many consumers have both of these platforms your content may be seen on one or the other.
Do not count on more experienced people to offer education or guidance. When starting a new journey, many people run out and seek a mentor without doing any work; and when that potential mentor asks a series of questions, like, "show me your numbers. Where are you having issues? What are your goals?" and you have no answers, they may just push you off. Why? Because they've done the work to succeed, but they know that people will come to them to use all of their knowledge or connections without doing an ounce of work themselves. Start working, and I mean hard work, get some time under your belt, and the universe will begin putting you in spaces with people that are likeminded, have goals similar to yours and this is how you can elevate until you meet the one person (or multiple people) that has it all (or so you think) and you then drop your pitch to them and they agree to connect with you. They may tell you how you can elevate, show you things you didn't even know was obtainable, connect you with the people you needed all along. But when you meet those people, don't forget your journey and don't take their connections to you for granted.
Not everyone you know will support you. Friends, family, co-workers, the folks from church, or whoever; may not be interested in what you have to offer; which is fine. I'm not everyone's cup of tea, because I'm whiskey! Not every store in the mall gets traffic from everyone, but they have their own niche and they cater to them in ways that keeps their doors open. This is what you must focus on, who your target audience is, and how to capture and keep them coming back. If you're in sales at work, you don't call your friends every time your numbers are slacking, you focus on your target market and work harder to capture them. So don't get upset that your close circle isn't liking, commenting or sharing your posts; when trying to make it out in the world, remember in most cases your biggest fans will always be strangers.
Well, I've given you 8 wonderful tips that I wouldn't have ever thought of 10 years ago, but it took hours of reading, trial and error, being blown off by others to get here and I'm still here. Yeah, the Youtube portion and blog is new to me, but I used to vend handmade accessories all over Saint Louis, MO and learned valuable lessons along the way. I understand how to remain in motion, so much that I don't have time to dwell on what's not happening for me yet. You may think you're never doing enough, but you'll see how well off you are when people start to cheer you on at random. So keep your head up, keep going and remember to bloom wherever you are planted.
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