Equal opportunity in African content creation

Content creation is a real career path and can provide some good returns. Apart from creating our own stories, one can easily turn their ideas into a business with global reach

Just like music and film, content creation in other aspects of life is equally important and much needed. Imagine if we didn’t have African music? What if no one had written the script of your favourite show? The same need and demand for localised entertainment should be applied in areas of literature, learning materials, DIY tutorials, cooking recipes and basically everything to do with our everyday life. We live in a global village and information which is available at our fingertips, but this requires a conscious effort to actually create and share.

What is content creation anyways? 

In the simplest terms, it is the contribution of information via any media platform, especially digital media and targeting a specific audience. Traditional content was previously created by large media houses; radio, TV stations, newspapers and magazines. Then the internet created disruption and anyone, anywhere can now create content and instantly share it with the rest of the world. Africans are known for their great storytelling skills around the fires or their great kitchens. This form of information sharing is no longer enough. Take that same story, put it on YouTube and it will live forever and reach millions of people all over the world. It is of paramount importance for Africans to tell their stories, share information, knowledge and wisdom. Imagine if the use of African herbs, for example, had been documented from 10 generations ago? Today, we would be able to use this wisdom to alleviate a number of ailments. 

Furthermore, there are platforms like Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, etc that actually pay content creators for their contributions. This has resulted in fierce battles for followers and likes. This has also forced content creators to really produce the best they can and dig deeper into their creativity. Content creation is now a real career path and can provide very good returns. 

They say catch them whilst young! YouTuber Joella Chinyama is a 17-year-old content creator known as Joella Mazvita on social media. Her channel is about her thoughts on various teen issues. She is pursuing fashion in college and is already earning via her content creation. “I think it’s very important for Africans to create content because we tend to look for content creators outside of Africa yet we have people just as talented right here,” the vibrant teen says. 

Young African people have risen to become major global players in the field of content creators. Think of a platform like Wikipedia. If you a person who was born and bred in Windhoek or Kigali, for example, does not contribute to the city’s Wikipedia page, it will be done by a tourist who would have spent three days in that city. As much as their experiences as visitors are important to capture, the real essence of the city is best captured by someone who calls it home. 

By far Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa lead in terms of content creation on the continent. Careers Magazine caught up with a young and upcoming content creator. Lynn Matsa has a social commentary YouTube channel (Lynn Fitho) with over 1.5 million views. She has recently started a second YouTube channel (Limitless Lynn) where she focuses on teaching other creators how to start their own channels and make money online. Matsa holds a bachelor’s in Psychology and owns a boutique executive search firm in Gauteng, South Africa. 

Why is it important for Africans to create their own content? 

Content creation brings opportunities. Never has it been this easy to start a brand, movement, or a paying job just by having an internet connection. Apart from creating our own stories, one can easily turn their ideas (whilst being authentic) into a business on a global scale. Whichever platform you decide to dominate, you can get views from anyone from all over the world and turn that traffic into paying clients. Which is something that I have managed to do. 

Tell us about your journey and what inspired you to start 

I started creating content a few years ago with a misguided blog on which I was simply not aware of the power that I had. Fast forward 2019, after months of consuming YouTube, I bumped into Owamie Hlongwane and she was unapologetically African which made her relatable to me. My channel started off as a guide into the workforce: How to write a CV; first job; interviews; signing your first lease, etc. However, the views were not great, which was disappointing. One day, I did a video commenting on a social injustice issue which had been trending on Facebook and within 24 hours, I had 30,000 views and my channel Lynn Fitho was born and 8 months later the channel has over 1.5 million views. 

What is your advice to someone thinking of starting? 

If you are thinking of starting anything whether on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Pinterest, blog, do it. The beauty of it is that the internet has millions of potential followers. You might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but you will definitely find your tribe. There is a monetary benefit once you reach the required threshold, all the platforms can be monetisred and if you have a clear message, you can turn your subscribers, friends and followers into revenue. 

What are you waiting for? We look forward to seeing your content very soon!