Watching a Youtube video by Mary Spender got me thinking about content creation. In it, she discusses her thoughts on the future of her channel, asking her audience for some feedback and guidance. One thing she said really caught my attention, and I think it’s a very important point when it comes to making any kind of content. I was going to leave a comment, but since I do tend to ramble on, I thought it best to post something here instead and leave a link to it. Maybe it will be of value, maybe not.

No Change In My Plans

Okay, yes, I’ve been lax in putting up regular content. And, no, I have no plans to create videos or podcasts. I have toyed with the idea of a podcast, but I’m not sure I can commit to the time it takes to post one regularly enough, let alone be one that is interesting. I have no interest in doing one just to hear the sound of my own voice.

There is no change in my plans because, at the moment, I don’t really have a “plan” in the formal sense. I have some ideas of what I want to do, but that’s about it.

Be Actually Authentic

One point Mary made was that she was only going to make videos on topics that interested her. She wants her content to remain truly authentic. She had no interest in trying to create something viral or in chasing trends. To me, this is the core, central, fundamental, underlying principle for anyone creating anything in this space. If the creator of content isn’t actually into the content, or doesn’t feel some passion or connection to it, that will come through. Their work will appear to be inauthentic. It will be clear it is trying to pander to some short term trend or gimmick, and not contain something that they actually believe in. It will be shallow, hollow, a facade without substance.

I have watched videos from some content creators where it was clear they were only doing it for the money and the views. It became readily apparent in a few cases. A lot of their content was repetitive. It was shallow or vapid, and it was clearly there to either get you to watch or to generate a reaction (not a real conversation). After a handful of videos, I gave up. I believe I have at least one that I’ve told Youtube to stop recommending entirely.

Of Course, Revenue Can Be Important

For anyone trying to make a living off of their video or audio content, obviously creating something people want to watch (or even pay for) is important. If you hope to pay the bills, you obviously need to make something that’s marketable. But that content has to be more than an obvious attempt at a money grab, at least if you want an audience that sticks around for the long haul. Certainly, you can make something that is shocking or outrageous, or is aimed at gaming SEO systems. That might make you some money in the short term. But it can mean that, after you’ve ceased to be “the new hotness”, the audience moves on to the next thing.

Certainly, there are creators who are simply looking to hook into the “next big thing”, and milk it for as much as they can for as long as they can. Copycats are everywhere, in every arena, and in every genre. Streaming services will be flooded with certain styles or genres as soon as one or two become hot commodities. The same goes for games, fashion, and Youtube content. If that works for you, fine. But unless you can stumble upon the next hot trend, it may be a one-and-done situation.

Please, Care About Your Content

As a consumer of content, I ask that you create authentic content you have a passion for. Ideally, also have some expertise. Unless, of course, you’re documenting your growth and development in something new, hoping to teach others along the way.

But don’t just try to chase the most recent hot trend, Make content you care about, because then the audience will care about it, too. And they’ll come back reliably. Some will even pay you, through things like Patreon, to help you create more. I believe that’s the right answer to long-term and enduring success.