The last two years have seen varied changes in the lives of many people all over the world, including Filipinos. A good number of employed individuals have lost their jobs and means of income and this proved to be one of the major issues the government has been tackling. However, there are also stories of survival, ingenuity, creativity, and resourcefulness among many Pinoys.
Some finally found the time to put their passions and talents to good use and turned them into thriving businesses. Others honed their skills and creativity and thus improved their crafts. We’ve seen online selling become an even more massively successful way of earning income compared to previous years.
Talented online creators found a way to share what they can offer to the world through available channels. These kinds of stories are also worth telling. Here below are some that may just inspire you to perhaps up the ante of your side hustling, or finally leave your full-time job and earn money from what you are truly passionate about.
In a mission to help women learn additional skills and create livelihood opportunities using its platforms and content, Google-owned YouTube held this year’s edition of its Digiskarteng Pinay featuring an online training workshop for up-and-coming online creators.
“Digiskarteng Pinay is a platform for women empowerment and development, believing that when we uplift women in the country, we uplift households and communities,” said Google Philippines Country Director Bernadette Nacario.
“As we strive to help more women, part of our goals at Digiskarteng Pinay is to give people more resources created by Filipinas and allies, for Filipinas,” Nacario went on.
In a live streaming event via YouTube, successful content creators share their tips and advice.
Find your voice. The first thing that a creator must establish from the very start is the kind of content he or she put out there. So, defining the goal and streamlining it will make your road to success a bit more paved, thus it will be easier to get there. Important to note: your content must resonate with your audience.
“Know your ‘Why’ and ‘What.’ Why are you doing this? What are you going to put out there? Find your voice,” said Andrea Romualdez, Strategic Partner Manager at YouTube. “Another question to ask yourself is: How would you like to have an impact? Are you there because you want to share something specific? Do you have a passion for something or a talent that you really want to get out there?”
YouTube has options such as content verticals that cover and classify a wide range of topics, and branding elements that establish a channel’s identity can help creators succeed once they figure out their goals. Setting it properly will allow creators to monetize their content and potentially sustain a livelihood, and analytics that can measure their performance and help them adjust accordingly.
Another piece of advice from Romualdez to creators is “Be consistent. Because a sustainable release schedule goes a long way in building a presence on the platform. Viewers and fans are constantly tuned in and will appreciate constant releases and will also notice when new content is sporadic,” she adds.
Make the most of available equipment or device. One of the challenges a creator may face in the journey is believing that one does not have the best equipment to shoot for specific content. However, with the advent of accessible and affordable devices that can shoot in relatively high definition, it’s now easier than ever to use what you’ve got. Maximize the features available in your device and chances are it can truly deliver.
“The best equipment you can use is the one you already have,” said Lyqa Maravilla of the YouTube channel, Team Lyqa, “You have the ability to create quality content because you are able to consume content right now. We all have a smartphone, and what that means is you have in your hands the power to be a content creator.”
Maravilla stressed that it is far more important to learn creative production techniques using the tools one already has, instead of seeking out top-of-the-line equipment and setups that may not make up for a lack of experience and production skill. It’s easy to learn how to shoot and edit properly with free resources on the internet.
It’s not about the moment, it’s the movement. Another major setback a creator may face is setting the pace. Once a creator starts a channel and sets up their first few videos, it may be hard to keep going and figure out what else they want to show the world.
Experienced creator Team Tarah’s advice is to stick to the philosophy of not only planning possible content to make but also of documenting everything that happens. They quote from the musical Hamilton: “This is not a moment, it’s a movement,” referring to how they don’t wait for any “shootable” moments to come around–instead, they simply record and let it all resonate.
“Sometimes it’s like, I don’t feel like making a video right now. Sarah will feel lazy. But no, it’s the movement–so record,” says Tanch. “There is nothing to edit if you don’t have any material, and it’s difficult to edit if you don’t have enough videos.”
This mindset is a way of making sure there is content for them to upload while still retaining the authenticity and genuineness that their fans love about them.
“What we really do is just document ourselves – us just being real. We came out, we shared our story, and we were brave to show the world who we really are. That’s when viewers started relating to us. Eventually, we grew a family and community on YouTube. Here’s a thing about content creating–first you do you, then you listen to your community,” she shared.
Authenticity creates opportunities. Being a content creator means that your content must be authentic, as this can be pivotal in creating and finding opportunities for monetization, which is a big goal for many YouTube creators.
For relatively smaller creators, there’s no need to deliberately curate posts and content releases just to attract brands for a partnership, says couple Vern and Verniece Enciso, who have made the successful transition from well-known bloggers to popular vloggers on YouTube.
“Once you’re being yourself and you find your little family on YouTube, the brands will just come,” says Vern. “You don’t have to pressure yourself. When you’re being yourself and you’re listening to your audience and community, the brands will come naturally.
The two also stressed that when a creator does get a partnership with a brand, it’s a good practice to try the product or service first to form an honest opinion about it. Audiences will know if a creator promotes something they haven’t tried and doing that will go against the idea of being authentic and genuine.
Harness the power of self-promotion. A huge part of women’s success on any platform is the power of self-promotion, which can be intimidating to do. That’s why Google established its far-reaching #IAmRemarkable global initiative that empowers everyone, especially underrepresented groups, to celebrate their achievements in the workplace and beyond.
One of the most important roles #IAmRemarkable has is raising awareness of people’s roles as allies to each other, which can be very helpful in self-promotion of underrepresented groups. Google’s Global Content Manager for Pixel and #IamRemarkable Champion, Miami Cabansay, explained that there are three ways to do this: attribute ideas correctly, acknowledge accomplishments, and ask probing questions to encourage people.
“A great way for experienced YouTube creators to practice supporting up-and-coming creators is to mention them in your vlog, attribute their content, and encourage them with your own stories of how you started and what your struggles were. It will help create the culture of repeating one’s stories and magnifying them through your network of subscribers,” Miami said.
To watch the full replay of Digiskarteng Pinay online training workshop for creators, head over to the Google Philippines YouTube channel.