Money lessons for Gen Z content creators

Nasser is keen to become an influencer. He follows key figures in the UAE and globally, watching them for advice on what to spend on, what to watch, and how to live. Unlike his brothers, who have joined their family business by studying various specializations, Nasser wants to launch his career as social media content creator. Research shows that more than half of Gen Z (57%) want to become influencers because of the promise of money, fame, connections, and a love of creating content. In the UAE, top influencers earn up to AED 500,000 yearly.

Here are the pros, cons, pitfalls, and delights of becoming a content creator.

1. It’s work – 7 days a week:

Being an influencer is like owning your own media start-up and, like all new businesses, it requires complete dedication.
Be prepared to invest a lot of time creating a bank of content across social media channels and updating it regularly.

2. It’s not always successful:

For every successful creator, there are hundreds who tried and did not make it. Research shows that about 50% of all online content creators earn less than $15,000 (~AED 56,000) a year.
Regardless of how much you like the job, if it doesn’t pay enough you will need to reconsider and develop an alternative skill base.

3. It takes time:

On average, content creators who want to be influencers as their primary job, report that they spent around two years building their channels.
Consistently creating great content, and ensuring that it reaches the right audience, takes time and patience.

4. It’s not a day job, at first:

Despite how demanding and how all-consuming it is, many creators say they have another regular job. Even if it is financially lucrative, be mindful that any outlier events could affect your income.
Creators, particularly those with financial responsibilities, say they have another full- or part-time job to manage volatility in the content field.

5. It’s lonely work:

Nasser likes being in the office, enjoying coffee with his mates, and the general hubbub of working life. Creating content is mostly a single-person gig with a lot of time spent in front of a camera.
Content creators report a high sense of loneliness because not only is their work isolating but even while they are with friends and family, they are switched on to what to film next.

6. It’s not all interesting:

Not all content creators are influencers. Some create content across channels, including multiple channels covering a variety of topics, on the same platform. Some of these are faceless channels.
Consider topics that interest you and those that may attract more views.

Before you begin, know that influencers in the UAE need to comply with licensing requirements – a commercial license (either a trade or freelance license) and a media license.

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