My Wave: Youth are monetising social media 

The youth unemployment rate is currently extremely high and young people are finding unconventional ways to make money and social media platforms are providing us with viable options to make a living from creating content.

Instagram and YouTube are the front-runners when it comes to giving content creators a platform to get their work out there.

Smart businesses and companies recognise the massive potential that social media has and it’s becoming the norm for these big companies to hire influential social media users for their campaigns.

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I recently saw Pharoahfi on a Nandos advert. She blew up in the entertainment industry by releasing a series of funny skits or videos online and it led to her becoming a well known comedian and MTV Base presenter.

One of my favourite YouTube bloggers, Sibu Mpanza, has worked for YFM and MTV Base through his large following on YouTube, Twitter and Instagram.

The key to getting doors opened up for you through social media is being consistent and smart with your content creation.

You need to understand your followers and the type of things they want to see online.

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If you’re a make-up artist, you need to produce regular tutorial videos, different looks that your followers can try and deal with potential bookings that come through your direct messages. Freelance creatives can benefit the most from making money on social media as they can have their whole portfolio on their pages.

Instagram provides the most efficient platform for this. Photographers, videographers, graphic designers and make-up artists use their Instagram pages as their virtual CVs – something that we would never have pictured 20 years ago, and it’s certainly not something we get taught at school.

Freelance photographer, Johan Bredenkamp, has benefited from getting business on social media.

Johan said: “In terms of making money, social media has helped me reach my target market and provides me with most of my client base. It also helps me showcase my work to people who are based overseas as well.”

Social media opens plenty of doors for any young person if they use it well, just ask any social media influencer (a market that’s rapidly becoming saturated) how you can make the most out of a simple post.

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