How One Creator Did It

Welcome to the most recent installment of our sequence, Creators Unlocked, the place we converse with creators to grasp what it is like behind the screens of the tweets and TikToks to study from their experiences.

Immediately, we’re unlocking Katie Xu’s creator journey, from being the mind behind the social media accounts of firms like Kapwing to being a TikTok creator with 80,000+ followers.

Katie’s TikTok has grown in leaps and bounds due to a number of viral movies that includes her evaluation and recommendation about what makes a profitable creator. On this interview, we focus on Katie’s unconventional strategy to advising creators and have a look at her plans for progress as a creator.

Q: What impressed you to begin creating content material on social media?

I’ve all the time been desirous about social media and have been creating content material for a very long time – a minimum of since center college. Earlier than, it was for myself, golf equipment in school, or the cafe I labored at. However I solely began just lately creating content material to construct my private model.

It took some time to get to that time as a result of I needed to take time to collect the braveness to lastly begin placing myself on the market. Till this level, I had been hiding behind different manufacturers, operating their social media as a enterprise. Now, I really feel like inspiring and empowering folks by way of content material and have even began getting messages that my movies assist folks get the braveness to begin for themselves.

Q: And what was the push to get began doing social media for your self, not simply different folks?

I stumbled upon freelancing by accident, nevertheless it opened me to a world of people that had been doing enterprise with no social media presence, and I grew to become the person who helped them do this. That was eye-opening to the significance of social media in entrepreneurship. As I constructed experience in social media, I noticed a chance to construct my private model and that was what obtained me began.

Q: What sort of content material do you create, and who do you create it for?

The dearth of a distinct segment doesn’t assist a lot right here, however the content material I create paperwork my journey as an entrepreneur and content material creator and helps me share my ideas, concepts, opinions, and experiences with all my numerous endeavors. The best viewers is aspiring content material creators and entrepreneurs, however I hope my content material can attain and assist a broader viewers.

Q: What’s in your software stack for content material creation?

For video creation, TikTok is the place it’s at. I don’t like creating movies outdoors it as a result of it provides too many steps to my workflow, which I prefer to hold easy. Even when modifying for shoppers, I log into their TikToks as a result of it feels extra pure and native.

When it comes to monetizing my platform, I take advantage of Stan for my link-in-bio as a result of the consumer expertise is so clear. And it makes the circulate of buying [my products and services] simpler for my viewers.

Q: What are your targets for 2023, and the way will you measure their success?

When it comes to content material creation, I’d say diversifying my model and making a long-term, sustainable enterprise out of it. That’s my final purpose as a result of whereas I really like creating on TikTok, a platform that you simply don’t personal could be taken away at any time. The algorithm can resolve sooner or later to cease pushing my content material.

Additionally, some background: I took a spot yr to pursue content material creation and I’ll be going again within the Fall [of 2023]. After I do, ideally, I’ll have a model that I can take with me and proceed to doc my life.

Q: That’s so fascinating – by way of diversifying, what platforms are you contemplating? Are you trying outdoors of social media?

Undoubtedly – I wish to construct a publication or a minimum of an electronic mail record. I’ve heard from many creators how necessary it’s, and I positively see the significance as I slowly begin to construct my very own. It’s comforting to know that I can all the time attain my viewers.

I’m additionally tentatively contemplating beginning a podcast – and I say that as a result of I’m hesitant to leap on simply any medium or platform as a result of I prioritize focus and doing issues properly. However you may maintain folks’s consideration significantly better with a publication or 30-minute podcast than a brief video. The devoted readers and listeners actually develop into your core viewers.

Q: The concepts you share on social media lean in direction of the unconventional. What would you say your artistic course of is like? How do you give you concepts for content material?

I might say my methodology of arising with movies can also be a part of the unconventional goodness of my content material. Earlier than attending to creating content material, I labored backward by way of technique. So I made a decision for myself what sort of content material I like, what I would like my model to appear to be, and what can be the very best methodology to get my concepts on the market.

There’s loads of nice recommendation about which concepts try to be sharing, how one can share them, and on which platforms, however it may be algorithm-oriented, which finally ends up being restrictive to creators. Personally, on TikTok, I would like my movies to be uncooked, low-effort sharing of concepts. I would like them to be issues I give you on the spot which might be good no matter flashy modifying or fashionable music.

Q: The lo-fi strategy positively works – you’ve gone viral a number of instances already. And I do know that with virality comes stress, amongst different challenges. How do you navigate challenges as a creator?

With going viral got here loads of site visitors, and whereas it wasn’t a giant problem, I wasn’t absolutely ready to obtain the inflow. I had no official area and couldn’t deal with all of the incoming inquiries.

One other factor is that content material creation has been time-consuming. So I can positively see it being a problem if I needed to stability college and dealing for a corporation alongside creating. To be trustworthy, I haven’t fairly discovered that stability but.

Scrolling is among the hardest issues to deal with since you’re so used to participating on social media as a client, however if you do it professionally, you must pay ten instances extra consideration. Your thoughts is all the time content material analytically, breaking down the creator’s strategy and pondering up enhancements. It might take up extra time than senseless scrolling.

Q: How do you navigate the necessity to earn a dwelling from content material creation with creativity because it turns into extra of a enterprise?

My state of affairs is a bit totally different from different creators as a result of my revenue isn’t reliant on model offers – it comes from the enterprise I constructed earlier than beginning to take social media extra severely. So fortunately for me, revenue is fairly regular.

The half the place the stability will get tough is that it may well suck the enjoyment out of content material creation if that’s all you do. I do it for manufacturers, and I’ve to do it for myself as properly. I’ve spoken to so many creators who wish to work on their very own content material however are so targeted on working for others that it turns into troublesome.

Q: What recommendation would you give to somebody who’s simply beginning to take their social media severely and construct their model?

One, notice that content material creation is a talent that must be labored on and never only a fortunate break that occurs to anybody. In fact, folks get fortunate and go viral however if you wish to pursue content material creation sustainably, it has to develop into a part of your routine. Deal with each video you place out as observe in order that even when engagement isn’t forthcoming, you may keep constant. The large creators make it look simple however they’ve expertise, whether or not in modifying or storytelling, or just connecting with folks.

Two, for my part, you must develop into the area of interest. I believe niches are a really nuanced dialogue, however you must notice which you can’t cover behind the class.

Even with cooking movies, should you’re simply doing tutorials on YouTube and that’s all you wish to do, nice. However should you ever wish to develop as a model and increase into different components of your business like releasing a cookbook, you must be prepared to talk in your movies and inject your persona. That’s what builds actual reference to an viewers.

Q: You talked about that you simply make most of your revenue from consulting – however have you ever began making revenue from publishing on social media? And may you rank your streams of revenue from most to least worthwhile?

I’d say my favourite methodology proper now’s teaching and dealing with folks to construct their manufacturers. It’s fulfilling to assist them work out what they need to be doing and supply them with readability. Then after that may be working with manufacturers, which is not bringing in an excessive amount of cash but, however is rewarding all the identical. Though to be trustworthy, I favor working extra within the background for manufacturers to earn money than straight up promoting one thing on my social media.

Q: What are some challenges you’ve confronted relating to pricing your providers as a creator?

My largest problem is certainly realizing what to cost. I’m studying every single day how one can value confidently and even what worth determines how I select to cost my work. I sit up for having a greater perspective in a few years, however proper now I’m nonetheless fascinated by the distinction between time vs. value-based pricing.

So many issues go into why a model deal prices a certain quantity – it’s not simply the time you spend or your follower rely but in addition your talent as a creator to ship nice content material and promote a model convincingly.

Q: Is there something, particularly, you are maintaining a tally of within the content material creation area for the long run?

I’ll positively be maintaining a tally of YouTube Shorts. I simply suppose YouTube is certainly a menace relating to the video area.

Takeaways

• Katie discovered success on TikTok by specializing in uncooked, low-effort content material that prioritized sharing concepts over flashy modifying or fashionable music. This strategy allowed her to face out from the group and showcase authenticity, which helped her achieve a loyal following of greater than 70,000 followers.
• To construct a sustainable private model, Katie plans to diversify her on-line presence throughout a number of platforms. She acknowledges the dangers of relying solely on one platform like TikTok, whose algorithm could change or cease selling her content material. By constructing a publication, contemplating a podcast, and maintaining a tally of rising platforms like YouTube Shorts, Katie goals to make sure her model’s long-term success and stability.
• As a creator, Katie stresses the significance of injecting persona into content material and turning into the area of interest, somewhat than simply becoming into one. She believes that this strategy helps construct an actual reference to the viewers and opens up alternatives for growth inside the business. As an example, if a creator shares their persona whereas making cooking movies, they’re extra possible to achieve releasing a cookbook or constructing a private model round their experience.
• Relating to pricing her artistic providers, Katie’s largest problem is figuring out the correct value. She is continually studying how one can value confidently and considers each time and value-based pricing. Elements akin to talent as a creator, the flexibility to ship high-quality content material, and convincing model promotion all play a task in figuring out the correct value for her providers. This give attention to worth ensures that she will be able to present the very best outcomes for her shoppers whereas nonetheless incomes a good revenue.