In the past, most regular people will have thought it impossible to create their own entertainment platform. After all, to do so would have meant securing a studio, hiring a team, and taking on giants who dominate the streaming space.
Nowadays, though, things are much simpler. Indeed, all you need is a laptop and a good idea. To get started in entertainment, it could be as simple as starting your own YouTube channel or podcast. For those with a bit more ambition, it’s also possible to create an entertainment platform with a sprawling array of content.
Plenty of Tools to Help People Get Started
Until recently, people who wanted to offer their own entertainment online would need to invest huge chunks of money into making it happen. This isn’t the case anymore, with many of the tools needed going for low costs or even free. Platforms like YouTube and Bandcamp give anyone the chance to upload their content. From there, they can try to start marketing it to an audience.
Video editing tools have become more accessible than ever as well, and don’t cost people an arm and a leg to use. With platforms like CapCut, anyone can easily make quality videos that grab people’s attention and leave them wanting more.
On top of all that, there are premade site builders that let users sculpt webpages to their own specifications. There are services for quite broad markets, like WordPress, for article and blog-based content, and then there are slightly more specialist ones. For instance, someone wanting to start their own casino platform online can easily do so using a premade platform that has all the available games and payment systems already integrated. Whether your interests lie in a niche, or are more all-encompassing, there’s likely to be a service out there that can help you to build a platform to your specific wants and needs.
Easy to Consider How to Monetize Your Content
In the early days of the internet, even if you managed to get an entertainment platform up and running, another major obstacle would have been monetizing it. Your best bet would have been to rely on selling ads or striking a sponsorship deal. Now, it’s easy to build multi-stream revenue systems that span various options.
For example, YouTube streamers can make money from the built-in ad revenue system on the platform itself. On top of that, there’s also the possibility of getting people to subscribe to your paid content or link to an ecommerce store where they can pick up related merchandise. There are even tipping systems in place, with many podcasts asking listeners to tip a cup of coffee if they enjoyed the content.
Discovery and Consistency Pose Challenges
Even though there are now various options for people who want to start their own entertainment channels or platforms, there are plenty of hurdles in the way. Getting discovered in a saturated market is hard, and it’s more important than ever to offer a niche that others haven’t thought of.
It’s also hugely important to be consistent. If you are keen to develop an entertainment brand, it may well take years of hard work and dedication. For many, it’s a case of burning out before any real progress is made.
Starting an entertainment platform can be made easy thanks to modern tools, but making it successful is another story. For people who are truly committed, it may be possible to make money from it. But, for many, it will remain a pipedream. Either way, as with many things, it’s the journey that counts, and you’re bound to learn lots along the way.
Lynn Martelli is an editor at Readability. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University and has worked as an editor for over 10 years. Lynn has edited a wide variety of books, including fiction, non-fiction, memoirs, and more. In her free time, Lynn enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with her family and friends.
