Welcome to our “How to Make Money as a Content Creator” course. In this course, you’ll learn how you can earn money online doing what you love. I’m James Caran, content creator at WayAway and Travelpayouts. In Lesson 4, we’ll be showing you how to set the right goals for your content business and how to make them happen.
Once you’ve chosen your niche and platform, you might be eager to dive into creating content. However, don’t rush. No matter what content you want to create, you need a plan. This video will explain how to set clear goals and map out an action plan that’ll help you turn your dreams into actions. Strap in, we’re just getting started!
So, you’re dreaming of building a profitable business by creating content? What exactly do you need to make your dream come true? First and foremost, remember that there are no shortcuts in the world of content creation. Like any business, your blog, YouTube channel, podcast, or social media page require a lot of effort and will take time to grow. So don’t count on overnight success, no matter how tempting it may be. Instead, treat content creation as you would any other business. What exactly does this mean?
First, set clear goals. This will give you a clear focus to get ahead. Whenever you set a goal, make sure it’s SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound). Let’s look at each of these points in turn.
First, your goals should be specific. Say goodbye to goals like “Become a star blogger” or “Make a lot of money”. Instead, ask yourself what exactly you want to achieve, when you want to achieve it, and why. For example, it can be growing your Instagram following or increasing the number of visits to your website.
The next question is: How will you measure success? Putting in exact numbers allows you to determine whether your expectations were met. If you’re an Instagrammer, a good example of a measurable goal would be getting over 3,000 new followers on the platform.
Thirdly, make sure the goals you set are achievable. This means that they need to be within your reach and that you have enough resources to accomplish them. If you set the bar too high, odds are, you’ll lose your mojo very soon.
Next, make sure your goals are relevant, matter to you, and align with your overall plan.
Finally, make your goal time-bound by setting a deadline. Having a deadline in place will make it easier to stay on track and monitor your progress. An example of a time-bound goal is getting over 3,000 new Instagram followers by the end of the first quarter.
To make the goal-setting process easier for you, we’ve linked to a SMART goals template by Miro. Check it out in the Resources section.
Now that you’ve come up with your SMART goals, it’s time to act on them. However, big goals may seem too overwhelming, and you might not know where to start or what to do. So, the next thing you need to do is create an effective action plan that helps you take action.
To create your action plan, first, break up your big goals into manageable sub goals. Imagine you have a goal to get over 3,000 new Instagram followers by the end of the first quarter. How can you make this goal more manageable? Break it down into several sub goals. They can include optimizing your account for search, publishing five Instagram posts a week, holding three contests to share your brand with a larger audience, and so on.
Next, break down each of these sub goals into small, well-defined steps. So if your sub goal is holding three contests, some of the steps you might need to take are:
After you’ve figured out the steps, create a timeline and a deadline for each step, and think about the resources you’ll need to complete those steps on time. To make the task easier for you, we’ve prepared an action plan template. Check it out in the Resources section.
Once you define your goals and map out a clear plan, it’s time to develop a powerful daily routine that aligns with your plan and stick to it no matter what. To help you stay on task and make the most of your time, we’ve made a list of the best productivity tools, which you can find in the Resources section.
Here’s another important thing to remember. When it comes to business, consistency is key and as a content creator you can’t rely on motivation alone. It takes discipline and consistent effort to succeed in any business, and content creation is no exception. So make sure to schedule time every day to work towards your goals. You’ll need to do a lot of grinding to get where you want to be, but the effort and time invested will eventually pay off tenfold.
Let’s wrap things up:
In Module 2, we’ll cover everything you need to create top-notch content. Stay tuned! In the meantime, write down your goals and create a solid action plan that will pave your path to success. Good luck and see you soon!
