Commentary: Not just glitz and glamour – it’s hard work being an influencer

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by Lindsey Francy Sep 20, 2022 News
Commentary: Not just glitz and glamour – it’s hard work being an influencer

There is commentary.

While Asia is ripe for the growth of the creator economy, it is difficult for content creators to make a living full-time.

21 Sep 2022 06:10AM (Updated: 21 Sep 2022 06:10AM)

Chances are you would consult the Internet for advice if you were planning a holiday, a date or your finances. Content creators help inform our decisions on a daily basis.

The growth of the economy has been amazing. The market for creators is worth US$104 billion ($S 146 billion) and includes their earnings and profits made by the platforms they use.

It's difficult to carve a career with a viable source of income. A picture of the creator economy has been painted by top-earning social media stars. It can be seen as a get-rich- quick industry.

Many creators face some stigma with family and onlookers wondering when they'll get a real job. At the height of the lockdowns, many of us relied on these creators to educate, entertain and make us feel better.

The flourishing of this lucrative and valuable industry is at risk if creators aren't seen to doing legitimate work.

CREATORS STRUGGLE WITH MONETISING THEIR WORK

There isn't a lot of research about what makes the economy tick. We talked to creators from Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan to understand their aims and what can be done to support them.

(Photo: iStock)

creators want to make more and better content It takes a lot of time and creativity to conduct research, write, shoot, and edit it.

It is important for creators to understand, retain and grow their audience.

They want to make money by monetising their content. At the expense of monetisation, creators spend a disproportionate amount of effort on their content.

Most creators don't start with the goal of making money. They want to get to know more people.

When she moved to Singapore, Georgia Caney found an opportunity to make videos. There was a lack of information about life in Singapore for expatriates.

She began filming content such as a day in my life diaries, reviews on local food and culture, and travel vlogs around the region. Georgia has amassed over one hundred thousand subscribers on YouTube.

When John suffered from depression in his early 20s, he wanted to inspire and motivate others. He built a following with people looking to find purpose in their careers, after launching his website.

Once they reach a certain size and scale, the demands from their audience increase: More regular content, greater quality of videos and editing, more giveaways and audience exclusives. More money is needed to get into a full-time job.

The traditional way for creators to make money is through partnerships with social media platforms and putting ads on their content. The platforms take a cut of ad revenue. The average influencer is not able to make enough money through social media channels.

In exchange for money and free samples, brands should team up with creators to review and promote their products. It is important that these partnerships remain authentic to the creator's own personal brand and style.

Monetisation with brands has its own set of challenges. It's important for creators to spend a lot of time with brands without knowing how to price their services. They don't have a way to start, earn and grow as a professional.

Georgia struggled to put a monetary value on her content creation service when she first started working with brands. I guess I was just guessing. Content creators have a hard time negotiating. She said that brands and marketing budgets are always different.

There is a problem with the payments from brands. The challenge is systemising the selling of the creative work so that you get a constant flow of revenue. What do I do in the morning? I don't have anything planned.

If creators don't know where their next pay cheque is coming from, they are willing to do anything that will bring them money. There is a destructive cycle where creators sell for less, companies pay less for skilled services, and creators have to work longer to make ends meet.

PUTTING POWER INTO THE HANDS OF CREATORS

It is possible that transparent pricing terms and monetisation models will change when brands realise the power of creators in connecting with consumers. China, the Philippines and India have seen the highest percentage of followers on social media.

Consumers will seek out creators voice when making purchases.

Governments are usingInfluencers to promote programmes and policies The Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry spent the most on influencer marketing over the course of the last two years.

In November last year, the IMDA announced a training scheme for local creators to learn skills in content marketing, audience engagement and data analytic for the purpose of monetisation and expansion overseas.

The regulatory landscape will mature as the sector develops, demanding accountability from both brands and creators while offering more protection to the consumers. In the future, creators will have a bigger toolkit for growth and acknowledgment that they do have a job.

There is a brand and platform for creators.

Influencer content creator