DECEMBER 30, 2022

Welcome to The Tilt, a twice-weekly newsletter for content entrepreneurs.

Today’s click: The Tilt’s most popular article in 2022

We’re keeping the newsletter shorter as the holidays continue.


5 things to do

Today, we share five more favorite pieces of actionable advice from the content entrepreneurs interviewed by The Tilt in 2022 that can propel your success in 2023. (ICYMI: first five actionable advice tips)

See the potential of related endeavors: Formerly head of design for Pepsico snack products, Philip VanDusen ended up building a design agency. His content marketing for that business led him to create an educational content business. (Philip VanDusen of Brand Design Masters podcast and Verhaal Brand Design, who brings in 50% of his revenue from content and 50% from his agency.)

Adapt your storytelling, not your tilt: A seemingly tiny niche (personality types) would likely attract a tiny audience, but Frank James found a technique – comedy – to draw in viewers, quickly surpassing other channels with the same topic. (Frank James, who has attracted over 1M subscribers to his YouTube channel.)

Promote more than you create: Ten years ago, Alyssa Brantley spent 90% of her time on creation and 10% on promotion/SEO. Today, she spends 90% on SEO/promotion and 10% on creation. (Alyssa Brantley of Everyday Maven, who earned her first dollar from Google Ads 18 months after launching her blog.)

Make the ask: Raquel Kelly sent an unsolicited LinkedIn message seeking sponsorship to a Quicken executive. She got the deal before the first podcast episode aired. Dedicating time (or working with someone who can) to hunt down potential revenue streams is a must. (Raquel Kelly of Momgul, who makes sponsorships the primary revenue stream for her her podcast-focused business.)

Keep overhead low: Resist the urge to invest in the best equipment when you launch. “We have maintained a lot of creative freedom because we haven’t taken on debt,” Beth Silver says. (Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers of Pantsuit Politics, who quit their full-time jobs four years after starting their podcast.)

Resources:

– Ann Gynn


Invest in Your Content-First Business in 2023

This year’s Creator Economy Expo features 10 amazing keynote speakers and over 30 in-depth breakout sessions. Each session is specifically designed for content creators working to grow full-time, financially sustainable businesses.

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5 things at the tilt

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5 things to read, watch, or hear


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the tilt team

Your team for this issue: Joe Pulizzi, Pam Pulizzi, Ann Gynn, Laura Kozak, Marc Maxhimer, and Dave Anthony.