Content Creators: What They Do and How They Make Money

Brands nowadays create all kinds of digital assets to promote their products and services. As the online world continues to evolve with new forms of visual, audible, and written media, there’s never been a better time to dive into the world of content creation. 

So, if you’ve ever thought about dipping your toes and becoming a content creator, now is the perfect time to get started.

A content creator typically has a unique perspective or point of view, which resonates with their target audience and helps them grow a following over time.

Like the field of content creation, its applications have also grown. Thanks to social media, many content creators are now influencers earning money by creating content that includes brand promotion. 

Others work as full-time content creators internally at businesses, creating content specifically for that organization. And then some simply create content online for their own enjoyment!

Although the type of media a content creator creates can vary significantly, many of them turn to content creation software for various purposes. These include helping creators write their content, design graphics for social media, or combine their clips into a cohesive video. 

Newly developed technology, such as the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), is making content creation faster and easier. This allows creators to spend less time on admin and focus more on being creative.

What are the different types of content creators?

Just as there are numerous outlets for content to be published, so are the types of content creators. They can be categorized according to the kind of media output they create. Some specialize in one or two, while others have skills across various types.

1. Visual creators

These include photographers, videographers, graphic designers, and illustrators. They create eye-catching content for platforms such as Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts. With skills in shooting, editing, and storytelling, visual creators often collaborate with brands or sell prints, templates, or stock content.

2. Audio creators

Podcasters and audio-based content creators focus on delivering long-form or episodic content. They research, script, record, and edit discussions or interviews, often on niche topics, and upload them to a podcasting hosting platform for distribution. Some platforms include Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

3. Writers and bloggers

Even with the rise of video and photo platforms, blog content is still lucrative for many content creators. Beyond this, other written content like email newsletters, eBooks, and even scripts for videos or podcasts are all avenues that strong writers can take as content creators. These creators publish on personal blogs, LinkedIn, Medium, or branded websites. 

4. Influencers and ambassadors

Not all content creators are influencers, but all influencers are content creators. These individuals are often a mix of the above but rely on their large social following to make money from their content. 

Whether it’s collaborating with brands to create content for the branded account or promoting those brands on their own channels to their audience, these content creators use their influence to help businesses reach new audiences online. 

5. Video creators and streamers

YouTube creators, Twitch streamers, and short-form video influencers fall under this category. They produce tutorials, reviews, vlogs, live streams, and entertainment content. Monetization often comes from ad revenue, sponsorships, affiliate links, and fan support (e.g., memberships, Super Chat).

6. Educators and thought leaders

These creators focus on tutorials, online courses, explainers, and thought leadership, often in niche or technical domains. They may use blogs, YouTube, LinkedIn, or course platforms like Teachable. Revenue is generated from course sales, consulting, workshops, and speaking engagements.

7. Content marketers

Although many people don’t think of this group as content creators, they are! Content marketers work for a single brand to create media that aligns with the overarching business goals. Examples could be company blog content, social media posts, or videos for internal stakeholders. 

How do content creators make money?

Depending on the type of content creator you want to be, there are several ways that you can earn an income from the media you produce. This would typically be a standard salary for internal, company-employed content creators. But for freelance or self-employed content creators, income can come from:

• Brand partnerships: Influencers and other notable content creators make the majority of their money by working directly with brands to promote products or services to their audience. 
• Ad revenue: Ads that run on YouTube videos can make some money if viewers click on them during the video runtime. AdSense pays creators based on CPM (cost per 1,000 views). Ad revenue is volume-driven, and success here typically requires tens or hundreds of thousands of views or downloads to be financially viable.
• Affiliate marketing: Brands often provide creators with a unique URL for products or services tagged specifically for that creator, which they can share with their audience. The creator will earn a small commission on products bought via that link.
• Fan subscriptions and exclusive communities: Services like Patreon or YouTube Memberships allow creators to make exclusive content for their audience when those viewers pay a monthly fee to access these materials. Think of this like an online fan club made by the content creator for their most loyal fans!
• Public speaking and consulting: When content creators have established a reputation, companies may invite them to speak at their events or conferences about their expertise in content creation. This is especially common among creators in B2B, marketing, design, finance, and education. For example, a social media strategist with a strong TikTok presence might offer monthly coaching packages to small businesses.
• Merchandise: Once a creator has a significant following, there’s the possibility that those followers may want branded merchandise from that creator. Making and selling t-shirts, stickers, eBooks, or even online courses are all options for popular creators.

How do you become a successful content creator in 2025?

There’s plenty of demand for talented content creators, but there’s also a large number of people trying to make this career their own. While there’s room for everyone in such a vast industry, a few important practices should be kept in mind as you build your portfolio of work.

Pick your platform and content format

Trying to be on every platform at once is a fast track to burnout. Instead, start with one or two that best suit your skills and audience habits. If you’re a strong writer, consider Substack, LinkedIn, or a blog. If you’re great on camera, lean into TikTok or YouTube. Designers might thrive on Instagram or Pinterest. 

Once you gain traction, expand into other formats or channels. It might make you look more appealing to brands you want to partner with and help you attract a wider audience.

Stay on top of trends

To become an expert in your chosen field, you must know what’s popular and when. Follow other content creators who talk about the topics you want to create content on and learn as much about your niche as possible. 

If a new trend comes up, make sure you can turn around content quickly to capitalize on this and give yourself the best chance of creating a viral hit.

Create valuable content consistently

Consistency beats perfection. The most successful content creators aren’t the ones with flawless output, but the ones who show up regularly and provide real value. That could mean educating, entertaining, inspiring, or simply helping people solve a problem. Whether you post once a week or daily, develop a sustainable cadence that allows you to maintain quality without overwhelming yourself. 

Optimize and distribute your content

Creating content is only half the job; getting it seen is just as important. Use basic SEO techniques to optimize titles, descriptions, and keywords if you’re writing or uploading videos. Repurpose long-form pieces into social snippets, carousels, or email newsletters to extend their reach. Promote your work in relevant communities, collaborate with other creators, and stay engaged with your audience. 

Build a network

Making content for a living can be lonely, especially if you’re working for yourself. So make sure you’re reaching out to other creators and building a community around you. This also opens up opportunities for collaborations, both with other creators and brands. Take every opportunity to build relationships as you grow your following.

Pitch to brands

Once you’ve established yourself online and have a portfolio of work behind you, it’s time to start reaching out to brands you might be interested in working with. Don’t wait for opportunities to come to you. Instead, offer to help them promote a new product or service and see who’s interested in partnering with you.

What are the biggest challenges content creators face?

From algorithm shifts to audience criticism, there are certain challenges that can derail even the most passionate creators. Here are the most common roadblocks and how to navigate them.

• Burnout and creative fatigue: The constant pressure to publish, stay relevant, and outperform previous posts can quickly lead to exhaustion. Many creators burn out from juggling multiple platforms or chasing perfection.
  Solution: Set a realistic posting schedule and stick to it. Batch content in advance, build in downtime, and repurpose top-performing pieces instead of always starting from scratch.
• Algorithm dependency: Platform algorithms determine who sees your content and they change frequently. Relying on a single platform can make your growth (or income) vulnerable to updates outside your control.
  Solution: Diversify your distribution. Republish content across multiple channels, start building an email list, and invest in community spaces where you control the audience connection.
• Income instability: Even successful creators often experience unpredictable income. Campaign delays, seasonal fluctuations, and platform policy changes can make it challenging to budget or plan for the long term.
  Solution: Create multiple revenue streams, such as affiliate marketing, product sales, services, or memberships. Where possible, negotiate monthly retainers or long-term brand partnerships.
• Content saturation and competition: Every niche is crowded. With so much content being published daily, it’s easy to feel like your voice gets lost or that you’re repeating what others have already done.
  Solution: Lean into your unique perspective. Your voice, lived experience, and delivery style are your differentiators. Instead of aiming to be the loudest, focus on being the most consistent and valuable to your specific audience.
• Negative feedback and online criticism: As your reach grows, so does scrutiny. Constructive criticism is one thing, but unfiltered or toxic comments can shake even seasoned creators.
  Solution: Focus on your mission and your engaged audience. Not every comment deserves a response. Build systems to filter noise, protect your energy, and use feedback strategically.

What are the best content creation tools in 2025?

With so many aspects of content creation, any opportunity to accelerate your process and simplify creating should be taken. G2 helps creators find content creation software that can produce tailored content in various formats for different audiences and platforms.

To be included in the Content Creation category, platforms must:

• Provide tools to develop content, including but not limited to graphics, videos, presentations, copywriting, blogs, etc. 
• Provide features to create, publish, and easily distribute or incorporate said content into its intended medium

*Below are the top five leading content creation software solutions from G2’s Fall 2025 Grid Report. Some reviews may be edited for clarity.

1. Canva

Canva is a graphic design platform that empowers users to create stunning visual content with ease. Whether you're designing social media posts, presentations, infographics, or marketing materials, Canva’s drag-and-drop interface, robust template library, and brand kit features make it accessible for beginners and pros alike.

What G2 users like best:

“I like real-time editing and free availability of copyright-free photos and videos, along with graphics in canvas. This software also has some of the best and high-quality free templates available for designing online posters and banners just in minutes.”

- Canva review, Shaik U.

What G2 users dislike:

“Sometimes Canva feels a bit slow, especially when loading templates or elements. A few features are locked behind the Pro plan, which can be annoying when you're in the middle of a design. The mobile app is not as smooth as the desktop version, and collaboration can get confusing when multiple people are editing. Export quality also drops occasionally when dealing with complex graphics.”

- Canva review, Jatin Y.

2. Synthesia

Synthesia is an AI video generation tool that allows businesses and individuals to create engaging video content. The platform can transform PDFs and images into exciting interactive content while also providing options for creating animated video material and converting text into speech for video voice-overs.

What G2 users like best:

“The editing features make it really intuitive to author engaging videos. Synthesia tools make it easy to animate the layout of scenes with pinpoint accuracy as to script timing and specific behaviors. The avatars are hyper-realistic and keep getting better. The new layers feature makes it even easier to edit complex scenes with multiple images and text features, in ways that were difficult before.”

- Synthesia review, Jay W.

What G2 users dislike:

“I would like to see more native speaker languages to make the videos more authentic.”

- Synthesia review, Klaus H.

3. Snagit

Snagit is a powerful screen capture and image editing tool built for professionals who need to communicate visually. The platform enables users to quickly grab screenshots or record video of their screen activity, then annotate, trim, and share with clarity. 

What G2 users like best:

“The ease of use. It is unambiguous and user-friendly. I use it every single day in my work. There are so many tools at my disposal. I have convinced so many of my colleagues to use this in their work as well. The copy all feature makes this work in every program I use: Canva, Word, Adobe, everything.”

- Snagit review, Victoriana P.

What G2 users dislike:

“The main downside is that the video editing features are a bit limited when compared to specialized video editing software. Sometimes, working with large captures can be slow, especially on older computers, and I also wish the export options provided greater flexibility.”

- Snagit review, Vishal D.

4. VEED

VEED is a browser-based video editing platform that simplifies the creation of professional-quality videos without complex software. From cutting and trimming to adding subtitles, effects, and brand assets, VEED helps content creators produce engaging video content for platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and LinkedIn.  

What G2 users like best:

“VEED is incredibly easy to use and is fairly versatile. The learning curve is relatively small, even if you have little to no video editing experience. It creates great-looking videos quickly and offers numerous options for voiceovers, stock footage, and effects. Implementing VEED has been easy, and the onboarding was smooth. The customer support is top-tier, and people are very responsive. I use VEED frequently for my role, and have very few issues.”

- VEED review, Erin B.

What G2 users dislike:

“I tried using the AI video creation feature in VEED, but it didn't do a particularly good job of following my prompt. This lack of precision in AI-driven tasks was disappointing.”

- VEED review, Matt S.

5. Semrush

Semrush is a SaaS platform that allows businesses to complete research and track search engine optimization, content, and paid advertising campaigns. With tools to manage keywords, find new content opportunities, and research competitors, Semrush is essential for content creators across all media.

What G2 users like best:

“I like SEMrush because of how comprehensive and detailed their SEO tool is. The domain overview, keyword gap, keyword magic tool, and backlink analytics are some of the best features out there.”

- Semrush review, Opeyemi O.

What G2 users dislike:

“The interface can also be overwhelming due to the vast array of tools and data, making it difficult for beginners to navigate. Moreover, there can be a learning curve to effectively utilize all of its features, requiring time and training. Lastly, while Semrush offers a wealth of data, the accuracy of its traffic analytics and keyword difficulty scores may sometimes be questioned, as they are estimates and can sometimes vary from actual figures.”

- Semrush review, Ivan M.

Frequently asked questions about content creators

Got more questions? We got the answer.

Q1. How is a content creator different from an influencer?

Influencers are a subset of content creators who primarily monetize through brand partnerships and their personal following. Content creators may or may not have large audiences, but often focus on educational, editorial, or creative content that delivers value regardless of reach.

Q2. How much money can a content creator make?

Earnings vary widely. Small creators might earn a few hundred dollars a month, while top creators can make six or even seven figures annually. Income depends on the content format, monetization model, audience size, engagement level, and niche.

Q3. Do I need a large following to be a successful content creator?

No. Many creators earn meaningful income with small but highly engaged audiences. They can build trust and, at times, convert better than larger accounts by focusing on niche value and authentic engagement.

Q4. Is content creation still worth it in 2025?

Yes. Content creation continues to grow as a career path, side hustle, and marketing channel. With improved tools, more monetization options, and strong demand, it remains a viable and scalable opportunity.

Q5. How do I start content creation if I have no experience?

Start by choosing a topic you're genuinely interested in, then pick one platform and content format that aligns with your strengths. Focus on creating valuable, consistent content rather than striving for perfection. Use free or low-cost tools to get started, and learn by doing. 

Create content your audience will love

Making any type of content takes time, skill, and endless creativity. But the process can be incredibly rewarding, particularly when you’re making content with brands you love and are generating work you feel good about. And with the right tools to help you, you can quickly transform your content creation hobby into a lucrative new career.

Attract interested followers for your content and reach a wider group of people with content distribution software that puts your hard work in front of new online audiences.

This article was originally published in 2024. It has been updated with new information.