In the current state, there are ways for content creators to help separate themselves from others. Being diverse, authentic, and flexible in your approach can all benefit your growth. Authenticity gives content creators a voice, and they can choose how to use it. In a congested social media market, having your personality can go a long way. Authenticity helps form relationships and connections with your audience and others in your field. Guest Speaker and Digital Content Creator NNeka Elliot spoke on the importance of authenticity in a few ways. As cliche as it sounds, being yourself can go a long way. People need to be able to relate to your content, and the audience can sense when a creator stays true to themselves. An example of someone I believe has been authentic throughout his creative career is British YouTube Star KSI. KSI has been in the YouTube scene for just over 10 years now and has established himself as a popular figure online. He has always been true to himself and has entered every situation with an open mind. As someone who has been keeping up with his content for over 10 years now, I have found it easy to be a part of his following throughout.
KSI has done a great job innovating and exploring while remaining authentic. He started as a FIFA content creator who uploaded his content playing the video game. Guest Speaker NNeka Elliot also talked about focusing on your niche. When KSI started to gain popularity, his focus was on his niche, FIFA-related content. Staying relevant in the social media scene for over a decade is not an easy task, and he has had to be flexible. He has now explored many different ideas. Some of these ideas include boxing, music, starting his hydration brand, and more. FIFA is no longer as prevalent in today’s market as it was in the early 2010s decade. So instead of remaining stagnant, KSI was open to change. KSI has also taken a few breaks over the years to recoup when he felt it was necessary. KSI is also a member of the British-based group called the Sidemen. The Sidemen consists of seven members and they all benefit from each other’s presence. One of the readings mentioned the importance of having a diverse team, and I believe the Sidemen embody that notion. The Sidemen are diverse culturally and psychologically. Each member has their strengths. They play off each other’s strengths to develop a better understanding of how to connect with their target audience.
