5-Step Guide: Start a Professional Content Creator Career

Jun 29, 2023

Young cohorts now entering the workforce are facing a very different job market than the generation before them. It’s more competitive, the requirements are higher, and living expenses in areas where many of the office jobs are located are often prohibitive on an entry-level salary.

A field that is flourishing as an attractive alternative career choice is content creation. One reason for this is that this type of work is often not location-dependent, allowing for more flexibility. Another reason is that there will always be demand for more content — especially when nearly half of all millennials claim to spend more than 10 hours consuming online content each week.

This creates an opportunity for you to build a career in something you are truly passionate about. Isn't that attractive?

“Content creator” is an umbrella term for jobs that involve making or editing content that appears online or in print.

Here are some popular professions that fall under the content creator category:

There are several steps you’ll want to consider on your path to becoming a content creator. It’s important to note, too, that you’ll likely need to develop a portfolio of your work ― whether you work independently or seek an in-house job.

Step 1: Find What You Like and Become Good at It

Start by choosing what kind of content you’ll be creating. You might be passionate about a specific content category already, such as music or graphic design ― or you can choose a content type that helps you connect with something you’re passionate about, such as travel photography.

Whichever method or content type you select, you’ll need to acquire the skills necessary to create high-quality work. If you are not already proficient in the format you want to create in, you’ll want to focus on learning the tools and techniques of your craft. Plenty of online courses and instructional videos are available for free or for a fee. To put your skills into practice, you may need specialized equipment for your area of interest. We address that question in the Gear Up section below, in Tip 4.

Step 2: Decide How You’d Like to Work

There are three common career paths for content creators. The first two are more traditional routes ― e.g., in-house employee or freelancer ― and the third is the more recently available role of an independent online content creator.

Many creators choose to work in-house at an agency, corporation or other organization. This format of employment promises more stable income and an ability to create high-profile content with a budget — meaning, you don’t need to pay for all the equipment and production costs yourself. To find a job like this, you’ll likely need a portfolio of work to showcase and land an interview.

Another way is to work as a freelancer. In this role, you’re hired to create content, according to a specific request. This kind of work promises more independence and freedom, but the challenge is that you won’t have a consistent salary. In addition, sometimes you’ll need to cover production costs upfront, and then invoice your client for expenses incurred. It can take years to develop a client base to ensure sustained, somewhat consistent income when working solely as a freelancer. To offer freelance services, you can choose to showcase your work on online freelance marketplace. Some freelance content creators also set up their own one-person companies to be able to issue invoices for their services directly.

Finally, the kind of work that offers perhaps the most freedom is creating and monetizing your own content online. This way of working is challenging, but if you are successful it may offer the largest rewards. If you don’t have a sponsor, you’ll need to cover the costs of all of your equipment as you build up your content base. This can be costly and it may take a while before you generate even modest income.

Step 3: Research Your Specific Area of Interest

Once you figure out what kind of content you want to create and how you would ideally prefer to work, the next step is to research what kinds of opportunities are out there in your area of interest. Read some job posts or see what freelancers offer. This will help you get an idea of what kinds of skills or examples you will need to develop.

Based on what you learn, develop a realistic timeline of starting your career. Give yourself time to practice, learn and create work for your portfolio. Attach deadlines to milestones — moments when you know you are ready for the next step.

Part of the research process should also involve making a list of the equipment you will need to achieve your goals. This is a crucial step, and the equipment you need will depend on your content type and on how you choose to work ― in-house, freelance, or independently.

Steps 4: Gear Up

Once you know the kind of content you’ll be creating and how you prefer to work, you’ll need tools to develop the appropriate skills and, if necessary, your portfolio. If you plan to work in-house, you will probably want to get only the minimum that you need, in terms of equipment.

Some content creator positions will require specialized equipment such as a professional camera for video, or recording gear for audio. However, the one universal piece of equipment that all modern, digital content creators need … is a PC. And that's where ASUS can help.

By investing in a PC/laptop made with creators in mind, you can rest assured you’ll have the key features and performance you need. The ASUS Vivobook Pro 16X OLED (K6604) is a good example of a powerful, portable computer made for creators. It has a stunning, color-accurate 3.2K 120 Hz OLED display and it comes with an ASUS DialPad — a convenient virtual rotary input device embedded in the laptop’s touchpad to help you use creative software with ease. It features the latest Intel® Core™ HX55 desktop-level processor and up to an NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX™ 4070 Laptop GPU — empowering maximum performance for any task, no matter how tough. And all of this comes with an attractive price tag.

Step 5: Showcase Your Work

Even the best content needs to be easily discovered to be seen. To find work — whichever way of working you choose — you might need to show examples of work you’ve already compelted.

Your first step will be figuring out how to best showcase your content. Many creators choose social media. It's a good medium that makes your work easy to find and easy to share as a work portfolio. Depending on your format, you'll choose a different platform.

If you are looking to sell your work, you may also look into digital marketplaces, like stock image or video platforms, or advertise your work on a freelance platform — just remember to attach a link to your online portfolio.

To make your work as easy to find as possible, pay attention to social media captions and include relevant hashtags. For online portfolios and websites, it's a good idea to research keywords related to your field and optimize all the SEO settings to make your page stand out on the search engine result page.

By following these five tips, you should become well-equipped to launch your content creator career. It is going to be an exciting journey, but remember to keep your hand on the pulse and always improve. Content creation is an always-evolving area. New trends and content formats pop up all the time. You will need to keep refining your craft ― which may require updating your skills and tools as you go.

ASUS creates laptops and peripherals designed specifically to accompany you on this creative journey, at any stage — from beginner to expert. We’re always there to help you on your creative journey!