Terms
More than 50 million people believe themselves influencers or digital creators
You may find yourself feeling like everywhere you go around, there's a plethora of digital creators, social media professionals and influencers. It's not true! Today, more than 50 million people around the world think of themselves as influencers or digital creators , according to Influencer Marketing Hub which also estimates that the industry of influencer marketing is set to grow to around $21 billion by 2023.
While the terms 'digital creators or influencers' might appear to be interchangeable, they're actually different. In this guide we'll discuss what it means to be a digital creator, the ways it is different from being an influencer, and how to make one.
The definition: What is a digital creator?
A digital creator is someone who produces online content across multiple platforms. This could include social media, blogs and podcasts as well as videos. They produce and distribute material that is true to them and their image, and typically target a certain market or segment they are targeting.
Digital creators are those who is focused on building a community of people who follow them, by communicating with their fans, and sharing their often individual perspective on the topic.
How is a digital creator different from an influencer?
There is a lot of some overlap between an influencer and creators, there are some key distinctions. A person who is an influencer enjoys a huge following on social media -typically at least a few hundred thousand or millions - and regularly uses that following to promote products or services.
These companies typically collaborate alongside brands in the creation of sponsored content, and their revenue is usually tied to the number of followers they've accumulated.
Creators, on the other hand, is focused on producing specific content for them and their personal branding. While they may also work with companies, their main priority is creating content that resonates with their audience. A creator's income can originate from several sources, such as the sponsorship of a brand, membership fees, sales, or even ad revenues.
How can I become a digital creator
Being a digital artist does not happen overnight. It requires time, energy and dedication to develop an effective brand. Below are some actions you can follow to get started:
Find your niche
The first step to becoming a digital creator is to discover your passion. What do you love to do? What unique perspective can you add to the discussion? What are the topics you can add significant value to?
In the role of a digital creator Your niche must be something that you are knowledgeable about, such as food
Choose a niche that you're interested in and knowledgeable about and that has an audience. Be sure to be a bit specific: in various ways, the more precise your field, the more likely you will stand out in a crowded market.
Build your name
Once you've found your niche then it's time to begin building your personal brand. It involves creating a brand name, logo, and design aesthetic that aligns with your niche and appeals to the people you want to reach.
Naturally, the name may well be your own given name or nickname, but it's most useful to have a name that is memorable or unusual. It is also important to establish your own social media profiles and a website that showcases your content and engage with your followers.
Engage and be engaged
The heart of being an online creator is in fact, making! Most of the time this material is digital. It could be blog posts, videos and social media updates and podcasts. The content you create should be true to your company and your business and be valuable to your audience.
Engaging your customers or customers is essential for building a brand that is successful. That means responding to messages, DMs, and emails and instilling the feeling of community surrounding your brand. It is also possible to consider hosting live Q&A sessions or meetups to engage with your customers in person.
Skills you need to be the digital creator
To become a digital artist, you must have a variety of skills; you don't just need to be arty and creative and have an interesting insight about your area of expertise, but the most successful creators are extremely focused entrepreneurs and business people with well-defined content and communications strategies.
Qe7BmtM66wVeGytug54L It takes a variety of abilities to be a digital creator such as a memorable presence in front of the camera
Here are the most important abilities you require to become an online creator:
Creativity
If you are a creator of digital content it is essential to be innovative in all you do . The clue is in the title! Creative thinking involves coming up with fresh ideas for content, speaking clearly on camera when you're creating video and creating visually appealing images - which includes thumbnails of videos, as well as appealing pictures on Instagram.
You'll also need to be always looking for new ways to engage with your viewers for example, using Ask Me Anythings (AMAs) or sharing behind-the-scenes footage.
Communication
Communication is essential in the creation of a brand, and therefore when progressing through your professional career as a digital creator. You'll have to be able to clearly communicate your ideas and brand message to the people you want to reach, so you need strong interpersonal skills as well as a clear mind and communication.
Communication that is more business-oriented is important for professionals who are digital creators You could be in talks with reps from brand brands as well as organizations looking to partner alongside you or to sponsor your work, along working with other creators that you would like to collaborate with. Communicating your ideas clearly and in a fair manner is crucial.
Business sense
As above, having meetings with companies and other creators means you need be aware of how collaboration initiatives will bring benefits to you and all those involved.
Do you want to connect with a new audience? Re-ignite the passion with less engaged members? Spark a debate? Perhaps encourage the sale of something? All of these require clever brand positioning, knowing your USP in-depth, and the ability to market concepts and goods.
Some examples of digital creators that have been successful
Rhett as well as Link: Rhett McLaughlin and Charles Lincoln 'Link' Neal III (also named Rhett and Link are friends since the year 2006. They created 'Good Mythical Morning", a YouTube comedy channel that discusses pop culture and food in addition to posting regularly on social media, as well as host Ear Biscuits, a podcast. Ear Biscuits podcast.
Kevin Smith: Filmmaker, actor, comedian, and creator Kevin Smith got his big break when he directed, and played in the movie "Clerks," a film. He went on to create the cult comedy characters Jay as well as Silent Bob with Jason Mewes. Nowadays he is a famous YouTuber, author and host of numerous programs that are on the SModcast Podcast Network. Some of them include Fatman Beyond and Hollywood Babble-On.
Molly Baz Author, recipe creator and food stylist Molly Baz began her digital-creative career in Bon Appetit magazine, where she tested and developed recipes, wrote articles, and appeared in videos on the company's YouTube channel. She has since launched her own cooking brand, mollybaz.com with social media and a YouTube channel.
Scott Aukerman the actor, comedian and writer is best-known as the founder and host of Comedy Bang! Bang! Comedy Bang! Bang! podcast. He created and starred in the series 'Between Two Ferns together with Zach Galifianakis' and has appeared in shows such as Parks and Recreation. He cofounded the Earwolf podcast platform and has been awarded two Primetime Emmy Awards.
Jean-Jacques Pepin: You don't have to be old to become a digital creator! Jacques Pepin has been cooking professionally for decades. His latest venture, his Jacques Pepin Foundation video recipe book, is a combination of cookbook and videos as a membership option, allowing viewers to see famous chefs make meals in their own homes and print out the recipes if you'd like to follow the recipe.
Conclusion
Being a digital creator is not only about making content, it's about building an identity and connecting with your members or community. It takes some time and dedication to develop a successful company, it's an enjoyable profession that allows you to communicate your unique viewpoint to everyone around the globe.
Through identifying your area of expertise by identifying your niche, creating your own brand, making engaging content, and engaging your target audience, you can become an effective digital creator!