By Sibusiso Mkize
Lockdown has speeded up the digital revolution, and posting content online is a great way
to build your brand. It can even be lucrative! Here are 5 ways to make your online content work harder.
Curate your content
Creating a network that is aligned with your authentic self is key to gaining a loyal following. Your social media page should be carefully curated to reflect your personality and brand. Sanele Hadebe, a Johannesburg based influencer and content creator, stresses the need to be relateable and authentic.
“Be you, be authentic, because people must be able to relate to you and connect. Add diversity your content, and be as consistent as you can be,” said Sabelo.
Know your audience
Being aware of who is looking into your content makes the job of curating your content easier. Knowing your audience will help amplify your online content presence. Abongwe Qokela, a Cape Town based content creator and model, stresses the importance of audience awareness.
“Know your audience and know the stories you want to tell. Ignoring your audience will create inconsistencies in your following,” said Abongwe.
Offer value to your audience
Your followers follow you for a reason, and being able to provide value for your audience
through the content you create is absolutely paramount. Your followers are interested in what you have to say, whether your focus is photography or technology. Creating online content that will add value will elevate your engagement and reach.
Know how each social media platform works
We devote hours to the different social media platforms that we all love, from Instagram to
Twitter to Snapchat and of course YouTube. These platforms are different in terms of how they promote content and the tone in which they relay it.
“Twitter followers tend to be more relaxed and funny,” says Sabelo. “They’re on Twitter to find content they relate to as well as to see what other people think and how they view life.
If Twitter followers like your content, you can count on them to retweet, like and comment. Instagram is more visual, focused on images and videos. My Instagram followers are more personal to my brand, it’s mostly people that I have met or seen around.”
Consider a YouTube channel
YouTube is growing by the second and good content creators are smart enough to acknowledge that. Create a YouTube channel to tells a story about yourself in a visual and audio format.
Acclaimed YouTuber Sibu Mpanza says YouTube is a great platform to storytelling and giving your audience a chance to see your true personality.
“I think video is one of the greatest forms of storytelling. I think people now respond to visual content more than anything, and YouTube is the best way to give it to them. It’s a great way to build a relationship with your audience. People respond better when they can see your true personality with their own eyes,” said Sibu.
