How to Become a Content Creator: Steps, Tips, & Truths You Can’t Ignore in 2025

Here’s the thing about content creators — everyone is one, but few are at the same time. For instance, I create content as part of my job, but I’m no content creator — at least not in the sense you’re here to learn about. But I do understand them.

Content creators are members of the creator economy, committed to building and monetizing their audience and the content they create for their personal niche and brand.

With promises of flexibility, creative freedom, and low cost to entry, “content creator” sounds like a cushy job, but it’s far from easy. And those who succeed deserve their flowers.

Want to know how to become a content creator? With over a decade in content marketing and social media, I’ve learned the tricks of the trade along with some harsh truths about the industry. Here’s the scoop.

Table of Contents

What is a content creator?

Truth #1: The creator economy is crowded.

According to our 2024 Consumer Trends Report, one in five consumers consider themselves content creators or influencers in some form. That number jumps to 45% when we zero in on Gen Z and Millennials. But what do they do exactly?

A content creator is someone who consistently creates content on a specific topic or for a particular audience. This content can be entertaining, helpful, or educational; written, visual, or auditory.

Now, I know — this is a vague definition. Under it, you could say “content creators” have existed for centuries. But we’re not talking about traditional performers, artists, or media folks (i.e., journalists, comedians, photographers, videographers) here.

When we say “content creators” in 2025, we mean:

Podcasters: Individuals who host podcasts on niche topics.
Vloggers: Individuals who post videos of their daily lives or unique perspectives online. This could be general or niche.
Bloggers/Writers: Creators who publish long-form written content on a specific niche or industry.
User-Generated Content (UGC) Creators: Creators who create a variety of content focused on showcasing products or offerings from brands.
Social Media Influencers: Individuals with large, engaged audiences on social media, usually related to a particular niche or industry, but they could be general.

Sure, media personalities can create content, too. Just look at The Dancing Weatherman, Nick Kosir.

But the title “content creator” is really reserved for individuals who focus on creating content for their digital audience and generating income through sponsorships, affiliations, and collaborations. People like Mr. Beast.

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Influencers vs Content Creators

Like Mr. Beast, content creators can be “influencers” — individuals with large, engaged audiences who value their opinions on social media — but they don’t have to be.

Today, we frequently use the words interchangeably, but not all influencers are content creators, and vice versa. I mean, Search Engine Journal lists soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo as the top influencer on social media, but that’s certainly not what he’s known for.

In modern marketing, influencers are simply people who can impact the beliefs and buying decisions of your target audience. They could be influential because they are content creators, but it could also be for other reasons.

“Content creator” also doesn’t refer to content marketers like me.

Content Marketers vs Content Creators

Yes, both content marketers and creators produce content to reach audiences, but there are key differences.

Most content creators create content for themselves. (There are exceptions, which we’ll discuss in the next section.) Their efforts go toward building their own brands and public personas and creating content primarily on social media.

Content marketers tend to create content for others. They are professionals who implement various content marketing tactics to promote other products, brands, or offerings.

This may entail creating social media content, but it could also include articles, videos, slide decks, infographics, podcasts, website pages, emails, ad copy, and white papers.

That said, depending on your job, there is some grey area between the two worlds.

Interested in learning more about content marketing? Check out our free Content Marketing Certification in HubSpot Academy.

Types of Content Creator Jobs

While many of the most prominent content creators create content for their own brands, as we discussed, some create for others. This usually takes one of three forms.

Freelance Content Creators

Freelance content creators are entrepreneurs. They create social media content for brands and businesses who don’t necessarily want the flash of an influencer but something that feels authentically user-generated.

Pros: Autonomy, schedule flexibility, content variety, and you determine your “salary.”

Cons: Limited resources, no employee benefits, no guaranteed income, no team, have to wear multiple hats (e.g. sales, contracts, taxes)

In-House Content Creators

In-house content creators work for one company and create content for it and its brand, products, or services.

Pros: Resources, financial stability, focused solely on content

Cons: Less content variety, less creative control, Income is set

Agency Content Creators

Agency content creators are kind of the best of both worlds. They work for one company and enjoy the financial stability that comes with it, but also get the excitement of creating for a variety of different brands and businesses.

Pros: Resources, financial stability,

Cons: Less content variety, less creative control

Looking for more on influencer marketing strategy? Check this out.

What types of content can a creator make?

The possibilities are endless when it comes to the types of content a creator can make, especially thanks to artificial intelligence (AI). But the most common are blog posts, podcasts, or a mix of videos, photos, and graphics on social media.

The medium or type really depends on the creator, audience, platform, and even the subject matter.

For example, if you’re a “gamer” who wants to showcase a new video game, your audience will likely want to see what it looks like.

They’ll want to see the graphics in action and hear feedback on what it’s like navigating and playing. Video is best suited to meet these needs.

With 10.8 followers, streamer KaiCenat posts videos like this frequently on Twitch.

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But of course, Twitch is not the best platform for everyone.

Where do content creators post their content?

Statistically speaking, Epidemic Sound found TikTok to be the top platform for generating income among creators, followed by YouTube. (However, that may change with the looming TikTok ban in the United States.)

Otherwise, what platform works for you depends on your brand and audience.

Here are some of the most popular by creator type:

Podcasters: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, Google Podcasts, SoundCloud, YouTube
Vloggers: YouTube, TikTok, Twitch
Bloggers/Writers: Personal websites, Substack, Medium, Patreon
UGC Creators: Instagram, TikTok, YouTube (but honestly, wherever the brand takes them)
Social Media Influencers: Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, LTK

Consider our gamer example again. Gamers typically share things like gameplay, reviews, and hacks. Knowing this, streaming on Twitch or posting videos to YouTube makes more sense than Instagram or a podcast.

On the other hand, fashion bloggers like Smita Patel are more likely turning to Instagram and an LTK page to enable their followers to shop more easily.

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How to Become a Content Creator (with No Experience)

Truth #2: Like all good things, becoming a skilled content creator will not happen overnight, and many people will never get there.

Becoming a content creator requires boundless dedication and, in an algorithm-driven world, sometimes a bit of luck. But with these steps, you’ll certainly put your best foot forward in achieving your goals even without experience.

Regardless of the specifics, here are some foundational steps to becoming a truly successful content creator.

1. Uncover your niche and audience.

If you’re considering becoming a content creator, you likely already know the topics you want to discuss or the audience you want to reach.

Maybe you have a background as a social media manager and want to share tips with small businesses and entrepreneurs. Or perhaps you paid off a ton of debt and want to share your personal finance tips with new college grads.

Creator Christine Buzan started her career in print media and marketing, assisting on fashion photoshoots. Today, she teaches nearly 800k Instagram followers how to pose and look their best in photographs.

Whatever you choose, all your content should align with this niche or position. But don’t feel pressure to settle into a niche right away.

“The process of discovering the niche that aligns perfectly with your unique style and personality is a key to success as a content creator,” echoes creator Kyle Hamm-Martin, known as “Millennial Kyle,” online. “That’s where the real excitement begins!”

“For me, creating nostalgic videos inspired by the 90s and 2000s lets me relive the magic of my own childhood while bringing back cherished memories from that unforgettable era.”

Content creator Vanessa Lau encourages newcomers to experiment to find their brand.

“If you are just starting out, I would say that experimenting with a broader niche and broader audience is going to help you accelerate the journey of finding that niche over time,” she shared on her YouTube channel.

“The mistake that I see a lot of aspiring content creators making is they stress so much about finding a niche to the point where they don’t create any content at all,” she said.

Translation: Just do the thing. Put your ideas into the world and see what hits and what doesn’t.

2. Hone your creative skills.

Being a content creator means, well, creating. So, if you’re new to the industry, you’ll need to hone your creative skills like writing, photography, video editing, and graphic design.

Writing

I hate to break it to you, but even if you’re not a blogger, writing is a skill that will up as a content creator.

Photo captions, video scripts, brand pitches, newsletters — In all of these, you want to be able to clearly and memorably communicate your messages to your audience, and good writing skills are a key part of this.

So, how can you strengthen this muscle? Here are some of my favorite resources:

Note: If you run into writer’s block (even the best of us do), try using HubSpot’s Free AI Content Writer to get started. Give it an idea of what you’re looking for, then use the results as a first draft to rephrase into your own voice and elaborate on.

Heck, when I’m stuck for ideas, even I have turned to ChatGPT for examples to get the creative juices flowing.

Photography & Photo Editing

Thanks to smartphones, anyone can take a high-quality photo these days, but that doesn’t mean everyone knows how to take a good photo.

(Trust — I’m reminded whenever I reluctantly ask a stranger to take a picture for me.)

As a content creator, investing in your photography skills can truly elevate your presence and help you communicate effectively with your audience.

Now, this doesn’t mean you have to spend thousands on professional equipment but do make an effort to familiarize yourself with some photography best practices.

Here are some tips I live by whether I’m taking a photo:

Always wipe your camera lens clean.
Follow the rule of thirds in your framing.
When all else fails, center your subject and aim for symmetry.
Capture small details.
Opt for natural light.
Regardless of the light type, always have the source facing your subject.
Avoid digital zoom and extreme cropping. (This lowers photo quality.)
Get shots from multiple angles of the same pose/setup.

Also, familiarize yourself with camera elements like exposure and shutter speed. All of these can dramatically affect your final product. Udemy offers a ton of free courses on these topics and more.

Once you take your photos, don’t be afraid to run them through some light editing to help with lighting or clarity. Some options include:

Again, doing this can give your presence just that tiny bit of refinement audiences look up to.

Video Editing

Whether you’re creating videos for TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube, you’ll need to know how to edit. All of these platforms have in-app tools with unique quirks, but there are some overarching concepts and features you’ll see.

These include:

Footage selection
Trimming
Clip arrangement
Transitions
Color correction and grading
Adding text and graphic overlays
Adding captions
Audio editing
Special effects, including VFX, filters, and presets
Exporting

These are other areas Udemy can help you, but if reading is more your style, check out these articles:

Graphic Design

Graphic design is another skill that is used across content mediums. Perhaps you’ll need a video thumbnail or graphic for your Instagram, an infographic for your blog, or a banner for your website.

Having a firm grasp on the basics of design empowers you to create visuals consistent with your brand and deliver exactly the vision you have in mind for your audience.

Don’t feel like you need professional software like the Adobe Suite, either. Canva, Adobe Express, and even a host of AI tools make graphic design accessible for creators of all levels and are free or low-cost.

Here are a few resources to help you get going:

3. Zero in on your brand and voice.

First off, your brand is not your niche. Your niche is more about your subject matter. Your brand is how you approach your niche.

It’s what makes your content unique and special. This could include the colors and fonts you use as well as music, words, or taglines. It could also be your personal style of presenting information.

To find it, ask yourself:

How do you stand out?
What will make your content different?
How will it look and feel?
What would make someone be able to recognize it even if it wasn’t on your platform?

A creator who has mastered this, in my opinion, is Lilly Singh.

Lilly Singh first became a public name as YouTuber IISuperWomanII, sharing satirical skits and vlogs about growing up in a South Asian family.

But even as her career progressed beyond this — acting and producing films, authoring books, and being one of the first women ever to host a late-night talk show — her signature brand and humor remained:

The key to finding your style and personal brand like Lilly? Be yourself.

Content creator Erica Schneider has built a large following on X (formerly Twitter) by sharing writing and editing tips. These are common topics, but Schneider stands out by weaving her voice and personality into everything she shares.

“Sounds simple, but it’s easy to lose your voice in a sea of templated tips,” she posted. “Let your personality out. Add your unique flare. Take a stance for or against something.”

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Audiences may click on your content for the information, but they come back for the personality.

Pro tip: Other creators’ styles can inspire you, but don’t copy them. Find something that genuinely resonates with your personality and let it shine through in your content.

And, remember, style can be anything. Don’t force humor or sarcasm because “everyone else is doing it.” Do what you’re comfortable with, and you’ll find your audience quickly.

4. Choose your platform(s).

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As we discussed earlier, there are dozens of platforms to post your content, but where will you find the most success? When deciding where to focus, consider three things: your niche, audience, and content medium.

Niche

Some topics are more prevalent on particular platforms than others. Furthermore, some platforms are better suited to action (such as shopping) than others.

Consider your subject matter and the action someone would usually take after learning about it. Would they want to subscribe to know more? Would they want to buy something?

You’ll want where you post your content to make sense for what you’re talking about and your audience’s behavior.

Target Audience

Posting content is pointless if it’s not getting seen by the right people. You need to meet your target audience where they already are. Publish content where they hang out.

Say you’re targeting Gen Z. YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok are the social media platforms they frequent the most. Trying to reach baby boomers? Turn to Facebook. Corporate executives? Maybe your platform is LinkedIn.

Dig deep into the nuances of your target audience and buyer persona to determine where they are actively visiting. This is the fastest and easiest way to get in front of them and build a following.

Content Medium

Make sure the platform you choose is optimized for your preferred content format.

For instance, if your topic calls for long-form videos, YouTube is likely your best option over TikTok, which has a maximum duration of 30 minutes. If you share primarily static graphics, then YouTube would make no sense. Opt for Instagram.

Pro tip: Be honest with yourself about your natural strengths when it comes to choosing your medium. Everyone can learn new skills, but when you’re just starting, lean into what works best for you.

If you freeze up in front of a camera but are a very eloquent speaker, maybe opt for a podcast over a vlog. If you’re a gifted photographer but a horrible writer, try Instagram over a blog.

5. Create a content calendar.

Next, sit down and list the content you plan to publish. Success as a content creator depends on consistency. You must regularly share content related to your niche to grow and maintain your audience and relevance. So, plan ahead.

Create a content calendar for as far into the future as you can. I recommend mapping out at least two weeks and having your content ready a week before publishing so you aren’t left scrambling at the last minute.

HubSpot has a social media calendar template to help you get started.

6. Invest in any necessary tools.

For most content creators, a smartphone is the only thing they need to get started. But, if you have the means, some additional tools can give your content that little extra something.

Visual content may mean investing in graphic design software (i.e., Canva or Adobe Illustrator) or video editing tools (like CapCut). Maybe it’s a ring light or a studio backdrop.

Perhaps a pro subscription to Grammarly or audio editing software like Descript would be beneficial for copy or podcasts. Take some time to think through what might be beneficial and get your toolbox together.

7. Create!

Now for the fun part — actually creating your content.

You’ve been waiting for this, so enjoy it, and give it your all. Perfection is the enemy of productivity. So, don’t let it stop you from getting content published.

Bloopers and mistakes are human, and people love creators who are human. So don’t be afraid if you fumble your words or forget a point. These little things can actually make content more engaging.

Plus, the sooner you ship content, the sooner you can start analyzing what works and what doesn’t.

8. Track performance and refine.

Hitting “post” or “publish” doesn’t mean you’re done with your content. Now, you need to track its performance and use that information to guide future creations.

What posts got the most views, comments, likes, and shares? What wasn’t as popular? These insights help you know what to lean into in the future.

If you’re a HubSpot user, our free Marketing Analytics tools make tracking many of these social metrics easy.

9. Create a portfolio.

Creating for the sake of creating is great, but if you can get paid for it, that’s even better. So, this last step is all about money.

According to Influencer Marketing Hub, one in ten influencers makes upwards of $100k a year.

How do they do this? Well, some platforms like YouTube will pay you for creating content when you’ve built a large enough audience and engagement. But if you’re not at the level yet, you need to establish brand deals or collaborations.

A brand deal can come in many forms:

Sponsored Post or Ad: A brand pays you or offers a free product in exchange for a post about their product on your platform.
UGC: A brand pays you to create a piece of content for them to use on their platforms or in ads.
Affiliation or Partnership: You talk about a brand or product and get a commission if someone buys through your referral link.

(For a deeper dive, check out our article “Affiliate Marketing for Beginners: What You Need to Know.”)

Regardless of the arrangement, a portfolio is often the first step in making it happen.

When one of your creations performs well, or you’re simply proud of it, document it in a portfolio. Having a collection of your best work makes it easier to pitch brands you would like to work with or simply share what kind of content someone can expect.

Pro tip: Need help building an online portfolio? HubSpot’s Content Hub is a great free solution.

10. Master your brand pitch.

You’ll likely have to make the first move with brands when you’re just starting out. In other words, you’ll have to make your pitch.

My fellow HubSpotter Caroline Forsey surveyed 500+ social media marketers and put together a guide on how to get brand sponsorships as a content creator.

She suggested, “Once you‘ve curated a list of brands that might want to partner with you, send them an email. In your pitch, clearly and briefly outline who you are, what you do, and any achievements you have in the field that make you an expert.”

“Then, explain why you’re a good fit for the brand and include data such as follower count and average engagement rate.”

“Alternatively, you might consider sending a brand a DM straight from Instagram. It‘s certainly more relevant to the job you’re vying for, but it might get lost if a brand receives hundreds of DMs a day.”

10 Tips for Aspiring Content Creators

Stay true to your brand/niche.
Monitor your industry.
Keep your creative skills sharp.
Study your audience.
Curate other people’s content (when it makes sense to).
Offer solutions, not just commentary.
Understand your metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs).
Say what you’re thinking.

Once you get going, remember these tips to level up your game as a content creator.

1. Stay true to your brand/niche.

Once you find your brand/niche, stay true to it.

Creating content on a topic or product that is completely irrelevant to your audience or area of expertise is not only ineffective but confusing.

The content you share should be a natural fit. You should be able to speak confidently about the topic or product and with genuine passion.

Success as a content creator is all about trust and authenticity. People follow creators and influencers because they feel connected and believe they have their best interests in mind.

If something you post is off-brand or simply going in for a hard sell, your audience won’t buy it — literally and figuratively. So, be strategic about the content you post and the deals you accept.

Popular productivity expert Ali Abdaal has done a great job of staying true to his niche.

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In this video, Abdaal shares 12 productivity tools, including messaging app Slack. As a Slack Partner, he includes an affiliate link in the video’s description, offering viewers a generous discount and earning him a commission.

Now, clearly, Adbaal benefits from talking about the tool. But because it is within his niche and gives his audience relevant value, that doesn’t matter.

2. Monitor your industry.

Creating great content that resonates with your target audience means staying current in your industry.

This sets you up nicely to understand what’s going on in the world and how that shapes your audience’s mindset and interests. It also enables you to react quickly and take advantage of trending topics or memes to stay relevant.

The Marketing Millennials — a meme account that many of my teammates and I love — is a master of this. Take this post after the launch of Taylor Swift’s latest album, The Tortured Poet’s Department.

Subscribe to newsletters, listen to podcasts, set up alerts, and read industry publications and blogs.

Also, ask your audience what they’re reading and watching these days and follow suit. By discovering where your audience spends time online, you can learn even more about the topics and types of content they’re drawn to.

3. Keep your creative skills sharp.

Remember those creative skills we talked about? You’ve got to keep them sharp!

Set aside 10 or 15 minutes a day to write down ideas or just reflect on your day. Simply taking the time to string together a few sentences consistently keeps your writing muscle going.

Follow accounts like Creators on Instagram for video ideas, tutorials, and updates on trends you can try on any platform.

I’m also a fan of the newsletters from Laura Belgray and HubSpot alum Jay Acunzo for writing tips and ideas.

4. Study your audience.

Truth #3: Content creators are often at the mercy of their audience; sometimes, those needs and expectations can feel limiting.

But ultimately, your audience is why you have the platform and influence you do. You‘ll find new opportunities to help and create if you continuously listen to them.

One of the most important qualities of all successful content creators is that they know their audience inside and out. Keep a pulse on yours. Tracking and analyzing specific metrics can help determine if your content resonates with your audience.

For instance, a high open rate tells you that your subject line spoke to your subscribers if you have a newsletter. A high click-through rate lets you know that people wanted to know more about what you wrote about.

Look for key behaviors, interests, and trends and respond accordingly with your content.

If you’re still stuck, ask your audience directly. Tools like SurveyMonkey or even Instagram Polls and Question Stickers make it easy to reach an engaged audience.

The people who are genuinely invested in your content and brand will be more than happy to share feedback.

5. Curate other people’s content (when it makes sense to).

There’s no shortage of people curating content these days.

In fact, curation is built into most platforms in the form of “shares,” “retweets,” and “repost with your thoughts.”

But successful content creators know it’s not enough to simply republish relevant news as is. Adding to the conversation is key.

Get in the habit of curating content when you have something valuable to add. Perhaps that means explaining why you agree or disagree on what’s being said in the reposted content.

Many social media platforms encourage this with “Remixes” (Instagram Reels) and “Duets” (TikTok). In fact, these types of “reactions” can even be many creators bread and butter. For example, take Jordan Howlett.

Much of Howlett’s social media strategy is centered around resharing bits of videos shared online (around gadgets, recipes, etc.) and then explaining what’s going on in the video or simply sharing funny commentary.

Howlett’s reflections have earned over 12 million followers on Instagram alone, along with collaborations with celebrities like Donald Glover, Kevin Hart, and Method Man.

6. Offer solutions, not just commentary.

While sharing your thoughts is important, don’t stop there.

The people consuming your content aren’t interested in just hearing you talk — at least not all the time. They come looking to satisfy specific needs. Provide actionable tips and walk them through the solutions you’re suggesting.

This is a tip Stylist Nina Walder regularly implements in her content.

Here, you’ll notice she verbally tells viewers to “save and follow for more tips.” She also includes steps to access her free course in the caption.

This is similar to what content marketers do when publishing an article and ending with a call-to-action to a relevant offer. We give readers value through the article content and provide them with direction on what to do next with the offer.

7. Understand your metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs).

I can’t lie to you: I don’t like metrics. I often try to run from them, but they catch up to me as they’re crucial to reaching any goal. That includes becoming a successful content creator.

Publishing content doesn‘t mean you’ll automatically catapult to fame. Rather, your audience and impact will hopefully improve and grow slowly.

Tracking KPIs is how you monitor that growth is happening and ensure that it does. Let me explain.

A KPI is a specific metric you’ve chosen to measure how well your content is doing against your goals. For example, if I want to reach more people on YouTube, my KPI may be channel subscribers. To reach my goal, I would:

See where my subscriber number sits currently.
Set a number and a date by which I would like to reach it.
Look at the subscriber number regularly (say weekly) to ensure my work is leading to that growth.

Some other KPIs that content creators might track include:

Number of impressions or views
Number of shares
Number of comments
Number of followers
Click-through rate (if you have a link or call-to-action present)

Monitoring metrics can also help you plan and refine your content strategy.

8. Network at every opportunity.

Great content creators know they didn’t get where they are today alone. It’s also thanks to those who taught, inspired, and pushed them to think differently. They know that there is always more to learn and to be open to new ideas.

Networking forces you to do just that. It‘s a time to connect but also listen to outside points of view.

Never miss an opportunity to get in the room with fellow creators and learn from them. That means online (they aren’t called social networks for nothing) but also in person. Attend conferences, meet-ups, and workshops.

Have business cards or your QR codes handy to stay in touch. These connections can lead to learning and professional opportunities.

9. Say what you’re thinking.

Great content creators are curious and vocal by nature. They are always looking to improve their existing knowledge and asking questions about the world around them. It’s these thoughts that lead to engaging content.

So, get in the habit of questioning the status quo.

Don’t be afraid to play devil’s advocate. Taking a less popular view on a topic can be difficult at first, but it helps you stand out and attract an audience who will be interested in what else you have to say.

Critical thinkers make great content creators.

‘Create’ Your Own Destiny

Truth #4: Not everyone has what it takes to be a content creator.

But don’t let this scare you.

Becoming a content creator comes with a lot of autonomy, and the scale of your success is in your hands.

It takes confidence to put yourself out there, but humility is needed to recognize you have to put the work in to stand out from the competition. It takes originality, authenticity, fierce dedication, keen strategy, and a great deal of self-management, resilience, and organization.

Just know that being a successful content creator starts with passion.

If you are passionate about your niche and audience and the value or message you have to share with the world, the steps outlined above will be a breeze. And more than anything, you’ll be in a prime position to launch a well-thought-out and fruitful content creation career.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in October 2013 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.