This Is the Best Business Model for Digital Creators I Have Ever Seen

Best business model for side hustle creators nowadays

Most digital creators make a common mistake. They are everywhere.

They try to succeed on every platform:

• They post on Twitter, Threads and Linkedin

• Share animated images on Instagram

• They may be spending hundreds of hours recording and editing a short video on TikTok and YoutTube

• Finally, they blog on Medium and Substack to attract more eyes around their well-maintained website on WordPress.

Yet, most experienced creators (those with 100k+ subscribers and followers) say the same thing:

FOCUS ON ONE PLATFORM

But, I said: no, thank you. They are on every platform and tell me to stay on just one?

I don’t buy it.

And then, I listened to the Creator Science podcast #180: Q&A With Jay.

And here’s what I heard once again:

I wish would have done things a little bit differently.

I wish I wouldn’t have tried to do all platforms all at once so quickly. I’ve been posting on, like, every social platform, doing YouTube, doing podcasting, doing email. I’ve been doing all the things for forever.

I wish I would have focused on 1 platform in the beginning.

Photo by Microsoft Edge on Unsplash

And this is exactly a truth I realized some time ago.

I used to spend hours a month to publish posts on 3 social media platforms, be active in 2 communities and write blogs here and there.

Even with a lot of automation and repurposed content, it takes time and energy to remember and do these things consistently.

ONE PRODUCT

In the same episode, I heard another great piece of advice — simplify and focus on one product.

This can be a signature product: your core, usually most expensive product that you enhance, improve and update regularly.

The product that people talk about how great it is. So it can exist for years.

I wish I would have simplify my product stack, not focus so much time on building and launching new products, but to make one really, really great.

Examples?

• Ship 30 for 30 by Dickie Bush

• Creator MBA by Justin Welsh

• Founder OS by Matt Gray

• The Medium Blueprint by Eve Arnold

Screenshot from X platform of https://x.com/thejustinwelsh

What does it mean in practice?

You may first create a great product — an email course, ebook, tool, online training.

You write about it on social media, on your blog and in your newsletter.

Along the way you update your product, listen to your customers and get feedback.

Improve things, add more content. Make it better.

This is the roadmap everyone should follow.

ONE PLATFORM, ONE PRODUCT

So this is the ideal business model for digital creators. I call it one platform — one product.

You can do this by choosing one tool from each area:

• Social media: Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Instagram, Threads, Facebook, Bluesky

• Blogging: Medium, Substack, Wordpress

• Community: Newsletter, Podcast, YouTube, Skool

• Product: Email course, video course, (e)book, …

P.S. This is an even better strategy for those that build side hustle alongside a 9–5.

Your time is limited, so narrow the things you focus on to just ONE place.

Thanks for reading!

-Robin

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