Creators need to show up authentically online

Hey folks👋🏽

We’re exploring something new, and I’m too excited for small talk, so I’ll skip the pleasantries. In our first ever newsletter-exclusive series, Creators Unlocked, we’ll highlight content creators across the spectrum.

I’ll interview them about what it takes to be a content creator, get their best insights, and share their stories here every other week. So if you know someone who would find these stories valuable, forward this to them so they never miss an installment!

💌 In today’s email:

• 🔓 Get inside the mind of Jayde Powell in our first installment of Creators Unlocked
• 📱 Mitra recommends using CapCut’s creative templates to make your next TikTok
• 📣 What’s happening in social: Twitter Blue subscribers can now post up to 4,000-character-long tweets, Pinterest angles for more short-form videos, and Instagram is changing yet another feature
• +All the best content from the blog

Finally, if you’re looking for the perfect sidekick for content creation, check out our newest feature, the AI Assistant 🥳 We can’t wait to see everything you create!

Have a great weekend, and we’ll see you next Friday!

Warmly, 

Tami & the Buffer team

P.S. We’re hiring

🔓 Creators Unlocked: Jayde Powell

For our first-ever newsletter-exclusive series, we interviewed Jayde Powell, a content marketer, and creator. She has established herself as a creator, writer, and speaker, especially through her series #CreatorTeaTalk which is hosted bi-monthly through LinkedIn Audio Events and pulls an engaged audience of a 100+ people.

In this interview, we talk about all things content creation – from favorite platforms to her advice for showing up authentically online.

From social media marketer ▶️ content creator

If I had to choose what inspired my content creation journey, I would say it was my career in social media. I started working in social media in 2013 when social media marketers were just becoming a thing. That was when we literally had to prove the ROI of social media to the businesses and brands that we were working with. I was part of the early users creating lifestyle content on Instagram. Then I shifted focus to Twitter, where I did more marketing and pop culture-focused content. And now I host a show on LinkedIn. Over time, I’ve found my voice on each platform, and my content has evolved accordingly.

LinkedIn audio events > any other platform

My show Creator Tea Talk was supposed to be on Twitter Spaces because I have a large community there, and that's where I've been able to make a lot of connections. I also considered Clubhouse and even TikTok Live. But my first two episodes were sponsored by Sprout Social, who pushed me to try LinkedIn Audio. I didn’t know it even existed, but after doing research, it made the most sense to me given the context of my show which is about bringing creators, influencers, brands, and marketers together. And what I've found since I launched the show is that people are making connections while the show is airing and after the show. It's really valuable because it offers a space where people are able to get more visibility into the work that they do, network and potentially find paid opportunities down the line.

Say no to the fear of showing up authentically online

Do what feels natural and most comfortable to you while simultaneously not being afraid to push yourself outside of your comfort zone. If your instinct is to censor yourself, that's something you might want to rethink.

Four steps to figuring out how to monetize your content

One, figure out where your strengths lie because that will help you to determine what you can and cannot monetize. Two, know your unique selling proposition – what makes you stand out from other creators. Three, identify something that doesn’t feel like work to you so you feel good doing it consistently. And four, think beyond the traditional ideas of monetization. If you want to approach content creation like a business owner, determine what negotiations you can build out of a brand partnership. Maybe that looks like being paid to go to an event and then make content about it. Or sharing your latest project or product with my email list. It's just figuring out what makes sense for you and the partnership that you're in.

Look out for less influencing, more personal branding among creators

One of the biggest things I see in the future of content creation is that a lot of creators will establish personal brands. I think people want to see what creators work on in their day-to-day, so while they might become influencers in the process, creators will become everyday artists who build businesses out of their work.

💡Learn our top tips to get the most out of Buffer

We run live demos and Q&A sessions every other week. You won’t want to miss the tips and tricks we have up our sleeves for getting the most out of your Buffer accounts. Register for our next one (or a few) 😉.

👇🏽 The latest from the blog

• The Beginner’s Guide to Using AI for Social Media Scheduling: Phill breaks down how you can use AI-powered tools (including Buffer) to streamline your social media processes.
• 11 Ideas for Your Instagram Reels in 2023: If you’re stumped about what to put in your next Instagram Reel, check out this list for inspiration.
• LinkedIn Analytics: Key Metrics to Track: LinkedIn has transcended from a job and networking website to an active and lively social media channel. Check out Umber’s article to understand which metrics you should keep an eye on.
• My Business Was Hurting My Sleep — Here's How I Built Better Habits: Yunha Kim shares the realistic habit changes that helped her deal with insomnia after she found the stress of building a business impacting her sleep.

🤔 Have you signed up for Buffer?

Growing your social media has never been easier, with Buffer's all-in-one social media management capabilities to connect with your audience across multiple channels.

📱 Social Tip of The Week from Mitra, Buffer’s Social Media Manager 

Have you noticed a few videos on TikTok using the same template with a CapCut logo at the bottom of the video (like this one)? These templates are incredibly easy to use, and it’s a really fun opportunity to participate in popular trends on TikTok.

Here’s an example of a video we made for TikTok using a CapCut template that’s been trending - it took 2 minutes to get this created and posted! This video has been going viral and currently has 1.8 million views 🤩

So, the next time you see one of these videos pop up on your For You Page, give it a shot and make your own fun video!

🤳 What's Happening in Social

• 📜 Twitter has rolled out longer tweets to Twitter Blue subscribers in the US, with paying users now able to post tweets up to 4,000 characters in length.
• ⏭️ Pinterest is following the lead of TikTok by letting you make 5-minute long Idea Pins
• 🌆 Instagram is sunsetting its live shopping feature starting on March 16, 2023. Users will no longer be able to tag products while live streaming.

Thanks for reading! 💟

What would you like to see more (or less) of in the newsletter? How do you feel about our deep dives or newsletter-exclusive series? Give us all your feedback in this form or let us know on all our social channels @buffer!

Unsubscribe | Update my mail settings 

Sent by the team at Buffer
2443 Fillmore St #380-7163 San Francisco, CA 94115 USA