If there is one profession that dominates social media today, it is that of content creators. It is not surprising that a world overwhelmed with digital platforms would offer opportunities to different creators who can present their material in engaging ways. But the profession is not without drawbacks.
Simply put, content creators are the faces behind the multiple shorts, reels or long form content put up in blogs and videos available online. They can range from tips on health, investment, clothing and everything in between. As Forbes says to businesses, “robust content creation strategy is no longer just a nice-to-have for your business. Without great content and a high-ranking Internet presence, your business practically doesn’t exist”.
Content creators add to a business, but in many ways, they are a business themselves. Often acting as experts in different fields, they share tips, ideas or facts that draw our attention. Good content can be attractive and bring us back to the site regularly. Content itself can be in the form of blog posts, videos, eBooks, Tweets, infographics, and advertisements.
While watching a one-minute reel on Tik Tok may seem simple, what goes on behind it is anything but. Content creation is a challenging pursuit — coming up with ideas every single day, actually making the reel, promoting it and finally measuring its success are all difficult chores that take up a long time.
The number of content creators today is truly mindboggling. Of the 162 million people putting up some kind of content, 48 million are professionals. Standing out in this space is truly challenging and requires imagination, patience and, of course, creativity.
The 3 basic Cs of the digital format are creation, curation and conversation, according to experts. This means that creating a format is only the first step. Even writing a digital blog or making a video is the beginning. It needs to be shared with others, starting with friends and family or one’s immediate community. Inviting others to contribute to the conversation is a great step forward, ensuring that the topic is being discussed and kept relevant.
There are many advantages to choosing to be a digital content creator. It is a creative field with sufficient independence to choose topics and formats. It is an entrepreneur’s dream.
But like all dreams, it needs hard work to see the light of day. According to those in the industry, only 10% of any digital content gets sufficient traction to become a profession. In addition to an overcrowded market, the challenge is to have new, fresh and relevant ideas to attract new audience. The biggest fear of a content creator is losing followers — thus the permanent appeal to ‘click, share and subscribe’ at the end of every video.
In the Middle East, content in Arabic has grown rapidly in the last few years. They include businesspeople, entertainers and lifestyle influencers. Drawing on Arab culture and history, many content creators in the Arab world are becoming more relevant as they use local idioms, references and ideas to connect with their community. That is why digital content in Arabic is seeing a promising, sharp rise.
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