The Social Struggle: The Highs and Lows in the Role of a Content Creator
If you told my younger self that I’d spend my days creating content for some huge household brands, I would have said ‘you’re crazy!’, but here I am as Content Creator at Wilderness and loving it!
After 3 years at Wilderness, climbing the ladder from Video Editor Intern to Creative to now Content Creator, I can safely say this is one of the most fun (and sometimes unhinged) jobs you could ever have, in the best possible way!
I went to the University of Portsmouth and studied Television and Broadcasting, graduating straight into the chaotic aftermath of Covid. The industry was cut-throat at the time, which led me to spending all my free time during lockdown creating TikTok’s and freelancing as a Content Creator. As time passed, someone reached out to me about a role opening at Wilderness, which I grabbed by the reins and started 1 month post graduating. Just a note to remember, to be a content creator, you absolutely do not need to have a degree. I definitely learnt key skills such as Adobe Creative Cloud and understanding the industry processes at university, but is also something one can learn through YouTube, work experience, or even industry talks.
Working at a social media agency as a creative can be very intense. You wear so many hats, but being thrown in the deep end is the best way to learn. When I started, I didn’t even know how to create a shape on Photoshop; and don’t even get me started on After Effects. Despite some hard moments, my favourite part about being a content creator is getting to work directly with some incredible brands on shoots, something I have always dreamed of. No two shoots are the same and I have learnt that you must be able to adapt to different environments. One shoot I was running around buying the crew lunches and dashing between the set and office picking up last minute essentials, the next I was jetting off to France for a full on 2 days shoot in the fields.
Note to self: bring a coat on location shoots, even if it says it’s not going to rain!
Another part of the job that I love, is roaming the streets enticing people to take part in my Vox Pops! This part has massively built up my confidence.
For anyone out there who dreams of being a content creator or even working in a different role with social media, here are my tips for you that I have learnt from my own experiences.
Post on your own social media – this helps you learn and get your own insight into each platform. This also helps build you confidence!
Say yes to nearly every opportunity – you never know what may come from saying yes to something!
Learn how to edit properly – learning how to do fun editing tricks and transitions will help level up your content and help you stand out.
So, if you’re looking to move into the social media industry, or you’re just starting out as a content creator, remember there will be highs and there will be lows but if you trust your gut with your ideas, ask a lot of questions, and you’re willing to learn, you’ll be flying in no time.