DECEMBER 27, 2022

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

Today’s click: The Game Theorist gets acquired.

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Don’t Do This in 2023

Sure, making mistakes is a great way to learn. But what if you could avoid making some of them with the advice of people who know what can go wrong from their experience (direct or indirect)?

Here are six mistakes to avoid with counsel from the experts presenting at the 2023 Creator Economy Expo. (Read the full article for all 18 mistakes – and fixes.)

Thinking too big: Anthony Fasano, author, TEDx speaker, trainer, and executive coach for engineers: “Content creators try to create content for too broad of an audience. They do this because they think if they put their content in front of a large audience, they will get more views, but the opposite is true.”

Starting things in the wrong order: Nora Dunn, The Professional Hobo, says: “Consider the order in which you want to develop various projects and income streams. I didn’t spend enough time doing that this year, and I started the wrong project first, which took way longer to build than I’d anticipated and left me short on both time and cash flow to get the other project going.”

Selling too little: Chris Ducker, CEO, VirtualStaffFinder.com and Youpreneur.com, says: “One mistake that content creators who want to be content entrepreneurs (i.e., someone who makes money from what they’re creating) are going to continue to make in 2023 is not having products and services available for those who discover and consume their content to purchase. Fix that problem as early in the year as possible and you’re more likely to finish the year with a smile on your face.”

Forgetting the strategy: Maliha Khan, principal, Khanect the Dots, says, “The biggest mistakes content creators will make in 2023: 1) not tying content ideas back to their content strategy and 2) lack of consistency. The last thing you want to do is promise users new content but then fall behind or post content that completely misses the mark because it wasn’t well thought out.”

Promoting your role: Bernie Borges, producer and host, Midlife Fulfilled podcast: “Content creators who label themselves as a ‘blogger’ or a ‘podcaster’ or a ‘YouTuber’ are selling themselves short. Content creators should think of themselves as a destination for a topic.

“Even if the creator is solely publishing content on one channel, for example, podcasting as in my case, the mindset shift to being a content destination greatly influences how I think about and run my content business with a long-term view.”

Having tunnel vision: Mark Masters, founder, You Are The Media, says: “To keep on going and creating because you believe that only consistency matters. Sometimes you have to pause, adjust, and look at the warning signs – too few people buying into your work, a message difficult for others to understand, or doing too much (a weekly podcast, newsletter, video can take its toll). We all need time to reflect and pause. What might not be working now can still matter to other people. The clues and iterations are ultimately out there to make sure the future is considered, tested, relevant, and has a place for others.”

– Ann Gynn

​Read the full story for more advice from Joe Pulizzi, Ashley Cummings, Matt Briel, Katie Brinkley, and other CEX presenters.​

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Entrepreneur: Lauren Hom

Biz: Hom Sweet Hom​

Tilt: Building a creative career

Scene: Website, courses, digital kits and templates, Instagram (267K)

Snack Bites:

• Lauren tattooed her life motto on her arm: “Work hard, snack often.” She’s done the first part well, building a successful freelance graphic design business and then adding another business to teach creatives how to do the same.
• She uses her blog to share the personal side of business (her all-time creative low), the practical (tips to go from full time to freelance), and the art (turning junk mail into paper clay).
• Lauren’s content business revenue comes from her courses and on-demand classes. She has over 1.5K members in the community from her Passion to Paid course.

Why We Stan: Lauren’s passion for her all her work is evident. As a content entrepreneur, she strikes a great blend of free and paid content. By focusing on courses as the primary revenue stream, Lauren can offer products with a range of prices to meet her audience’s budget. She also recognizes the value of public speaking in her business, taking on gigs at Adobe MAX and other places around the world.

– Ann Gynn

All the Story: Read the story all about Lauren Hom.

Know a content creator who’s going full tilt? DM us. Or email [email protected].

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• Joe is taking a big bet on LinkedIn in 2023. Should you? (Content Inc. podcast)
• Joe and Robert release “The Musky Scent of Twitter: The Musical.” (This Old Marketing podcast)
• Check out Waldo – a free Chrome extension that helps you find what you need faster – data points, original sources, new insights, and more – by making Google search more productive.
• Do you need to freshen up your designs for 2023? Get a free 30 day trial of Canva Pro to take your designs to the next level. Sign up here.*
• It’s the end of the year. Consider these small business tax tips before Dec. 31. (Forbes)

*The Tilt receives a small commission if readers (at no additional cost) make a purchase using this link.

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

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