Is Money Necessary for High-Quality Content?

For creators wondering how to best spend their money on their best content.

Content Creation is an arduous field of writing, editing, filming, marketing, and a great many things. Too many to name, too many to think about, and if you're anything like me, who overthinks everything, it may feel overwhelming. You, dear creator, want to create things, but sometimes you encounter certain monetary hurdles, some too big to ignore. Feeling stressed and doubtful, you begin wondering if your content is 'mid' or 'subpar,' as you stare at other more successful creators and envy their high-production values.

These problems plague quite a handful of us newbies, with some believing that "high-quality content" is measured by the amount of money dumped into it.

Is it, though?

The Price of Creator Fame:

Well, if you want the short, straightforward answer, yes. But it's much more nuanced than throwing lots of money around haphazardly.

Money is necessary for many things, and content creation is no different. However, the phrase "high-quality content" tends to be more of an opinionated misnomer rather than an actual statistic on which to base your artistic merits. Everyone has an opinion of what qualifies as "high-quality content." Some say production values; others say scripts, viewer count, virality, personality, topics, social influence, mastering algorithms, etc.

What's the actual answer? Well, there is no one answer because most, if not all, aspects of the actual content creation process are subjective. The topics above, save for production values, i.e., hardware, don't necessarily require money to understand or utilize. Hardware is the only clear outlier to the content formula. Creators, undoubtedly, need money for a smartphone, a microphone, a computer, and anything else physical to make the content. However, conceptualizing and developing a creative process takes a different kind of effort not tied to expensive cutting-edge equipment. Essentially, creator fame is never a straightforward process, nor is content monetization.

According to sources pulled by Demandsage, there are approximately 207 million creators worldwide. Of those 207 million:

46.7% of them do it full-time
35% earn ad revenue
On average make 40k USD a year
70% of them spend less than 10 hours a week creating content
It takes six and a half months for them to make money

The exact number is an approximation because of the personal factors involved in creation, the biggest being time, which we all need to make good content. If these numbers indicate anything, it is that while Content Creation is a dream job, there is a clear distinction between Casual Creation and Monetary Creation.

I like to describe Casual Creation as the standard process most content creators use. These creators create more casually and don't view content creation as a full-time profession, part-timers, hustlers, reactionaries, memers, etc. In contrast to them, monetary creators are full-timers who create for a living. These creators maximize the revenue of their content to the point of a defined science. Think the brand deals, sponsorships, donations, merchandise, and everything that fuels Monetary Creation and the creator economy.

There is no fine line between either branch; both are interchangeable in that it comes down to how much money an individual creator wants to make from their content. The higher one goes, the harder the game becomes. Monetary Creation is a risky, long, and methodical process that, more than money, requires utmost discipline and knowledge. Discipline which you, dear creator, can develop with—

The Cs of Content Creation

Before you even think about earning money as a creator, there's a foundation you need to set first—a foundation that aligns with your content goals. Websites specializing in content creation like to tell you about the great Cs of content creation and marketing. We have Cs of our own, which I took the liberty of arranging into a Venn Diagram.

Clarity: In both yourself and your content. As a creator, you have a niche that must be made as clear as possible through your content. From your thumbnails to your outros, clarity is as vital as entertainment.

Creativity: It sounds obvious, but creativity is the driving force of your content. You need creativity to create, which can apply to any content category. You need to take everything you know, every skill under your belt, and every asset at your disposal and use them to express yourself creatively.

Consistency: The key to successful content creation. Creators need to set expectations for their audiences—expectations that must be met on a consistent basis. Besides engaging your audience, consistency will help you discover your rhythm, i.e., your output. If your goal, dear creator, is to make money from your content, then be consistent.

By combining and balancing the three Cs in perfect harmony, you can initiate the creation process. The Cs aren't by any means hard-coded rules. Content creation, in general, can be quite volatile, making adaptation vital to staying on top of the game. However, having clear-cut tricks of the trade to follow can mean the difference between stagnation and growth. I would say the best part about the Cs is that you don't NEED money for any of them.

You don't need money to just start, but that's not to say that it can't provide an advantage to the content game. If you wish to create the most absurd content imaginable—think Mr. Beast levels—then money will be necessary. Whether you're creating for educational value, artistic value, entertainment, or maybe just the memes, budgeting is a must, and knowing how much money to throw at a given project is equally important. I reiterate that just throwing a lot of money at it will NOT guarantee 'high-quality.' Low-quality content can be just as important as the high-quality stuff. It all depends on what you specialize in and how your audience perceives you as a creator.

If there is something about your content that your audience does not click with, they will let you know, and you will be ratioed to kingdom come. What is considered high-quality content is subjective, and just like vanilla Final Fantasy XIV, making it look as pretty as possible won't get you anywhere if the actual content is trash. Strange tangent aside, I want you, dear creator, to—

Stay Authentic and Smart

Once the money starts flowing in, you, dear creator, must work even harder to stay relevant and keep your audience engaged. There will come moments when money will be necessary. Still, as you're beginning, it's best to focus on consistent, clear, creative Casual Creation. The key to Casual Creation is authenticity.

Authenticity is the foundation your content world stands on. Once you set the foundation, you can plan to transition to Monetary Creation and rake in the moolah. So don't chase trends, don't copy other creators, and don't be someone you're not. Unless you can somehow get away with it, the last thing you want is to appear desperate on the internet because it will chew you up and spit you out. Staying casual and learning to thrive on your creativity and wits will pave the way to Monetary Creation, from subscribers to sponsorships, brand deals, and everything that power the creator economy.

Remember, when it comes to content creation, money is, at most, supplementary. When you begin to feel ambitious, spend your money WISELY. This means you must invest in yourself by:

Buying the correct tools.
Gathering all the necessary resources.
Learning the essential skills.
Aiming as high as you can with what you have.

Part of the fun of creating is figuring out what works best for you, how you use your tools, your message, the type of audience you want to draw in, and where to set your boundaries—that includes monetary boundaries. Expensive content doesn't always translate to high quality.

Always remind yourself that style and authenticity are what audiences connect with the most. Many creators started from nothing, and your personal content journey won't be the same as everyone else's. Content creation is an up-and-down journey. Some creators, like Tay Zonday or Karen X Chang, became viral, while others collaborated with the right people, like Logan Paul and CrankGameplays.

Ultimately, being a smart and wise creator is better than an expensive, lucrative creator. Smart creators will work with what they have and make the best content they can while finding all the right avenues to grow their influence, and expensive creators will use their money to get everything they need and buy their way to the top. All the money in the world can't replace your unique style that attracted your equally unique audience in the first place. And just because you have money and influence, it doesn't mean you can take your audience for granted and treat them like idiots. Always gauge audience responses, if you don't, you will give yourself a one-way ticket to getting cancelled, or worse, a prime spot in the apology video genre.

Is it necessary?

That depends on you and what you desire to gain from content creation. In my view, money is good to have and has its uses, but your content should always be an expression of yourself, money or not. In my next post, I'm going to do my best to show you how to make high-quality content on a budget. Stay tuned to the Wallafan blog!

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About the Author

Giovan Santiago is an US-based freelance blogger, writer, actor, and social media manager with a passion for video games. For two years, he’s written about curious happenings in the tech scene, created taglines and sales copy for tech startups, and provided media coverage for local game events and studios. He hopes to branch out into content creation and become a published author.