FIVE Common Mistakes ALL Content Creators Make!
FIVE common mistakes ALL content creators make! What are they? Why do we make them? and how do we learn from them?
That’s right, in my latest blog post I thought it might be fun to put aside all of the theme park jabber for a few minutes and discuss some of the most common mistakes I have found myself making which in hindsight EVERYONE (I have talked to at least) seems to make.
Now, let’s face it, nobodies perfect! No matter how hard you may try (and trust me, I have) you’re NEVER going to get things perfect all of the time. But which lessons from my nearly six years of content creation stand out as being some of the most significant? Let’s discuss….
1 – Not Everyone Will Like You.
The first, and probably the most important lesson to learn when you begin your life as a content creator is THIS – not EVERYONE is going to like you!
No matter how hard you try, no matter how neutral you may think you’re being, there will ALWAYS be people out there who just simply don’t like you.
You may not have spoken to them, you might not have even meant to upset them, but in reality, everyone is different. Now yes, this is definitely a good thing, but not everyone will either like or agree with what you have to say.
The main thing is to step back and realise this is okay and not try to take anything personally (or to heart). The online world can be a cruel place and one where people feel the most empowered to be the most direct which can result in offensive comments or opinions being shared. Ignore them and carry on.
2 – Stay TRUE To Yourself.
There will be times when you doubt the content you make, whether you should keep it online and whether or not it might upset others. The truth is, if you truly believe and stand by what you have shared and honestly believe it’s the truth, then that’s all that matters.
in truth, sharing your honest thoughts and standing by them is always the best policy. Never try to sugar coat or create a false impression, it will ALWAYS come back to bite you in the backside.
Being true to you and not falling under the influence of others gives you the strength to create an individual stance and one which will stand out above all others.
More to point, it’s you and in being this way you create a real sense of relate-ability which many will in turn help others relate to you as an individual.
It’s so easy to think it’s better to say what others want to hear, but if you don’t believe it yourself then why would you recommend it to others or tell other people about it?
3 – Be Careful Who You Trust!
This is perhaps one of the steepest learning curves I have traversed during my time creating content – not EVERYONE is who they first appear to be.
Now, I’ve never been the most trusting person to begin with, so as I have continued to grow my following there have been many who have approached me for a variety of different reasons.
Some have been truthful about who they are and have remained either good friends or close acquaintances. Others however have approached me with alternate intentions, some of which have caused me a lot of problems both personally and professionally.
Now no, I’m not going to name names, that’s just not who I am but suffice it to say I have learned about some a little too late.
Regardless, I have found the best approach is to keep your friend circle small and your professional life as a content creator separate from your personal life.
At the end of the day you will meet lots of new and wonderful people along the way, but just remember this – be CAREFUL who you let in! Some will be dishonest and will harbor a much more sinister, selfish reason for seeking your friendship.
4 – Never Hit ‘Delete’.
There are days where we all feel like hitting the reset button, giving up and jacking it all in. The key as a content creator is to realise this is perfectly normal.
There will be days where you question why you bother, whether or not you should keep going and whether what you’re creating is worth all the time and effort it involves.
The key here is to fight through these days and resist any urge you have (no matter how strong it may appear) to hit that highly tempting ‘delete profile/page/channel’ button.
Moments of exhaustion and burn out are temporary. No two different days are the same and there will always be times where doing what you love will pay off ten fold.
It’s also important to realise that you’re not just going to blow up overnight. Building a trusted following and a reputation takes time no matter what avenue you cover and in order to succeed and flourish as a content creator it’s important to be patient, persistent and consistent.
Over the past 2 to 3 years there have been times where I have almost done this, but in hindsight fighting past them and carrying on has been the best possible thing I could’ve done!
5 – DON’T Focus On The Numbers.
This last mistake is one we ALL make! I have seen so many creators get wrapped up in setting unrealistic personal goals and then beating themselves up when they don’t reach them.
As much as your following IS important, what’s more so is creating content for the right reasons. When you feel yourself getting bogged down on losing followers or subscribers take a moment and remember the reason you began your journey as a creator in the first place.
I like many have found myself focusing on hitting those same goals, reaching a certain following by year end and then getting disappointed when it hasn’t happened. In these instances I stop myself and remember, the numbers are irrelevant.
What’s most important is still finding joy in creating content I want to see myself. The reason I first began (and the reason I still do it now) is to create memories and document moments in my life as a father and husband I can look back on in the long run.
Filming videos, covering current news and sharing posts like this are all things I will look back on in the years to come and in turn they’ll help me remember the amazing times I’ve had doing this.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for EVERY single follower I have, but even if I manage to entertain or bring a smile to just one person’s face then that’s good enough for me. The rest is a MASSIVE bonus!!
Final Thoughts.
So, there you have it! Those are perhaps the FIVE most prominent lessons I have learnt as a content creator during my time as TPI.
There are many other mistakes we all seem to make creating content as well, probably too many to list, but having spoken with others doing the same thing as me over the years these seem to be the ones that stand out as being the most common.
Hopefully if you’ve got this far you might have found you too can relate to a few of them, but remember this, you’re doing amazing!
As long as you keep consistent, create content for you and enjoy what you do then in all truth, the rest is relative.
The most important thing is enjoying what you do because the moment you stop enjoying creating content, it’s already too late.
Thanks very much for reading! – Joe.
