10 Tips for Getting into Content Creation
My Journey
I have been passionate about nature and photography since I can remember. My first camera was a pink point-and-shoot Sony digital camera, that I got when 14 years old. I was obsessed, which led me to study photography for 2 years and shoot with my first DSLR at 16 years old. I then almost went to university to study it, but decided it would be a hobby and I pursued Biology instead.
I then started taking photography seriously again during my travels around the world when working in research. Wildlife photography was my passion. I shared my photography on Instagram but never thought in a million years I would end up making a living from it like I do now.
I was so passionate about capturing wildlife. I always wanted to share what I saw with the world but never knew how until only recently.
How I started
I met my partner who was a full-time creator of 6+ years who essentially taught me to edit, work with clients, and create a professional Instagram page.
I did an online course, Influencer Mastercourse which taught me all the methods needed for a successful content creator business. It also connected me to hundreds of like-minded creators and a support group that helped me gain confidence in what I was doing.
I chose a niche, 3 categories, Travel, Adventure, and Sustainability, and stuck to it.
I landed my first collaboration with under 3000 followers, with a hiking brand that used my content on their website.
I worked with my partner creating content for brands he had, which was how I made a living until I landed my first paid solo collab at 5000 followers.
I continued to invest in trips, to Italy, the Dolomites, Cappadocia, and then Hawaii. This elevated my skills and I learned how to work with brands by trial and error.
I made reels dedicated to my niche, which led to more jobs with sustainable brands.
A reel about Earth Day and sustainable travel led to a job with Noosa Tourism in Australia! Where I created an entire campaign for them, which was my goal! This was when I was still under 10k followers.
I am now under 20k followers, working as a full-time creator, creating content for brands that align with my values, I am contacted to some of the biggest creators in the industry and respected amongst the community. Basically you don’t need a huge following to land big jobs, but it does help.
I surrounded myself with other like-minded people and young entrepreneurs and lived in a city that supported young creators, which helped me believe in myself. I think that is incredibly important!
What you should do
Define Your Niche: Determine what aspect of travel you're most passionate about. It could be adventure travel, budget travel, luxury travel, solo travel, etc. Focusing on a specific niche will help you stand out in a crowded field.
Create High-Quality Content: Invest in good equipment such as a high-resolution camera, microphone, and editing software. Your content should be visually appealing and engaging to capture your audience's attention.
Tell Compelling Stories: People love stories. Share your personal experiences, anecdotes, and adventures to make your content more relatable and interesting.
Build Your Online Presence: Establish a presence on social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. Consistently post content and engage with your audience to grow your following.
Collaborate with Others: Collaborating with other travel creators can help you reach a wider audience and gain exposure. Look for opportunities to collaborate on content or projects with fellow creators in your niche.
Create a community: Online and Offline
Engage with Your Audience: Respond to comments, messages, and questions from your audience. Building a strong connection with your followers will keep them coming back for more content.
Be Authentic: Authenticity is key in travel content creation. Be genuine and transparent with your audience about your experiences, recommendations, and opinions.
Stay Consistent: Consistency is key to growing your audience and keeping them engaged. Develop a content schedule and stick to it to maintain momentum and attract new followers.
Stay Inspired: Travel content creation can be challenging at times, so it's important to stay inspired and motivated. Follow other travel creators, read travel blogs, and explore new destinations to keep your creativity flowing.
Have FUN - if you don’t enjoy what you are creating you won’t last. Passion is the key element to being successful in this industry.
Feel free to contact me and ask any questions! I am more than happy to help.
