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.
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.
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.
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!
I can relate with everything in this post.Blog readership is dwindling and more people are consuming video content.That is why bloggers.content creators should be dynamic so they can change as the dynamics of platforms change.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Sarah
Thanks Lade, I enjoyed doing this with you especially with the direction on texts regarding our blogging experiences. I agree, it is honestly tiring but in this world one has to keep upgrading or you get left behind.
DeleteI really love how you broke down your thoughts, and your post was relatable. Love your outfit!
ReplyDeleteThank you Grace. I appreciate you for stopping by.
DeleteYou are so right with this post! I did not post as much blog content this year as I did last year and the year before that.
ReplyDeletewww.tlmurban.com
It's quite sad that blogs are dying out but it is what it is. Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment.
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