TikTok creators Karl Kugelmann and Witney Ramabulana. Photo: Supplied
Content creators were greatly helped by the Covid-19 lockdown, and with more people at and home and unsure of what to do, going online was the easiest thing to keep yourself entertained.
Social media apps such as TikTok have taken off during this period, and it has made a couple of stars and more influencers in the process.
Model and TikTok content creator Karl Kugelmann is a 23-year-old from Cape Town, who garnered a big following of 5.4 million followers on TikTok, jumping on the video-sharing app as a strategic move.
Karl said: “From the start of March and three months after that, the numbers massively grew and it was very busy for me. I had a lot of people contacting me, work I could do or would do. Because of the coronavirus, I had to sit in the house every day and ask myself what am I going to do today?”
In this day and age in some professions, the number of people who follow you on social media matters.
“As a model, you need to build that up because there comes to a stage in your career where you are up against two or three guys for the same job. You all have a pretty decent portfolio. Then, how does the agency choose which model?”
Karl explained that getting modelling gigs in some circumstances was linked to your social media following. Because if clients were looking at a particular model, who for example had 20,000 followers, those followers were extra and “free exposure” for the brand.
@karl_kugelmannFinally got a black suit ???? ##shotsfired♬ (You’re The) Devil in Disguise – Elvis Presley
Not having a videographer, most of the videos are done by him but for a campaign or a brand, he would use a professional to execute the campaign.
“Sometimes when I start a video I show my hand, it gives it a rawer feel and people like to see that on TikTok.”
Kenyan comedian and internet sensation Elsa Majimbo, at just 19 years old, has become one of the biggest comic content creators in the world. The famous dark shade, grey framed glasses and chip eating videos have increasingly gone viral. Elsa says she thinks her content does well is because she is herself and a lot of people relate to that.
“When people see my content they see themselves when you able to speak on that people feel closer to you than someone whose just on social media. That’s the kind of connection I want to form and I am. They always feel they need to share, support and to always greet you and you end up having a stronger connection with people.
“Being me, being myself, people weren’t used to that. The fact people took that so well and being a young black woman it means so much. In normal circumstances a young black woman or black women they just have to fight for space in any field.
“My content was so well received and my battle was to let my guard down and be happier. I can show other black women, dark skin young women, let’s not make the world make us feel like outsiders all the time, just be yourself and strive.”
Another black woman taking up space in viral content creation is Witney Ramabulana, the 28 year old who has over 1.2 million followers on TikTok.
Having a corporate job, she described herself as a shy person before she decided to go on the vapp, having no idea it existed. Noticing the videos on WhatsApp, her curiosity lead her to see a video of a girl lip-syncing and she wanted to try it out.
Joining in late 2018 with a private account and still shy about the general public seeing her videos, she eventually made her account public in 2019.
@witney8Reply to @netshikulwedambudzomoses he does not know I can’t dance???? please tell him we dance for fun ????♬ Time to party – Ronaldo
“I am a very shy person, and this was a way to somewhat come out of that. I try to be consent as possible, to post two or three times a week. You need to be constant on TikTok or else people do ‘forget’ your content.”
Just like Karl, Witney recently noticed more users on the app.
“With brands during lockdown that is when I was so busy because they wanted us to keep people’s spirits up because of what was happening around us.” Her content is a variety of things to accommodate her audience, especially touching base with the African viewers so they can feel appreciated too.
Witney jokes: “I can’t dance but you would see me dancing because I try in my videos to show people that you don’t have to be perfect. If you feel like dancing, then dance.”
She is all about people being themselves, not trying to be anyone else and learning to love yourself.
On the side of financing and making money from content, it is still tough even with a strong following.
“You can have a million followers but your content is not doing anything to attract brands. It is important to have those followers, build your brand, have the campaigns and possibly get to that stage where you don’t need a 9-5 job.”
She explained that TikTok creators could also make money through live videos, where followers could send you gifts.
“You can convert those gifts to cash, depending on the type of followers. I have heard of creators who have made $3000 [R48,000] a day. That is a lot of money.”
Not just wanting to be an influencer, she has her sights on television presenting and acting.
“As an influencer it’s okay to say no to a brand you feel does not speak to your followers. I always put my followers first, the reason why I am here is because of them. I don’t want to shift or try to speak to a different audience and forget the people who believed in me when I had 500 followers.”
For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.
Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.
