I’ll be direct; the magic of being a content creator is that you are creating an advertising platform for a subject where your passion lies. Every single business needs some form of advertising to survive.
Now, I will unpack these statements throughout this article, but I wanted to be clear. Content creators are entrepreneurs—strong ones. Most people (97%) cannot become content creators.
Becoming a content creator. Every single thing in life worth doing requires some form of grind. I worked my way up from a Private First Class (E-2) to a Master Gunnery Sergeant (E-9) in the Marine Corps for over 22+ years.
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Doctors, dentists, and nurses go to school for years. To become an electrician, you need to get apprentice, journeyman, and master certifications. No matter what profession you choose, you have to work from novice to subject matter expert.
So, why do people think becoming a content creator is any different? My favorite content creators always say that you should give away your content for free for 2-5 years when starting. After doing this, you may begin to earn money for your content. I tend to agree.
Building an asset. I started writing to build assets, and that’s why I continue to write every day. But, I also love the challenge of bringing my art to the world every day. It takes a dedication that most of society cannot muster.
Your audience needs to know, like, and trust you. In “The Practice,” Seth Godin says that you need to show up for your audience every day. Once you do that for a few years, then you will become part of their daily routine.
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You see, most people become used to being let down by others. However, if you are in their inbox every single day with fresh content, you’ll bring a smile to their face. When you mention a product or service that you like, they can’t wait to purchase it just to show you their support.
Many people rush into the content creation business to sell products, but you need to sell yourself first. You need to become part of people’s lives through great content. You’ll need to create a never-ending stream of innovative content that they can’t get anywhere else. At that point, you have made a unique asset that no one can replicate.
Creating unique content. My formula for creating unique content is “overwhelming knowledge + growing experience = unique content.”
Overwhelming knowledge. You will have to consume a lot of books. You should be reading a book every week (more like two)—the crucial part of creating new content. Reading books is different from reading articles and watching videos.
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In “Limitless” by Jim Kwik, we learn that reading opens new neural connections in our brain. We drift into new thoughts and combinations of thoughts while reading. I can confirm that while reading, I receive most of my new ideas. Running is where I receive the others.
I will give you a quick example. I read books on buying different commercial properties (self-storage, mobile homes, RV parks), buying land, and property management. I combined all of these topics into a unique article called “Self-Storage vs. Mobile Home vs. RV Park: The Best Small Business.” Then I wrote a second article to follow up with more information.
I could easily write ten more articles on the topic because I love real estate, business, and passive income. I also recommend reading because writing book reviews is the best way to gain traction on your website, establish yourself as a subject matter expert, and build web traffic from search engine optimization.
Growing experience. My people believe that they need to rely only on their past experience to become content creators. However, life is a journey; people want to follow your path into the future.
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Yes, having an established career solidifies you as a subject matter expert. However, what comes next is always a more important question. If you have a 30+ year career as a doctor, your audience will love it when discussing your upcoming retirement to Guam.
Most people have a better chance of retiring to Guam than launching a 30+ year career as a doctor. I have a 22+ year career in the Marine Corps, but I hardly speak about the military. My passion lies in passive income and retirement planning.
Don’t be afraid to start something new. People love watching the journey, especially from someone who doesn’t fear change. We know that entrepreneurs have to fail to succeed long-term; failure is part of the formula of success. I tried a lot of different content ideas before I finally started to hit my stride. Your path will inspire some of your audience to take action.
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Why content creation? Once you put in the 2-5 years to build an audience (all you need is 1000+ Superfans), you have officially created an advertising platform. Reaching people is the single most crucial part of having a successful business (and creating a sales funnel).
Think about the National Football League (NFL). Companies pay billions of dollars to host games on their channels and streaming platforms, become official sponsors, and otherwise associate with them. Why?
The NFL has eyeballs. They built an audience of game-crazy spectators over the years. Now, everyone wants access to these rabid fans, and they have to pay to gain the ability to reach this audience.
If I build an audience of military personnel, dividend investors, entrepreneurs, and real estate investors, companies will want to access that audience. Most people do not want to build their own audience; they want to access someone else’s. That’s where you come to the table.
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The book “Content, Inc” is about building a business based on content first. Build a strong audience before you attempt to sell anything. Then, you can slowly monetize your business through products that synergize with your brand.
It is a slow way to build a business, but it has a very high success rate. It succeeds because it doesn’t cost much to produce content. I pay roughly $400/year to host a website and gain access to stock photos for my cover art. My content is free to produce otherwise.
Most businesses hop into the e-commerce business, buy products, and pay other people to access their audience. They try to use keywords, Google and Facebook Ads, and social media accounts to get sales and gain traction.
As I wrote in “My Experience Running Facebook Ads,” once you stop running ads, your business instantly deflates. You have no organic user base to sustain your business model. Becoming a content creator is the way to grow a company that has longevity.
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The Magic of Content Creation. Content creators write a social contract with their audience that forms a deep, long-lasting connection. You cannot buy this relationship; you have to earn it. Like any relationship, it takes years.
The relationship starts slow, as we read in “The Compound Effect” by Darren Hardy. But every piece of content (writing, video, art, music, products) you release into the world creates a ripple effect. You’ll touch someone, somewhere, with your content.
They slowly start to seek your content. Then something you said will have an effect on their life, and they trace it back to you. You hook them. They now want to go through your entire back catalog to gain more information for you. You can have this magical effect every day.
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Conclusion. I always want to keep writing, but I’ll start to wrap it up. I am sure I will come back for part two. There is just so much more to discuss, such as your personal growth on this fantastic journey of content creation.
If you are considering becoming a content creator, jump into the fire. Start by creating something small every single day. Just one sentence, a cell phone video diary, or a ten-minute podcast to your spouse, can change your life—start somewhere.
You’ll see your growth just from this small endeavor. Next add in reading: every single day. I have finished 75 books over the last 15 months—it’s a game-changer. I recommend reading my two articles, “How to Write 1000+ Words Every Day 1 and 2 (book)” for more on the process of creating content. Okay, signing off.
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