What Your Favorite Content Creator Is Trying to Tell You
Imitation is the highest form of flattery.
Do you have a content creator whom you adore?
Someone you religiously follow, soaking in every work they set free into the world, even when their latest creation isn’t entirely of interest to you?
Of course you do.
We all do.
In all honesty, I kind of hate the content creator tag. Not that there’s anything wrong with the “job” description, it’s just too formal for my liking.
But in fairness, it does sound better than “idea generator” or “life experience connoisseur.”
Actually that second one isn’t too bad.
Anyway, your favorite content creator is trying to tell you, an aspiring content creator, something about your own creative style.
The question is: have you noticed?
Think of your favorite content creator not related to your niche
For example, I write a lot about ADHD and mental health, but some of my favorite content is produced by James Hoffmann; arguably the preeminent voice of the coffee community on YouTube.
James’ content has come a long way since his humble beginnings, something I find inspiring in and of itself. But one thing about James I’m blown away by is how he’s amassed over 1 million subscribers.
James has, by my count, not once asked a single person to subscribe to his channel.
Like, ever.
Instead, he’s focused on creating deep, highly informative content that drips with his low-key yet sophisticated personality.
Put another way, James’ content is so good it sells itself.
I find an immense amount of value in this observation. If you hyperfocus on your expertise and neatly release it to the world, the world will find it.
If you build it, they will come.
Even though I’m not about to go toe-to-toe with James Hoffmann in the coffee arena, I can still learn from his example and apply the lessons learned to my creations.
You can also find your style from other creators
Within our areas of interest, you’ll find a multitude of qualified content creators playing within the same space.
Just like James Hoffmann isn’t the only one putting out content about coffee, the same can be said for all other topics.
But why do some creators garner your attention while others turn you off, even when they’re both expertly speaking on the same subject?
More pointedly, why do you like Creator A and dislike Creator B?
Answering this question can help you find your own style, helping you understand how you want to come across to your audience.
Take for example another YouTuber, Rick Shiels. Like James Hoffmann, Rick is arguably the preeminent voice of golf on YouTube, having surpassed 2 million subscribers.
Rick also started humbly, and over the years the quality of his content has grown in correspondence with his popularity.
But what I particularly like about Rick is his presentation and personality.
In every video, Rick demonstrates authenticity while bringing his fun-loving personality to the world of golf. He’s funny without being obnoxious, making him such a likable voice.
Even though he’s a golf pro, he’s genuinely humble and has no problem poking fun at himself when his performance is subpar. This quality makes Rick all the more relatable.
Rick isn’t the only golf commentator on YouTube, but he’s one of my favorites for a reason, and these reasons are precisely what I can apply to my content as I continue to find my voice.
Imitation is the highest form of flattery
The internet is a treasure trove of free doctorate degrees in whatever you’re interested in; you just need to go find it.
Sure, you could start off by paying for a course from an expert to jumpstart your success, but is that the best first step?
To be clear, I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with online courses. They most certainly have their place and value.
But what I am saying is instead of turning to an online course in the early going, take the time to teach yourself a thing or two by way of the free expertise made available by your favorite content creators.
Through trial and error you can imitate, iterate, and ultimately find your unique voice. Once you’ve found your unique voice, you’ll be primed to make the most of an online course as you seek the next level in your development.
Final thoughts
Finding yourself in the early stages of content creation is challenging.
Like the first time riding a bike without training wheels, it feels awkward at best and downright dangerous at worst.
But these feelings can be overcome and fast-tracked (for free!) by imitating your favorite creators. Find the ones who serve an unrelated niche and ask yourself the following:
Why do I love their content?
Why do I prefer them over others?
Does their style fit my personality?
How can I incorporate their example into my work?
Answering these questions will get you off and running, uncovering bits of enthusiasm along the way.
Embracing the trial and error that comes from experimenting with lessons learned from others will help you discover your unique voice.
With your unique voice you’ll find your success, success that will come with fans who are eager to imitate you.
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