The Truth About Content Saturation (we’re in a creator drought)
Here’s my thesis: content saturation is a myth. The truth is, we’re in a serious creator drought.
According to Backlinko, 5.17 billion people use social media. But there are only 207 million creators on these platforms (via DemandSage).
So, doing the quick math, that comes out to just 4%.
Put another way, 96% of people are consuming the content of just 4% of accounts on social media.
Eek! We’re in a creator drought. We need more voices and more unique content.
We need you!
Content Saturation?
Content saturation is when a niche becomes too crowded with too many creators making too much content — especially the same content.
But content saturation — in my view — is a scarcity mindset. Because the truth is, there’s a lot of pie left to go around. I don’t think we’ll ever reach a point where someone’s unique voice isn’t needed.
Remember, 96% of people aren’t creating content.
Some niches do become saturated — especially if you go too broad and don’t add anything new to the conversation.
But that doesn’t mean there’s no chance for you. You just need to know how to stand out.
How to Stand Out as a Content Creator
Add You — Layer in Your Brand
The ultimate “hack” is to be completely open and vulnerable with your content creation. People want to follow people.
They want more than just good music, content or ideas. They want the story behind it — the creator and their journey. The movement!
Eventually, your uniqueness will come through. It’s just a matter of time. And when it does show up, you’ll know — you’ll probably be surprised at how un-groundbreaking it is. Like, of course this is me!
So here’s how to add you into your content strategy:
Test and try everything
If it’s fun, double down — if it’s not, be wary
Layer in your unique interests, experiences and skills
Explore more:
➤ Personal Branding for Creators
Show Up Like Crazy
“If you never quit, you’ll never fail.”
We’ve lost out on so many amazing creators simply because they gave up too early. But the good news is it’s definitely not too late — even if you’ve given up before (because we’ve all been there).
I mean, who can blame us for quitting in an on-demand, short-form world? Quick results are expected and when things take a while, it’s jarring (and deflating).
So, show up — and show up like crazy (i.e., never quit). That’s the annoyingly simple (but incredibly effective) strategy to stand out online. Because most people still do quit. And sometimes, that’s okay.
You may realize it’s not for you and you actually hate your niche or creating content.
But if you can have patience and think in the long-term, then great things await.
So dream big — but focus on the nano. Make your daily actions manageable and simple. And reverse engineer your big projects into small steps and daily actions.
Create Aligned Content
Standing out, showing up and staying stoked (for the long run) is near impossible when you’re creating stuff that isn’t aligned.
And so, the solution is simple: create content and projects that are aligned with your values, passions and goals.
The closer you get to alignment, the easier content creation and standing out gets. You actually become stoked to show up — even if no one is there (yet).
So here are some ways to get aligned as a content creator:
Practice self awareness
Do things that feel intuitive
Know your personal values
Don’t create for metrics or money
Don’t wait for external validation to love yourself and your content
Stop Doing What Everyone Else Does
Gone are the days of copy-and-paste content strategies — especially for SEO.
It’s a great place to start if you’re not sure what to do or what your authenticity is yet (failing at trying to be someone else is a great way to discover who you are).
Eventually though, you need to get more creative and add your spin on things. Because anyone can teach “how to start a travel blog”, but not everyone can teach “how to start a travel blog as a single parent moving abroad for the first time”.
Explore more:
➤ How to Succeed as a Content Creator
Focus on the Micro Niche
Let’s use blog keyword research as an example.
A general keyword like “blogging for beginners” is saturated. But a niche keyword (long-tail keyword) like “instagram blogging for beginners” is less saturated, and thus, less competitive.
So to stand out in a crowded place, find a micro-niche within your domain. Aim for something that you’re passionate about and/or have expertise in. Look for untapped opportunities.
Validate there’s demand for your idea (for example, check the keyword search volume in Ahrefs) and then start creating content to become an authority in that micro niche.
After all, the riches are in the niches (as they say).
In Sum, Saturation is an Illusion
Content flopping and going unnoticed is less about saturation, and more about staying consistent, learning and making stuff that’s actually good — that’s how you stand out.
Standing out means adding your flavor — your spin — your hot take on the matter at hand!
The truth about getting lost in the noise is that creators are actually just giving up too early, hoping for quick success.
It’s true that there are more creators than ever before, and it is harder to grow compared to ten years ago. But saturation isn’t the issue, unless it’s fluff content.
Fluff saturation is real — you’re competing with generic AI responses and content that has no voice, unique angles or firsthand experiences.
But real authentic content from you — that’ll never be saturated.
So the trick (“trick”) is to create authentic content based on real experiences, personal values and your passions and goals.
Most creators quit too early or have the wrong strategy. It’s easy to just blame a lack of creator success on content saturation. But the truth is more exciting.
It’s realizing that we are — technically — in a creator drought, and then learning how to stand out in your domain.
So keep on creating — don’t stop and, together, let’s crush it!
Later ✌️
