Hello, and welcome to “How to Be a Content Creator.” You’ve already taken the first step to getting started: research. The most beautiful thing about the world of content creation is that there is no right or wrong way to do it, only tips and tricks for achieving the best results. Everyone has a different story to tell, a different skill to share, and a different audience to reach. The most important part is finding what you have to offer, what your passion is, and your unique way of sharing it. Content creation is the key to a plethora of opportunities that were previously unavailable before the internet. We live in a time when the concept of creating content for a worldwide audience from the comfort of your home or remote location is not a pipe dream but a reality in reach for whoever wants to take it. You have the incredible chance to instantly connect with your audience through livestreams, produced videos, or podcasts that inspire, entertain, and educate viewers around the world. So, let’s take the leap and get started.
Getting Started Creating Content
If you’re a little hesitant to get started — I get it, I’ve been there. You may think you need to buy a bunch of gear you can’t afford; I get it, I’ve been there. You may think you aren’t good enough because there are so many talented people on the internet . . . yep, been there, too. I’ve also been all over the world playing drums, built an audience of millions, and lived out my wildest dreams as a drummer and content creator because I chose to ignore those first feelings and take a leap of faith into something I loved with all my heart. Content creation changed my life, and I want to encourage you to let it change yours, too.
Misconceptions About Being a Content Creator So, how do we get this party started? Let’s start by eliminating the misconceptions that deter many potential content creators from chasing their dreams!
You have to be really good to be successful.
I will admit: being really proficient at your art makes it easier, but it’s not the determining factor. Creating an audience is not about how good you are but how well you provide value to your audience. Are you entertaining them? Are you educating or inspiring them? What are you giving them with your content? There are many drummers who can play circles around me that didn’t have the same results as I had on YouTube. My philosophy is to be relatable and accessible. I want people to watch my videos and be inspired to get behind their kits and try what I am playing, not walk away thinking, “I’ll never be able to do that.” All that is to say, no, you don’t have to be really good, you just have to make content people want to watch by providing value to them.
You have to have really nice gear to make good content.
Sure, top-level gear is nice, and sometimes you need it to pull off certain concepts to the highest level, but it is not a determining factor of whether or not you can succeed as a content creator. You’re most likely reading this on a piece of gear with a camera that is more than enough to get started (your phone or laptop). People have gotten millions of views and followers using only a phone camera, so don’t let that be what stops you. It is more about what you create than how you create it. I’ve upgraded my gear countless times through the years as my career as a content creator exploded, but in the beginning, I was creative with what gear I started with because I had to be. Be resourceful, creative, and resilient. But most importantly, focus on doing what you can to make the best content within your reach!
It’s difficult to make good content.
The first step to defeating this misconception is to focus on the concept of “good content.” What is good content? How do you quantify it? The bottom line is that “good content” is what your current or future audience wants to watch. It makes them laugh or feel inspired, or it adds value to their lives. Now that we’ve established that, it’s important to understand that the audience value of your content does not inherently lie within the production value of your content. We’ve all laughed at a poorly shot iPhone video. We’ve all been inspired by an incredible solo by our favorite artist that someone captured on their phone at a concert. Your content doesn’t need 12 camera angles, four days of production, and a big budget like you may have seen in some of the biggest YouTubers’ videos. It needs to have heart, passion, individuality, connection, or something else that sets it apart and provides value to the audience you are trying to reach. I’ve had big, expensive video shoots massively outperformed by a single-camera-angle video that took me a fraction of the time. The second-most-popular video of my entire career was shot in one take with a single GoPro and one stereo Zoom mic in the room for the audio. That video has over 37 million views. Another video with over 7 million views was shot with an entry-level DSLR and that same Zoom H2n, once again, in a single take. Those videos only took 30 minutes to edit due to their simplistic nature, but I have had thousands of people tell me that those exact videos inspired them.
Now that we’ve got the misconceptions out of the way, let’s discuss the positive concepts that can take you and your content to places you’ve never even dreamed of. I’ve put together an in-depth guide with tips and tricks for content creators that you can find here, but for now, I’ll give you a few of the most important ones to get started as a content creator.
3 Tips to Become a Content Creator
Choose a method and a subject that make you want to wake up and create.
I know this seems like common sense, but content creation has the potential to be one of those jobs that doesn’t have to be a job. Sure, there are some types of content with more potential than others and you might be tempted to copy or chase something someone else is doing successfully, but more often than not, if you aren’t passionate and excited about what you’re doing, then the passion won’t be there for your audience either.
Start for the right reasons.
I can’t stress enough how important it is that you create content because you love to do it and want to provide something great for your audience. If your main reason for becoming a content creator is money or fame and not the love of the game, then you are potentially headed straight for burnout and disappointment. In most cases, it will take time to build your career to a place that is generating the income and “success” that you may be envisioning as the ideal. I never would have made it to where I am today if I didn’t love every aspect of creating my videos.
Figure out where your passions and skills intersect with audience potential and desire.
The first two points are crucial to the potential success of your career, but from an engagement standpoint, the bottom line comes from the audience potential. It is important you are creating content you love to make, but it is equally important that you are creating content that your future audience is watching and searching for. This is especially true in the beginning stages when you don’t have a built-in following to help push new content. If no one is looking for it, then you will have a hard time building an audience.
What Gear Do You Need to Be a Content Creator?
Here we are at the part of the article where we try to sell you something, right? It’s true: Sweetwater would love to help you get your hands on all the awesome gear to create the best content and make amazing music, but we also want to inspire you to go after your dreams even if you don’t have the budget to buy all the top gear you see in the content you watch. At the very core of being a content creator is the creative and resourceful drive to make the best content you can with whatever you can get your hands on. For example, when I got started, I had enough money for a mic, but not a camera, so I used the webcam on a computer for my camera angle. That doesn’t sound all that impressive or resourceful, right? It doesn’t until I mention that I really wanted an overhead angle, so I used a ladder, 2x4s, and dumbbells to counterbalance and suspend the computer above my drum set to get it. Sometimes, in the world of creating content without huge budgets and huge teams, you just get it done. These days, it is a lot more accessible when everyone is carrying around a great camera in their pocket.
What Content Creator Gear Should You Buy?
We’ve got an in-depth write-up on every piece of gear you need to be a content creator here, but for now, this is how I think of which gear should get your budget first. If you lump gear into categories and place them into a hierarchy of importance, then I would put them in this order:
- Lighting
- Audio
- Video
This is, of course, dependent upon what kind of content you are making. I wouldn’t suggest lighting before audio for a podcast, but for any other scenario, an affordable ring light or video light is the easiest way to make a huge impact on your content.
Lighting is paramount to how a camera acts and performs. I would much rather shoot a video on my iPhone with good lighting than buy a camera upgrade and not light the video well.
This same principal rings true with audio. A high-end camera shot with unpleasant audio will be quick to bounce a potential viewer, but a viewer is much more likely to stick around if the video sounds good and is a well-lit phone camera shot.
With those considerations, I’ve included my top 10 picks for a newer content creator at the bottom of the article. If you want to make a big impact without breaking the bank, then these are great options for creating great content and upgrading your current setup.
Start Producing Your Own Content!
I truly hope this article has been helpful to you and makes you want to take the leap and start creating content of your own. If you have any questions about gear that I didn’t answer, then you can always reach out to your personal Sweetwater Sales Engineer at (800) 222-4700 to help walk you through whatever piece of gear or setup your content-creating heart requires. Be sure to sign up for the “Top Tips and Tricks for Content Creators” so that you can get the most out of your new gear and inspiration!
Top 10 Pieces of Gear for a Newer Content Creator
Gator Frameworks 2-pack 10-inch Ring Light Set
Two ring lights provide enough light to make a great impact, especially if you can get them close to you.
Nanlite LumiPad 25 Soft LED Light Panel
For more of a standard light-panel option, this also offers you the ability to power it with Sony NP-F batteries for travel shoots and greater flexibility.
Zoom Q2n-4K Handy Video Recorder
For an all-in-one solution with upgraded audio and video, this is a great option. It’s a cost-effective way to add a great stereo mic and a camera to your arsenal all at once. If you light your set well and adjust your audio gain, then you will have content that looks and sounds good without much effort at all.
TASCAM Portacapture X8
A field recorder such as this is an excellent upgrade that allows you the ultimate freedom of location to record individual mics for a podcast or band scenario and supplies a built-in stereo mic for quick, easy recordings.
RODE Wireless Go II
This wireless mic system allows the ultimate freedom for recording your voice on the go or in the studio. Clip it on your shirt or mount it to your camera or phone to record great audio directly to your video. You can also record internally to the mic pack without the need to run it into your video source. They have a two-pack if you would like to do interviews or feature someone else on camera with you.
DJI Osmo Mobile 6 Smartphone Stabilizer
You haven’t fully unlocked the power of your phone until you get one of these. Excellent walk-around shots, easy vlogging, great b-roll . . . stabilizing your phone camera will take its capability to the next level. I have very high-end cameras, but in many scenarios, I find myself using my iPhone and this gimbal because it’s great!
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2
If you are ready to settle down with a more traditional studio setup, then a Scarlett 2i2 allows flexibility for up to two mics for a podcast, the ability to track vocals and an instrument, or a stereo pair of mics for a room. Grab a bigger size if you need more mic inputs.
GoPro HERO12 Black Creator Edition
If lighting is already great, then this GoPro bundle gives you the option to upgrade your current camera setup or add another camera to the mix with a built-in mic upgrade and additional light. The media mod allows you to use the HDMI out for livestreaming.
Panasonic Lumix G7 4K
This is a great step into the DSLR world with a 4K-capable camera for an accessible price. The 14mm–42mm lens is wide enough for a variety of situations, and the flip-out screen is great for vlogging or DIY shoots to watch your shot. Pair it with an on-camera mic for even greater flexibility and results.
Insta360 Link AI-powered 4K Webcam
This is a great, low-cost solution for streaming, Zoom calls, videos, and presentations. This camera does all the work for you to ensure it looks its best even when you move or adjust within your shot.