A content creator is someone who creates entertaining or educational material to be expressed through any medium or channel.
Content creation especially pertains to digital content on social media channels, since that’s where most content is consumed — and where the money is, if you’re looking to earn revenue through your content production efforts.
For businesses, content creation can mean crafting and delivering newsletters, emails, webinars, digital marketing materials, brochures, social media, articles, annual reports, advertorial messaging, editorial materials, company communications, and more.
For an individual, content creation can mean creating new content for social media — such as livestreams, vlogs, or other photo or video content — with the intention of interacting and resonating with their target audience, often making money as a part-time or full-time job. The buzzword “influencer marketing” might ring a bell.
There is not one single unified job description for “content creator,” but to fully understand what a content creator is and does, it’s important to understand what “content” is.
In the publishing, communication, and art industries, content can be defined as all the information and experiences, such as writing, speech, or other various arts, expressed through a medium to communicate value to an end user.
More important for business, content is the material that users, readers, or viewers derive value from.
At its most basic level, content includes:
- The information and/or experience
- The medium/channel in which the information is delivered
- Any beneficial features the medium adds to the information or experience
It’s worth noting here that while the medium for delivery is essential to content, it’s not the most important part of the trio above. Information and experience are king. Without them, the medium has essentially no value. After all, what’s a YouTube channel without videos or your favorite magazine without articles or images?
More and more, businesses are understanding the value of working with freelance content creators. They see that high-quality content inspires users to take action and can foster community and loyalty through interaction with the brand, its community, or both.