This is how we make money from our Instagram, Facebook and Twitter pages

It pays to have a huge following on social media, as these five young people will tell you. They influence some of the conversations that trend on a daily basis, and for this, they are sought after by corporates and individuals to make their brands more visible and advance their agenda.

Their tools of trade? Their smart phones, tablets or laptops and Internet.

Teddy Mbeya, 23

Teddy is a film maker who works for Phil It Productions. He also is a digital strategist, a part time job that involves developing and implementing strategies for celebrities and corporates.

Social media pages

u25B6@directorspikes on Instagram (95k followers) 

u25B6@directorspikes on Twitter (12.5k followers) 

u25B6Director Spikes on Facebook Page (3k likes) 

How long did it take you to build the  numbers on your pages?

It took me less than a year - Instagram eight months, Facebook and Twitter six months respectively, since I already knew how all the three platforms work before joining. 

How do you leverage on the different social media platforms?

I do online marketing and advertising mostly on Instagram. As for Twitter, I aid corporates and brands trend their different hashtags. Facebook acts as a sharing and brand visibility platform for the conversations that I start on Twitter and Instagram.

Which brands have you worked with so far?

I have worked with Amos & Josh, David Adede, L-Jay Maasai, Kajairo, Timothy Kitui, Dr. Ofweneke, DJ Creme de la Creme, Collins Majale, Evelyn Wanjiru, Electronics Soko and Anthony Fashions (Afs).

How much do you make on average each month?

An average of Sh40, 000. This is mostly through adverts that I carry on my Instagram page, as well as trends that I lead on Twitter.

How did you end up working with big brands and personalities?

Once I built sufficient following, I started a trend, #gainwithspikes with the aim of having my followers gain followers by following each other. This aroused interest from several advertisers who approached me to help them become more visible. Word of mouth has also worked for me.

Advice someone who would like to commercialise his or her social media pages like you have done

I would recommend one to first build following by being active, consistent and up to date with the current on goings. Once you have done this, convince several advertisers to come on board free of charge. Once you start getting results, list them on your portfolio and approach others. With time, business will start coming in.

You have a couple of awards…

I have been awarded Social Media Personality of the year at the Mwafaka Awards 2016 and Most Influential Social Media Personality of the year, Xtreem Awards 2015. This year, I have again been nominated for Social Media Personality of the year, Xtreem Awards. Voting is ongoing.

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Mwazighe Malemba, 20

Mwazighe is a student at Multimedia University of Kenya, studying journalism and strategic public relations. She also is a social media personality on Instagram, where she has amassed a big following. She leverages on advertising.

Social media pages

uF0D8   @_malemba_ on Instagram 160K followers

uF0D8   Malemba on Facebook 4k Friends

Which is your preferred social media platform and why?

Instagram. Reason being that in Kenya, it has by far the most engaging audience that cuts across different ages and divides.

How long did it take to build up the numbers?

It took me three years to boost my Instagram page to the now 160K followers. I regularly advertise for Coolblack and AFS Kenya.

What strategy do you use to get more people on your page?

Consistent posting and use of professional photos - the most powerful tool for engagement is images.

How much money do you spend managing your social media page in terms on bundles?

Depending on the campaigns I am carrying out, I can consume upto 4Gb a week, which comes to about Sh2,000. Say how much she makes every month. On average, I make around Sh30,000 a month.

What advice would you give to anyone who would like to replicate your success on social media?

Give lots of thought to what you post and say on social media. Be professional in your approach and use acceptable language at all times because the Internet never forgets.

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Adam Maina, 21

Adam refers to himself as a digital strategist. He works with a couple of local brands. In 2015, he was nominated Most influential twitter personality in the Philippines TATT Awards.

Social media pages

@AdamMaina_ on Twitter 36K followers

@AdamMaina on Instagram 15K followers

Which is your preferred social media platform and why?

I prefer Twitter because I have a much bigger influence there compared to the other social media platforms. I also appreciate the real time aspect on the conversations that take place on Twitter.

How long did it take to build up your following?

It has taken me five years of mistakes and success to build up my Twitter. As for Instagram, it has been two years. This calls for patience, you cannot do it over night.

How do you use and leverage on the different social media pages?

I create catchy content that is tailored to each platform, adhering to the laid content parameters governing each platform. Besides coming up with content that will be shared organically, I use social media ads as well to engage with relevant people to amplify visibility and tap into diverse demographics. I also use cross platform pollination so that one piece of content appears on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Twitter in a way that can be easily consumed on all those platforms.

How do you earn money?

I get paid by brands and personalities to come up with and execute social media campaigns for their products, services and events. I also manage social media pages for various brands. This entails updating their platforms and answering queries from the public.

Which brands have you worked with?

I have worked with many, so I can’t list them all. They include Sauti Sol, Kenya Tourism Board, (Magical Kenya), Machakos County, Triple P TV, Startimes Kenya, Infinix Kenya, mCheza and Sportpesa. 

How do you source your clientele?

Mostly through word of mouth. I always ensure that I give my clients more than they expect of me, which gets me more referrals. If you do a good job, people will always want to work with you over and over again, and a happy client will gladly refer you to someone else.

Is this what you do full time?

Yes, but I also host events, I am a blogger, podcaster and an up-coming celebrity publicist.

How much do you spend on average on bundles to manage your social media?

I prefer Wi-Fi to airtime, but when I use bundles, I spend Sh500 on an active day. I make an average of Sh 100,000 a month.

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Esther Mukami Maina, 22

Esther is a student at Laikipia University, studying a Bachelor of Science degree in Botany, Zoology and Mathematics.

Social media pages

@Iamthatphotoaddict on instagram with 123,000 followers.

Esther Mukami on Facebook, 5,000 friends +1,500 followers.

When and why did you join social media?

I joined the platform last year. Initially, it was just for fun, but as my numbers started building up, it occurred to me that I could make money out of it.  With time, a couple of brands began to approach me to market their products. I use my platforms to enhance my personal brand under my profile user name, amthatphotoaddict, to promote and enhance photography with me as the model. I get paid to feature advertisements from clothing lines and photography houses.

Which brands have you worked with so far?

I have worked with Fresh chewing gum, Tausi photography, Aahira collection and AFS collections.

Is it difficult doing what you do and also give your studies the attention it deserves?

Not at all – school comes first, this is a part time engagement which you can easily fulfill as long as you plan and schedule what you need to do in advance. 

How much do you spend in a month on your sidehustle?

Around Sh2,000. I earn not less than Sh40,000 a month.

What has been key to your success?

I keep my fan base consistently engaged - I post new stuff at least three times a day. If you lack consistency, you will lose following, and with it clients.

What advice would you give to anyone who would like to do what you do?

Do not abandon your morals for the sake of followers or likes. Define yourself, stick to your values, be consistent and patient. You also need to keep abreast with what is trending on a daily basis.

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Marcus Muraa, 26

Marcus is a social media guru who develops, manages and executes digital strategies for celebrities and brands in the country.

Social media pages

@MmarcusKE  on Twitter 8k followers

@MmarcusKE  on Instagram 47k followers

When you joined social media, did you view it as an avenue for making money?

No, like everyone else, I just joined to socialise, make new friends and have fun. With time, I discovered that I could make money out of it, and that if I took it seriously, I could build a career out of it. 

How long did it take to build up the numbers on the specific pages?

It has taken me almost three years, though I have been active on social media for almost eight years. Social media is a powerful tool that can greatly influence and promote conversations and brands.

How much do you earn in a month?

A minimum of Sh80,000 through various channels such as trending topics on Twitter, managing social media handles and doing online PR for corporate accounts and personalities.

Which brands have you worked with and which conversations or hashtags have you helped advance?

Some of them are Jeff Koinange Live on KTN, NTV’s CrossOver101, System Unit, an events company and DJ School, DJ Mo, Dj Joe Mfalme and Size 8.

So this is what you do full time?

Yes it is my full time Job. I quit my job in human resource three years ago to focus on this. My average work day entails meetings with clients, managing and updating my social media pages, developing  and executing strategies.

What is your opinion on KOT and its influence on the digital space?

KOT are just the best, these guys can make or destroy you. They can change anything they want to, in short, KOT run the digital space.

Have you won or been nominated for any awards?

This year has been good to me. I have been nominated for three awards: Mashujaa Awards, Mwafaka and Xtreem Teeniez Awards.

Say something uplifting to the young person reading this..

 Follow your passion and God will bless the work of your hands.