How to make money creating content on the Internet and not die trying

Through a personal blog, an Instagram or Tiktok profile, everyone can become a “content creator”, that is, produce them. It can be done in the form of text, images and often through videos as well.

Content creators work in all kinds of fields, such as games, fashion, fitness or nutrition. The problem is that there is now a lot of competition on the net. Ideally, those who start their own blog are differentiated from others by their content, that is, new or not widely used topics are covered.

Iván Casal, from the company Happy Motion, believes that the content creator must manage different platforms to address different audiences. “For example: Make a reel (short video with effects and creative tools) on Instagram on a particular topic, but extend that same topic with a YouTube video, inviting people to see the complete information in the YouTube video. . At the beginning, yes it is a bit complex because it is eagerly expected to have many followers and generate that interaction. But little by little you find a way to be able to share the perfect content with your followers.”

The search for a suitable niche consists of identifying the tendencies in the network and combining these themes with the own desire to produce content online. If someone, for example, is passionate about cooking and baking, they can create and share recipes that can be prepared even from the kitchen at home, without much effort.

For Javier Pérez Estrella (cintascotch)Anyone can create content”but not everyone will be able to create quality and relevant content. Doing so requires a lot of research, time, and effort. Content creators understand what type of content works best based on social network, strategy, and audience. From the beginning when you start creating content, it is important to identify which audience you are going to focus on and be clear about the communication pillars of your content. This will determine the language and tone that you will have to use. As you publish, it is very likely that new niches will appear that will begin to consume your content and you will have to adjust it little by little to improve your reach.

Pérez lists the ways to produce content:

1. Videos: tutorials, entertainment, product unboxing.
2. Images: photographs of people, products and places.
3. Audio: podcast, sound design, ASMR.
4. Text: Ebooks, blog posts.

Among the most outstanding fields to create content, says Pérez, they consist of funny videos of animals, video game guides, tutorials of all kinds, vlogs, educational content and entertainment. “If you go to TikTok or YouTube, for example, there will be content for everyone: from funny videos to people explaining math to you. It is the great advantage of creating content on the Internet, there is an audience for everyone. But these contents have something in common, they are entertaining and most of them are educational”.

The keys

The keys to creating content, according to Javier Pérez, are:

1. Be clear about the marketing objectives of the brand.
2. Understand the audience and the niche.
3. Know what type of content would work best according to the platform.

The tools

It is often thought that very expensive equipment is needed to produce content. Casal says not necessarily. “In my case I am an animator, and the main content that I manage on my networks is educational. I teach tips on After Effects, a digital composition software that is also used to make animation. To produce this content I use my computer, After Effects software, and to record the screen I use a free software called OBS STudio. I also usually do other types of content that has to do with Animation in Virtual Reality. For that I use a Meta Quest 2 Headset (previously called Oculus Quest 2), and the Quill by Smoothstep software (free), which is a tool that allows you to create illustration and animation in Virtual Reality. To post the content I use my cell phone (Galaxy Note 20 Ultra) and an (Ipad Pro m1). But it is possible to post with any smartphone, no matter if it is high-end or low-end. So I’d say the tools don’t need to be expensive. There are many free programs that are used to create content.

How much?

Casal comments that creating content, It costs you practically nothing. “Because all social networks are free, and content can be uploaded for free. Also, as I mentioned before, some programs I use are free. Others do have a cost, some a lifetime price, and others by subscription, but once you have them in your possession, you can create unlimited content. The only time you would spend some money is when you decide to advertise on social networks, to reach more people. I have done it on Facebook and Instagram, but you can spend what your pocket allows, from $1 a day”.

Content creators or influencers?

When content creators have an especially large reach, they are often referred to as influencers. It is not the same, says Casal.

“The influencer is the one who has the ability to influence a consumer’s purchases, showing products or services that they theoretically use, speaking well of them, trying them, etc. Instead I think that content creators, like me, only seek to show something that we like, are passionate about or also, as in my case, show content that I create simply so that other people learn to use a specific tool (After Effects) . It may be that seeing the tips and tutorials that I do, some feel influenced to acquire the software, to learn animation with that tool, but that is secondary. I address those who already have the tool and want to learn a little more about its use”.

While Pérez points out that content creators usually seek various objectives such as traffic to a website. “Generate brand positioning in a certain social network, downloads of a digital file, etc. It depends if the content creator is hired to be part of an advertising campaign or if they are looking for their own goal (personal branding, sale of a digital asset)”.

“Being a content creator is a relatively new kind of job, and many manage their public relations directly, through agents or platforms. More and more creators appear looking for a niche in this new market. From videographers who make content for restaurants to explicit content on OnlyFans”, concludes Pérez.

Contacts: Javier Pérez Estrella (cintascotch). Caffeine Agency (Guayaquil-Ecuador): tapescotch.com

Ivan Casal: www.happymotion.tv /IG and Facebook: happymotionec