Creating Art and YouTube Content: Should You Create for Yourself or for an Audience?

As artists and content creators, we often find ourselves torn between making art for ourselves and creating content for our audience. In today's post, we'll explore the pros and cons of both approaches and discuss how to strike a balance between the two.


Creating for an Audience: Pros and Cons


Creating content for an audience can have its benefits.
Here are a few:


⭐ Short-term benefits: When you create content for an audience, you're making things that they want to see, which can lead to short-term gains in views and engagement.
⭐ Faster growth: Creating for an audience can help you grow your channel faster, as you're providing content that resonates with your viewers.
⭐ Community building: Creating for an audience can lead to more engagement and community building, as your viewers feel seen and heard.



However, there are also some downsides to consider:


⭐ Burnout: Creating content for an audience for an extended period can lead to burnout, as you're constantly trying to produce content that meets their expectations.
⭐ Lack of creativity: When you're stuck creating the same type of content to appease your audience, you may start to feel bored and unfulfilled.
⭐ Pressure to interact: Creating for an audience can also lead to pressure to constantly interact and respond to comments, which can be overwhelming.



Creating for Yourself: Pros and Cons


On the other hand, creating art and content for yourself can have its own set of benefits:


⭐ Maintaining passion and creativity: When you create for yourself, you're more likely to maintain your passion and creativity, as you're making art that resonates with you.
⭐ Autonomy and freedom: Creating for yourself gives you the autonomy and freedom to express yourself authentically, without worrying about what others might think.
⭐ Innovation and growth: When you create for yourself, you're more likely to experiment and try new things, which can lead to innovation and growth as an artist.



However, there are also some potential downsides to consider:


⭐ Limited appeal: When you create for yourself, your art and content may not always resonate with your audience, which can lead to fewer views and engagement.

⭐ Inconsistency: Creating for yourself can also lead to inconsistency in your content, which might confuse your audience.

⭐ Difficulty connecting with audience: When you create for yourself, you might struggle to connect with your audience or build a loyal following.



Finding a Balance


So, how can you balance creating for yourself and creating for your audience? Here are three bonus tips to help you grow your audience in the art niche:


⭐ Experiment and take risks: Don't be afraid to try new things and take risks in your art and content. This will help you stay inspired and attract new viewers.

⭐ Engage with your audience: Respond to comments, ask for feedback, and interact with your viewers on social media. This will help you build a loyal community and understand what they want to see more of.

⭐ Stay authentic and consistent: Above all, stay true to yourself and your artistic vision. Consistency is key to building an audience, so try to upload content regularly and maintain a consistent style.



By striking a balance between creating for yourself and creating for your audience, you can maintain your passion and creativity while also building a loyal following. If you'd like to support a small-time artist like myself, consider purchasing stickers and prints from my shop section. Your support means the world to me!

Thanks for reading, and don't forget to share your thoughts on this topic in the comments section below!