The new school year is here and for those of us in the northern hemisphere, it’s time to say farewell to the short-lived summer. If you’re a designer or content creator, you may be looking for that spark to make this back-to-school season more fun, and potentially a pathway to a new source of income!
The $104.2 billion and increasingly growing creator economy is on a roll and with that comes a new wave of content creators. People today engage with more than one social media platform, making it more important to have a broad understanding of each. You may think the creator economy only revolves around the mega digital stars with over a million followers, but the fact is that micro-influencer marketing will grow at a faster rate than traditional influencer marketing in 2022. With this great flexibility, everyone has a chance to be a creator even if they work or study full-time.
A lot has changed from Web 1.0 to 3.0, but one thing remains constant—the need to create something entertaining for people who want to consume information. But as exciting as content creation sounds, how do you get started with it? Here are 5 essential ingredients you need to stay inspired this new school season and make your creator journey smooth and fun.
✏️ Thanks to our friends at Wondershare for sponsoring this blog post! Blog header illustration by ls.graphics
1. Begin with what you are passionate about
Being a content creator isn’t about how experienced you are. People value your content, not your age—which means the fresher your ideas are, the more attractive your content will be. Yet creative blocks are common for beginners struggling to come up with ideas. In fact, according to Vibely, 59% of creators have experienced burnout due to exhaustion from inventing new ideas.
With over 20 years of experience in creative design, Shaan Jahagirdar, the Vice President at the global software company Wondershare, believes that creators should simply start with what they are most familiar with, good at, or what’s most easily accessible. A creator is anyone who creates: influencers, YouTubers, bloggers, and podcasters, but so are craft-makers, musicians, writers, photographers, and everyone in between. Being a creator is ultimately a way to show the world your talents, and potentially monetize them.
“The creative process is like a journey of self-discovery, so it’s crucial to know yourself first and the relationship with your content. As you create more content, always bear in mind not every video or content will perform the best, which is okay! We are just humans and need time to reset.”
It’s your passion that drives you forwards, after all. Have fun with it!
2. Time management is king
What makes being a content creator so intriguing is the great flexibility it offers. As impossible as it seems, flexibility turns out to be frustrating at some point. Podia’s survey found that across experience levels, creators’ biggest challenges are growing an audience (32.9%), followed by finding enough time for everything (21.6%). So, how much freedom is too much freedom?
Just like any full-time job, time management is one of the key components to success. Apart from building a routine, use your time wisely to generate a massive amount of productivity without compromising the time for your daily responsibilities. For example, you can monitor trending topics while you are on a lunch break or edit videos while commuting.
Thanks to technological advancements, you can easily edit content like videos with any mobile device, such as FilmoraGo, the mobile video editor that allows users to create fun videos on the go with a vast library of royalty-free music, trendy stickers, and filters. Users can even share their creations directly from the app to different social platforms like Instagram and YouTube.
3. Find a community
When creators encounter challenges, they turn to other creators for advice. Experienced content creators have been in beginner creators’ shoes, so they have plenty of valuable insights to share.
“Remember to get additional help, especially when your content creation is growing. Reaching out can give you peace of mind and help you stay away from burnout. This is the mission of Wondershare’s Creator Recruitment Program. We hope the program can be the starting point of every new creator’s journey so that they can share inspirations and build confidence in the community.” — Shaan Jahagirdar, Vice President @Wondershare
4. Try new creative tools to help you stand out
The next step is to think about how to make your content stand out in the digital world where information is easily accessible. When it comes to picking creative tools, features that beginner creators should look out for are video editing templates, and advanced editing functions such as keyframing and audio tracks yet with a low learning curve.
Wondershare’s easy-to-use software saves users’ time without compromising quality, enabling creators like you to create content the way you want:
- Filmora — The flagship video editor for users at any skill level.
- FilmoraGo — The mobile video editor to make fun videos on the go.
- Filmstock — The video stock library packed with trendy effects, stock images and music.
- Anireel — The animation maker that creates animated explainer videos fast and easily.
5. Get your work out there to be seen
Don’t be shy, your creation is meant to be shared! Tech giants understand the top-heavy creator economy is extremely competitive, and hence, they rolled out a generous amount of incentives for creators worldwide:
- YouTube launched the Creator Fund worth $100 million
- Snapchat paid $130 million to 5400 creators since the launch of Spotlight Feature in 2021 （Source: hollywoodreporter.com）
- Linkedin invested $25 million into creators with its Creator Accelerator Program
Earlier this year, Instagram launched trials for subscription services of which the prices range from $0.99 to $99.99, allowing creators to have a predictable income. Recently, TikTok started TikTok Pulse, the new program that shares its ad revenue with creators.
Join the ‘Back to School, Back to Fun’ challenge
Feel like you’re ready to release your inner creative beast? Here’s a chance this back-to-school season!
From now until September 30, 2022, join the Back to School, Back to Fun campaign hosted by Wondershare by simply creating a video that highlights all the fun back-to-school and summer moments. Don’t forget to share it with #BacktoSchoolCreation and tag @Wondershare on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or YouTube. 8 winners will be selected based on two criteria — the quality of the content and the number of engagements (likes and comments). Prizes include:
- 💻 MacBook Air with the M2 chipU
- 🎧 Two Beats Studio 3 Wireless Headphones
- 💰 Five Target $100 e-gift cards
To increase the chances of winning, make the videos more fun and compelling by adding effects, titles, transitions, music, and templates using Wondershare’s versatile creative software!
Find more details about the Back to School, Back to Fun online challenge here.
Talents can be monetized, and so can knowledge!
According to Global Market Insights, the North American e-learning market size is valued at $120 billion in 2021 and will grow steadily, as it is the more cost-effective and easily accessible learning alternative that produces the same outcome as higher education. Wondershare can definitely meet the growing needs of educators simply by providing them with a variety of utility tools:
- DemoCreator — The screen presenter that makes online presentations engaging.
- PDFelement — The PDF solution that allows users to edit, convert, and sign PDFs on any device.
- EdrawMax — The diagramming solution that helps users visualize their ideas with ease.
- EdrawMind — The mind-mapping tool that helps users capture and organize every idea.
For a limited-time, get the software above and save up to 60% off here. ■
About Wondershare: Founded in 2003, Wondershare is a global leader in software development and a pioneer in the field of digital creativity. Our technology is powerful, and the solutions we provide are simple and convenient. That’s why we’re trusted by millions of people in over 150 countries worldwide. We help our users pursue their passions so that, together, we can build a more creative world.
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