Becoming an influencer or a content creator may seem like an easy task. After all, anyone with a camera can shoot videos. In reality, it requires the right strategy and a lot of consistent effort. And, although some areas overlap, content creators and influencers aren’t the same people. An influencer is mostly a content creator, but a content creator isn’t always an influencer. In this guide, we’ll talk about the differences and similarities between the two jobs and how you can pursue both as a social media marketer. Let’s dive in.
Who is an Influencer?
An influencer can be anyone with some sort of influence over a decent number of audience in a particular niche. As an influencer, you can build a following using different types of content, such as videos, Tweets, Reels, blog posts, and more. A niche influencer is one that has a following on a singular topic. People listen to what these influencers say and recommend as they’ve built credibility on that topic over time. Businesses work with influencers to introduce their product to a new yet relevant audience.
Who is a Content Creator?
A content creator is a relatively broad term. The profession involves creating a variety of content types including videos, images, text, and gifs. A content creator can be an influencer, a freelancer, a job holder, a blogger, etc. Unlike influencers, you don’t have to have a social media following as a content creator.
Influencer vs. Content Creator: The Difference
An influencer is someone who has a decent number of followers and has the ability to influence their purchasing decisions. A content creator, on the other hand, creates all sorts of content on a variety of topics. They focus on creating helpful and valuable content. Content creators aren’t always influencers as they can have different roles such as managing social media accounts for clients. Influencers, on the other hand, work on building their own following and working with brands on a project basis.
Pros of Becoming a Content Creator
Flexibility
As a content creator, you can work on your own time at your own pace. You also don’t have to stick to a place and can work from anywhere in the world. You’re not tied to a 9 – 5 job, which gives you more freedom to indulge in other activities of your life.
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Monetization Potential
Good content can help you generate a lot of money. There are several ways you can monetize a piece of content, including inducing digital products, e-commerce products, affiliate products, and display advertising. Plus, you can offer your services as a freelance content creator or a full-time employee of a brand.
Learning and Growth
Content creation allows you to discover new trends, learn different skills, and polish your creative abilities. As you grow as a content creator, you can see yourself improving personally and professionally.
Cons of Becoming a Content Creator
Like any other profession, content creator also has its drawbacks.
High Competition
If you’re a new content creator who doesn’t know how to crack the code, it can be pretty tough to stand out and gain enough eyeballs for your content. Understanding different social platforms and their algorithms is an important aspect of successful content creation.
Income Instability
Unless you’re a full-time employee of a company or a brand, maintaining a stable income can be hard as a content creator. If you’re a freelancer, you’re dependent on the flow of clients. If you’re a solo content creator, you have to make sure your content generates enough revenue.
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Platform Dependency
As a content creator, you’re producing content on different platforms. These platforms have their own rules and regulations as to which type of content gets the most visibility. Therefore, whichever platform you’re generating content for, you’re depending on it to some extent.
Pros of Becoming an Influencer
According to Statista, the influencer marketing industry has more than tripled since 2019. Let’s now talk about the advantages of being an influencer.
Community Building
As a successful influencer, you have a community of followers who are interested in your opinions and recommendations. With a loyal and engaged community, you can promote anything you want under the umbrella of your niche or industry.
Monetization Opportunities
Once you have a niche following that trusts your recommendations, you can start monetizing your influence. Probably the most profitable way to monetize a niche following is by partnering up with a brand.
Cons of Becoming an Influencer
Here are a couple of cons of being an influencer.
Pressure to Maintain Image
As an influencer, you can shape people’s perceptions and thinking. However, you need to maintain your image to be able to enjoy that influence.
Dependency on Algorithms
Influencers are typically popular on a certain platform such as YouTube or Instagram. These platforms have unique algorithms and you have to satisfy these algorithms as an influencer.
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Oversaturation
Influencer marketing is a highly in-demand industry, which is why it’s also pretty popular among marketers. More and more marketers are trying to build a following, making this industry highly competitive.
Influencer vs. Content Creator: Which One to Choose?
Both offer great growth potential, however, the ultimate choice depends on your long-term goals as a marketer. If you want to build a personal brand, become an influencer. Plus, if you want to focus on brand partnerships, influencer marketing would be the right profession for you.
Content Creator vs. Influencer: FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about content marketing vs. influencer marketing.
Do Influencers Create Content?
Yes, influencers create a variety of content, including videos, blog posts, and images. As an influencer, you use your content to build an audience and sell them products.
What is the Difference Between User Generated Content and Influencer?
User-generated content is the content that’s created by a user of a product or the customer. Influencers are marketers or content creators with a niche following on platforms like Instagram and YouTube.
What is the Difference Between Content and Influencer Marketing?
Content marketing is when you use content to attract, engage, and convert your audience. Influencer marketing is when a business promotes its products to an already built following of an influencer.
Conclusion
Content creators and influencer marketers both use the power of content to engage and convert an audience. Influencers usually only have a following on one platform. Content creators work on a range of content types, including blog posts, social media posts, and videos. If you want to build a personal brand, go with influencer marketing. If you’re into different types of content, work as a content creator and diversify your income.
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