Let’s be honest—being a content creator means wearing a lot of hats.
And not all of them are cute or trendy!
You’re not just posting anything and everything—you’re strategizing, creating, editing, planning, and at the end of the day, really building a personal brand for yourself.
So if you’re looking to grow sustainably and intentionally, setting content creator goals is the best possible way to help you get where you want to be.
Setting Creator Goals
Whether you’re just getting started or you’ve been in the game for years, defining career goals for influencers can help you stay focused, avoid burnout (read overcoming feelings of burnout as a content creator for helpful tips), and build momentum toward the bigger picture.
Let’s dive into the types of goals every creator should be setting along with some tips for how to actually stick to them.
1. Creative goals
One of the best parts of being a creator is the actual creating. Creative goals are all about pushing your limits and trying something new.
Maybe you’ve been wanting to learn how to shoot in manual mode with your camera, experiment with a new video editing style, or even try painting a watercolor of your favorite beauty product to show a different side of your creativity.
Creative goals aren’t about maximizing productivity—they are about tapping into what’s in your soul and giving you new ways to inspire your community.
Set aside regular time to play and explore, and don’t be afraid to share the process with your audience.
2. Quality goals
Quality goals help you elevate the look and feel of your work to reflect how you evolve as a creator.
That might mean saving up for a better camera or finally learning how to use more advanced editing software.
Maybe you’ve been thinking about hiring a designer to revamp your branding—this is your sign to go for it.
You don’t need to overhaul everything overnight, but investing in your craft can make your content stand out and show brands and followers that you take your work seriously.
3. Growth goals
We all want to grow our platforms, but it helps to get specific about how.
Growth goals are focused on expanding your reach, audience, and opportunities.
Maybe you want to start a signature video series that becomes the thing you’re known for (see Alix Earle’s GRWM videos or Tim & Sydni’s DCOM movie reactions).
Or you can even pitch yourself for a guest spot on a podcast, in a magazine, or in a local TV news segment.
Growth can also mean building relationships that lead to more visibility—think collaborations, press features, or attending industry events to network and connect with new people.
Pro tip: It really helps to focus on growing one social media platform at a time so you don’t get overwhelmed.
4. Community goals
Growth is good, but whatever you do, don’t forget about the amazing community you’ve already built.
We are trained to want more and to keep growing at an exponential pace, but that’s not realistic for most of us.
Community goals are about deepening your connection with your current audience.
That could look like hosting a virtual meetup for your most engaged followers, creating exclusive content for your email list, or running a giveaway to say thank you.
When your community feels seen and appreciated, they’re way more likely to stick around—not to mention they may be more likely to spread the word to others!
Input vs. output goals
Here’s a helpful way to think about your goals: input vs. output.
- Input goals are about what you do. For example, publishing 8 YouTube videos in the next two months or showing up consistently on Stories every weekday.
- Output goals are about the results you want. Think: reaching 10K Instagram followers or getting 5 brand partnership offers in a quarter.
I used to only set output goals without getting specific about how I would hope to achieve them.
These days I see the value in both to stay on track.
Sometimes you need an output goal to motivate you and help you get to the next level, but your input goals are something you can really control.
Set a timeline
They say a goal without a timeline is just a wish, and they’re not wrong!
I like to set goals on a monthly, quarterly, and yearly basis, which I organize in my Notion goal-setting and planning hub.
Giving yourself a specific time frame adds a healthy sense of urgency and helps you stay accountable.
Ask yourself: What can I realistically achieve this month?
This quarter? This year?
Then break those goals down into action steps you can actually follow through on.
I have also found that if I set a monthly goal that I keep putting off, it’s probably not as important to me as I originally thought it was.
This can be a great test for making sure that your goals still feel worth it to you and that your priorities haven’t shifted.
Big picture goals
Content creation can be the starting point for so many bigger dreams. Your long-term goals might include things like:
- Becoming a TV host
- Writing and publishing a book
- Leading group trips as a travel guide
- Starting your own makeup brand
- Speaking at conferences or panels
- Creating a scholarship for aspiring creators
- Launching your own nonprofit or foundation
So think about all of the content you’re creating now and how it may help position you for some of these other aspirations.
Dream big—seriously. Your content is the vehicle, but your destination can be whatever you want it to be.
So, have you set goals as a creator lately?
It’s honestly never too late to start.
Whether you’re refining your niche, chasing your next collab, or planning your future vision board, I highly recommend checking out my Notion template to get organized and start mapping out your path.
Let’s make this be the year those goals come to fruition.
yours,
Austen
Photos by Karya Schanilec
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