What do you do if your artistic freedom is hindering your commercial success in the Creator Economy?

Know your goals. If the goal of your content is to make as much money as possible, awesome! Nothing wrong with that. Build the most valuable brand possible, work your trendspotting muscles, and look at what others are making that achieve a lot of reach /engagement and create similar content. If you're expressing yourself artistically, I recommend that you don't feel tethered to commercial outcomes during the creation phase. Once you're done making your content, then turn on your 'commercial brain' by using great hashtags, metadata, etc. to reach the best / largest audience possible.

The keys to remove yourself from the tension of being commercially successful from your art is - 1. to have a strong WHY. Know why you create what you create and have a purpose that goes beyond yourself. When your WHY is linked with having an impact for others then you are on the right track - 2. fall in love with the process and keep on going. Lack of Consistency is probably the greater threat to progress.

Understanding the tension between artistic freedom and commercial success is crucial. Find a balance where you can express your creativity while also meeting the demands of your audience or clients. Experiment with different approaches to find what resonates both artistically and commercially.

Balancing creativity and commercial viability can involve setting clear goals, understanding your target audience, and being open to feedback. It's about finding ways to express your unique artistic vision while also meeting the needs and expectations of your audience or clients. Flexibility and adaptability are key in navigating this balance effectively.

Show your work! Introduce yourself until you don’t need an introduction. Think about the community you want to impact and show up for them until they find you. As a creator, printing your artwork on various objects is a good way to duplicate your impact without duplicating your effort.

Exploring niche markets can help you align your artistic freedom with commercial success. By identifying specific audience segments or unique selling points, you can tailor your content and offerings to meet the needs and interests of these niches while staying true to your creative vision.

Always ask yourself if what you are doing now is supporting who you want to be tomorrow. Make sure to set clear atteignable and specific goals in order to measure your results against those KPIs. A strategy should be evaluated and optimised as market changes, to ensure we are still on the shorter path to achieve our goals

Adjusting your strategy could involve exploring different avenues for monetization, refining your marketing approach, or collaborating with others who can provide insights and support. It's about being proactive and willing to make changes based on feedback and data to improve your commercial success without compromising your artistic integrity.

Most social media has the ability to send and receive comments, so feedback will be inevitable. But don't obsess about feedback in the comments. Instead, find a peer group who is finding success on your platform and content genre of choice and check in regularly to give each other advice.

No single path is better than the other. Don't let anyone fault you if you have a 'show me the money' attitude towards social media. They are just ad platforms using user-generated content to get monetizable eyeballs, after all. But you should know your goals for posting, lest you find yourself mindlessly creating purely for the dopamine.

Evaluating your priorities can help you strike a balance between artistic freedom and commercial success. Determine what aspects of your creative work are non-negotiable for you, and then assess how you can align these with opportunities that bring financial stability and growth. This process can help you make informed decisions and navigate the tension between creative expression and business viability.

If creative freedom is a big part of why you are doing what you're doing, consider that it is a core of your business. As a creator, your enthusiasm matters, and sometimes taking lesser financial returns in the short terms can be more sustainable for the business in the long run.