According to a massive global study run by Adobe, nearly one in four people are creators — people who contribute to our online spaces. And if we’re to group these creators by the nature of their content, they’ll probably fall into either of these categories: creator entertainers, or creator educators.
While today’s social media stars are mostly creator entertainers, we here at The Leap still believe the geeks will inherit the Earth. And that’s because creator educators stand to earn more with fewer followers.
Shocked? Read on to find out why.
What is a creator educator?
But first, what is a creator educator? A creator is someone who produces content for online spaces. A creator educator is a person who transforms their expertise into educational content to share online.
Creator educators are some of the highest-earning creators in the $250 billion creator economy. Experts are noting that the creator educator is even rivaling higher education as an inexpensive, accessible learning alternative. Some creator educators are exclusively online course creators, whereas many others make money from selling online courses, digital products, memberships, consulting services, and more.
Long story short?
Whether you want to sell online courses or not, it’s a great time to be a creator educator. Read on to learn more about the difference between a creator educator and a creator entertainer, as well as how to become a creator educator yourself!
What’s your creator personality?
In the words of Jay Clouse, creator and host of the podcast Creative Elements, “There are people who help you learn and transform, [and those who help you] happily pass time.”
Confused about what you are?
Ask yourself this: Is your mission to entertain your followers or is it to teach them something?
The creator entertainer
Creator entertainers make amusing content that keeps people watching, often relying on the strength of their personality to gain followers. They live to inject joy into our feeds, whether that’s by singing, dancing, making bold statements, or just making us laugh.
Entertainment can be seriously lucrative. From Charli D’Amelio to Khaby Lame to Addison Rae, TikTok’s biggest creators are all entertainers. Even YouTube, which defaults as more of an educator platform than, say, Instagram, sees its biggest stars entertaining rather than educating — think PewDiePie, MrBeast, and a frankly shocking amount of children’s content.
This makes sense: We live to be entertained. It’s why we spend hours on social media rather than doom-scrolling Wikipedia after a night out. But social media is also why we’re drinking Pedialyte after that big night — because someone, somewhere, taught us about its hydrating effects.
Enter the creator educator.
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The creator educator
Creator educators center their content around a topic and count on the strength of their expertise to grow their audience. They’re here to teach us what they know, from free, practical lessons to gated workshops and consultations. They specialize in every topic under the sun, whether that’s teaching us to clean our house, speak Mandarin, or train our dog.
The most successful creator educators are the ones who make their expertise feel achievable and show that they’re still learning, too. They find a way to relate to followers as learners themselves, whether that’s by documenting their failures or talking about the facts and techniques they’ve just learned.
“We want to learn from people who are still learning. The best teachers are students of their discipline, and there’s a lot of power in adopting the posture of STUDENT even if your business is built on teaching,” says Clouse.
Take Julia Sousa, whose TikTok feed shows her evolution from a “woman interested in design” to a full-time DIY educator. Or Rob Kenney’s YouTube channel Dad, How Do I? where Rob teaches practical life skills he wishes he’d learned from his father.
Creator educator benefits
Becoming a creator educator isn’t just about educating—it’s about unlocking some pretty sweet opportunities and revenue potential that come with sharing your expertise. Whether you’re building a personal brand, creating a source of income, or connecting with like-minded people, the role of creator educator offers countless benefits.
Let’s dive into some of the key benefits of being a creator educator.
Higher customer-to-follower ratio
While creator entertainers have massive audiences, their followers don’t have anything specific in common. Therefore, to sell a specific good, service, or sponsored product, the creator entertainer needs to be seen by a lot more people.
Even then, the creator entertainer has to hope that some of those people just happen to be interested in what they’re selling. This is why you may notice it’s more common for a creator entertainer to sell merch than, for example, a guide on “How To Be a Comedian Online.”
A creator educators’ followers, on the other hand, are already devoted to their topic of choice.
When creator educators promote a product, good, or service, they can be reasonably certain that their viewers have some level of interest in it.
This gives the creator educator a higher potential customer-to-follower ratio. It also means creator educators don’t need to be as widely popular to convert, freeing them up to focus on what they do rather than constantly being on the audience growth grind.
In sum, here’s why it could be harder for creator entertainers to monetize:
- Brands may hesitate to associate with creator entertainers, given that their audience — while large — doesn’t share the commonalities necessary for a strong conversion rate.
- Creator entertainer followers don’t feel compelled to pay for anything, because they’re already getting the content they want — entertainment — for free.
According to creative agency Reelfluencer, “A creator focusing on a specific vertical can provide knowledge, tips and tricks, discounts, and more, enabling them to create a community of like-minded followers. This makes the specific creators more desirable to related brands as they can reach their desired target audience, who are more likely to take action.”
Smaller audiences, higher revenue
Creator educators generally operate within a small content niche, usually helping their audience fuel an interest or solve some type of problem.
Let’s take the fashion industry, for example.
If you’re like Alexa Kari, who teaches people how to sew, you can sell online courses, guides, patterns, and custom pieces while getting everything from your sewing machine to your thread and fabric sponsored. That’s because your audience cares about learning how to sew, or the learning process of sewing, to some degree, meaning they’re primed to make purchases from you.
On the other hand, if your thing is modeling — ergo, you’re a creator entertainer — you have fewer revenue streams available to you. Sure, you might still get sponsored by brands that match your aesthetic if you have a big enough following. But otherwise, much of the paying content that creator educators use to monetize isn’t available to you. Your audience has no real need in common.
Interactive engagement
Interactive engagement is one of the biggest advantages of being a creator educator. As a creator educator, you can implement creative and interactive formats into your content like videos, infographics, quizzes, challenges, AMAs, and more.
By responding to questions, sharing advice, and encouraging discussions, you’re not just educating—you’re building relationships. This connection fosters a sense of community and trust, making your audience more likely to engage deeply with your content, return for more, and maybe even purchase some digital products.
Interactive engagement also helps you grow as a creator educator. Real-time feedback and audience interactions can provide you with valuable insights into your follower’s needs and challenges. This allows you to tailor your content to resonate more effectively and deliver even greater value over time.
Ultimately, interactive online learning enriches the overall experience for both you and your audience. When learners contribute their thoughts and experiences, it makes the process more collaborative and rewarding.
Best of both worlds: Discover the creator edutainer
The gold standard of creators is those who educate and entertain. Why? Education ensures your followers have common interests that convert, while entertainment keeps them hooked.
When an audience is captivated, it’s easier to capitalize.
Take Taylor Mei, or Little T, a coach and calisthenics athlete who entertains her massive audience by doing motion-sickness-inducing flips while sharing free educational content in the form of mobility challenges and stretching exercises. Taylor uses entertainment to show off her credentials and even comes off as relatable by including her bloopers and learning sequences.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg for Taylor’s business. She uses her platform to funnel primed followers into her paying fitness app, get clients for 1-on-1 coaching, and sell virtual and in-person workshops, guides, and classes — all while wearing activewear brands like Gymshark and BaseBlocks, who know they’ll cash in on her calisthenics-obsessed audience.
How to become a creator educator in 5 steps
- Identify your expertise
- Conduct research
- Choose a creator store platform
- Produce, publish, and sell
- Market your creator educator business
Becoming a creator educator is a great way to share your expertise and help others learn and grow. Whether you’re teaching practical skills or offering unique insights, the key is to approach your creator educator journey with a clear plan.
Below, we outline the five essential steps to help you build a solid foundation as a creator educator. From identifying your niche to finding a creator store platform to effectively marketing your content, these steps will set you up for success. Let’s dive in!
1. Identify your expertise
Like most creative pursuits in life, defining your niche early on will help you find success in the long run. Your expertise as a creator educator is what will help you carve out your niche online.
How do you do it?
First, ask yourself a few questions. For example:
- What topics do I genuinely enjoy teaching and talking about? Your answer will help you define the passion and sustained interest that are key to staying consistent.
- What personal or professional expertise do I bring to the table? Think about your education, work experience, or unique hobbies.
- What problems do I feel confident solving for others? Your niche often aligns with areas where you can provide tangible value.
- What do people frequently ask me for help with? Your answer will indicate where others already see your credibility.
- What do I want to be known for in 5-10 years? Your answer will get you thinking about the future outlook of your niche and will help you align your niche with long-term goals.
Once you’ve defined your niche, it’s time to do a little market research.
2. Conduct research
Once you’ve identified your passion and expertise, the next step to becoming a successful creator educator is conducting research. This is where you dig deeper to understand your audience and the landscape of your niche.
Start by asking:
- Who are the people you want to help?
- What are their biggest challenges?
- How can your content provide solutions?
Explore online communities, forums, and social media platforms where your audience spends time. Notice the questions they’re asking and the gaps in the existing content. Check out other educators in your niche to see what they’re doing well and how you can offer something unique.
Research also helps you validate your niche. Is there a demand for the knowledge you want to share? By answering these questions, you’ll ensure your content hits the mark, creating value for your audience while positioning you as a trusted expert.
3. Choose a creator store platform
After researching your audience and clarifying your niche, the next step to becoming an educational content creator is choosing the right platform to host and sell your content. No big deal but, this is an important step — the decision can make or break your ability to connect with your audience and grow your business.
Your platform is where your audience finds, engages with, and purchases your online courses, consulting services, or other digital products. It’s essential to choose a creator store platform that’s easy to use, supports your content type, and offers the features you need to scale.
Enter The Leap —a platform designed specifically for educational content creators like you. The Leap is the only free all-in-one creator platform that has an AI-powered digital product builder that can generate ideas and templates for online courses, tutorials, and more in just minutes.
The Leap key features
Everything about The Leap is customizable to your brand — from AI-generated digital products to your very own creator storefront — and the platform comes with tons of tools to market and sell your digital products.
For example, you can create lead magnets to help build your email list and take advantage of The Leap’s automated email flows and broadcasts tool to turn your marketing on autopilot. If you’re a creator educator specializing in consulting services like 1:1 coaching, The Leap’s native calendar feature Book My Time makes scheduling appointments intuitive and effortless for everyone involved.
The Leap’s audience analytics and Creator Analytics dashboard help you track of important metrics so you can continue to improve and optimize your creator business.
The Leap even has a Referral Program that allows creators to earn up to 40% recurring commission. Want to know the best part though?
The Leap is 100% free to use.
Choosing the right platform isn’t just a technical decision; it’s a strategic one. With The Leap, you’ll have a reliable foundation to turn your passion for educating into a thriving business.
Try The Leap free today to build your creator educator business and sell your digital products.
Build, market, and sell digital products all in one spot with The Leap!
4. Produce, publish, and sell
Once you’ve defined your niche, researched your audience, and planned your approach, it’s time to produce and publish content—buckle up, this is the most exciting step in becoming a creator-educator!
This step is all about bringing your ideas to life.
Start by creating content tailored to your audience’s needs. Whether it’s blog posts, videos, podcasts, or social media posts, focus on delivering value. Share tips, explain complex concepts, or solve specific problems. Keep your tone authentic—your unique voice is what will resonate with your audience.
Once you’ve gathered a decent following you can produce content in the form of a digital product — like an online course, tutorial, guide, or challenge — to start generating passive income and more buzz around your particular brand.
Using AI to create digital products
The best thing about selling digital products as a creator educator is that they have a huge ROI. That’s because, you only have to create a digital product once, it shouldn’t take you long to make, yet the potential gains are high.
Look out for creator platforms like The Leap that offer generative AI to help you build digital product ideas and templates within minutes. The Leap’s AI-powered digital product builder makes the whole process of producing content for digital products ridiculously easy and the best part is it’s completely free to use.
Want to learn more about how The Leap can help you monetize your expertise? Sign up for The Leap Way mini-course series!
Consistency and engagement
When you’re creating content, don’t get stuck chasing perfection. Instead, aim for consistent progress. Publish your work regularly, even if it feels imperfect at first. Every piece of content is a chance to connect, learn, and improve. Consistency is key for growing your audience, especially in the beginning.
Engage with your audience once your content is out there. Reply to comments, ask for feedback, and pay attention to what resonates most. This interaction not only builds relationships but also gives you insights to refine your future content.
Remember, publishing isn’t just about hitting “post.” It’s about building trust and credibility by showing up for your audience with meaningful, actionable content.
Ready to take that leap and start sharing your expertise with the world? Try The Leap free today!
Click here to start creating and selling digital products with The Leap. It’s free!5. Market your creator educator business
Once you’ve launched your creator educator social accounts and produced your first digital product, it’s time to market your creator educator business! This step is all about letting people know who you are, what you offer, and how you can help them.
Start by building an online presence that reflects your expertise. Launching a creator storefront is a great start! From there, create social media profiles, a website, or even an email newsletter to connect with your audience. You’ll want to share content that showcases your knowledge and sparks engagement. Don’t just focus on selling—offer value through tips, insights, and resources that make your audience’s lives easier. Succeed at this and the whole sales part will come more naturally.
Networking is another key part of marketing. Engage with other creators in your niche, collaborate on projects, and participate in discussions where your audience is active.
Finally, get strategic. Go with a creator store platform like The Leap that uses advanced creator analytics to see what’s working to help you double down on those efforts. Experiment with different social platforms or content formats to find the ones that resonate most with your audience.
Remember, marketing is the opposite of shouting into the void—it’s about building relationships and positioning yourself as the go-to expert in your field. It might seem daunting at first, but automated tasks like email flows and broadcasts can help put certain marketing efforts on autopilot.
When done right, the right marketing strategy can transform your audience from casual followers into loyal learners and customers.
Transform your knowledge into digital products — and $$$
Providing followers with knowledge isn’t just a great way to share your passion — it’s also a fantastic route to monetization, especially if direct sales from your topic of interest can’t support you.
Not selling enough pottery to make a living? Consider creating and selling online courses that explain your special glazing technique and offer small workshops on top of your pottery. Selling your knowledge as well as the fruits of that expertise creates passive income on top of active income, providing you with a more sustainable way to go full-time.
Regardless of where you land, there are countless ways for you to diversify your income as a creator. Simply nurture your audience, deliver on your promises, and dare to think outside the box.
Create, educate, and make bank with The Leap
The Leap is the latest tool from the leading creator educator platform Thinkific. This all-in-one platform functions as a link-in-bio tool, an online storefront, and an easy, versatile digital product builder, allowing creators to create and sell digital products all from one place.
Designed with lead generation and sales in mind, The Leap makes it ridiculously easy for creators to transform their knowledge into digital products and their followers into paying customers.
The Leap’s AI-powered digital product builder enables creators to bring their product ideas to life, whether it’s a tutorial, a mini-course, a challenge, or a guide. Because it’s so easy to use, The Leap’s zero-cost, user-friendly authoring tool empowers creators to turn their products into lead magnets, which helps them grow their email list — and their pile of cash.
The Leap is stacked with tons of other monetization tools like automated email flows and broadcasts, a native calendar booking feature, a Creator Analytics dashboard, and even a referral program where you can make up to 40% commission. So if you want to start monetizing your knowledge and expertise, then you’ll want to get in on The Leap.
The best part? The Leap is free to use!
Want to kickstart your monetization journey, and start creating and selling digital products today? Try The Leap for free.
FAQ
What is a creator educator?
If a creator is someone who produces content for online spaces, a creator educator is a person who transforms their expertise into educational content to share online. A creator educator might create online courses or teach online more formally and create TikToks on the side.
The main idea behind a creator educator is that they produce content that helps their target audience learn something new, solve a problem, or fulfill an interest.
How does a creator educator make money?
Creator educators make money by monetizing their expertise through various income streams. One common method is selling digital products like online courses, e-books, or guides. These products allow creators to package their knowledge and sell it repeatedly without needing to create something new each time. Creator educators can also offer memberships or subscriptions, sell digital consulting services like 1:1 coaching sessions, some creators can even make money through affiliate marketing or earn a commission on sales made through referral links.
One of the easiest and fastest ways to make money as a creator is to launch a creator storefront online.
The Leap is the only free all-in-one creator storefront that has an AI-powered digital product builder to help you create, market, and sell your digital products all from one place.
Try The Leap free today to build your creator store and sell your digital products.
Start monetizing your audience with The Leap, your free link-in-bio store.
Follow The Leap on TikTok and Instagram for more monetization tips for creators. We also make a newsletter.
Further reading
- 10 Inspiring Creator Educators To Follow in 2023
- How TikTok Became an Unlikely Tool for Teaching and Learning
- What Is an Infopreneur? Here’s How To Become One
- 12 of the Best Ways To Make Money Online as a Creator
This article was originally published September 19 2022, and was updated December 2024 to be even more useful.
