10 Things You'll Understand if You're a Content Creator
Regardless of whether you're a blogger, Instagrammer or YouTuber, if you create and post content online, you'll definitely be able to relate to this week's post. These are all things which join people like us together, despite how silly they may seem to people who haven't dabbled or don't understand what it is that we do. But, here it goes!
1. Excitement when autumn rolls around
Autumn is definitely a season made for content creators. We can't resist taking photos of engorged pumpkins, delicious chai lattes and cosy socks. We love autumn, or fall as some of you may call it, as much as the next person, but we revel in it in a way that non-content creators can't. It helps to clearly break up the seasons, instead of having a slow transition from summer to autumn, and nothing says this like a photo of a pumpkin in burnt orange, golden yellow and deep brown hues.
2. Worrying about how silly you look trying to get a good photo
When you see a great shot on someone's blog, one rarely stops to contemplate the logistics behind it. I don't think I've ever wondered how someone got the photograph or what they looked like when they took it. It's just a snapshot in time. But behind the scenes, there's generally someone either risking life and limb or down on the ground looking like a numpty to get a great close-up of a blooming daffodil. There will also be several outtake shots which will never be seen by the general public. But looking ridiculous while trying to get the perfect photo is a sacrifice you have to make as a serious content creator.
3. Wanting to have a house full of plants, but knowing you'll never be able to keep them all alive
It's frustrating when you see a bunch of plants on Pinterest that you think will look great when placed in certain corners, shelves or windowsills throughout your home. However, when you realistically think about how many plants you want, you slowly come to the realisation that these hypothetical plants won't survive much into maturity. Even succulents need some looking after, and I don't think I'm quite ready for that responsibility just yet, haha!
4. Really wanting white floor boards
White floorboards look amazing, there's no doubting that! They make for the perfect flat-lay background, brightening up a photo immediately. Almost anything can be laid down and photographed on a set of white floorboards, even people. But regardless of how much we'd love to take a paint brush to our plain wooden floorboards, realistically, they're just too high maintenance, meaning they won't stay as crystal white as we'd perhaps like them to.
5. Wondering how other creators roped in a personal photographer
I always wonder who it is that takes the pictures or videos of certain content creators, especially when those photos make up the majority of what they post. I wish I had someone who was ready and willing to take photos of me all the time, knowing exactly what angles work for me in which lighting etc. However, I think my boyfriend has more important things to be doing than taking pictures of moi!
6. Scared that, one day, you'll run out of ideas
Most bloggers/Instagrammers/YouTubers are very creative people, brimming with new and innovative ideas for their audiences. However, we're only human and that means that our creativity will only stretch so far. In order to keep my blog topped up with content, I plan around three months in advance. This usually takes a couple of weeks to plan, write and take pictures, and then, I know I can take a short break every so often, which is always nice. It takes the pressure of off blogging, as opposed to giving up weekends and evenings to make sure a post is published. Planning posts allows for more thought to go into my articles as opposed to getting content out there for the sake of it. How do you prevent writers' block?
7. Dreading diminishing daylight hours
As the winter draws in, daylight hours are extremely minimal. This can make it difficult to take decent photos in natural daylight (when pictures look best). Even then, not all shades of daylight are the same and can look very different in photographs. This means that you're often waiting for a bright, crisp day with a bit of sunshine before you can take a decent photo. Autumn/winter is definitely soft-box season for a lot of content creators.
8. Wondering how anyone can conduct a decent DIY project
From painting plant pots to doing some origami, I've often flicked through YouTube and Instagram wondering how anyone can 1. be bothered to do these DIYs and 2. actually do a good job on them. Maybe it's just me, but nine times out of ten, I simply do not have the patience, time or determination to see through any of the DIY projects other content creators are trying to get me to do. Lets just say, I'm not creative with my hands...at all!
9. Reminiscing about the good old days of content creation
In the old days, it was common to rave about the Collection 2000 (as they were known then) Lasting Perfection Concealer, or the Urban Decay Naked palette. People were still using floral IKEA bedspreads as their flat-lay backdrops, and that's something which quite a few content creators miss. The simplicity of the content was fun, yet kept everyone suitably engaged. Don't get me wrong, I love how this industry has changed and evolved since I started blogging seven years ago, but sometimes, I find myself reminiscing about the blogging world back in the day, and I'm sure other content creators feel the same way.
10. Understanding basic SEO, but secretly wishing you knew a lot more about it
Don't get me wrong, I know and understand basic SEO, it basically comes with being a blogger. But in terms of proper, in-depth SEO, I haven't the foggiest. My job requires me to also have a basic understanding which helps my blog massively. But I am not an Internet Marketer, I have no experience in it. My degree was in English Language and Creative Writing, so the last thing I would have known about was SEO. Despite my lack of marketing knowledge, I much prefer writing these posts and having a basic grasp on SEO concepts than spending less time writing and more time understanding the marketing side of things. This blog has been going for seven years, so I must be doing something right, surely?
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Are you a content creator? Can you relate to the points that I've made here? Are there points that I've missed? Let me know in the comments, or via the social media links below. I will see you next time with a brand new blog post :)
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