Creators. Who Are They and What They Do?

On average, 7.5 million blogs are posted every day, there are over 96,000 search queries every second on Google, and over 550 new social media users each minute—t’s undeniable content creation and curation have become a big part of today’s society and a popular way of doing business.

Have you ever stopped for a second and took some time to think about a world without your favorite blog to stay up to date with the latest fashion, food industry, entertainment, or simply digital trends? Have you stopped and wondered what social media would be like without anyone to create your favorite videos, capture the breathtaking photographs that take us to the never-seen corners of the world, or a world where no one is there to write the captivating and alluring captions so many of us love?

We certainly have thought about all of these and more, and can’t think but feel grateful for the creative minds and innovative thinkers that make all of this a reality. To be honest, without creators none of what we call marketing, social media, or digital entertainment could be possible. When it comes to advertisement copy, digital marketing, ecommerce, photography, brand identity, blogging, all the way to product reviews and photographs, creators are the ones to thank and set the foundation to make it all happen.

No matter the kind of business you run, the content creation you display will either help you attract new clients and customers or completely destroy your reputation. No matter what anyone has to say, content is a vital component when it comes to having a strong online presence and ultimately serves as the glue that keeps everything we call the digital world together.

With this in mind, we didn’t have to think twice about taking some time to discuss what exactly creators are and all they do for us as ecommerce owners, digital consumers, shoppers looking to learn about a product we find interesting or simply creative fanatics that enjoy anything that has to do with pushing our abilities beyond their limits.

If there is one thing you’re likely to take from this article is the unbreakable bond between marketing and content creation, and how without creators none of what we call ecommerce or digital entertainment would even be considered possible.

Without further ado, let’s jump right in and find out more about who creators are, what they do, and how you can become one yourself.

What Is a Content Creator and How Did It Become a Thing?

The term content creator is considered a relatively new one, emerging from the increased need and popularity of those who create entertaining and educational material for a specific audience.

Previously referred to as content curators, the art of content creation is often used by many when asked what they do for a living, implying an unlimited number of responsibilities and sources of income. However, based on today’s worldview of what a content creator is, we can technically say this is not merely a modern profession created by a lack of opportunities and a failing job market. When we take a look at the past, we quickly discover this is something that has been practiced by many, even before social media was even thought about, or digital marketing was even a thing.

The humble beginnings of something big

For example, the earliest content creation piece that has been documented is thought to be John Deere’s popular magazine The Furrow, founded in 1895. It used to include stories many people enjoyed reading and provide readers with original content and information they could later use and apply to everyday life.

Benjamin Franklin is also believed to have adopted the trend back as early as 1732 when he decided to promote his printing business through his yearly almanac, Poor Richard’s Almanack. Then, in the 1800’s the concept of content creation was even more formalized when Bookstore Librairie Galignani opened a room specifically for showcasing featured articles and books of influential authors at the time. From this, we can already begin to see the big need for creators and that what they do is far more than a hobby or way of entertainment.

Poor Richard’s Almanack

Contrary to popular belief, it’s more than clear that creators have been an indispensable part of not only today’s society and the era of technology but also of past generations and the legacy they’ve left us. It can be easy to bypass their role in our day-to-day lives as much of what they do goes unseen or shadowed by the noise of today’s busy and always on the go society. Nonetheless, from ad copy, newspapers, books, magazines, memes, pictures, and so much more, it’s undeniable all of these have in common the need for a creative mind to make them all possible. And due to reasons like these and many more, it’s more than clear that content creation is a profession of not only today’s youth, but more so one that has been coming to fruition and evolving for decades, and that appears to be here to stay.

Defining what a content creator does

Now that we understand a little more of the history and roots of the term “creator” or “content creator”, and how it came to be, why don’t we learn a little more about what they do and who they are? In its simplest form and definition, a content creator is someone in charge of the creative material, whether written, verbal, visual, or digital, necessary to communicate a specific message or idea to the public or a particular group of people.

A creator’s responsibilities vary from day to day and can include all of the following:

• Production of sales copy for an advertisement
• Writing blog posts related to industry-related topics and trends
• Taking part in the creative process of visual or audible content of a specific promotion
• Promote a business’s values and identity on social media
• Take part in a company’s podcast or newsletter
• Put out engaging infographics or videos meant to keep followers engaged and in touch with the company

Ultimately, a creator or content creator is typically familiarized with an umbrella of creative principles and obligations, taking on an array of responsibilities needed to promote the public’s interest and evoke a specific response.

A content creator is capable of discerning what can be of value to their audience, and make connections others can’t in order to communicate a message through the reader, follower, viewer, or shopper’s mind. They can contribute to almost any part of a brand’s digital and offline presence, and usually help build it from scratch if necessary.

As a content creator, you can expect to break through stereotypes and obstacles hindering a business’s performance, while building new channels and ways of communication to ultimately generate more sales and conversions.

4 Types of Creators by Method of Employment

Very few careers or professions out there offer the same number of opportunities and diversity that come from being a content creator. One quick look into the day-to-day life of a creator is all it takes to realize the myriad of routes one can take. With so much diversity and distinction in responsibilities comes different types and categories. Let’s take a quick look at some of the most popular types of content creators broken down by method of employment and responsibilities.

If you’re a creator looking to be hired, or a business looking to bring one aboard, you can opt to work or hire someone under any of the four different routes we’re about to cover next.

In-House

One of the most traditional ways of hiring a content creator is in-house. This simply means to be hired as a salaried employee of a company. Under this method of employment,  a content creator is eligible for benefits, paid vacation, and all of its energy and focus is dedicated to only one client or business.

In-house creators usually imply a bigger investment; however, they get the opportunity to become more familiarized and experienced with the company’s brand and values. This is as they focus all of their time and attention only on further advancing the company’s mission. This is usually a better option for more established companies who require new content on a regular basis.

Not all creators enjoy working under this method, with many preferring the flexibility offered under the upcoming methods of employment.

Freelance

Next on our list are freelance content creators. Freelancers are usually hired on a contract basis, which can be terminated anytime by either party. They’re usually contacted and paid only when needed, and don’t receive the same level of benefits and perks as a full-time employee. Although the pay and benefits might be less than working in-house, many opt for this route due to the flexibility of working on their own time and schedule.

Freelancers are slowly taking over the industry of content creation, with more than 59 million Americans opting to work independently. The number has been drastically increasing since 2014, promising a whole new dimension of opportunities for those interested in becoming part of the industry.

Data source

Freelancing can oftentimes benefit both sides– businesses and creators–by creating the perfect work-life balance many cherish. The trick is working for reputable companies that don’t seek to take advantage of a freelancer’s time, and on the other hand, avoiding hiring freelancers that show no respect for deadlines and quality of work.

Agency

Then we have creative agencies. An agency oftentimes offers the middle ground between hiring in-house vs hiring someone independently. Many times agencies themselves hire in-house or freelance creators, to then offer their services to a bigger company in need of them. Working with an agency typically results in less money than hiring someone full-time, and less risky than hiring someone independently. They can usually handle a company’s entire content creation department, saving the need for them to put together a whole marketing or creative team.

8 Popular Types of Creators Categorized by Industry

The truth is anyone can be a content creator if they can bring value and enhance an organization’s or industry’s communication with its audience, making it easily digestible and appealing to the public. This is whether it is done in a visual, auditory, written, kinesthetic, or physical form. Based on this, here are 8 popular types of content creators according to the industry or specific area they focus on.

1. Sales content creator

A sales creator’s main area of concern is making sure customers are inspired and motivated to purchase a specific product or service. They usually do this through the generation of sales pitches, strategic methods of communication, generation of client testimonials, Youtube advertisements, and sales events.

2. Beauty content creators

These kinds of creators include those who generate beauty-based content like make-up tutorials, skincare routines, hair tutorials, and basically anything that has to do with the art of changing one’s appearance. They’re usually in charge of creating content their followers or audience find useful while also educating them about a specific product they might find useful.

3. Podcaster content creators

This particular type of content creator is less visual, relying more on the art of audible content creation. They are usually agile when it comes to communicating a topic or view in a way that keeps the listener engaged and wanting to hear more. Podcasters mainly put out content related to interviews, talk shows, audio scripts, and contests, always creatively demonstrating their knowledge and fascination for the topic being discussed.

4. Website content creators

Website creators are in charge of the creation and development of a business’s landing page, sales copy, graphic design, and so much more. They take care of everything related to a business’s web page and web user experience. This is whether the business is a seven-figure one or a medical doctor’s office. The sky is the limit when it comes to web content creation. moreover, the key is to put out content the audience finds useful and engaging.

5. App creators

When referring to app creators or developers, we’re talking about the type of creators whose primary responsibilities include the creation and programming of an application or software that bundles together a number of specific computer and mobile features or a specific service. All with the final goal to make it easily accessible to the public. We can say their ultimate goal is to make our lives easier, providing solutions to common problems of the digital and physical world.

App creators require high-level programming and technical skills, plus, a genuine problem-solving mentality and excellent attention to detail. As creators, they can only go as far as their creativity and imagination allow; without a doubt, they’re an essential part of today’s digital era.

6. Writer content/creators

A writer/creator is usually not limited to one specific area. As a writer, they can expect to take on multiple writing projects, from promotional books, newsletters, blogs, ad copy, email marketing, short stories, screenwriting, to social media posts, and more.

They need to be able to reflect and interpret daily world activities, products, services, and tasks, in a way that compels and inspires, provoking their reader’s emotions and interest. Depending on who you are, becoming a writer can be either the easiest job in the world or something you pull your hair over—there is no in-between!

Writers are in charge of most of the content so many of us enjoy, including answers to our questions from a quick online search, or a brief description of a product you’re thinking of purchasing. From daily news to college books, we have writers to thank for making them a reality. Behind the silliest or smallest of all things that you can imagine—including this blog we hope you’ve enjoyed reading as much as we have enjoyed writing it!—you can thank a writer creator somewhere in the world for it.

7. Photography content creator

Photography creators are the ones to thank for all of the beautiful photographs and memorable captures of the moments we love for. Photographers do so much more than taking pictures. They make stories and connect the dots no one sees, bringing to us a beautiful and original angle of the things we love and cherish.

Just think about it, from wedding and college photos to the unending and uncapturable majesty of the natural world, these creators make it possible for us to live and experience them through the art of taking photographs, It takes more than a good camera lens to achieve this; it takes passion, dedication, attention to detail, and an eye for the unseen and unimaginable.

We sure love and appreciate them, and couldn’t imagine a world without them to capture our favorite memories and bring to life our businesses’ stories. Just imagine trying to sell a product online without a picture of the item!

8. Social media content creators

Last, but not least, the final creator we’ll be covering today is social media creators. They are responsible for uploading and creating content to social media platforms. They can either be part of a specific company’s social media team or simply choose to put out content on their own as they build their fan base or promote their business. The reality is, most, if not all of the creators we have covered today, in some shape or form, take part in the social media creator’s category. This is as they put their content out to showcase their abilities or simply for the public to enjoy.

More Than We Could Ever Mention…

As we briefly stated earlier, there is an unlimited number of creators out there, with all of them offering some kind of value or solution to our day-to-day lives. Unfortunately, it’ll be impossible to cover all of them in one single post. However, they know who they’re and how much of an impact they have on this world.

How to Become a Creator

Great, so now you have a clear understanding of what a creator is and what they do, the many types of industries they work in, and how diverse of a career it can be. The truth is being a creator comes with its pros and cons like any other profession or job out there, however, for those who enjoy creating and coming up with innovative ideas and solutions, this can be a very rewarding career choice.

Perhaps now that you have some idea of the kind of industry you see yourself in and the type of content you want to create and share with the world, you might be wondering how you can become a creator yourself.

Ready?

Here are a few tips and recommendations from a fellow creator on how you can become one yourself and kickstart your career to begin doing what you love.

Let’s go!

Create a portfolio

The first thing you need to work on is an online portfolio or website for clients to learn about you and book your services.

Sure, emailing individual work samples or showing your social media accounts is nice and all, but nothing speaks louder than a professional-looking portfolio that showcases your best work and talks about your experience. Social media accounts only showcase your most recent work, and many times we don’t even have enough followers, making us look like amateurs who lack experience.

With an online portfolio or website, you can easily choose the kind of work your clients see, you get to choose the background and theme, add information about you and your experience, and filter out any distractions or unnecessary comments or reviews of your work. You can also choose to work on your website’s SEO, helping you reach a wider audience. Another awesome perk of having an online portfolio is the ability to accept payments directly, offering your clients a safe and secure transaction method.

We understand it can be hard to know what to add to your portfolio when you’re just starting, and many times owning a website can get expensive. However, we recommend you start by doing a couple of free projects if necessary or work with family members to have something to add and showcase on your site. And when it comes to affordability, we advise you to keep reading to learn how you can get started for free. And yes, you read that right, for free! Stay tuned.

Network

We know this is usually thrown around by many when it comes to landing a job as a creator—this can be to the point where it can easily become annoying. Unfortunately, if you were expecting us to say this is not necessary, we might have some bad news for you.

The reality is that networking can truly change your career path for the better, helping you connect with other like-minded individuals in search of what you have to offer.

So, shake away the nerves and put yourself out there! This is Whether it be on a social media platform like Linkedin, local groups or conferences, launch events, or any other place or space where creators like you gather to showcase their abilities and get to know new clients. You’ll be surprised by the kind of relationships you could end up building and keeping for life!

Market yourself

You might be thinking: alright, you lost it—Do I look like some kind of product to be advertising myself? Well, the answer is clearly no; however, you do offer a service others need in exchange for monetary compensation or some kind of benefit. With this in mind, just like any other service, no one can know about it if the voice is not spread.

Consider getting to know those who are interested in what you have to offer, and perhaps reaching out to them through email, social media, or phone call. Also, partnering and collaborating with other creators is a great way to put yourself and your work out there. Get creative with this part and don’t forget to be patient. Opportunities don’t come from one night to the other but after consistent hard work and effort.

Ecwid for Creators

Alright, now that you know all about creators and how to become one yourself, here is how we can help. Remember we had told you to stay tuned to find out how you can get a portfolio or website for free to showcase your work and send to your clients, this is it!

With Ecwid you have everything you need—all in one place! By signing up with Ecwid, you get access to an unlimited number of tools and resources, including a free portfolio site for your business. As a creator, you are running your own business, and we’ll be expected to work on your online presence and the forefront of your store, in this case, your portfolio.

At Ecwid we’re proud to say we’ve helped thousands of small businesses, including creators, run and power their websites, providing them with secure transactions and high customization at no cost to them.

You can link your Ecwid portfolio right on your biggest social media channels, launch your first ad campaign, manage your site’s theme and background, and answer all of your clients’ messages directly, all without any monthly fees to get in the way of you getting started. No hidden fees or costs, what you see is what you get.

Turning Dreams Into Reality

No matter who you are, where you come from, or where life has you right now if you feel you have a lot more to offer the world, regardless of how insignificant you think it is,  know the chances are high that someone out there is in need of just that.

Don’t be afraid to put your work out there. We encourage you to not let the high number of creators out there discourage you and make you believe there are just too many people already who can offer what you do. Instead, let this be of encouragement to you that if thousands of others have done it, so can you.

As you probably got from this article, the world thrives and runs on creative minds and innovative thinkers like you, who are ready to take the plunge.

Tell us down in the comments if any of the types of creators we covered in today’s blog sound like you!! And, just know we love and appreciate all that you do as a creator or future one. Thank you for helping us see things differently and see the bigger picture in everything!

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Learn more

• Creators. Who Are They and What They Do?
• How Creators Can Monetize Instagram
• The Best Content Creator Tools For Social Media Influencers
• Content Creation and Making Money Online