Taking your social media presence to the next level

By Thomas Johnston ’19

Thomas Johnston ’19 is the managing director of Shifted Digital, a talent management agency representing leading digitalfirst talent. Thomas’ background includes talent and artist management, production for film, TV, and theatre, and much more.

Everyone (and their dogs!) has a social media presence, but not all of us can make it as an influencer. Curious about what it takes to make the leap to content creator?

Create with authenticity and passion

Aspiring digital media stars should begin by finding something that they are passionate about. Passion will lead to authenticity, making it easy to document and share. Developing and understanding why you are on this pathway will leave you miles ahead of others.

Seek monetization and brand partnerships

After a highly engaged audience (community) is developed, you will be able to understand their age, gender, and location demographics. Brand partnerships are typically the largest revenue stream for creators. Seek brand partnerships that feel authentic to you and are valuable to your brand and community. If a campaign is successful, you may earn repeat business from brands.

Find what sticks with you and your audience

Creating is not a “one size fits all” adventure. Once you have found your initial inspiration and subject, you must continue to iterate. Review insights (social media data) to find out why your audience is consuming your content and what sets you apart from the millions of other accounts. This is one of the biggest contributors to organic growth and engagement.

Decide whether to go full time or part time

Creators often reach a point where they match or exceed their current income streams (from other employment) through content creation. They don’t necessarily need to be full-time content creators to achieve this. You may identify how to create content alongside other work opportunities. Having a second job can also lead to more creative outlets and ultimately more content subjects.

Engage with your community offline

Never stop engaging with your community. They are like-minded people who consume your content. Whether your audience is composed of one hundred or ten million users, they care about what you’re producing and will likely stay with you as your content creation journey evolves.