How To Make Money With Content
Creating digital content does not have to be a hobby anymore. There are numerous platforms and avenues available for content creators to turn their passion into a profitable side hustle or even a full-time job. Indeed, according to SignalFire, there are over 2 million professional creators.
Furthermore, the demand for online content has increased rapidly. The number of YouTube channels with over one million subscribers increased by 65% in 2019. Furthermore, over 1 billion hours of YouTube content are watched every day, according to the platform.
That is just YouTube video content. There are many other popular specialist content websites, such as Spotify, iTunes, and Medium, to name a few. Whether you're a blogger or vlogger, a podcaster or a YouTuber, we'll look at 14 ways to make money in this article.
What exactly is a content creator?
A content creator is someone who creates and distributes digital content. While anyone with an Instagram or TikTok account can call themselves a creator, professional content creators go a step further. They use their digital platforms to grow an audience and monetize their content.
The term "content creation" has exploded in popularity in recent years, particularly in relation to social content creation. However, content creation as a practice has been around for much, much longer. Journalists, painters, and sculptors are all examples of 'content creators.' The cavemen who drew pictographs on the cave walls were, in essence, the world's first content creators. They could be referred to as Stone Age Influencers.
We'll assume you're interested in becoming a digital content creator because you're reading Hootsuite's blog rather than, say, Pictographs Weekly. We'll go over some of the most common types of digital content creators.
10 Ways for Content Creators to Make (More) Money in 2022
1. Online Education
2. Consulting
3. Exclusive Content for Sale
4. Subscriptions
5. Art for Sale
6. Selling Merchandise
7. Selling Stock Images
8. Sponsorships with a brand
9. Appearances in Public
10. Syndication of Content
What Exactly Are Content Creators?
Content creators create educational and/or entertaining content that addresses a specific target audience's challenges or needs. There are numerous formats for content, ranging from blogs and articles to audio and podcasts. There are numerous types of content creators, as well as numerous channels, specialist content sites, and platforms available to them.
1. Online Education
According to Skillshare, their highest-paid teachers can earn up to $100,000 per year. Not only can you earn a good living, but you can also establish yourself as an authoritative and influential creator in your field by teaching online through online learning platforms such as Udemy, Teachable, or Skillshare. Furthermore, it is an excellent way to attract more engaged followers. In general, it is best to stick to a topic that you are knowledgeable about and to keep these online classes brief so that the lesson is easy to follow and comprehend.
2. Advisory
If you want to share your knowledge but don't want to use an online learning platform, you can offer one-on-one consulting services. While it may require some extra effort, it can be very rewarding because you will be paid per hour (and you get to decide what your hourly fee is). You could, for example, assist aspiring content creators in developing their own strategies or simply reviewing their portfolios. Whatever the scope of your consulting services, it can provide a much-needed break from creating content, particularly if you are suffering from writer's block.
3. Distribution of Exclusive Content
Creating a sense of exclusivity can be a great marketing strategy to keep on hand. One way to accomplish this is to allow your followers to sign up for paid memberships. Subscribers who sign up for this tier will receive access to exclusive content that you have created just for them in exchange for a set monthly subscription. There are numerous types of exclusive content that you can provide, ranging from classes to bonus behind-the-scenes content.
You could, for example, look into a platform like Patreon, which allows you to sell exclusive subscriptions for a few dollars. One advantage of going this route is that you do not have to cater to popular tastes because you can create content that your target audience enjoys. Furthermore, it can provide you with much-needed stability to help you advance your career as an independent content creator.
4. Subscriptions
Subscriptions can be sold for certain types of content. For example, if you are a podcaster, you may wish to provide an ad-free listening experience in exchange for a paid subscription. The benefit of this approach, as previously stated, is that you can offer different tiers, with the more expensive tiers offering premium content.
5. Art Sales
Do not underestimate your fans' desire to support your work. You give your followers the opportunity to express their appreciation for your creations by creating an online store. After all, if your followers didn't enjoy your work, they wouldn't have followed you in the first place.
You can, for example, use Etsy to set up a store selling your artwork. Then, to make it easy for your followers to find your Etsy store, include a link to it in the profile of each of your social media accounts.
6. Selling Merchandise
Once you've amassed a sizable following, it may be time to start selling merchandise. You can, for example, sell branded T-shirts, mugs, totes, hoodies, hats, and socks. All of these are popular types of merchandise that you can sell on websites such as Bonfire, Printify, and Redbubble.
You can also use your merch in your videos to help you make money by selling it. You can generate interest in your new merchandise line simply by wearing your branded T-shirt.
If you have the most followers on Instagram, you can use Instagram Shopping. These posts appear to be standard posts. The difference is that your fans can tap to see your merchandise and prices. When they tap on one of the tags, they will be taken to a product page where they can learn more about the specific item before proceeding to the landing page to make a purchase.
7. Stock Photo Sales
If you do not consider yourself an artist or do not like the idea of having your face on a mug, you can always sell stock photos. Alternatively, you can sell a stock video or audio content that you have created.
For example, you can contribute to a site like Storyblocks, which has over 180,000 active members. One advantage of using Storyblocks is that the video you upload is nonexclusive. This means you can continue to distribute your videos wherever you can make money, giving you ultimate control over your content.
8. Sponsorships with a branded identity
In a nutshell, branded sponsorship is when a company pays you a set fee to promote its brand. It is not only a way to make money, but it is also a way to obtain free products.
However, in order to make money through branded sponsorships, you must have a large following. Furthermore, you may be required to promote products that you dislike.
9. Appearances in Public
While in-person gatherings may seem foreign at the moment, don't overlook the value of shows or other types of engagements. In today's world, the most well-known content creators are celebrities. They can make money by selling tickets and even merch at these events by capitalizing on their celebrity. Even if you do not yet have a large following, you should consider speaking as an expert alongside other industry experts or as a keynote speaker at a function.
10. Syndication of Content
In a nutshell, content syndication occurs when you grant larger third-party websites permission to publish your content in exchange for a fee or a byline. Even if you only receive recognition and no monetary compensation, it can be indirectly profitable because the third-party site will almost always include a link to your website, which helps generate traffic.
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