The Creator Economy by Warren Dixon - HTML preview

PLEASE NOTE: This is an HTML preview only and some elements such as links or page numbers may be incorrect.
Download the book in PDF, ePub, Kindle for a complete version.

Introduction

The internet has changed everything.

Just a couple of decades ago, there was a certain way that things were done and nothing ever deviated form that time-test, age-old approach to business and entertainment. The people were entertained and educated by mountains of content but there was little independence from the system that had existed for generations.

And then the world wide web came onto the scene and things started to change. Slowly but surely, the way that we consume and create was democratized and now we live in a wildly transformed landscape that looks remarkably different from the one that previous generations knew.

The internet has done so much for the way that people communicate, share information, start businesses, research and develop concepts and plans, and any other aspect of daily life 5

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

that you can think of. And, through the last decade, the internet has done so much for how people create content.

Today, a content creator is one of the most coveted and influential jobs on the internet. A successful content creator can impact entire industries and can also change their own lives for the better. They are a voice for the people and a way for businesses to connect with customers. They are also trail blazers when it comes to how everyday people express themselves, find others like them, and build communities.

What is a content creator and why are they so special? And what is the creator economy that they have manufactured, built up, and revolutionized again and again through the years? You need to know what these things are because, whether you know it or not, they all influence your daily life in many massive ways.

A content creator is someone or a group of people who produce engaging, instructive, or entertaining content for digital distribution. These people usually provide a unique viewpoint or voice. Fans cling to their distinctive viewpoints and over time develop strong bonds with them. These are the people who find 6

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

a way to put a voice to their opinions about all sorts of things, from instructional videos about makeup to products and businesses to world events and life style choices. Content creators speak directly to their audiences, often without the help of big studios or large websites.

You have likely seen a content creator because they exist just about everywhere on the web now. They populate the pages of TikTok, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and practical any social media app online.

But they also have their own websites - and even apps - that cater directly to the audiences they have built over he years.

Blogs and podcasts are also home to some of the most popular content creators around.

Over the years, the idea of a content creator has blossomed from someone who likes to discuss things that they enjoy to people who run entire small businesses and hold influence over mil ions. Content creators are able to sway people to buy products and change their lives. The audiences have grown to trust these creators and hang on nearly every word they say.

7

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

The concept of content creators has grown in leaps and bounds over the years. Just a decade ago, it wasn’t something that existed and now creators like his bring in mil ions of dollars every year, both to themselves and to the companies they work with. And the number of content creators has bal ooned in major ways recently, with more than 50 mil ion people describing themselves as such in 2022.

The power of content creators wil only grow, as wil the number of people ascribing to be one. Through their hard work and their dedication to the cause, content creators have crafted their very own business models and an entire economy that revolves around the. That economy, the creator economy, is one that has thrived through good times and bad and wil continue to do so in the years ago. It is stil young, it is stil evolving, and it holds great promise for anyone who takes it seriously and wants to dedicate their life to it.

8

Image 3

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

9

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

Chapter 1: What Is The Creator Economy?

You have probably heard the phrases “content creators” and

“creator economy” again and again over the last few years, especially recently with the boom of TikTok and Instagram burning up the app stores since the start of the 2020s. But even if you have heard it talked about it on your own news feeds or in the news, you stil might not be 100% sure what it is. So, before we can real y talk about the creator economy and the power it holds, we need to summarize it correctly so we know exactly what we are talking about.

Simply put, the creator economy is one that was generated by and stil caters to creators. And, by the most basic definition, creators are people who produce mil ions of hours of content for their fans about many different subjects are the ones who built and exist inside the creator economy. The creator economy is a world that financial y rewards those who are committed to the idea of creating content consistently, via blogs, vlogs, tweets, postings on social media, and any way to connect with their fanbases.

10

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

Content creators don’t just blog or make videos though. There are many who make hand-crafted items or write books or even create audio programs about a number of things such as politics, history, meditation, self-are, lifestyle changes, home furnishings, and more.

Much like other creative economies, the creator economy is one where people are able to make whatever is they’re passionate about and then distribute that directly to the people who want it.

It cuts out the middle man. The creator economy doesn’t rely on big companies, studios, networks, or publishers. Instead it is by the people and for the people. Al of that makes every aspect of the creator economy, from creation to distribution, much more intimate and personal.

Let’s take a look back at the beginning of another game-changer that altered the way we are entertained and educated: the television. Back when the TV first came to the public in the 1950s, it started with very few channels. In fact, for many decades, most Americans could only watch three networks. But over time, there became more and more channels for people to enjoy and more and more programs on those channels.

11

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

Stil , it was relegated to a very structured and strict system that didn’t allow for people to break away form the format put in place. With more freedom came more variety and different types of audiences were able to find content that they felt spoke directly to them.

Much like the start of television, the creator economy got off to a slow start where there were limited ways for people to express themselves. In the beginning of this new economy, there were limited outlets for people to post their creations and find their audiences. However, that isn’t the case anymore. Content creators were mostly stuck with YouTube for videos, Etsy for their own creations, and blog platforms such as WordPress for the written word.

But that didn’t last long, as other companies saw the value in letting people express themselves, more options became available to content creators and the creator economy was born. Now there are dozens of video sites, blogging platforms, social media apps, and marketplaces that allow people to make their content and distribute it to their fans.

12

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

There are now numerous options for innovative people to make money online thanks to the internet. A supportive audience is available for writers, singers, filmmakers, and other content creators to share their artistic ambitions with. Additionally, there are brand-new markets, such podcasting and gaming live streams.

In the past, if you wanted to make a living off of your artistic pursuits, you often had to partner with conventional publishing houses, film studios, or record labels. The need for managers or lengthy, binding contracts with "Big Media" is no longer necessary because creators may now support themselves.

Nowadays, there are many internet markets where you can offer your artistic skil s. There are well-known websites like eBay, Etsy, and Amazon Publishing. Other platforms, such as Tumblr and WordPress for bloggers, Twitch for video game streamers, Instagram and Pinterest for photography fans, YouTube and TikTok for video creators, can also be advantageous.

Online producers can make money in a variety of ways, but the most common is revenue sharing with the platform they use.

13

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

Therefore, if you are a wel -known Medium blogger, for instance, you can get money from subscription fees that Medium receives. You distribute that cash around Medium and the other wel -known blogs.

The creator economy has benefited from social networks. offer markets where artists can earn a living. A loyal fanbase is also developed on social media by successful creators, who subsequently share their most recent works with them.

The typical American adult uses Facebook for about 38 minutes per day. In fact, 16 to 24 year olds spend an average of 3 hours every day on social media. In 2019, social networking took up about 2 hours and 20 minutes a day for internet users. That is a huge amount of time devoted to social media, and it provides many options for creators to market their work to pertinent, specific demographics of users.

A limited handful of platforms, including Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and a few others, have a significant impact on social media. These platforms employ algorithms that 14

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

effectively control what each user wil view. When compared to those that take an organic approach, individuals who choose to promote on these platforms have a greater audience.

Social media, however, needs content. People must upload posts, images, videos, and other content to the sites. As a result, they make it simple for the top content providers to profit from their work, typically using the revenue-sharing model mentioned above.

The first step in becoming a successful creator is to publish excellent material and establish a following. To obtain a percentage of advertising money, content creators can submit their work to social media platforms. They can also receive money on creator-first platforms or commercialize their own site directly.

Podcasting

Sponsorship deals are the most popular source of income for podcasters. This entails making an advertisement to advertise an affiliate deal or incorporating a reference of a good or service into ordinary content. Brands provide an influencer a tracking 15

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

link or promo code so they can be credited for any purchases they help to drive. Podcasters can take donations and crowdfunding through podcast hosting services.

Influential podcasters may charge a membership fee for premium material like more interviews, behind-the-scenes information, or ad-free episodes.

Blogging

Ads, affiliate marketing, sponsored content, and the sale of additional services are all viable revenue streams for bloggers.

Bloggers who have a big audience can post advertisements on their website by joining an ad network. The majority of these networks employ targeted advertising, which means that the ad changes in response to the viewer's most recent site behavior, which is monitored by cookies. A tracking link can be used by bloggers to advertise a business's goods by joining affiliate networks. When a customer purchases something using the blogger's link, they get paid a commission. Professional authors 16

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

can also provide newsletters that are behind a paywall on their own websites or via content aggregators like Substack.

Videos

Uploading videos to YouTube is one of the most popular ways to monetize video content. To be eligible for the YouTube Partner Program, which enables creators to commercialize their channels through adverts, subscriptions, and channel memberships, applicants must have at least 1,000 fol owers and 4,000 view hours in the previous year. The creator receives the remaining 45% after YouTube takes its cut. By placing their videos behind a paywall on their website, video artists that specialize in tutorials or video courses can effectively monetize their work.

Influencers

Influencers are online personas that have the authority to influence the purchasing decisions of their followers. Influencers are employed by brands to produce sponsored content or act as brand ambassadors. In place of promoting a brand through a single sponsored post, brand ambassadors frequently talk about 17

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

the company's products to raise brand recognition, typical y in exchange for a monthly salary.

Design & Art

Creators can sel digital artwork, photography, and video on stock image websites and marketplaces that accept NFT (Non-Fungible Tokens) in return for royalties or commissions.

As you can see, the creator economy offers an awful lot to an awful lot of people. From designing and producing art to blogging or blogging, to podcasting and beyond, the creator economy has opened the door for quite literally mil ions of people - and mil ions of eager fans desperate for something that feels genuine and from the heart.

That is the thing about this new world of content creators: they are all genuine. Their passion comes from the things they create, the things they discuss, and the creative endeavors that drive them. The most successful content creators are the ones who have found the thing that real y drives them, the topic that 18

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

fires them up and gets them moving and excited. They have been able to take that passion and convert into their creations.

The fans pick up on those feelings. They truly know and believe that the person creating their content real y believes in what they are saying and is truly fascinated and engaged in the subject matter. That is why the mil ions of people who subscribe to numerous content creators across multiple platforms keep coming back for more. They were sick and tired of the world of entertainment and creation that was flat and uninspired and so they are now fol owing, loyal y, the people who real y mean what they say.

Content creators and the creator economy offers great opportunities to so many people. But it only offers that to people who are wil ing to work hard and truly wil ing and eager to fol ow the things that they are passionate about.

19

Image 4

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

20

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

Chapter 2: How To Get Started As A Creator Obviously, being a part of the creator economy can bring great things to our life beyond just financial fortune. By being involved in this up-and-coming, constantly-growing world, you are able to real y make content about the things that make you happy, from music to movies to books to makeup and more. If you are passionate about something, you can quite literally create content about it.

But you need to have more than just a passion to make it in this world. Indeed, like any other economy and industry, you have to know certain things and follow particular steps in order to find success. You can’t just blindly start making your content and expect to find success right away. In fact, it may take some time before you find any sort of success at all!

The truth is that breaking into the creator economy isn’t easy and there wil be many bumps in the road that present themselves to you. While, yes, there wil be chal enges, these challenges wil be easier to get through if you follow a simple set of steps and rules and keep certain tips in mind at all times. Like any sort of industry, you can break into it - even with no prior 21

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

experience. But if you are not smart about it and don't follow steps that others have found great success with, you are simply setting yourself up for a letdown and a disappointment that wil waste your time, energy, and even money.

So, you want to get started as a creator. What are the first things you should do as you take the first steps into this long journey?

Find Your Niche

The first step in this process might end up being the most important one for many creators. It’s all about finding your little corner of the content creator economy and sticking with it. It’s about looking into yourself, honestly evaluating what you’re best at, and then figuring out how to turn that into some great, premium content.

Think about something that you believe you could make content about. Maybe you love books and you think you could run a book review TikTok account. Or maybe you’re great at cross-sticking and believe that you could start an Etsy store that sells 22

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

your creations. Perhaps you love movies and know their history and would love to start a podcast that is all about the famous stories of Hollywood from yesteryear.

Those are al great ideas, aren’t they? But the truth is that they are already taken. That’s right, each of those ideas has already been taken by someone and success has already been found with each of them. That is how populate and busy the creator economy is. Every great idea has already been capitalized and anything you think of, no matter how great or genuine or original it feels, has already been touched upon by someone else.

Now, this shouldn’t scare you away from finding something you are passionate about and following it. Instead, you simply need to always keep in mind that you are not alone in the creator economy, not by a long shot. There are quite literally mil ions of others who are doing the same things that you want to do. The field is very crowded.

But you can break through.

23

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

The trick here is find that niche that is as particular as possible.

Do not just come up with the idea of “a podcast about politics.”

Give that some thought, expand upon it, make it more unique.

Niche means something that is very particular and limited, but in a good way. That is what you want to do. You want to find a certain something that you can provide to the creator economy that no one else does. There may be other creators so make things similar to yours. But if you do your job right and you take this seriously, you wil find the thing that no one else does exactly like you.

This means you should find something that plays to your interests, your skills, your expertise, your knowledge, your passion, your hobbies. You have to think that whatever you niche is, it wil be your only one. You wil not be following several passions, you wil be sticking with just one. Therefore, you need to find one that you wil be comfortable sticking with forever. You need to find that one thing that makes you passionate, that one thing that you have a unique perspective one, that one thing that no one sis quite doing. Once you have figured that out, you are on your way to creating content.

24

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

Choose A Platform

Okay, so you know what you want to talk about and what content you want to create but you are not quite at the stage of actually creating and finding your audience, monetizing it, and reaping the benefits.

The next thing you need to do is settle upon a platform that is best tailor-made for your skil s and your content and your passion. There are so many options here that it’s really hard to choose the one that is completely perfect. But there are ways to start narrowing down the road you should be going down.

For example, are you going to be producing videos? Videos are easily the most popular form of content creation today so there is a good chance that you will be filming something for your creations. If that’s the case, you have a couple of options. Do you want to make short, quirky videos with the expressed purpose of going viral to find fans? If so, TikTok is for you.

TikTok has been growing in popularity over the last few years and now mil ions of people use the app daily to find the latest in trends, memes, and up-to-date current events. If you want to be the hippest of hip, you want to use TikTok.

25

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

But maybe you want to rely upon a social media app that is part of a larger universe. That is when you would use Instagram Reels. The Reels feature in Instagram is an awful lot like TikTok and wil allow you to create short videos that can be seen and shared by mil ions. However, it is part of the umbrella parent company of Meta, the owners of Facebook. Therefore, integration with Facebook is a total breeze with Instagram. This is a huge plus for anyone who is hoping to run a Facebook page for their content or a storefront via FB.

Final y, you can of course use YouTube. This is the original video site and honestly stil holds many benefits that TikTok and Instagram simply don’t have. For starters, it’s best for long-term content. Therefore, if you are planning to make a video that is more than a couple of minutes, YouTube could be right for you.

It wil let you explore more, real y dig into your content, and not worry about time constraints. If you aren’t looking to “viral” then YouTube might be right up your al ey. Just keep in mind that it’s sometimes harder to share via YouTube and views are harder to come by too.

26

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

If you are looking to creator photographic content, then Instagram is definitely going to be the avenue you want to go through. Instagram is now considered the go-to app for anything related to photography so you know that wil be the one you use if you are snapping pictures and expressing yourself through your photography.

When it comes to text, you have a lot of options for your content. It depends on the sort of writing that you want to invest in. Are you looking for full, long-form, wel -thought-out blogs? If that’s the case, you have quite a few options laid before you.

You could use Wordpress or Blogger or multiple other blogging platforms. Each of these providers wil make setting up your blog easy as can be and you’l be able to get your blog up and running in no time at al . In fact, you can have an idea for a blog in the morning and be publishing your first piece just hours later.

But, maybe you are looking to create shorter forms of writing.

You’re not looking to write a novel or even a blog but just share your pithy, fun thoughts about the world. If that is the case, then you know Twitter is the place for you. Twitter lets you write, you can just do it at 240 characters at a time.

27

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

Although Twitter does have that character restraint, you can stil find ways to share quite a lot. In fact, there are many people who have found mil ions of fol owers through Twitter. It requires that you are smart, passionate, and find clever ways to get your thoughts across. It also requires consistency, communication with others, and deep commitment to finding something clever and unique to say.

Of course, you can also use Instagram to post your written words too. In fact, there are many content creators who use Instagram to make text posts. It takes a little more work sometimes but it is worth the exposure you get.

Most content creators use a mix of al these social media apps and websites to build their own little online empire. The smartest and most successful ones are able to balance each app and site and allow them to all perform different tasks and come together for one overal goal: to get the word out about content.

The thing is if you are going to use al of them, from YouTube to Instagram to Twitter, TikTok, and beyond, you have to make sure that they all get a good amount of attention. The biggest 28

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

mistake you can make is to simply put al of your eggs into not social media basket. Spread the wealth around, use each of them to your advantage!

No matter what platform you create for or what it is that you make, you need to ensure two majorly important things: you speak from the heart and you speak often. Do not agree to produce content about something you’re truly inspired, passionate, and fired up about. Do not just choose something because you think you can find a paycheck in it. Remember that the audience you wil be speaking to is very particular, and they are also very good at sniffing out someone who isn’t sincere.

Therefore, you must ensure that you are only delivering content that real y is heartfelt and genuine. People wil be able to see right through you if it’s not and your viewer or reader count wil drop like a huge stone.

You also need to always be creating. Stay consistent. In fact, you should always be working on your next project. Your next video or your next written piece or your next piece of art should always be in the burner, on the way to completion. Your audience has a lot of options. There are many people they can choose from and many content creators they can stay loyal to.

29

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

The internet is a wild, fast-paced placed and if you don’t keep up with it, it’l leave you behind. Perhaps one of the biggest mistakes that a new content creator makes is that they don’t create content consistently.

This is your art. This is the way you express yourself. This is if you portraying your personality and desires and passions to the world. You should be proud to always be making something new. And you should always be creating. If you aren’t actively working on a new piece for the world to see, you should be spending that time communicating with your followers and building a strong online presence.

In other words, even if you are just starting out you should be treating this passion, this hobby, like a full time job. You need to devote yourself to it. It wil require a lot of hours, a lot of passions, and a whole lot of energy. But if you stick with it, it’l easily be well worth it.

30

Image 5

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

31

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

Chapter 3: 6 Ways To Make Money As A Creator

There are many people who get into content creation and the creator economy simply so they can express themselves.

Maybe you are one of those people. If that’s the case then you have an easy path ahead of you because the creation of your art is the reward!

However, there are plenty of other people who want to make money. There is no shame in that. And it’s actual y a very smart move because there are now mil ions of people who make some form of their income via the creator economy.

But there are less people who make a steady, supportable amount of money via creation. It is possible, but it’s not as common as one would like. However, you can certainly start to add some money into your bank account via your new job as a content creator. But, again, you need to do things the right way, real y understand what you’re doing and why you’re doing it, and follow some simple steps.

32

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

The good thing about making money as a content creator is that you have a lot of options to do so. As the creator economy has grown, the ways that people make money has also blossomed.

Now there are multiple venues for you to add some extra cash to your wallet. And the best news of all is that you get to do that by being creative. You are literally going to get paid for doing something you are passionate about.

A warning, though: do not expect a storm of riches overnight.

We have al heard the tales of content creators. But the truth is that those people are very rare. The vast majority of people who make money via their creations don’t make a whole lot. It won’t be enough to make rent, at least not at first. But it wil be money you haven’t had before, so that’s good. Plus, the money you make - no matter the amount - wil be definitive proof that you are connecting with people and finding an audience that likes what you have to say. That is sometimes an even bigger reward than the money itself.

What are the best, smartest, most sure-fire ways to make money when you are starting out as a content creator?

33

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

Sell A Membership For Exclusive Content This is a big one that many, many content creators rely on to make some extra cash…but it’s not so easy.

Many content creators wil ask for their fol owers to sign up for a membership to their site or their content. For an extra, monthly fee the fol owers are able to get certain perks that aren't al owed to non-paying people. Perhaps it’s an extra podcast. Perhaps it’s bonus pictures or blog posts that are typically hidden behind a pay wall. Maybe it’s something as exclusive as a phone call with you. There are varying degrees of rewards that creators make for their paying fol owers.

But you need to be careful to not launch this idea right away.

You definitely don’t want to even attempt this until you have a larger follower count. Otherwise you won’t get a lot of traction.

And you also need to ensure that the perks you offer paying people are actually worth their time. If someone is literally paying you for something, it’s got to be worth more than something they could get for free.

34

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

Sponsorships

This is a step that many newer content creators take and it’s one that can really help you out and improve your bottom line.

There are a slew of companies out there looking for content creators to advertise on their behalf. In fact, there are entire networking websites that are all about hooking creators up with companies that need their help.

This is mostly ideal for people who make videos. Typically, at the beginning or end of a video, the creator throws in a little speech about the product or service they are advertising. It isn’t very long and it’s always obviously an ad but viewers are quite used to this and very comfortable with it too.

With sponsorships and partnerships, you are able to make a little extra money every time one of your followers clicks on a link. If this is a path you want to go down, there are a ton of services on Google that wil list companies that are looking for people to pitch for them. You wil need to have a consistent number of videos and a decent follower count before a 35

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

company wil want your help but you’d be surprised by how early in your creator career that you can start this process.

Getting paid for mentioning a brand is a great way for a new and up-and-coming content creator to get paid for doing what they love. But you have to do it with finesse and attention to detail and care. If you are heavy-handed about pitching products, it’l come across as false and flat and shallow and it won’t sell a single product.

Ad Monetization

Yet another terrific way for a content creator to make money doing what they are passionate about it ad monetization.

You can make money from the official commercials that are played during your videos with this approach to getting paid for your content. If you have ever watched a YouTube video, you have surely seen the ads breaks when a short commercial for a movie or product pops up and you either sit through it or skip past it after a few seconds. These ads actually help pay the creator of the video you are watching.

36

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

This is a great approach because it real y requires no work at al from you. Al you have to do is keep making your videos and YouTube wil do the rest. They wil place the ads (although you are able to explicitly choose where they wil go) which means you don’t have to spend some of your precious time on camera pitching a product like you have to with sponsorship or brand deals.

There are certain things to keep in mind here, however. You need to make sure that your channel follows the right polices and guiltiness of YouTube. If you are breaking the rules of the Community Guidelines, you can expect that you won’t approved to run ads. Your channel wil got through a review process upon your request to have advertisements on it and you wil be either approved or denied based upon this, and other factors.

And what are those other factors? Wel , you need to have at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 valid public watch hours.

That means that people wil need to have watched 4,000 hours of your work. This is obviously no small task and it shows that you won’t be able to start getting paid for ads on your channel right away. You wil need to build up your fol owing. You wil need to have loyal viewers who watch your stuff and you wil 37

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

need to make sure that they subscribe. Now you know why so many content creators on YouTube always ask you to “hit that subscribe button”.

Final y, you need to sign an agreement with YouTube. That signature doesn’t mean you are giving your content away, you stil own it to an extent. But now the website is free to insert ads of their choosing into your work.

TikTok also has a feature much like this too and you have to fol ow certain procedures. You also can sign up to pitch products via TikTok just like you do on YouTube. Of course, for both websites you need to follow each and every step to a T

and you cannot deviate or break those rules, or else the websites wil quickly pul ads from you and it’l be al -but-impossible to get reinstated into monetization.

Sell Merch

Once you have a sizable fol owing, a group of fans who stick by your side and watch all of your content through thick and thin, 38

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

you can start to sell merchandise. And this is truly one of the best ways to make money via your content creations.

It doesn’t matter if you’re creating blogs, videos, artwork, audiobooks, podcasts, or more. Whatever it is that you’re making, there is a way for you to make merch about it. Maybe these items for sale carry an image from your work. Maybe it has a phrase that you say in your video or an original drawing that you shared with your fans. Whatever it is, you have multiple outlets to create. There are websites that instantly create shirts, bags, backpacks, mugs, and more for you. We no longer live in a world where you have to craft these things by hand and ship them out on your own. Instead, you can sign up with one of these sites, such as Custom Ink or Rush Order Tees or Vista Print. When a product is ordered by your fans, the sites create the item and ship it off on your behalf.

This is great for many reasons. You wil get a cut of every sale, of course, but selling merch wil also spread the word about your content. That means that you should go to great lengths to ensure that whatever merch you make is something that is eye-catching, fun, and easily communicates a point. While inside jokes between you and your audience is all well and good, it 39

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

won’t real y bring in more fans. So you have to be open-minded about the merch you make and think of it as bil boards for your work that are just used or worn by other people in the world.

Sell Digital Products

From eBooks to guides, courses, and more, you can sel a slew of digital products to your fans. Most of the time, these are usually eBooks, comic books, or limited-time audiobooks or podcasts.

The great thing about digital products is that you don’t have to literally ship them. You simply upload them onto a website of your choosing and then you let the fans download and pay when they choose. This is a great way for you to easily create an item that wil make you money for a small amount of it .

Sell Consultation/Coaching

If you are in the business of life coaching or motivating or inspiring people, then you should consider selling your own consultation and coaching services. Maybe you are teaching people how to relax or how to do a better job at work or how to 40

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

have a stronger personal life. You might even be teaching them how to knit or paint or even start a podcast or vlog of their own.

Whatever it is you’re good at, you can teach others to be good too. You should always offer these consultations and coaching on your channel.

41

Image 6

THE CREATOR ECONOMY

42

THE CREATOR ECONOMY