Online Content Creators Masterclass: Here are some takeaways

Edwin Wamala, a media buyer, talked about content promotion; Daniel Odaka, a digital channels manager at Airel Uganda walked the influencers through content strategy, Aaron Musoke Ssebambulidde, the manager director of Pulse Uganda explained how to build a personal brand; Uncle Mo, a multi-faceted content creator, broke down how to create compelling content; and Eric Mugisha, head of Sales and Marketing at Pulse Uganda showed influencers how they can understand their target audience.

According to Uncle Mo, a content creator needs to understand that the content they are creating is for the audience, and not for the creator.

He said mastery comes with trying different things and adjusting as you carry on. “You shoot and then aim,” he said.

He said becoming an influencer also makes you a “taste leader.”

He told influencers that to get good at their craft, they’ve to be committed to practice.

“You are useless to a brand if you don't have the skills to make content,” he said.

He also noted that it’s okay to copy and take inspiration from others.

“Don’t pressure yourself to be the most original guy… it may not be in you…” he said.

Uncle Mo noted that excellent content comes from a person that takes time to research and learn from other creators, research, and also pays attention to reactions from the audience.

When dealing with clients, he said, give them a chance to give you their voice, but also be ready to think outside the box.

“In creative, the best idea takes the day,” he said, adding that during ideation, even the tea lady’s suggestion should be seriously considered.

Mo said told influencers to create content that’s understandable.

“Tell the story thinking about the people you want to reach,” he said.

He also said it’s better to produce content with a long shelf life than churn out new items all the item.

“People dislike pushy selling,” he said, adding that you should always share your content in all the platforms you’ve access to in order to reach the audience you want.

Aaron Musoke defined a brand as that what you stand for, that is, values, abilities and actions.

As a brand, he said, you ned to ask yourself who you are, what you do and what makes you different (or how do you create value for others?)

Musoke said that personal branding helps a creator to build trust.

“We all need to brand ourselves and beware of the values we bring across,” he said.

He urged influencers to keep their content professional and to use their real names on digital platforms.

Dan Odaka said before developing a content strategy, one needs to audit your business and find out where they are in terms of targets.

As you develop a strategy, he said, ask yourself: who are you speaking to? What do you want them to do? What is stopping them from doing it? What will make them do it?

He said it’s important to Identify your values, define your mission, create a content calendar, and track how your content is performing.