Being a content creator is one of the most lucrative jobs out there! Mr. Beast, a famous YouTube content creator, made over 54 million dollars last year. Similarly, many content creators in the ASMR and gaming niches are literally eating and gaming their way to 7 figures! How crazy is that?

While I might not be on Mr. Beast’s level, I am a living example of a full-time content creator. In this post, I lay out exactly how much I make in a month and how you can realistically do the same! 

How It All Started…

For those reading that don't know me, my name is Adrian Brambila and I started my content creation journey back in 2011. At the time, I was making dance videos teaching people how to do the robot. I didn't know it then but choosing to put my content out on the internet would be the key to me reaching financial freedom by the age of 30. 

When I was little, my parents would have told me playing video games and making videos wouldn't amount to anything — and, at the time, they were right. That being said, things have changed! Today, you can be a full-time video game player or YouTuber and make millions! That’s insanity!

Now, I will say that being a full-time gamer is pretty challenging. You either have to be really good at the game or really entertaining. But being a content creator… that’s much easier! There are so many platforms that you don’t even need a camera to create content! All you really need is a phone!

Meet Alex Fasulo

In fact, content creation doesn’t have to be in video form at all! Meet my friend, Alexandra Fasulo, who has made over 7 figures through blogging! After she quit her 9 to 5 job, Alex tried over 10 different strategies before she fell in love with writing. 

“I tried teaching social media classes, managing social media accounts, and social media consultations,” Alex said.  “Then I tried freelancing on Fiver and it stuck! Some people ask me why I freelance write through Fiverr and my answer is always ‘because it just started to make me money!’”.

 

Now, I’m not much of a writer! I can’t do what Alex does! But, I can find ways to monetize off of just a little bit of blogging thought affiliate marketing!

Introducing Affiliate Marketing

To many content creators, affiliate marketing is a very mysterious side hustle. People know it exists but they don't really know how to work it. I, on the other hand, make most of my money through affiliate marketing!

Affiliate marketing is the ability to sell any product or service online for a commission. Instead of knocking on doors or making calls, all you have to do is post online! Affiliate marketing allows you to monetize in a way that feels very passive. 

Listicles

Like I said, I’m not much of a writer! That being said, anyone is good enough to write a listicle. A listicle is essentially a list of different products put into article form. Hence the name listicle. 

All great listicles use the Rule of 7. For example, a listicle title might be 7 different ___ for ___, or 7 different _____ you should buy for _____. Seven is proven to be a bite-size, digestible number that keeps readers engaged. 

Inside your listicle, you will have affiliate links to each of your 7 offers. When the reader clicks on your link and buys, you make a commission! At scale, you could be making more than most internet influencers all thanks to affiliate marketing!

Targeting

After writing your listicle, you must promote it to the correct audience. Say you write an listicle on different teas used for dieting. The next step is to run a Facebook ad that directs consumers interested in tea and fitness to your listicle landing page. Once they make it to your landing page, all they have to do is submit their email to view your listicle.  

Leverage Your Audience

If you have a large following, you can leverage your audience and land brand deals. This is how many influencers make money. I will warn you, this approach is not romantic. It takes a lot of time and negotiating. Personally, I am very selective about the brands I will work with.

A recent offer I got was from a company I have worked with before, Alibaba. They asked for me to create various pieces of Instagram and TikTok content, be a brand ambassador, interact with their content, and attend their live webinar over the span of 3 months. They also included that they wanted me to fly out to their headquarters in New York for a day. This sounded great! The only kicker was they only offered me $2,500… for 3 months of work! 

I replied back and negotiated if they had anything more to offer. I did not know their budget so I did not want to overstep. They replied with a higher payout value and ensured my trip to New York would be free. I thought hard and took the offer!

You have to remember that when negotiate and make your ask, the brand may say no! You are going to have to be okay with walking away from brands! If you need the money, do it. But if you don’t need it and feel like the monetary offer doesnt value your time, walk away. 

Facebook Reels

Think of the internet as a content consuming beast. It is always hungry for more and more content. In fact, many platforms are now paying influencers to create content to keep the cycle going! One platform in particular is Facebook Reels.

Between me and you, the content I post on Facebook Reels is content I would usually post for free. I’m a content creator! I love posting content. The only difference is that now I’m getting paid handsomely to do it! I simply repost content I created on TikTok to my Facebook Reels account. In August 2022 alone, I made over $2,800 on 5.5 million views!

Facebook Reels provides awesome bonuses and “challenges” As a creator, all you have to do is sign up to partake in them. For example, one bonus required 5 reels with 100 plays each for a bonus of $20. You have the opportunity to make these bonuses each month! 

Remember, when it comes to creating content there is no such thing as a stupid idea!

The Downside

As with everything in life, content creation has a few downsides. 

Trolls

Trolls are sad, mean people who take time out of their day to leave negative comments on creators’ content. They are going to say youre fat, you're ugly, that they hate your style, that you're a liar, and the list goes on and on! They will say whatever they can to bring you down because they are not happy. Don’t let these fools get to you!

Imposter Syndrome 

Many content creators start out of a pursuit to help people and find a creative outlet. All of the sudden, you build and authoritative position in your industry. One day you may start to fear that you are an imposter. You may ask yourself the question ‘who am I to be teaching xyz?’. This is totally normal! Remind yourself that you are credible and are smart enough to have a valid opinion and reputation in your niche.

Online Meets Offline

Once you start gaining a following, you are going to get eyeballs. People like your co-workers, family, neighbors, etc. may start seeing your content. You are going to have to be okay with your online presence mixing with your offline life. 

Overall, being a content creator is a super lucrative job. Although there are some cons, the rewards far outweigh the bad. Being a content creator has seriously changed my life! I hope you are inspired to take action. I can’t wait to follow along with your journey!

 

See you in the next one. Peace and God bless.

I make new content every single week, so be sure to subscribe to my Youtube and follow my Instagram @brambilabong and TikTok at @AdrianBrambila. I also have tons of resources and courses on my website that you won’t want to miss. Head over to www.adrianbrambila.com to learn more about what I do and how I live a financially free life.