Viral TikToker Amina Hussein and ITP Live’s Content Director Rouhana El Hage rounded off the last session of Cosmo Careers 2023 to talk about all things social media. From genuine content creation, to how you can monetise your videos, the hilarious pair debated on the pros and cons that come with content.
So, if you’re planning on whipping your tripod out and starting a career from scratch, scroll down below to read Cosmo Careers 2023’s real tea.
Cosmo Careers 2023 – Content creation 101- How to make social media your day job
How did you get into content creation?
Amina Hussein, with 1.4 million followers on TikTok, told the audience that she enjoys creating videos based on topics that always interested her and doing it in a very *real* way. (Hilarious as well, might we add).
@aminahussein5_ لا في حاجات تبشر بالخير🤯😍#فقرة_الفساتشين #cannesfilmfestival #fashion ♬ original sound – Amina Hussein
Rouhana El Hage, on the other hand, was passionate about filmmaking, and later realised that the digital world has a whole other spectrum to explore and grow in.
What are the key steps involved in transitioning from content creation as a hobby to making it a full-time job?
Amina fills the audience in by pointing out that a lot of effort goes into research when you’re content creating and being as genuine as you can be. Rouhana also added that a content creator has a “five-year window” of popularity, and engaging with their audience is one of the keys to going the distance.
While Rouhana was more technical and explained that his work is number-driven, Amina expressed that she prefers to focus on the comments and her fans, instead of just numbers. (Two opposite ends of the spectrum, basically).
Personal branding vs. Professional branding
“Personal branding is all about your persona,” Amina says. Her individuality is what drives her followers to her videos. “Being relatable is so important” she adds (and we 100% agree). This was also the one point where Rouhana agreed with Amina and explained that having your own style should be a definite focus, but you should also be able to experiment with new trends.
What are the common challenges when transitioning to content creation as a full-time profession, and how can they be overcome?
Rouhana cautioned the Cosmo Careers 2023 audience to always stay alert on posts as backlashes or bullies are inevitable in a content creator’s life. He even opens up to the reality that the job of a content creator is not always full of glam, you need to be smart enough to squeeze the positive out of negative situations.
Amina seconds her fellow guest and says that she ignores all trolls. Love that for her.
Other than that, another common challenge that both Amina and Rouhana face is that the digital world never sleeps, so sometimes you’ve got to push yourself.
How important is networking and collaborating with other content creators in establishing a successful career in content creation, and what are some effective strategies for building these connections?
Rouhana pointed out that collab’ing is the best way to increase your media presence, whereas, Amina believes that genuinity is the key to success no matter who you are collab’ing with. Lucky for Amina, she gets to collab with her bestie daily, and on that note she admits that you should try your best to collaborate with another influencer you actually like. AKA – Don’t be fake, your audience can *actually* tell.
Any advice?
Content Director Rouhana told the Cosmo Careers 2023 panel’s audience that social media may not be right for you if you’re not courageous or talented enough, and Amina emphasised that if you *do* go down that road, then stay true to yourself and stay consistent.
Good luck, internet friends!