Did you know that 90% of content creators deal with burnout? While being a content creator is fun, it can easily lead to stress and burnout if you focus on the wrong things.
With so many content creators these days enjoying the glitz and glamor of having thousands or millions of views and followers, it’s not surprising why some aspirants roll up their sleeves to experience the same result in a short period of time. But you see, chasing views, subscribers, or followers is the best way to kill the excitement around content creation.
Dgosuyt or Dgosu (dee-go-su), a budding creator on Bilibili, the largest platform for ACG (anime, comics, and gaming) videos in Southeast Asia, knows this. While he struggled at first, he learned valuable lessons along the way on keeping his craft fun and exciting. Here are some of them.
Do what you love and never compare yourself with others
In his social media channels, Dgosu combines gaming with creativity and humor to create funny animations that feature famous characters from Genshin Impact. For those who don’t know, Genshin Impact is a popular open-world action role-playing game known for its exciting gameplay, attractive graphics, and pretty anime characters. Dgosu loves memes, and he realized that many Genshin Impact fans also love memes.
“I started making videos around December 2020 during the pandemic…I was just bored at that time and decided to make some videos and upload them on social media platforms,” Dgosu says. “And I think people right now need some laughs.”
However, when you see big content creators and the glitter of their successes, it becomes very tempting to try to catch up to them as soon as possible. But like Dgosu learned, comparing yourself with others is never healthy.
“In my first month [of creating content], I wondered why I didn’t have any views, so it was really stressful,” Dgosu shares. “Don’t compare yourself with other content creators because there are times when your progress is slower than theirs. If you do that, you will just be stressed out. I was like that at first, but I eventually stopped.”
Today, Dgosu’s number one reason for doing what he does as a content creator is fun. “I really like what I’m doing, and I enjoy it,” he says. “[Content creators] should just do what they love, because if they don’t like their content or try to force it, the results most probably won’t be positive.”
Sometimes you will also need a bit of luck. “For me, you really need the luck of a content creator. You won’t always have views. For example, in my case…my views increased in the second month…So, just keep posting and eventually the algorithm will be in your favor,” Dgosu says.
Pay attention to patterns of success
Part of keeping content creation fun and exciting is learning from your past wins—great or small—and using them to guide your next moves.
As of this writing, Dgosu has over 5,000 followers on Bilibili within a short period of time. His most engaging videos so far feature Aether, the main character in Genshin Impact, who turns out to be a heartthrob for the game’s fans. Dgosu produces new content with this pattern in mind, realizing what his audience wants. “If I see that a certain type of video gained more views than my other videos, I’ll connect the new video to that video that got a lot of viewers,” he says.
Besides monitoring his content’s performance and observing trends, Dgosu also turns to his audience from time to time to get new ideas and find out what they like. “You need to talk to your viewers to get some ideas or suggestions. You can’t be the only one deciding on what to create next. Ask your community what type of content they’d like you to make next time, or, like me, you can also create a poll.”
And while some creators worry too much about the number or frequency of posts, Dgosu takes it easy. He said he doesn’t have a specific schedule for when he’ll post new content, but he takes note of the best time to do so. “I noticed that my viewers are usually online at 1 pm, and that’s when my views tend to pick up as well.”
Get a really good support system
As we have already learned so far, keeping content creation fun starts with having the right mindset and building on your past successes. For Dgosu, another thing that also helped is joining a community that fully supports his passion.
“Since I joined Bilibili, I haven’t encountered a toxic person yet in the community, unlike in other platforms. That’s what I like the most,” he shares. “Based on my experience with other platforms, some people call me different things…because I don’t do the type of content that they like. For example, since I create funny videos, some people take it personally and then they bash me.”
Bilibili runs workshops for creators and gives away gadgets or cash incentives even if some creators haven’t started monetizing their content yet. Dgosu also noted that this “very nice community” fuels his passion, as there are always people on Bilibili waiting for him to upload new content.
As a content creator, surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals and having a solid support system will not only prevent you from getting caught up in your worries but also encourage you to keep going. This, along with the other lessons mentioned earlier, can keep you inspired, and excited through the ups and downs of being a creator.
Don’t fall out of love with your passion too soon. The next time you sit in your studio or face the camera, remember to have the right focus—just do what you love and always keep it fun.
