So You Want To Become A Successful Content Creator?

Ever wonder what it takes to be a successful content creator or influencer?

It's not uncommon to see a content creator blow up on TikTok because of one video, but then how do they keep it going if that's their goal? Eric Dahan of Mighty Joy recently spoke to The Blast to give some insight into what it takes to become a full-time influencer.

If you spend any amount of time scrolling on TikTok for enjoyment, you've likely seen a few content creators blow up because of one viral video that took off. But have you ever wondered what it takes to keep that momentum going to stay relevant and make a living out of it?

Eric Dahan, a leading entrepreneur in the creator economy, is known for helping to share the influencer marketing industry. The Co-Founder and former CEO of Open Influence has partnered with top brands like Disney, Google, and Coca-Cola, and has a long list of accolades and accomplishments in the industry. He continues to innovate with Mighty Joy and Mighty Ventures, "working at the intersection of commerce and social communities" to help brands grow by building a community of creators, influencers, and customers.

Dahan recently chatted with The Blast to give some insight into what it takes to become a successful influencer.

"The number one rule is that it is better to have 100 super fans, than 100,000 people who are just followers," Dahan told The Blast exclusively. "Focus on posting content consistently every day that people like, and most importantly that you like, and don't worry about follower count but focus on making people engage."

While some creators are just doing it for fun, others are trying to make a living out of it. And when that one video goes viral and the content creator finds themselves in the spotlight, that's the time to really try to keep it going strong.

"It's really hard to stay famous when you had just a single hit because oftentimes, it is difficult to replicate that lightning-in-a-bottle moment and it is even difficult to identify why it happened to work," Dahan said. "The important thing is to post frequently and consistently afterward and really work to see what people are responding to. Overthinking will result in delays, and as time goes by, your relevance will fade."

Dahan explained the importance of keeping a "marketplace" mentality as a content creator or influencer.

"As a creator, you're offering your content in exchange for attention. Understanding the competitive landscape and what people are demanding is key to properly framing the creator economy," he continued. "If monetization is your goal, figure out how you can monetize as small of an audience as possible because it takes time to build a following. Offer people something that is of high value. If you can turn 5,000 followers into $5,000 to $10,000 per month in revenue, then you're winning."

Let's take a look at a few content creators who stumbled right into the spotlight with the help of one video.

One video that grabbed tons of attention on TikTok, 19.2 million views to be exact, is the "Hawk Tuah girl." From just one catchphrase caught in a short video, Hailey Welch has been catapulted into the spotlight.

And it's important to note that prior to her viral moment, she wasn't even a content creator. She posted her first video on TikTok on July 3 and has posted 12 videos since. Her first video received more than 5 million views, but only one other video received more than 1 million views since then.

It was recently reported that Welch joined Fanfix, a subscription-based fan site where creators can interact with followers.

Another content creator who stumbled into popularity quickly is Gina Lynn, otherwise known as the "Chick-fil-A sauce girl."

When Gina's sister Diane posted the short video of Gina behind the counter while working at Chick-fil-A back in February, no one could have predicted how fast that video would grab millions of people's attention. She literally became an overnight sensation after the video of her taking an order and asking, "No Chick-fil-A sauce," went viral.

While it was Gina's sister who posted the video on TikTok, Gina's account blew up quickly. Gina posts on the app regularly, with many of her videos going viral thanks to her 2.3 million followers.

Another content creator whose viral video spiraled into something amazing is Megan Boni, otherwise known as @GirlonCouch on TikTok.

After sharing a short video singing a little tune about the type of man she was searching for back in April, Boni's career quickly took off.

"I'm looking for a man in finance, trust fund, 6'5, blue eyes," she sang. She wrote on her video, "Did I just write the song of the summer?" and what happened after that video went viral might suggest she did.

There are now tons of remixes, collaborations, and well-known DJs playing the tune.