WeeklySA_AdminTech Savvy:Young, black, gifted and raking in thousands by the minute in non-traditional ways.
By Pearl Rantsekeng
Gone are those days when going to school to become a doctor, lawyer, nurse or teacher guaranteed your future. And even those who did, not many, ever get to make it to the cover of Forbes Magazine. Even so – the Under 30!
Yet, today’s youth have changed the rules of the game and how it is played. They are making serious money following their passion and it’s not your average 9 to 5 job.
Last week well-known South African influencer Mihlali, 24, originally from KwaZulu-Natal made the Forbes list for the Under 30 Africa’s Young Innovators and Risk Takers in a Pandemic Year.
Ndamase is a Youtube Vlogger and make-up artist. She is one of the fastest-rising youngsters in the country. She once told a local publication that she has always wanted to be in the beauty and fashion industry and had her first modelling gig at the age of 14.
Speaking to Glamour Magazine Mihlali said she first created her Instagram profile in December 2014 around the same time she started her YouTube channel. But, said Mihlali, her journey only started in 2016.
“My first-ever video was a L’Oréal foundation review and – probably three videos after that upload – I got an email from one of the brand managers and they asked to have a meeting. That’s when my career picked up and it just opened a whole bunch of other doors,” she said.
Today, the beauty and lifestyle vlogger has over a million followers on Instagram and currently sitting on over 310 000 subscribers on YouTube.
When Mihlali first cracked Instagram’s Rich List two years ago, she said: “Well, at first, I felt really uncomfortable because I’m not someone who discusses my finances or the business side of what I do with people. I’m not very public about it.
“At the same time, it was very heart-warming to see how many people actually supported me and how many people are so proud of me. It was a very rewarding feeling being the only South African influencer on the list and to know that your hard work is recognised and celebrated by others,” she told Glamour.
Weekly SA Mirror fashion writer Mpumi Brown, 22, from Soweto known as Brownn.skinned on Instagram said her love of fashion, having graduated with a fashion diploma from Villioti Fashion Institute, led her to become an influencer.
“I was approached by a lot of people from the fashion industry including photographers because I was doing a lot styling work for magazines and other fashion brands,” said Mpumi.
Mpumi is what is referred to as a micro-influencer as she still has less than 10 000 followers. She currently is sitting at about 6 000.
Another up and coming influencer Busi Mthimkhulu, 24, also originally from KwaZulu-Natal, said she started to become an influencer about a year and a half ago.
Today Busi has just over 50 000 followers and says it was by sheer luck that she became an influencer.
Busi, who is still a student, said she started by just posting her pictures all dressed up online at every event that she had attended.
“I then noticed that a lot of girls were being paid doing this. And, coincidentally that week on Twitter, there was an article on the highest paid influencers and Mihlali was being featured and that she was getting about R25 000 per post,” recalled Busi.
She said it was during lockdown last year that her following grew exponentially. She grew from 5 000 to 8 000 in a short space of time and was lucky enough to be approached by Swarovski Jewellery for a Valentine’s Day project.
“When I went to the briefing with the client I was the only girl in the room with the least following at 8 000. Everyone was sitting at 15 000 and upwards,” she recalled. Busi said two weeks after she started with Swarovski the country went into lockdown.
“I used that opportunity to grow my brand and it has since led to many other clients,” she said.
Busi said people look at influencers and think that it is an easy job. But, she said, it involves a lot of behind the scenes hard work. And it is a full-time job even though that can become difficult to explain to the parents especially black parents.
“That is why I wouldn’t advice anyone to drop out of school. Finish that degree and when you see that your side hustle has taken off then focus on it,” she explained.
Mihlali’s advice to anyone wanting to make a name for themselves in this space is that: Be yourself.
“There is nothing wrong with being inspired by someone and drawing inspiration from them. But, the moment you try being someone else, you are limiting yourself. No one is looking for another Bonang. They are looking for something new and something different,” she told Glamour.
Social Media Influencer
Since its introduction in October 2010, Instagram has grown into a social media staple across the world, boosted further by its subsequent affiliation with Facebook. It’s a place where people have either become overnight celebrities or outright brands thanks to their ever-growing following. Over time, these people and businesses reach a league of their own and were termed “social media influencers” or just “ influencers.” Each influencer serves as an inspiration for business and brands on how to become reputable through Instagram, becoming an example of self-sustenance.
Who Is a Social Media Influencer?
A social media influencer is a user who has established credibility in a specific industry, has access to a huge audience and can persuade others to act based on their recommendations. An influencer has the tools and authenticity to attract many viewers consistently and can motivate others to expand their social reach. An influencer may be anyone from a blogger to a celebrity to an online entrepreneur. They must simply capitalise on a niche to attain widespread credibility.
How do influencers make money?
Sponsored social media posts are one of the most popular ways for influencers to make money on social media. It’s when brands or marketers pay you to promote a certain brand or product in a social media post. Instagram influencers can charge between R1500 and R35 000 per sponsored post.
How many followers must one have to be an influencer?
“Micro” influencers have anywhere from 6,000 to 10,000 followers. Unlike your popular friend that has acquired this many followers by posting cool stuff, the people behind these handles are vying to grow their page around a specific niche.
