AI technology and applications are profoundly affecting the content creation ecosystem and opening up new opportunities for self-media people. This article aims to systematically sort out the 7 mainstream AI self-media tracks, focusing on their content operation core, monetization methods and long-term development considerations, and providing information reference for practitioners.
Track 1: AI Tool Evaluation and Application Guide
Operational core:Track and test newly released large model capabilities such as GPT, Claude, domestic mainstream models) and emerging application tools (multi-modal creation, Agent framework, efficiency plug-ins), providedhorizontal comparison, daily life work application plans (such as “using XX tools to optimize new media copywriting”, “combining YY tools to complete government work reports”) and practical pit avoidance guidelines。
Short-term monetization:
- Knowledge Pay:Standard courses (Crash Tools, Advanced Techniques, Prompt Engineering), workflow templates/prompt thesaurus, scenario application manuals (e.g., “AI Workflow Guide for Teachers”).
- Community Services:The paid community provides continuous updates, tool internal testing qualifications, and expert Q&A.
- Commission Promotion:Refer specific AI tools or related services for commissions.
Long-term challenges and transformations:
Core Risks:The capabilities of basic large models continue to be enhanced and easier to use (such as multi-modal capability enhancement, deep integration of third-party tools, smoother user interaction, etc.), and the teaching value of a single gadget is declining.
Transformation direction:
- Transform into vertical industries (such as AI-specific solutions for the education/medical industry), from tool operation training to complete solutions based on industry knowledge, in other words, to choose a business direction and become a business expert who understands AI.
- Become an in-depth application expert for 1-2 pedestal large models and keep up with the pace of large manufacturers.
Track 2: AI industry dynamics and in-depth analysis
Operational core:Track and interpret technological progress (model architecture, open source projects), industry events (giant strategies, financing and mergers and acquisitions), policies and regulations (global AI governance), academic frontiers, application cases, etc.The key is not just to report information quickly, but to provide an exclusive perspective on impact analysis and trend analysis.
Short-term monetization:
- ToB Advertising:AI companies and related technology service provider advertisements.
- Conference Activities:Ticket and sponsorship income for hosting or co-hosting summits, closed-door meetings, and salons.
- High-end services:Membership in-depth reporting, customized consulting, FA docking services.
Long-term risks and transformation:
Core Risks:The Matthew effect of the head media is significant, and the cost of building trust for new entrants is high. Information overload exacerbates users’ inertia to obtain in-depth content.
B-end product manager’s ability model and learning improvement
The first challenge faced by B-end product managers is how to correctly analyze and diagnose business problems. This is also the most difficult part, product design knowledge is basically not helpful for this part of the work, if you want to do a good job in business analysis and diagnosis, you must have a solid …
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Transformation direction:
- Transform to subdivided vertical fields, such as AI chips, AI emotional computing, etc.; or focus on regional markets, such as Silicon Valley AI applications, AI startups, etc.
- Develop data products, such as Wind-like databases, data APIs, and research report white papers.
Track 3: Independent development of C-end AI products
Operation core: self-media as a display channel and user feedback channel for self-developed products.The content focuses on sharing the development process, product value, usage scenario effect demonstration and real user usage stories of self-developed products, and establishes a transparent and trusting image of developers.
Short-term monetization:
Product commercialization:Through the operation of self-media, we will drain traffic to self-developed products and promote the implementation of product commercialization models, such as encouraging users to subscribe and meet customized needs.
Long-term risks and transformation:
Core Risks:
- The integration of large manufacturers’ base models and the expansion of third-party capabilities, such as ByteDance’s buckle team continuing to develop official plug-ins, or the improvement of the base model’s own capabilities, are easy to cover the usage scenarios of vertical gadgets.
- The technical maintenance cost of independent products is high, which can easily wear down the developer’s mentality.
Transformation direction:Dig deep into extremely segmented niches, such as development programming assistants for specific vertical games, or strongly bind to specific communities/scenarios (such as independent developer communities) to form barriers. In addition, in terms of product operation and maintenance, explore the open source + professional service/hosting model.
Track 4: AI startup brand building
Operational core:Focusing on the company’s technological innovation, customer success stories, industry insights, etc., to create a professional and reliable image. The content of self-media needs to serve core business goals, including reducing customer acquisition costs, enhancing brand awareness, and attracting talents/investment. The tone of the content emphasizes authenticity and value transmission.
Short-term monetization:
Instead of relying on content to monetize directly, the goal is to indirectly promote business growth, including adding new sales leads, improving talent recruitment efficiency, and increasing ecological cooperation opportunities.
Long-term risks and transformation:
Core Risks:
On the one hand, there is an imbalance in resource investment, over-investing in content production and ignoring the hard power of product iteration and market development.
on the other hand, the positioning is vague, and the content is weakly related to the core business, which cannot effectively drive the business.
Transformation direction:Strengthen the synergy between content and product/market strategy. The content must closely revolve around the core product strength and target customer pain points/benefits. At the same time, business indicators rather than simple reading/likes are the core KPIs, such as the quality of official website traffic, sales lead conversion rate, recruitment effect, etc. brought about by content release.
Track 5: Enterprise-level AI implementation and consulting
Operational core:Deeply focus on the pain points and practices of AI implementation in specific industries (such as the Internet, manufacturing, medical care, finance, education, etc.). The content often includes case dismantling of real applications, industry-specific methodology precipitation, industry policy and ethics discussion, etc. The core values lie in professionalism, reusability, and problem-solving orientation.
Short-term monetization:
- ToC (Practitioner): Sells standardized courses/practical camps (priced from hundreds to thousands of yuan), paid communities/knowledge planets (provide continuous consulting and resources), such as AI product manager job search companions, AI algorithm engineer job search companions, etc.
- ToB (Party A): Provide consulting and diagnosis services (per day or project), customized internal training, undertake AI project planning/selection/implementation/evaluation, etc.
Long-term risks and transformation: core risks:The knowledge system of the manager is required to be updated quickly with technology and policies; the scale of consulting services is difficult; The influx of talents from large factories has led to increased competition.
Transformation direction:
- Product-oriented services and team-based operations, encapsulating personal knowledge systems and methodologies into standardized consulting products/evaluation tools/training systems, establishing consulting delivery teams or cooperating with professional institutions to increase the volume of services.
- Create technical/data barriers, embed self-developed algorithm modules and tool platforms in specific solutions to enhance competitiveness.
Track 6: IP creation by AI senior practitioners
Operational core:The content includes technical explanations, such as intensive reading of papers, analysis of model principles, etc.; Industry analysis, such as trend prediction and market competition pattern analysis; personal life and work experience sharing, etc. The core attraction of shaping the image of a “thought leader” or “technology evangelist” comes from the endorsement of professional experience and the depth of opinion output.
Short-term monetization:
It mainly achieves indirect benefits by enhancing the value of personal industries, such as obtaining high-level positions, consulting invitations, summit speaking opportunities, and book royalty income.
Long-term value path:
- Career Development:Become a core technology executive or research leader of the enterprise.
- Entrepreneurship/Investment:Use influence incubation projects, including consulting service companies, open source communities, AI products, etc., or transform into AI investors.
Track 7: AIGC content generation and application
Operational core:Utilize AIGC technology (text/image/audio/video) as the core creation tool or assistance, focusing on the value and positioning of the generated content itself. For example, in the field of artistic creation, AI-assisted generation of novels, poems, scripts, music, and visual art works. In the field of education science popularization, AI-driven interactive learning materials, knowledge explanation videos (such as historical event restoration animations), and personalized exercise content are produced. In the field of cultural communication, AIGC is used for cultural content innovation (such as new translation of ancient texts, digital presentation of intangible cultural heritage), digital human celebrity operation, etc.The AI involved in content operation here is a means rather than an end, and the core depends on the manager’s own creative planning, aesthetic control, value propositioning, and audience connection capabilities.
Short-term monetization:
- Content Revenue:Copyright use transfer of works, paid content subscriptions (e-books, columns, unlocked content), etc.
- Advertising cooperation:Advertisement placement that conforms to the tone of the content.
Long-term challenges and keys: Core challenges:The gradual popularization of AIGC technology has shortened the dividend period of formal innovation of artworks; and the value evaluation system of art and cultural content itself is difficult to standardize, which affects the recognition of AIGC works.
Key Strategies:First, content creators themselves need to create a distinct individual/brand style, deeply bound and serve specific interest communities. At the same time, we will continue to pay attention to and integrate new technologies such as Web3, and explore IP-derived peripheral product development and licensing cooperation.
The development of AI self-media presents a diversified pattern, and there are corresponding opportunities and challenges in all seven major tracks. The author believes that the market is still in a period of dynamic development, and practitioners should continue to focus on value creation and continuously build core competitiveness, which will definitely win long-term development space.
