The Rise of Content Creation: Workers No Longer Find Permanent Security in a Traditional Job

By Moon Harper

Apr 10, 2024 04:30 AM EDT

According to Cornell University's communication professor Brooke Erin Duffy, many individuals pursue full-time content creation after experiencing success or as a means of returning to employment.

People Turning to The Promising World of Content Creation

The pandemic has influenced how employees view work, with a preference for schedule control and remote job opportunities. In February, US Census Bureau data revealed a nearly 50% increase in new business applications compared to pre-pandemic levels, reflecting this trend. Content creators are part of this surge, likely constituting a small portion.

Goldman Sachs Research estimates that in the $250 billion content creation industry, approximately 4% of global creators generate over $100,000 annually. YouTube, regarded as one of the most profitable platforms, boasts over 3 million channels in its YouTube Partner Program, through which creators monetize their content. A spokesperson disclosed that the platform has disbursed over $70 billion in payments over the past three years.

Meanwhile, a company representative reported that TikTok had experienced a 15% increase in user monetization amidst potential ban concerns.

Traditional Settings No Longer Offer Permanent Security

With a compact mirror and eyelash curler, Grace Xu informed her 300,000 TikTok followers of her impending layoff. In a subsequent clip, she confirmed the layoff but expressed plans to transition to a career as a content creator, remarking that the decision has been made on her behalf and that the universe has spoken.

Instead of seeking traditional employment, individuals like 26-year-old Xu are forging a new route for themselves by venturing into online content creation. They earn income from brand partnerships and advertising by creating a variety of social media videos, spanning from educational to entertaining content.

During the pandemic, Xu rediscovered her hobbies, prompting her to create content on TikTok under the username @amazingishgrace. Her hand-sewn thrift flips gained traction and gradually attracted a following. Xu continued producing content despite transitioning from a banking job to the tech sector for improved work-life balance.

Last summer, when a round of layoffs occurred, Xu contemplated transitioning to full-time content creation despite harboring a deep fear of diluting her passion by turning it into work. However, her layoff accelerated her decision-making process. Xu emphasized the importance of maintaining faith that opportunities will arise when life opens up, cautioning against overthinking, which could drive you crazy.

The Unpredictable Success in Content Creation

Another content creator, Pot Roast's Mom on TikTok, explained that she remained in her engineering job out of fear of losing health insurance and needing to repay student loans. However, when her cat, Pot Roast, passed away two years ago, she decided to pursue content creation full-time. Pot Roast's Mom, who uses her username to maintain privacy, reflected that Pot Roast's death made her realize that she did not enjoy anything in her life except herself, making her realize it was time for a change.

A supportive community of women in the industry played a crucial role in helping her transition from traditional employment to full-time content creation, providing insights into brand deal pricing and assisting in establishing payment tiers on platforms like Patreon, a subscription service for content creators. With 1.2 million followers on TikTok, the majority of her income last year, approximately $30,000, came from Patreon, supplemented by a smaller portion from brand deals, totaling around $10,000. Pot Roast's Mom recently came across a video where a woman claimed to have earned $200,000 in a year from cat content. However, she believes this is likely a rare occurrence rather than the norm, noting that pursuing content creation requires readiness for potential failure and a realistic outlook on income.

Turning content creation into a viable career demands significant time, effort, and investment, as explained by Duffy. Creators often negotiate multiple video brand deals or sponsorships to establish some stability in income, but these arrangements can have lengthy payout periods spanning months. Many creators rely on savings from traditional careers to bridge financial gaps during these waiting periods. The unpredictability of success is significant when relying on platform-dependent income, contingent upon factors such as algorithms, updated community guidelines, and audience reception, which can fluctuate unpredictably.