Content creation is still one of the best ways to build a lucrative career online. With so many new platforms springing up, creators can choose to write blogs, film visual content, or host podcasts and streams.
In an oversaturated market, the challenge is not so much in creating content, but in creating unique content that will stand out
It doesn’t matter what type of content you want to produce, you will have the most success with output that is original.
Duplicate content – where you check out what is trending and give it your own spin – can be good practice for an aspiring creator.
However, if you want to build a successful, long-term career as a creator, you will need to give things your own slant.
We cover some of the best ways to approach content creation so that you can generate original work, put your own voice across, and build an audience.
Best Ways To Create Unique Content
How to Become a Content Creator
If you’re creative, disciplined, and happy to work for yourself, you can become a content creator. Valuable content comes in many forms.
Blogging is one of the most popular ways to make a living online. Many people like that blogging allows them to build a platform around their ideas.
This is ideal if you’re an aspiring writer and want to get your work out there for the first time. It is also great if you have a special area of interest and want to share your insight with the world.
Over time, you can build up links with other blogs or work with companies that offer affiliate links or ad promotions to make money and popularize your work.
However, if you’re more of a visual creator, blogging is not the only option. Streaming is a hugely popular form of modern content and requires only basic audio/visual tech skills.
Many creators also run successful Instagram profiles based around their visual work or incorporate images into their blog posts.
For the purposes of this article, we’re going to focus mainly on blogging. However, it is important to remember that you have lots of options open if you want to build an online career.
How to Create Unique Blogs
Hone Your Niche
Original content is easier to create when you really understand your topic. Vague or general information is less likely to add value to your reader’s experience and can make your blogs read like everybody else’s. If you have a specific topic in mind that you want to write about, do your research.
Not only will this give your writing more confidence, it will also help your content stand out. By educating yourself on your subject, you will be able to add details that readers will not find elsewhere. On top of this, research is a great way to get ideas for original material. You might start by researching one topic and come away with information for another three blogs!
Having a detailed understanding of your subject matter will also allow you to perform unique analysis and give a truly informed opinion on the topic.
This in itself will give your work more original value.
So, if you feel shaky on your topic, try holding off from writing for a while and hit the books instead.
Stay On-Trend
This might seem a little counterintuitive, but hear us out. While it’s vital to be original in your online work, it’s also important (and financially smart) to produce content that is relevant.
If a subject is trending, it shows that there is a market for pieces on this topic, and this can guide your choices as a creator. You can use trending topics to gauge the direction your blog should take, or learn about the types of subjects that people are generally interested in.
What’s more, it can seem strange if you miss a major development in your area. It may even hurt your credibility as a commentator in that field.
For example, if you write a fashion blog and a huge fashion event takes place, your audience will expect you to comment on it.
Keeping an eye on passing trends can also give you ideas and can help increase your site traffic when you have a hot take on a current situation.
After all, content needs to be interesting for both you and your readers.
Think Like Your Reader
When you write your daily blog, do you think about your reader? Do you consider their point of view or think about the types of problems they might face? If the answer is no, there is likely a problem with your content.
Writers write for themselves, but successful writers do it with their ideal readers in mind. Successful content is generally not only unique but also serves a purpose for the reader. It answers a question they have, solves a problem they need assistance with, or gives them a new way of thinking about something.
One way to increase your reader awareness is to interact with your audience, even if it’s small. Engage them in your comments or on social media and try to find out why they have searched you out. You will likely find that there are some common subjects across your area that many people struggle with or would like help with.
Another way is to write about subjects you truly understand or have experience actually doing. This way, you can produce valuable content that inexperienced readers will benefit from. If your readers find that your blog inspires them or tangibly helps them in some way, they are much more likely to return and become regular followers.
Monitor Your Stats
While coming up with original content involves a lot of research and imagination, it is also important to monitor your blog’s performance.
Keep an eye on engagement levels across your site and flag any significant drops or swings in performance. This can help guide your content for future blogs and tell you what your audience finds interesting and what they hit snooze on.
Don’t Rehash Old Content
If you’re watching your site stats, and you see that certain topics are popular, it’s tempting to rehash them again and again. After all, that’s what your audience wants, right?
Wrong!
Your audience wants more of the same, but different. Your signature takes – but across a variety of topics. Reusing old information won’t get you far. It may bring in new readers for a while, but these will soon drop off if you aren’t producing anything new.
You should also make sure you have enough material to properly flesh out your blogs. Don’t start writing a 1,500 words piece if you’ve only got 300 words of new content.
Your audience doesn’t want to hear the same things over and over. Give them something new in each paragraph.
Utilize SEO Techniques
Once you’ve got your topic and research under control, the most important thing to focus on is building an audience.
At the end of the day, you want traffic through your site as traffic generates clicks and subscribers. It is important to incorporate SEO keywords into your site, whether this is a blog, a product page, or a social media account.
Try to incorporate keywords in an organic way, as search engines are now very good at spotting tricks like keyword stuffing.
You should also be sure to add keywords to non-plagiarized content, as this may also get flagged by sites.
Overall, you should try to make your site content as natural as possible, but use keywords when and where you can.
Conclusion
Content writing is a great way to make a living and can lead to many exciting opportunities for career autonomy and financial success. If you’ve truly got something to say, you should build your content site around this.
Let your uniqueness shine through, and you will go far in the content world.
Final Call: Do you dream of making a living online? What would your chosen subject be? Have you worked as a creator? What have you learned from the industry so far? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Arthur Rowley
Freelance Writer
Arthur Rowley is a freelance writer. He mainly specializes in the design and the game industry. He works with Book of Ra and likes everything to do with design and video games. He looks into the future of technology and is very excited about its daily metamorphosis and hopes in the future for what lies behind the curtain of technological development.
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