As we enter 2023, the “creator economy” is absolutely BOOMING.
Anyone with a passion and a smartphone can now earn money through a variety of channels and strategies including YouTube, Instagram, podcasts, blogs, and more.
However, being a content creator isn’t without its challenges.
There are a number of obstacles creators face that can make the entrepreneurial journey SO much harder than it needs to be.
In this post, I’ll talk about 5 of the biggest obstacles faced by content creators…as well as some specific strategies you can use to tackle these obstacles head-on!
Obstacle #1: Growing an Audience
According to a survey of 900+ content creators, the #1 obstacle faced by content creators is growing their audience.
According to a survey of 900+ content creators, the #1 challenge creators face is growing their audience.Click To TweetThis makes sense: Before you can even think about making money with your content you need to find and build relationships with the people who need what you’re offering.
However, it can be overwhelming and confusing even knowing where to start.
There are many channels that can help you grow your audience:
- Social media: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok…the list goes on
- Paid ads – particularly on social media and Google
- Email marketing
- SEO – optimizing your content so the right people find it when searching online
- Referrals – for instance, mentions on other websites or blogs
The problem is if you throw yourself into ALL THE THINGS, you’ll find you quickly get overwhelmed, overworked….and under-rewarded for all your hard work.
How To Overcome This Obstacle:
1. Figure Out WHO Your Ideal Customer Is.
Based on your website and social media analytics, past sales data and common sense (!) what are the demographics of your customers? Some factors to consider include:
- Age
- Gender
- Location
- Interests/hobbies
- Income
- Education
2. Figure Out WHERE They Hang Out Online.
Google will be your best friend here!
Research the demographics of different platforms to determine where your people hang out.
For instance, did you know that Pinterest users tend to be women, average age of 40, and that the platform reaches a whopping 80% of internet-using moms in the US?
Once you know where your people are, begin to build a presence there and start connecting with your target audience in a real, authentic way.
Obstacle #2: Finding Time For Everything.
If you’re like most content creators, you manage each and every part of your business on your own including:
- Marketing
- Writing copy
- Graphic design
- Accounting/bookkeeping
- Customer service
And everything in between!
This doesn’t leave a lot of extra time in the day and becomes one of the obstacles faced by content creators.
Not to mention trying to work all this in around home, family and personal tasks and responsibilities…like exercising, doctor’s appointments, school pick up/drop off, preparing meals, housecleaning…it can quickly get to be TOO MUCH!
Things start to fall through the cracks, and you may start to feel like you’re really not doing a good job of anything – personally OR professionally.
How To Overcome This Obstacle:
- Consider outsourcing some of your tasks. We can’t all be experts at everything, so it just makes sense to hire someone to do the stuff you a) don’t enjoy and/or b) are just not great at. Some tasks you can consider outsourcing include graphic design, bookkeeping, and customer service.
- Schedule “appointments” for self-care tasks. When things get really busy, it’s often self-care that gets left in the dust! This is why it’s so important to pencil things like exercise, meditation and healthy meal prep into your calendar.
- Set firm boundaries between your work and personal life. This is particularly important if you work from home! Determine ahead of time when you’ll work and when you won’t, and stick to it. Otherwise work-related tasks can quickly bleed into your personal time…and vice versa!
Obstacle #3: Knowing How To Monetize.
Do you work tirelessly to create amazing content, but feel like you’re just not bringing in as much money as you deserve?
If so, you’re like many content creators out there: according to one study, 35% of content creators don’t feel they’re earning a reasonable income.
According to one study, 35% of content creators don’t feel they’re earning a reasonable income.Click To TweetIt’s easy to get caught up in the content hamster wheel, creating more and more content, even if you’re not generating an income from it. This becomes an obstacle that many content creator face today!
After all, you REALLY want to serve your audience!
Problem is, if you’re not earning what you’re worth, you’ll eventually burn out and stop creating content, and that’s not good for anyone.
How To Overcome This Obstacle:
There are many monetization strategies you can choose from, including:
- Gate your content. Set up your content so people will either need to pay for it or join your email list to access it. For the latter strategy, you’ll want to create a killer lead gen that actually converts. More on this later in the post!
- Use affiliate marketing. Join affiliate programs that offer high payouts in the range of 30-40% for maximum revenue.
- Put ads on your website/blog. You can set up private ad deals with companies that offer complimentary products, or use a service like Google AdWords.
- Put ads on your social media content. This is particularly easy to do if you’re creating content for YouTube.
- Do sponsorships or collabs with other brands. This is probably my #1 favorite strategy! Brands are increasingly wanting to work with companies with smaller, more engaged communities (in the range of 500-1000 followers). In our Authority Creator program we show you exactly how to find and pitch these brands, how to price your services, and how to create your rate sheet and pitch deck. More on this at the end of this post.
- Sell your own digital products. Promote your own products in your content and in your lead gen, including eBooks, courses and membership sites.
- Sell your own services. Promote your services as a coach or consultant.
Obstacle #4: Dealing With The Stress Of Being A Creator.
As a content creator, I have no doubts that you truly LOVE creating content for your audience.
But that doesn’t mean it’s all roses and rainbows!
According to a study done by Mighty Networks, 93% of content creators say that being a creator has caused stress that has “negatively impacted their lives.”
According to a study done by Mighty Networks, 93% of content creators say that being a creator has caused stress that has “negatively impacted their lives.”Click To TweetAnd 45% of creators even say they have experienced “big emotional lows” because of their work.
As a content creator yourself, I bet this doesn’t surprise you!
There are likely a number of reasons why content creators get stressed out, including:
- Feeling they are not being compensated fairly for all their hard work
- Feeling burnt out from working long hours
- Frustrations over not being able to reach as many people as they want (especially on social media!)
- Lacking balance between work and home/family
I’m guessing you can relate to at least one of these stressors!
The question is, what to do about this obstacle that content creators face?
How To Overcome This Obstacle:
- Prioritize your mental, physical and emotional health. While it’s great to be passionate about creating content, you know the old saying: you can’t pour from an empty cup! Your health and well-being MUST be a priority if you want to create a sustainable content creation business.
- Connect with other content creators. Being a content creator can be an isolating experience…this is why it’s so important to connect with others who are in the same boat! Having this support can make all the difference when it comes to building a business that’s actually sustainable.
- Charge what you’re worth. Many content creators – especially those new to the industry – accept free product in exchange for promotion. While I get that this can be tempting, this is NOT sustainable! In our Authority Creator program we help you determine competitive rates so you earn what you’re worth. I’ll share more at the end of this post.
Obstacle #5: Being Dependent On Social Media For Earnings.
We’ve just talked about some of the reasons creators may feel stressed out. And one of the BIGGEST reasons is this: creators may feel like their earnings are dependent on social media, and especially on social media algorithms.
This can be EXTREMELY frustrating!
Does this scenario sound familiar?
You KNOW you’ve created great content that your target audience will LOVE.
After you put it up on social media, knowing that when the right people see it, it will EXPLODE!
You wait…and wait…and wait…and…
Crickets.
This is SO disheartening, and this obstacle that content creators face can make you feel like you should just give up.
And yet, what are the alternatives? Your audience is on social media, and you know you need to be as well.
But if you’re like 77% of creators, you have serious worries about being so reliant on social media for your income.
You may even be among the 33% of creators who have felt “anger, rage, or extreme frustration with major social media platforms”!
How To Overcome This Obstacle:
1. Use YouTube To Drive Reach.
While most social media platforms require an established audience to get reach, YouTube is the exception to the rule. YouTube is one of the few places you can create amazing content and get it seen, even if you have a small or even non-existent following on the platform.
When creating content for YouTube, ask yourself: What problem is my audience trying to solve? And what words or phrases are they using to articulate this problem?
Once you’ve figured this out, create content that specifically targets that problem, using those words and phrases…and let people know you can help them solve that problem.
2. Create A High-Converting Lead Gen.
Whether you’re using YouTube or another social media platform, your goal should ultimately be to move people to your email list.
Your email list will be where you nurture those relationships that will, over time, lead to sales.
The best way to do this is to create a high-converting lead generator like an eBook, guide, video series or mini-course. To make the most of your lead gen, I recommend doing the following:
- Do research BEFORE you create your lead gen to make sure your people really want it
- Choose a killer topic your audience won’t be able to resist
- Choose the right format and title for your lead gen
- Give your freebie the WOW factor so it grabs the audience of your audience
Final Thoughts
Being a content creator can be an extremely rewarding and lucrative career…when you know what you’re doing!
Stop wasting your time and money overcoming these obstacles that content creators face, and start focusing in on strategies that actually WORK…even if you don’t have a huge audience.
Our Authority Creator program helps you leverage your existing audience – even a small one – so you can start earning what you’re worth.
As referenced earlier in this post, in the Authority Creator program we’ll teach you how to create a killer lead gen that actually converts.
Want to earn money through influencer marketing? We’ll also teach you how to find brands that are looking to work with “micro” influencers…as well as how to pitch them and how to price your influence.
But we don’t just teach you…we actually give you everything you need to start generating $10K/month.
In other words, we give you a business in a box!
Inside the Authority Creator program you’ll get:
- Unlimited funnels and a funnel builder
- Unlimited websites and blogs with a website builder
- Unlimited email campaigns and automations
- Two-way text messaging and text message automation
- A social media scheduler AND complete social selling system
- Unlimited pipelines and a customer CRM
- Complete contact conversation and activity history
- Invoicing and easy payment links
And not only will you get ALL of the above, you actually get a fully built account, already loaded for you with our proven, pre-designed funnels, automations, email & SMS campaigns, all your calendars and pipelines tailored for your needs…and more!
This is truly the BEST way to hit the ground running with your very own, lucrative content creation business.
Stop wasting time doing busy work that never results in sales, and instead, become an Authority Content Creator.
The program is currently enrolling new students, so don’t miss out. Click here to schedule an application call today!
About Author
Nice blog, keep it up.
Excelente matéria obrigado por compartilhar conosco.
Thank you for your feedback, Kbizsoft Pvt Ltd! We appreciate your recognition of the importance of building a strong personal brand, identifying a niche, and creating engaging content that resonates with the target audience. It’s always great to hear that our content is informative and useful to our readers.