How to Launch a Successful Career as a Content Creator

Behind the glossy Instagram posts and viral TikToks lies the reality of content creation—a career that’s often misunderstood as all play and no work. But not a lot of content creators are transparent about what it takes to make it in this ever-crowded space.

On Wellness Her Way, host Gracie Norton and her boyfriend Joey Miuccio pull back the curtain on what it really takes to succeed in this space. “If you focus less on virality and more on being true to yourself, you are going to be a lot more successful,” Norton says.

If you are interested in the ins and outs of content creation and whether or not you might have it take to find success here, this is the episode for you.

Entering Into the World of Content Creation

Norton got her start in content creation through YouTube. She was working behind the scenes, running social media for a boutique before moving on to bigger clients like American Ninja Warrior and a branding agency startup.

“I learned so many bits and pieces from each job that when I started doing this full time, I had so many tools. They ended up helping me so much,” Norton says.

Her breakthrough came unexpectedly—sharing her PCOS journey on Tiktok. “Even though I was nervous to be so vulnerable and share my story, I was like, this is what I feel like I was meant to share about. I knew from that moment, I wanted to go all in,” Norton says. Within three weeks, agencies were reaching out with brand deals.

Miuccio started earlier, at 18,  creating “thirst traps” on Vine with his twin brothers, Vinny and Nick. Their first video had more than 100,000 views in one night.

But Miuccio didn’t start creating content with the intention of making money. “Back then, people were doing it as a business, but I didn’t see it that way,” he recalls. Their content evolved from funny videos to shirtless dancing, eventually leading to their first partnership with George Watches and, later, landing deals with Warner Brothers and collaborations with celebrities like Channing Tatum and Zac Efron.

Today, Miuiccio’s content focuses on his career as a pilot and fitness pursuits—training for marathons, ultra-marathons, and Ironman competitions.

What It’s Like Working With Brands

For Norton her first brand deal with Ritual was revelatory: “It’s crazy because I’m still working with them to this day. When I got the deal, I was already using some of their products. I remember thinking ‘Wow, I get to work with brands that I’m already using, and they want to pay me to talk about the products.’”

Choosing the right brand partnerships are a large part of building trust with your online community. “I choose to be picky because personally I’m not ever gonna work with a brand or show a product that I’m not actually using or that I don’t actually really enjoy,” Norton explains.

Miuiccio agrees: “If you want to do this long term, like if you see this as like a long term play, then you have to be picky because the second you start promoting products that you don’t believe in, people can smell that so fast.”

In his early days on Instagram, Miuiccio shares how he’d think about taking a partnership to just make extra cash or get a free watch. “Looking back, that’s the last thing I should have done. You should hold out and cultivate the community that you want to build.”

How to Monetize Content and Generate Revenue

The main source of revenue for creators is brand sponsorships, which can take many different forms. Brands will work with you or your manager to request the type of content: Instagram reel, a TikTok, YouTube ads, YouTube integrated ads, etc. It can be a  one-off deal or more long-term, like a 12-month contract. 

Beyond sponsorship, there are other ways to get paid as a content creator. You can sell a digital product (like an e-book or course) or a physical product. A brand might also give you an affiliate link that allows you to get commission on your base salary. Then, there’s ad revenue that you can monetize through YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok on AdSense.

Another thing to understand about monetization is representation. Norton works with an agency that takes 20 percent of her contracts but handles the brand deals, while Miuccio represents himself, fielding and negotiating deals directly.