What it REALLY takes to be a successful content creator

This will surprise you...

Hello, I’m Molly and I write about my slow and simple life in the Scottish Highlands. Please subscribe to support my work and to read more of my stories. You can also find me on YouTube and shop my Etsy Store and sustainable Teemill Clothing.

I can honestly say that becoming a content creator is the hardest thing I’ve ever done.

On the face of it, you would think my previous career as a wildlife conservationist would be more challenging.

It certainly had its moments. I was used to living in some weird and wild places, such as in the middle of a bog on the tip top of Scotland, or a tiny (and I mean tiny) seabird island, with no running water and limited electricity.

Now, I didn’t need to get covered in seabird poo or tackle aggressive male capercaillie (large turkey-like bird - Google it) off roads to become a content creator, but I did have to work. And hard.

If someone told me what it really took to make it in this industry when I started, I would have been more than a little intimidated.

My intention for this post, is not to put people off, I’m proof that it is possible to make content creation work for you and carve out an immensely fulfilling life, but rather to illuminate key lessons that I wish I knew from the beginning.

Obviously this is only my experience, but these themes seem to be consistent with other creators.

So, grab yourself a brew and lets get into it

Lets talk about ‘successful’

Before I crack on, its worth mulling over what ‘successful’ really means. Going into content creation with a goal can stop that comparison game and ensure that you are building a space online that works for you.

This goal can shift over time. When I started, it was to earn a bit extra money, mostly to go towards building our Tiny Home, as well as being a creative outlet where I could connect with other like-minded souls.

When I (finally!) started to gain traction, I evolved this to wanting my business to support me full time; which its now doing. Your goal’s may be very different, but being clear on them will make your life a lot easier.

Working for free

The reality of content creation is that no one comes out of the starting blocks earning money. It can be a long slog before you start making anything at all, which is usually one of the biggest hurdles creators have to face.

The Influencer Marketing Hub reports that it usually takes 3-4 years before creators start earning substantial income.

I created content for free for almost 2 years. And even then, I only earnt a small amount that was very inconsistent. It was over 3 years before I could make a full time income and only then because I keep my expenses low.

Worse than this, I’ve even lost money, as I’ve paid for monthly subscriptions to improve my content, such as Canva, Epidemic sound and Lightworks. Let alone the amount of money I’ve spent on filming equipment…

Even now, a lot of brands will want you to work on a gifted and/or affiliate basis (I no longer do either), rather than paying a fee. You really do have to fight for your income, so be prepared. And make sure you know your worth!

Be prepared to fail

I’ll be honest, when I first started creating content, I had no idea what I was doing.

This often led me to copying others. There were a lot of cringy reels of me dancing and pointing, before I accepted that this just wasn’t me.

It took me failing, publicly and repeatedly, before I started to hone in on the content that both felt most me and resonated with an audience. Sometimes you need to be firm with yourself and face the cold hard truth. You are not growing because your content isn’t good enough.

This can feel debilitating and like a waste of time. However, like with anything worth doing in life, failing is necessary and the only way you will improve. It just takes some balls to get there!

You will make sacrifices

I started my blog when I was working full time in a demanding job as a conservationist. This meant that I had to squeeze in this work in my personal time. This was ok at first, when I was just publishing one my blog now and again.

But, to gain more readers, I started a Facebook. Then a Twitter. Then, the real time sucker, an Instagram.

I heard time and time again that, if you wanted to grow, you had to be consistent. So this is what I strived for. And it started to work.

Eventually, as my schedule was getting ridiculous, I went part time in my job as a conservationist. Although this helped to a degree, as my business grew, so did my workload.

I knew that if I wanted this to be my career, I just had to accept that I would have to work every day. I missed out on seeing friends and family. My hobbies were significantly limited. Lie-ins and lazy Sundays were a thing of the past and working from 5am to squeeze everything in was my reality. And this went on for years.

In my experience, there is no easy route. You just have to put the work in.

You need to be an expert in everything

The range of skills that you need to be a content creator is vast.

I’ve had to learn about writing, photography, videography, editing, graphic design, marketing, website design, SEO and all the nuts and bolts that come with running my own business. All of which was self-taught.

Investing time in learning is often overlooked and underappreciated. I’ve spent hours watching Skillshare classes (which, in my opinion, is the best learning platform for creators) and binging YouTube videos.

Although it felt slow at the time, there really is no point in starting if your not prepared to give it your all. Like I said earlier, you won’t grow with sub-par content, no matter how many keywords you cram in…

Lets talk income streams

It’s very uncommon for a creator, especially at the beginning of their career, to just have one income stream.

As most of this income is inconsistent and, to a certain degree, outside of your control, the wisest plan is to set up multiple income sources. Its reported that 97% of YouTubers don’t make enough from ads alone to break the US poverty line.

I currently have 5 different income streams. These include AdSense (from my YouTube), affiliate marketing, brand deals and selling my own paid products on Etsy and Teemill.

Although a lot of these are technically ‘passive’ (my paid products are digital or print on demand), there really is no such thing. I have to constantly promote my paid products and affiliate links to make these viable. If I stop posting content on my YouTube, then I get less money from AdSense.

So be prepared to wear many hats!

Is it worth it?

Yes, for me, all this time and effort has 100% been worth it. I’ve never been happier in my career.

I’m often asked how I stayed motivated when you are seemingly making little progress for your efforts. My answer is a simple one. I love it. So much so that I would do most of this work even if I wasn’t getting paid and no one was listening.

So, if you are a creator that truly loves what you do, and is realistic about what you will need to give to make this work, then there really is no stopping you.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Does any of this surprise you? Is there anything else you would add? Please do comment below!

Until next week,

Molly xx

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