According to Morning Consult, a business intelligence firm, more than half of Americans between the ages of 13 to 38 would pursue a career in content creation if they had the chance. If you are among these people who aspire to this lifestyle, then there could be parts of the job that require serious thought and planning. For example, all content creators need to ponder two essential questions: 1) How will you introduce yourself to the world and 2) Which topics will your content address? Several BAUCEs have shifted their online personas and their subject matter over time using the following steps:
Always Practice Authenticity
This is a core facet of Maya Beatriz’s approach to content creation. Maya has amassed over 122,000 followers on YouTube alone. Remaining true to herself has been a non-negotiable part of Maya’s journey. When describing her approach to sharing her life online, Maya reflects: “In my early days of content, I wanted to do every single thing. I wanted to do commentary, fashion, and lifestyle. I did that for two months and then I decided that I wanted to do vlogs…I always felt that my personality was my most important quality. My personality is one that I want to share with everybody. No matter what video I make, I want to make sure that my personality shines through. I have changed a bit in the past few years. But at the core of it, people need to feel comforted by who I am. That is consistent.” Watching Maya’s videos shows how well she has implemented this approach in her work. Maya’s channel is versatile, and she has created videos such as fashion hauls and road trips.
Proactively Address Major Life Events
This one is easier said than done. Sharing only the positive and photogenic parts of your life can be quite tempting. Crafting an online persona can require large amounts of social and financial capital, which you may be afraid to lose if you ever become too vulnerable. But honesty can be the best policy. Alisha Williams practised difficult transparency a few years ago. From 2017 to 2018, Alisha created lighthearted long-form videos about relationships, home decor, natural hair, and other topics. But that changed in 2019. In a now-viral video, Alisha shared that she was going through a divorce at age 28. That provided a springboard to broaden her content and include conversations about mental health, solo parenting, and navigating difficult times.
Treat Your Followers Like Your Friends
This is another gem from Maya Beatriz. Maintaining open and consistent dialogues with her supporters has been a key to Maya’s success. It also comes to her naturally. For example, she was excited to tell her online family about her transition to college. When explaining this decision, Maya exclaimed: “I grew up watching college vloggers. I saw videos about parties, classes, cafeterias, and friends. So, I couldn’t wait to have that on my channel. When transitioning to college, I had already built a community where my subscribers felt like my friends. I was ready to share those parts of my life with them”
There is no clear blueprint for how to share your life online with others. And things can become especially confusing when you undergo a new season of life. Fear not – using the above tips can help you continue to create the content you love while bringing your whole self to the work that you do.
