The skillset of “becoming a content creator” was the last thing I ever thought I’d be doing with my life, but here we are.
Hi, I’m Somer and I love earning money through social media!
Becoming a content creator has taught me flexibility and creativity, and provided opportunities to try things I would have never otherwise considered.
From my humble accounts of under 5,000 followers on social media, I can confidently say becoming a content creator and becoming an influencer are two different things. Content creators use their skillsets taking photos and making videos to earn an income online. Influencers may also earn an income online, but it’s a lot more about promoting their own lifestyle for others to follow.
I’d consider my own accounts “content creation” rather than just influential.
In the past year, I’ve poured time and energy into learning how to earn money through social media. Becoming a content creator does not typically just fall into your lap. You need to work hard toward creating an actual income from the content you post. But once you learn, it’s simple to see how every single video you post can make some sort of income!
Start by following a handful of other content creators in your niche. Even reach out to other accounts that you think are doing well and ask questions. Be willing to put yourself out there for the sake of learning.
Downloading The Right Apps
If you’re just starting out on becoming a content creator, begin by downloading the right apps. Each week, I aim to produce at least two videos including products that will also make me money. Here’s just three of my favorite apps to try:
- Kale App – Earn a real income on the videos you create that include specific products/businesses. In just a few short months, my husband and I have made about $800 by simply incorporating brands we love into our everyday videos.
- Hummingbirds – Help promote businesses and products in your area. This app pays gift cards for content.
- Stack Influence – Score NEW free products! This app does not actually make you an income, but it’s a way to score free products from Amazon. Then, you can make links to those products to promote your own affiliate links through Amazon Influencers.
There is no end to the list of websites to partner with in the pursuit of content creation.
Promote great brands and even greater deals with Cactus Media.
Writing The Perfect BIO
Your social media pages will grab the viewers attention much quicker by writing the perfect bio. As you begin to produce money-making content, you want to make sure your profile reflects an interest in working with brands and making money online. Here are three important elements to include when writing the perfect BIO:
- Goals – Explain to your followers (or potential followers) the purpose of your page and be specific. Example: Instead of just saying “helping you save money” narrow it down to “helping your family live off under 50k a year.”
- Location – Specifically for anyone living in or near bigger cities, include your location to catch the attention of businesses or brands in your area.
- Professional Email – The bulk of content creation as an account under 5k is reaching out to brands yourself. But there’s potential for companies to find you if you include a professional email at the bottom of your BIO.
CREATE A MEDIA KIT – With creating a professional email comes creating a media kit. If you’re serious about making money on social media, you’ll want a media kit to share with brands. Trust me, it’s not as hard as it sounds!
A friend shared her media kit with me so I understood what a media kit even was and how to design one. Here’s what a media kit typically looks like:
Here’s an entire step by step guide on making a media kit on Canva – Austen’s Youtube channel lays it out perfectly! A lot of becoming a content creator is actually just learning from others who have gone before you.
Once your media kit is all put together, you can start promoting yourself to any and every brand you’re interested in working with. Also, as potential brands begin reaching out to your professional email, you’ll have a resource to email back with all your stats and information.
Creating UGC Content
My favorite form of content creation has less to do with my own social media page and more to do with creating UGC content.
Simply put, UGC content is any media creation (videos or photos) made by customers rather than the brands themselves. Brands may create the guidelines they desire you to work within, then you just send the videos or photos directly to the company for their own personal use. No posting or promoting on your own page. I love this method of making money as a content creator because it actually pays MONEY and doesn’t mess with my own niche on social media. UGC is freelance work with the brands you love! Here’s an example of UGC content:
In the example above, you’ll see the company/brand “Halfmore” is the one posting the content made by a completely third party individual. UGC content creation is a great way to make larger amounts of income online depending on the payment agreed upon.
Scoring Free Products
We can’t conclude this post about becoming a content creator without highlighting the fun of scoring free products!
Most companies will actually look to pitch trading their products for your content. While I don’t recommend doing this often because your time is typically worth PAY, it can be a fun perk sometimes.
How I decide whether or not to accept free products depends on what the company is asking of me. Some brands offer their products without any major stimulations – just try the products and if you feel led to share, do so! Great, I’ll try those products any day! I also like to accept freebies when I have the chance to earn commission on the products.
Be sure to remember your time is valuable. If you’re sharing about a product on your page, you should be getting paid or reimbursed in some way.
Beyond just content creation, our family makes money through lots of other side hustles. Check out more ways we generate income below.
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