The Difference Between a Content Creator and a Bachelor Contestant

Ah yes, it’s finally time for the drama to come to an end—or so you think. Go ahead and break out the rosé because the roses are almost gone, and we’ve got something to get off our chest before the most dramatic season ever draws to a close. The Bachelor finale always brings a wealth of entertainment, but there’s one thing that comes with it each time that we have to talk about—spoilers. Don’t worry, this isn’t a Reality Steve article with this season’s spoilers. It’s a subject that those of us creating content here on 2nd Avenue frequently talk about regarding the self-proclaimed profession of many of these contestants. Are you ready?

SPOILER ALERT: Being a Content Creator is much more than just creating content.

That felt good to get out. Hope we didn’t burst any bubbles with that one, but “the journey” of a Content Creator looks a little different at an agency than it does at Bachelor Mansion. Let’s start from the top.

What does an agency Content Creator actually do?

Sounds pretty self-explanatory, right? Content Creators manage social properties for a variety of clients and industries, including monthly calendars, paid social campaigns, community management and audience growth. But, wait—let’s take a step back. Content Creators also build the content strategy to inform all those things. In other words, when you’re choosing where to spend your client’s time and money in a space that accumulates more than 4 billion users for an average of two-and-a-half hours per day, and you’re competing with millions other brands, you don’t just throw spaghetti at the wall. There’s a very strategic approach to deciding what platforms to be active on, how many times you’re posting per month, what tone you should use with your audience, and what type of creative we are serving these users that will capture their attention in around three seconds. In fact, it takes a whole squad of integrated marketing folks to help make this happen—from analysts and media buyers, to creative, PR, PMs, and account management.

What does a day in the life of an agency Content Creator look like?

Wake up, put on your blue light glasses (yes, to wear even while away from the computer to let everyone know you look at a screen all day), order a chai tea latte with oat milk, check Instagram notifications until the sun goes down, sleep, rinse, repeat. Oops, accidentally wrote that from our parents’ perspective of what we do every day. Let’s try this again.

First things first, starting the day with community management is key. Answering a complaint promptly on social media can go a long way when it comes to customer advocacy, not to mention helping to increase audience engagement. Sprout Social’s 2020 Social Index reported that social media was the most preferred channel of customer service to address a question or issue. Furthermore, 49% said they unfollowed a brand due to poor customer service.

Once you’ve checked in on comments, questions, complaints, and more, it’s time to start the meeting palooza. Ah yes, the back-to-backs, the shifting deadlines, the kick-offs, the brainstorms, etc. We like to call it the “zoomies,” except its not wet dogs running laps around the house and ruining your furniture. At some point amid all the chaos, we create content calendars and crank out some really good ideas that might even end up winning awards. This also includes influencer ideas, which brings us to our next topic.

What does an influencer do?

This one is pretty self-explanatory. Influencer Marketing Hub sums it up best: “Influencers in social media are people who have built a reputation for their knowledge and expertise on a specific topic. They make regular posts about that topic on their preferred social media channels and generate large followings of enthusiastic, engaged people who pay close attention to their views.” They have built trust with their audiences, which adds value to brands. Influencers (and brands) understand that their audiences will continue to follow and trust them as long as they remain authentic and true to their original brand. In tying branded content into their authentic brand tone and content mix, influencers provide a trusted source of information for their audience that brands can capitalize on. So, yes, they technically create content for brands, but they serve as more of an influence in their community as they are posting that branded content on their own personal channels rather than a brand channel.

What does an agency Content Creator and influencer collab look like?

Influencers LOVE a good collab. They get paid to collaborate with brands and ~influence~ their followers to try products or services they believe in. Agency Content Creators like us love working with influencers and come at it with a unique perspective. As content creators ourselves, we are super familiar with the time-consuming process of making content day in and day out. That means we’re in the prime position to build realistic contracts, brainstorm ideas for paid content and, most importantly, keep authenticity top of mind at all times. Like with any flourishing relationship, the most important thing is communication and a genuine appreciation for that person’s work. Staying on top of what your influencers are cranking out is key to building trust and keeping those partnerships long-term.

So, there you have it. Next time you’re watching someone step out of a limo and introduce themselves as a “Content Creator,” understand that it’s a broadly used term that doesn’t necessarily describe every social media professional’s day-to-day role, and think of those agency Content Creators cringing each time those words “show up” in the bottom corner of the screen (only the real Bachelor fans will understand).

Did we catch your attention? Do you like what you see? If you want to try your hand at agency content creation, you’re in luck! We have an opening on our team for a Content Creator. Show us what you’ve got and apply here!