My Thoughts on the Nigerian Creative Scene in 2019 + A Christmas Collaboration

A few years ago, this post would have been titled my thoughts on the Nigerian blogging scene or blogosphere in 2019. However over time so much has changed from what it was before. I'll be sharing my thoughts in this connection but first, while in Lagos, I got together with Lade's Blog for a Christmas/Holiday Themed Collaboration. If you recall, Lade was my roomie for Lagos Fashion Week. Let's get into my thoughts.

The Annihilation of Blogs 

A lot has changed in the industry. This year more than ever saw the deaths or should I say annihilation of blogs. I’ve had several discussions with people who beg to differ on this but the reality is that blogs are not what they used to be. Some of my favorite blogs such as Cassie Daves and Mind of Amaka have in fact reduced their posting consistency. And I totally get it. Personally, I’ve noticed a decline in readership on my platform thanks to Instagram which is the new blog. Not to mention most Nigerian brands would rather opt for IG promotion as opposed to blog promotion. Instagram has honestly taken over so much so that we now identify people as creatives, influencers as opposed to the term blogger (I still prefer blogger though). While I do believe it is still important to have your own space on the internet, it can be discouraging seeing less or no feedback from blog posts. Especially since writing blog posts take more time and effort to produce. Nevertheless, I still plan to keep blogging, albeit not as often as before. My goal now is to focus on helpful and shareable content that y’all either resonate with or ranks high on search engines.

Related: On Almost Quitting Blogging: The Journey So Far + Lessons Learnt

The Rise of YouTube

This year was monumental for the growth of YouTubers based in Nigeria. I discovered new amazing vloggers such as Vivian Okezie, Em Etetim and Tayo Aina who were churning out, amazing content left and right. I’m so excited about their growth. Your girl also recently joined YouTube too because let’s face it, video content is taking over. And as a business-minded creator, I love the fact that with YouTube one has a bit more control as regards monetizing one’s content.

Content Creators Switching Up

Now more than ever with the new algorithms, a lot of content creators, bloggers, influencers, etc. have diversified and even taken a step back from personal content creation to focus on other ways to make money from this industry. I saw a lot more people offering courses, services such as social media management, etc. or even pushing their businesses. This is much needed given the fact that a lot of Nigerian brands are still yet to fully embrace the costs of content creation. Plus content creation consumes money and can, in turn, be discouraging when the investments are not paying off either in cash, kind or recognition.  

Related: The Blogging Industry Now vs Then & Lessons Learnt, Mistakes Made

Photography by Sogie Snuggles

More Opportunities

Now for old bloggers/creative like myself (all praise to God), this was a year of so much growth. No jokes guys! After years of investing, 2019 proved to be awesome in terms of monetization and greater opportunities. Sure we have a long way to go as regards getting paid accordingly like our counterparts abroad but the industry has come a long way. Content creators are now being carried along as important stakeholders in this industry. More businesses are opening up and recognizing the importance of social media promotion. The ever-changing IG algorithms continually threaten this growth but we keep persisting.

Related: Life Lately: 2019 So Far, Tough Life Decisions, Biggest Blog Deal Ever!

 In conclusion

 All in all, there was much growth this year on the creative scene in Nigeria and I’m excited to see what 2020 holds for this industry. In subsequent posts, I’ll be expanding more on my growth/opportunities as a content creator in 2019.  Lade shared 8 Important Lessons Blogging Has Taught Her, definitely head over to read the post now!

  

Btw, I shared the behind the scenes process of creating content in Lagos, in a VLOG on my Youtube channel, check it out. Be sure to subscribe to my channel!

Till next time guys!

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