Are You an Idea-based Creator or a Relationship-based Creator?
Earlier this month, Colin Rosenblum and Samir Chaudry uploaded a video about creator types on their YouTube Channel. Both Colin and Samir are YouTube creators based in the United States and run a newsletter called the Publish Press. Their podcast show titled “The Colin and Samir Show” is a famous name in creator circles worldwide. In a 24-minute video, the two introduce a new concept of creators based on ideas/relationships.
Even Varun Duggirala, the co-founder of The Glitch, spoke about it on the “Varun Duggi Show” podcast on JioSaavn. In this blog post, we decode this segregation based on ideas and relationships and the pros & cons of each style.
Ready to know more about this topic? Come on, dive in!
Idea-based Creators
For an idea-based creator, the content is typically rooted in an idea. Most creators start off being idea-based or info based, with a concept they want to share with the world. On social media, people like to see ideas.
For instance, “What happens once you jump from X feet”, “Stayed alone in a closed room for 3 days” are ideas. If these topics interest people, they may watch regardless of the creator who created them. MrBeast is one of the biggest creators operating on this promise.
The Benefits
If you are idea-based, people watch you for novelty and curiosity. They want to see what nobody else has done before (at least on camera). The thought itself excites users and pulls people towards different topics.
Here, videos are not dependent on the personality but the world that you can create within a video. You could even see a bot doing the work on camera, if not for a human.
The Limitations
Having said that, you have to hook the attention of the readers/viewers in the first few seconds. People will not watch your content if you don’t find a way to pique their interest every time.
Relationship-based Creators
A relationship-based creator relies on their personality to get the attention of their audience. As a relationship-based creator, you are the product. Here, the person delivering the message is more important than the message itself. 💬 For example, if Emma Chamberlain walked into a grocery store or put on make-up, millions of her fans would surely watch it.
The Benefits
Audiences are interested only because of the relationship built with you. They build a parasocial relationship & watching you go about your craft on social media is part of the routine. It becomes a section of their life too.
They will only watch if there is a connection between them and the influencer. Audiences may feel that you’re like their elder brother or sister they never had. Your identity is not defined by one domain; anything can become your identity.
The Limitations
This works when you have millions of followers or if you are able to relate to a majority of people at scale. Plus, if you don’t leverage your identity after getting there, then your business could be in pieces. This could mean a lot of weight and pressure on you to continue the momentum.
Fans may get to a point where they’ll expect videos/live sessions/updates from your life. Also, the audience is tied to your personality; some people may not like your personality and they may not consume your content. As you talk about your life, you might attract haters and trolls too.
Which one Should you Pick? 💭
Now, you can belong to either of these categories. It’s okay to be a mix of both. For instance, Nas Daily started off as idea-based but pivoted to a mix of both with the rise in followers and their expectations. As a creator, you have to find your ratio of ideas and personality. It could be 50–50, 70–30, 20–80 or anything you’re comfortable with. Focus on the effect you can have on your community, instead of views.
Closing Thoughts
If you find your type, great! But also make it a point to embrace change. If you take calculated steps to pivot, you ensure that the whole creative process doesn’t become boring and mundane. You have to take your community along and make them a part of the evolution. Build a community, co-create content with them. Get them to interact with each other. Once you do that, the algorithm starts to take care of itself.
So, which is your type? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. Or slide into our DMs and tell us what you think about this piece.
