There are too many social media bios with the self-proclaimed title “influencer”. This title is used so much that it’s lost its meaning, yet it’s an important type of social media marketing.
If you think about a person, living or dead, who can push you to engage with a product, that person has influence over you, but that doesn’t mean they are an influencer.
As Jaymo Ule Msee puts it, “you can’t call yourself and influencer, you have to be called an influencer”. This, and many other insights are shared by Jaymo and Jacky Vike in the fourth episode of the iMarket Podcast hosted by Waithera Kabiru.
Jacky Vike, also known by her popular ‘Papa Shirandula’ character Awinja, is an actress and a content creator, she now represents the East African Breweries Limited (EABL) as one of their Tusker brand ambassadors.
She didn’t go looking for the title, but when the pandemic hit, she started making short and funny videos that got the attention of a few brands. When approached by EABL, Vike was challenged by the notion of representing Tusker because “Awinja” is a family character, she had hoped to represent the brand as herself but the question is “who is Jackie Vike?”. She expected backlash from her fans who know her as Awinja, but her content was well received.
Vike believes that the most important metric when measuring the performance of her content is engagement. She wants to know how people feel and think about the brand. She shares “I have a million followers, but maybe they aren’t talking about the brand.” When creating her content, she wants to take creative control, if a brand wants her to represent them, they should trust her creative process.
Wilson Muirani, whose alias is comedian Jaymo Ule Msee, is a content creator with a digital background and a current Tusker brand ambassador. He is very picky when it comes to working with brands because he believes that he can’t work for a brand that he can’t consume or that he doesn’t like, “I have to be authentic”, he tells Kabiru.
He was an account manager who loved comedy and made the character “Jaymo Ule Msee” which gained viral numbers on YouTube and Facebook. His content is based on Kenyan social issues and stories, but he adds his comic flair.
Jaymo’s inspiration to do great content comes from the feeling of owning that company or brand. He says “if you don’t act like an owner, you can’t sell a brand”. His success also came from understanding his audience; he knew what time and date to share his content which is a very important lens to use when planning marketing strategy.
Tusker has brand guidelines and comprehensive training that has helped in his growth as a superb brand ambassador because the brand also makes an effort to engage with their content creators and he believes that’s what makes marketing better.
His advice to young content creators is:
1. Invest in yourself.
When you start out, you don’t have to have high-end equipment. Start where you are as you are. When you get some money, put it back to your craft; buy something as small as a stand for your phone, or lapel for better sound. Build yourself up.
2. Don’t just post, go the extra mile.
It’s not enough to post. Try and understand who you are. What’s your personal brand? When you figure that out, what brand would you represent to the best of your ability? Try different content: graphics, videos and skits.
3. Improve your production.
There are a lot of free resources out there that can assist you in your path to creating better content. Take advantage!
4. Start creating something believable to the people.
Represent the brands that you know from experience are worth representing. Make sure you like them, use them and can recommend them. That way, your audience will trust your word.
Now go forth and influence!