Hi Reader

I started my content business back in 2014.

As your internet Elder, I’m here to report that 2014 was a simpler time for creators.

TikTok hadn’t wrecked the internet, and our attention spans with all that short-form content.

Elon Musk was spending his days building Solar City, not trolling the woke left on X (or Twitter, or whatever they’re calling it these days).

I started a writing blog on WordPress as a fun side project. When I wasn’t playing Fallout, I wrote blog posts and tinkered with the latest SEO tools to get traffic for my site.

I did all this around the margins of a day job as an in-house copywriter for a British SaaS company.

I didn’t realize I’d started a content business until 2016, when I stumbled into the world of display advertising and affiliate marketing.

Money from my side gig eventually outpaced my salary. I earned from freelance writing, course sales, coaching, ads, and affiliate promotions.

But I didn’t quit my day job until 2020, perhaps because my kids were small. I’ve always been the last person to turn up at a party!

Last year, I shifted my business model from content publishing to coaching and consulting.

Now, I write newsletters, YouTube scripts, and blog posts for a few hours every morning, and I spend my afternoons working with a select group of clients.

Earning a living online in 2024 versus 2014 feels like fighting in a war for attention. For example, I’m less bullish on SE0 in 2024 vs 2016.

Google has changed the rules for many creators to favor their friends at Reddit and Forbes.

But if I were starting over again, I’d do these three things:

1. Start a Newsletter

I started my newsletter years ago but only took it seriously in 2023. I focused on SEO and web traffic, not subscribers.

And yet in 2014, an email list was a cornerstone of a profitable content business. In 2024, email is STILL the cornerstone!

A newsletter opens many revenue opportunities, including coaching, sponsorships, and affiliate promotions.

ConvertKit and Substack are great for writers, creators, and coaches. They’re easy to use and free to get started with.

I like them because they support creators who want to recommend each other, which means organic growth for you. (You can also accelerate growth with ads.)

The best way to grow your list is to practice in public by writing a newsletter. It clarifies your thinking and cements your writing habit.

If writing a newsletter sounds daunting, start with a weekly one and gradually increase your publishing cadence.

2. Write on Owned and Earned Platforms

Writing on a platform you own, like your newsletter, is an insurance policy against the algo and our future AI overlords.

However, growing on an owned platform is harder in 2024 than in 2016. I spent years writing on an owned platform. These days, earned is where it’s at.

And you know what I discovered? Too many creators worry about niche selection when writing on earned platforms, such as social media.

It’s far better to follow your interests.

Use personal experiences. Write content about what you do. Create content about who you help.

Speak about your ideal client’s pain points.

Document your successes and failures. Better yet, document your clients' big wins.

Let a niche form around your work.

You’ll stand out in the deluge of crap AI content slimy marketers push out because they don’t have the time or talent to write something authentic.

Do all this by publishing daily content on one or two social platforms where you can earn people’s attention, which brings me to…

3. Connect with Potential Clients

LinkedIn and Instagram are both hot for creators. And they’re great for connecting with clients.

LinkedIn doesn’t have to be difficult or salesy. It’s less noisy than X or Facebook. I write on LinkedIn almost every day.

I connect with my ideal clients and use it to grow my email list. Most coaches can ignore every other network and earn a good living from LinkedIn.

I know a few coaches who take a similar approach on Instagram. They post insights about their coaching business, connect with a few clients, and earn $20-$30,000 a month.

You’ll have to play the short-form content game, though. Medium can also work depending on your niche.

Should You Quit Your Day Job?

The merits of quitting a day job to launch a content and coaching business depend on your life circumstances.

It was a terrible choice for me in my 20s when I had a baby and a mortgage. It was a better choice in my 30s when I had a growing business, savings, and a plan.

It could be a great choice if you have a financial cushion, are prepared to build several income streams, and have readers (i.e., newsletter subscribers).

It’s easier than ever to succeed as a content creator and coach today, but only you can decide if you should side gig, freelance, or build a full-time writing business.

War… war never changes.

Write on

Bryan Collins

PS Later this week, I'm something that will help you profit from writing emails...