"As someone who started out my career as a writer, I’ve understood that good writing has always been in demand but has been undervalued. But over the years, I’ve seen increased interest from technologists and other professionals alike in improving their written communication skills, and a new respect for writing. I think we will see people continue to explore content through writing and other mediums and spend time cultivating their writing skills as diligently as they do technical skills."
"Within five years, there will be thousands of people making a living off of a paid newsletter, covering every niche, passion, and language around the world. Anything that people in the world are interested in (for work, for fun, for money) is an opportunity to provide value. People pay for value."
"SEO will become more widely practiced by people who aren't specialists. In particular, indie founders, creators, and makers with technical backgrounds are uniquely positioned to leverage SEO in ways that many companies can't, because they struggle to get technical resources allocated.
That said, companies who've been relying heavily on SEO for the reach of their content will look to diversify as it becomes both more competitive and less rewarding, especially in verticals where Google is taking most of the search real estate for itself.
And despite people calling last year's proliferation of newsletters a bubble, more creators will define the size of their true audience by their email subscribers rather than their following on social media. They'll also leave platforms that try to solve "newsletter fatigue" by moving the reading experience of their publication outside the inbox."
"Content, whether it is written, audio, video, or some other medium, will continuously become easier to create. This is a simple function of technological evolution; even today, almost anyone can put their work online. This lower barrier to entry and the distributed nature of these digital mediums means that competition is greater than ever. Only the very best content creators will survive.
In 2020, many people crowded the content space, in hopes to make a living off of their work. Only a fraction of those will make it long-term, partially due to a saturated market and partially due to the commitment it requires. That doesn’t mean there isn’t room for new participants, but just that the bar required to succeed has been heightened.
Paid forms of content will continue to gain adoption, as people look for painkillers, instead of vitamins. However, those that succeed with paid content will be those with already large audiences or the runway to build them."
"The proliferation of tools and platforms for creators is making it easier than ever for people to share their ideas with the world and to find their tribe. Digital downloads, online courses, videos, podcasts. The number of products and channels will keep on increasing. However, growth won't only be vertical. In the future, content creators will go from one-way broadcasting to multi-way connecting; from audience to community. Online communities built by content creators will foster digital equity, where people from everywhere will be able to learn and grow together."
.svg)
