The year was 2019, and a mega influencer with 2.6 million followers failed to sell 36 t-shirts. Business Insider wrote an article about it, claiming that the experience wasn’t unique. Making money as a content creator in 2024 is entirely possible as it is an incredibly lucrative career. So long as you approach it strategically.
Top-earning content creators have set their businesses up for success through diversifying their income streams and marketing platforms. In this post, I’ll outline 8 ways to make more money as a content creator in 2024 (and beyond), and how you can get started right away.
8 Proven Ways to Make More Money as a Content Creator in 2024 (and Beyond)
Collaborating with a brand isn’t the only way to make money as a content creator. In fact, establishing several different sources of income won’t just safeguard your business; it’ll set you up for sustainable growth that isn’t reliant on a single source.
As the creator economy continues to grow, there are abundant opportunities for content creators to expand their business.
Let’s start by understanding…
What’s the Difference Between a Content Creator and an Influencer?
Some people use the terms “content creator” and “influencer” interchangeably. However, there’s a slight difference between the two.
Here’s how the CreateHer Empire team defines and differentiates between the two:
- A content creator is someone who creates digital content.
- An influencer is someone who uses the influence of their platform to promote products.
Of course, there are a lot of similarities between the two, and being a great influencer or content creator combines elements found in both.
For example, great influencers and content creators understand personal branding, content creation, and effective marketing. What sets them apart is that influencers are mainly public personalities. And while content creators can be as well, they are often more diverse in the services they offer.
How Much Money Do Influencers and Content Creators Make?
There’s no one-size-fits-all monetization approach. The Creator Bootcamp has seen both influencers and content creators build 6-figure businesses.
We’ve also seen content creators who offer it as a side hustle while maintaining their day jobs.
When it comes to how much money you can make, the sky really is the limit. Like any business, it depends on how far you want to take it, how you scale it, and your overall monetization strategy.
With that being said, here are 8 ways to make more money as a content creator this year so that you can build a solid monetization strategy and grow your business.
#1 User-generated content
Brands and businesses don’t just rely on brand partnerships to get the word out. User-generated content plays an important role in a brand’s marketing strategy as it shows real-life people who aren’t celebrities or mega influencers using and incorporating their products into their everyday lives.
User-generated content increases the trust and likeability of a brand’s product or services because they show every day people using and review their product.
It’s also a great entryway for aspiring influencers so that they can start monetizing through content creation, even before they’ve built up their own following.
How to Get Paid for User-Generated Content Creation
Similar to landing brand collaborations, content creators should reach out and pitch for user-generated content creation opportunities.
But before you do this, make sure you have the following:
- A niche that you’ll genuinely love
- Examples of your work in a portfolio
- A running list of brands that align with your niche
- A strong pitch and the value your content brings to the brand
#2 Social media management
Content creation is an in-demand skill that brands and businesses everywhere can benefit from. Not only has social media become an integral part of marketing in 2024, it has become as important as a website for brands.
Having a social media presence increases awareness and visibility for brands. Oftentimes, new prospects who are interested will turn to Instagram to check out a brand before they decide to become customers themselves.
As a content creator, you have valuable insight into creating captivating content that draws an audience in. You’ll also have knowledge of how platforms like Instagram and TikTok work. Whereas business owners will likely not have enough time to understand the ins and outs of content creation.
Not to mention, they won’t have the time to navigate these fast-paced platforms.
How to Make More Money Through Social Media Management
Companies are often looking for social media managers through different job listing sites. They’ll also often turn to social media to post open positions.
If you’re planning to work with online coaches, course creators, and service providers, our favorite place to look is in networking groups for entrepreneurs on Facebook. LinkedIn is also a great place to find opportunities for social media management roles.
To set yourself up for success, you’ll want to make sure you have the following:
- An updated resume that includes your content creation experience (if applicable)
- A portfolio showcasing your work
Read this article on the 12 steps to becoming a social media manager
#3 Grow Your Own Platform (blog and email list)
One of our favorite ways to make more money as a content creator – growing your own platform through a blog and email list. We highly recommend influencers and content creators alike to do so for several reasons:
- Unlike Instagram and TikTok, your blog and email list is a platform you have absolute control over.
- You’ll be able to reach the audience you work so hard to grow any time you want.
- Your growth and reach is more manageable with an understanding of SEO and Pinterest.
- Your blog posts are searchable and discoverable for years to come, unlike your Instagram posts.
- You’re able to negotiate up to 75% more for a brand partnership if you have a blog and email list (that’s what our Blogger Bootcamp students have done!)
How to Make More Money with a Blog as a Content Creator
Having a blog and email list is a great way to expand and diversify your income as a content creator. Not only can you ask for a higher pay from brands just by adding a blog deliverable, you can also establish several streams of income.
Ad placements on your blog are an easy way to monetize your blog passively. Additionally, affiliate marketing (more on that later) is way easier on your blog and email list, since you can add a direct link to a product unlike on an Instagram post.
Finally, if you plan on selling your own products or online courses in the future, building a blog is a great way to establish credibility so you don’t run into the same issue our mega influencer did when she tried to sell her shirts.
Starting a blog can feel like a huge undertaking. Which is why I’ve compiled a list of free resources to kickstart your journey off on the right foot.
- A Step-by-Step Guide to Starting a Blog
- Are Blogs Dead? 6 Reasons Why You Need a Blog For Your Biz
- How I Grew My Email List from 0 to 100k (and How You Can Too)
- How to Use Pinterest to Grow Your Blog Traffic and Email List
- 4 Steps to Creating a Follow-Worthy Blog That Makes $5k Per Month
#4 Affiliate Marketing
If you have a small following or readership, chances are they’ll want to know where you got something at some point. With affiliate marketing, you’re able to share links to your recommended and requested products while earning a few more dollars in the meantime.
With your affiliate link, you’ll earn a small commission at no extra cost to your audience, should they choose to make a purchase through your links.
How to Get Started With Affiliate Marketing
Amazon Shop and LTK are very popular affiliate programs, but different brands and businesses might have affiliate programs of their own.
#5 Create Your Own Products
eBooks, presets, accessories… yes, even T-shirts—the options are endless. I was hesitant to put this on the list simply because this article opened with an anecdote about a mega influencer not being able to sell out of her T-shirts.
While selling your own products is a great way to diversify your income, you need to make sure that you have an engaged audience to sell to.
It’s why instead of trying to reach millions of people, I believe in taking good care of your audience and nurturing them consistently.
How to Decide Which Product is Right For You and Your Audience
The key to ensuring that your audience wants to purchase your product is to ensure that whatever you’re creating is a good fit.
This blog post and podcast episode will help you determine what your audience wants most.
#6 Offer Coaching or Consultation as a Freelancer
Coaching or consulting in your niche is a great way to make more money and expand your business as a content creator.
For example, if you’re a nutritionist who makes content on meal prepping, you can offer coaching services where you work with clients one-on-one. Or, if you’re a sustainable fashion content creator, you could offer coaching or consultation services where you help build a sustainable wardrobe for clients.
How to Start Offering Coaching or Consultation Services
Start by building an engaged following as a content creator. The more consistent you are with your content, the more your audience will be aware of your expertise and experience.
While you don’t necessarily have to have a website for someone to book your services, building one that is attached to your blog will definitely help. And if you have an email list, it would be a great avenue for you to inform your audience whenever you have coaching or consultation spots available.
#7 Monetize With Subscriptions
Whether you’re using Instagram’s subscription feature, or if you’re setting a subscription service on Patreon, Substack, or even a premium version of your podcast (if you have one)…
Subscriptions are a great way to generate revenue as a content creator.
How to Get Started with Subscriptions
You’ll want to pick your platform. Here are some of the most popular options:
- Patreon
- Substack
- Or Instagram subscriptions for convenience
Sign up for your account and set your tiers/monthly pricing and what your subscribers will get each month.
Make sure that you’re offering immense value to your subscribers that they can’t get for free on your social media or blog.
#8 Create an Online Course
Last but not least, creating an online course is a great way to scale your income without sacrificing additional time and energy.
The best part of creating an online course is that you can work on it simultaneously as any of the other monetization strategies listed above. In fact, doing so might work in your favor as you’ll have more insight into what your audience wants from you.
For instance, if you’re seeing that your audience is responding well to a certain type of affiliate link, there might be a topic around the product that they’re interested in. Say you’re a home-keeping influencer, and you notice an uptick in sales from peel-and-stick tiles.
Your online course topic could potentially be rental-friendly hacks to create a space that’s uniquely their own.
How to Create Your Online Course
CreateHer Empire has a ton of resources to help you get started on creating and launching your online course, including:
- 5 Steps to Making $10k Per Month With an Online Course
- How to Launch an Online Course: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide with Checklist
- How to Find Your Most Profitable Course Topic and Idea
- How to Sell an Online Course When You Have a Small Audience
Phew! That’s all I’ve got for you today.
Pick your favorite few monetization strategies and get ready for your bank account to be well-fed.
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