At a South by Southwest (SXSW) panel titled “Your First 90 Days as a Creator,” partnership leaders from Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube outlined critical missteps that early-career creators should avoid to build a sustainable presence. Hosted by creator economy strategist Antonia Alakija, the discussion provided a roadmap for navigating platform algorithms and establishing a niche in a competitive digital landscape.
A primary warning was against blindly pursuing viral trends. Experts stressed that not every trend aligns with a creator’s brand or capabilities. Brooke Berry, head of creator development at Snapchat, advised identifying trends that allow for a unique execution. Katie Sollenberger of Meta’s Scaled Partner Activation introduced the “70/30 rule” for Instagram: approximately 70% of content should be original, with 30% allocated to trends. She noted that timing is crucial—joining a trend after its peak can seem out of touch.
Proactive planning for monetisation was another key point. Berry emphasised that a creator’s public profile must immediately showcase the type of content relevant to desired brand partnerships. “If you want travel deals, your profile needs travel content,” she stated, noting that brands quickly move on if a profile lacks indicative material.
The panel underscored a shift in priority from follower counts to engagement and retention metrics. Sollenberger recommended switching to a professional or creator account to access detailed analytics, analysing top and worst-performing posts, and posting during audience peak times. Specific platform metrics matter: on Instagram, “send and share rate” signals algorithmic distribution; on Snapchat, watch time is critical for Discover feed placement.
Consistency was universally highlighted as non-negotiable, but with a crucial caveat. Sollenberger advised creators to choose a posting schedule they can maintain “on your worst week, not your best.” For YouTube, Andrea Trost of Google/YouTube Creators noted that a reliable cadence (e.g., every Thursday) trains audience expectations more effectively than high volume.
New creators were urged to leverage platform-specific tools designed for experimentation. Sollenberger pointed to Instagram’s Trial Reels, which test content with non-followers first, reducing the fear of alienating an existing audience.
Finally, the experts dismissed the viability of the “generalist” creator. Berry asserted that specificity wins: a niche like “a travel creator who spends 24 hours in cities” is far more compelling than broad categories like “food” or “lifestyle.” Sollenberger described this as a “T-shaped approach”—initially casting a wide net before narrowing focus based on data and audience response. Alakija noted that deep specialisation can later allow for broader personality building.
For creators in their foundational phase, the consensus was clear: strategic alignment with platform mechanics, data-driven adaptation, and authentic niching are essential to convert initial effort into long-term growth and opportunity.
