The 8 Most Common Mistakes New Content Creators Make

Posted on 9th Oct, 2024.

While becoming an influencer is now one of the most popular aspirations (especially among younger people), it's not as easy as it looks. Becoming a content creator takes time, talent, and dedication. But even if you have all three, you can still fall victim to some of the most common mistakes made by budding content creators.

To help you get started without clumsy errors, we've put together a list of the most common creator mistakes so you can know what to watch out for. Let's get into it.

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1. Not being concise enough

Speaking into a camera with nobody at the other end isn't something that feels natural to most of it, so it's a skill we have to cultivate. One of the most common errors made by influencers just starting out is waffling, using too many filler words, and speaking like you would in person.

Time is of the essence when it comes to TikTok, meaning users want you to get to the point as quickly as possible. You have just a few seconds to engage your audience before they potentially scroll to the next video, so make sure they know what the video's all about from the get-go. Don't waffle, avoid using filler such as 'erm' and 'like' and say your point in as few words as possible. It can take practice to speak so concisely, but over time, you'll improve your skills.

2. Relying too much on organic growth

While organic growth is great, if you want to become an influencer quickly, this tactic won't be your most effective. Instead, consider buying views, likes, and followers to help your profile get off the ground. With the increase in engagement you'll enjoy from this, you can 'hack' TikTok's algorithm to push yourself onto more people's FYP, giving you a head start.

3. Lack of audience research

No social media plan is complete without thorough research of your target audience. If you have a demographic in mind, finding out everything about what they engage most with will exponentially speed up your growth. Plus, if you can identify where your target audience is most likely to live, you'll be able to time your TikTok posts to reach them when they're most likely to be online - we've got a handy guide on when to post to make your planning easier.

4. Poor attention to detail

While videos don't have to look professionally produced to be successful (sometimes, the more authentic, the better!), they do need to be somewhat polished. If you've missed out clear chunks that should have been removed in editing or you've misspelled your captions and subtitles, these can call into question your professionalism and, above all, make your videos less enjoyable to watch.

While it may seem time-consuming, spending the extra five minutes checking your videos before they go live is a must for content-creation success.

5. Making videos too long

There's a reason that people use both TikTok and YouTube - the former is mostly for short-form video content while the latter is where people go for long-form video. While you can now upload videos that are up to 60 minutes long in the app, most users aren't on TikTok to watch hour-long videos. Unless you're making a video that calls for length, such as an in-depth how-to-guide, aim for under two minutes.

It's easier to monetise videos that are over one minute long, but if making money from the Creator Fund isn't your top priority, the most engaging videos tend to be 20-40 seconds long.

6. Creating for you, not your audience

While it's tempting to create the content you've always dreamed of making (and, for the most part, you can!), remember you're making your content for your audience, not you. Instead of focusing on what you'd want to watch, research what your audience is most interested in, and use TikTok Analytics to determine which type of content performs best.

7. Poor audio and lighting

There's no need to break the bank to make TikTok content and you don't need a state of the art camera, but what you do need is to work well with what you have around you. There are basic setups you can make a success just with the tools you already have at your disposal.

Make sure the audio quality is good by removing anything covering your mouth or the microphone and filming only in silent conditions with no background noise. When it comes to lighting, natural lighting is your best friend, but when you're filming in the evening, make sure you use a light that brightens your face. A ring light is the go-to influencer tool, and you can buy them for a reasonable price online.

To find out more about making content on a budget, check out our in-depth guide.

8. Overthinking content creation

This is probably the most useful piece of advice we can give you - don't overthink your content. The most successful TikTok creators share their authentic personality and lifestyle with their followers - they don't put on an act. Go with what feels natural to you in terms of the way you present yourself and interact with your audience. Let go of self-conscious feelings - if this is going to be your day job, being easily embarrassed will only hold you back.

With our top tips on what NOT to do, you can get your influencer career off to a successful start, without falling into the traps that most content creators do. By paying attention to detail, keeping your videos concise, and performing adequate audience research, you can enjoy a successful long-term content creator career.