DUBAI: Top content creators and YouTube gurus came out in strength at the 1 Billion Followers Summit in Dubai on Thursday to offer comprehensive guides for content creators navigating the complex landscape of social media leaving rapt audiences equipped actionable strategies on how to grow their following, reach and revenue on YouTube and how to negotiate brand collaborations.
Besides the advice on creating successful online channels and fostering lasting and successful partnerships with brands, creators also offered their wisdom on why it is often best to leave while at the top.
Tech and media guru Ryan Hashemi inspired the audience with an insightful presentation on content creation and the art of business scaling. Renowned YouTube spilled all the beans on his YouTube Journey and the secrets of success in being a creator. And a panel of digital experts came together to give out their secrets for successful brand collaborations.
Ryan Hashemi shared his groundbreaking insights on leveraging YouTube to driv
e significant business growth. The prominent figure in the media and technology industry, known for his innovative approach to content creation and platform development has made a name for himself by coaching top creators and entrepreneurs on how to significantly increase their revenue through engaging YouTube content. He gets $10 million+ businesses to scale with YouTube.
With a stellar track record of coaching top creators and entrepreneurs on revenue optimization through engaging content, Hashemi’s talk was a highlight of the event.
Stressing the importance of creating content that goes beyond mere viewership, aiming to increase empathy, human connection and understanding. His approach centres on formats that resonate deeply with audiences, leading to remarkable success for his company, which boasts over 200 million long-form views per month. “We don’t make videos just for views. Content should serve a bigger vision; it’s about using content to grow businesses,’ he said.
Hashemi shared his unique perspe
ctive, drawing parallels between his company’s model and Walt Disney’s visionary approach to building a multibillion-dollar empire around stories and content. ‘The only metric that really matters is the time your audience spends with you and the value you deliver. YouTube long-form is the only platform I can guarantee will be thriving in 5, 10, 20 years; it’s predictable, steady, and powerful,’ he noted.
‘Viewership is the new moat, the new competitive advantage. It’s not enough to have a great product; audience distribution is key. Ideas and concepts are more important than production quality. Virality is driven by unique ideas, not just polished production.’
Highlighting the long-term perspective required for success on YouTube, he encouraged investors to invest in content, fostering a vision for five or 10 years ahead. ‘Invest in content, think about the compounding that YouTube can provide.
German Garmendia is a celebrated YouTuber known for his dynamic content and engaging personality. With a massive
following on multiple channels, he has become a source of inspiration for aspiring creators. He is best known for his YouTube channels, HolaSoyGerman and JuegaGerman, which have garnered him over 90 million followers, making him one of the most followed YouTubers in the Spanish language.
Garmendia made history in 2016 by becoming the first YouTuber to receive two Diamond Play Buttons (awarded for reaching 10 million subscribers) for his channels.
The Chilean YouTuber and entertainer shared his inspiring journey, offering aspiring creators a glimpse into the challenges and triumphs that have defined his path to content creation success.
Garmendia began by recounting his humble beginnings, expressing how he transitioned from being a viewer to a creator. Armed with a modest 720p camera, he embarked on a journey to turn his passion for content creation into a reality. Before recording his first video, Garmendia extensively studied content creators he admired, seeking to understand the elements that captivated
audiences.
He admitted to the initial struggle of building an audience. Undeterred, he made a commitment to himself, creating content weekly even when nobody was watching. His dedication extended to meticulous planning, with ideas and scripts filling his phone, demonstrating a strong work ethic.
The influencer discussed the evolution of his content, transitioning from his first channel, characterised by comedy, fast-talking, and high energy, to venturing into gaming with an unscripted approach. For Garmendia, content creation is all about challenging oneself and maintaining honesty, which is why he suddenly decided to discontinue his first YouTube channel after hitting more than 40 million subscribers, one of the most subscribed channels on the platform at that time.
‘My philosophy in this is honesty. I did my first video with all the love and the last video with all the love. I didn’t want to approach it like ‘I have to do this’,’ he said. ‘I wanted to change the way I do things. I changed my content 100%
. I started focusing on gaming – went through a 5-minute video that took days to edit. Just me and the camera, nothing scripted.”
Speaking about the vulnerability of the creative process, Garmendia shared personal experiences of dissatisfaction with his work, the importance of perseverance and learning from mistakes. ‘Your first video will not be good, but it just has to be good enough for you to make your second, and so on. If you don’t do it, you’ll always wonder what could have been. You don’t have to be an expert in using cameras or shooting or editing. Edit on your phone, use apps, once you do it, you’re really so much closer to your goal than so many millions of people.”
Renowned content creators Jack Appleby, Osama Marwah, Max Klymenko and influencer management expert Erica Williams shared invaluable insights for content creators art of negotiating with brands for successful collaborations, giving key takeaways on setting boundaries, creating mutually beneficial partnerships, and staying true to one’
s ethics.
Williams noted the importance of maintaining integrity as a creator. She urged new creators not to compromise their unique individuality for any brand, highlighting the need to preserve personal authenticity. Each creator’s personal uniqueness is their strength, and they should be uncompromising about it, she said.
Appleby, a marketing professional, social creator and consultant who writes Future Social, a newsletter teaching more than 60,000 marketers about social media, stressed the significance of advertising only what one would personally use, and the importance of aligning brand partnerships with one’s values.
Osama Marwah, a Dubai-based content creator and digital influencer, shed light on the initial fears of a first brand deal. He recommended starting with free or barter deals to ease into the process, and the importance of managing expectations early in one’s content creation journey.
Max Klymenko, an economist and content creator known for making economics and business concepts easy an
d accessible, provided a fresh perspective on storytelling and brand partnerships. He maintained the need for creative control and shared his experience in finding brands open to unconventional approaches, ensuring a balance that doesn’t compromise storytelling.
Key to successful brand-creator relationships and in negotiating fair compensation lay in open communication, the experts unanimously agreed. Brands and creators must be honest in their exchanges for a successful and enduring partnership.
In a candid discussion about rates and negotiations, Williams shared a strategic approach, advising creators not to reveal their rates upfront. She suggested finding out the brand’s campaign budget first and then proposing a rate that ensures fair or profitable compensation.
Half the panel advocated for macro creators to focus on longer-term partnerships for efficiency, and going for fewer, but longer-lasting partnerships, emphasizing the benefits of stability and reduced back-and-forth communication, while the ot
her half likened brand-creator negotiations to a personal relationship, where they would not want to commit early and being open to more prospective deals coming in.
Source: Emirates News Agency