Over the past decade, Somalia experienced an internet revolution, perhaps the biggest in the African continent. In 2020, a year of global crisis where internet connection has become a lifeline for much of the world, Somalia made a surprise jump in the global rankings of mobile internet services. The previous year it was ranked 34th worldwide and 37th in Africa and within just one year the country became the cheapest mobile data cost in Africa on the continent and the seventh cheapest worldwide.
According to the latest internet accessibility report released by DataReportal there were 1.95 million internet users in Somalia as of January 2021 with the penetration speed growing fast. Thanks to the growing smartphone penetration and other digital devices especially among the young generation. According to the same report, there are close to 2 million users on Facebook and half a million users on Instagram. However, TikTok is among the newest platforms gaining more popularity.
In the past two decades, the rise of social media platforms have drastically transformed the way humans interact and communicate globally and the world seems to be getting smaller and smaller. For instance, It allows us the opportunity to share opinions with a far wider audience beyond our borders. As a matter of fact, it might come as strange to imagine a person living in 2021 who is not aware of the existence of these platforms, if they are not already using them. They have become indispensable to our everyday life. But there is this theory that says social media can be a waste of time or biggest source of income depending on how people make use of their online presence. In this article, I will be looking at how you can create more beneficial deals on social media rather than wasting your precious and non-refundable time.
How to use social media platforms more productively and meaningfully?
Indeed, these platforms are meant to be social, bring people closer and create one big global community. But apart from this global virtual village, it is very imperative to think about how to make use of this larger-than-life audience or how to build a better online presence- make a living . Entrepreneurs and startup communities have unique opportunities to earn a decent living through social media platforms. Here is how:-
1- Use social media as a learning platform rather than just chatting
First thing first, make sure you are following the right people and the right pages that are in line with the skills you might want to learn. There are several skills and business ideas you can learn from the platform especially if you’re interested in business opportunities, investments, or simply want to master a particular skill. For instance, you can follow and regularly get updates from a page that offers multimedia (graphic designing) skills. This is way better than spending your time chatting with friends on simple social issues for hours.
2- Identify unique business opportunities in social media
For aspiring entrepreneurs, you might have more than 5 thousand followers/friends on your social media networks, think about turning these audiences into potential clients or customers. In the offline world, would it be easier to reach such a number? Obviously not possible. Think creatively about starting a business idea that might serve their needs, for instance, launch a business page and advertise your product or services and ensure that all of your online friends are following this page.
3- Work with social media influencers
Social media Influencers exist in all aspects of businesses and you might already know one of them, from culinary to clothing to coffee industry to local football legends, artists and musicians, all you need is to figure out which one to pick who will boost your business or initiative. Engage and build a relationship with them. have them promote your initiative and reach their audiences and beyond.
4- Go global: expand your reach
Social media offers us the opportunity to reach audiences beyond our borders. Geographical locations are no longer an obstacle in today’s technological revolutions, today you can instantly reach and meet audiences and potential customers around the world from your office desk or at home. You can jas well join a global network of professionals, like-minded individuals with whom you share the same passion and spirit. Join the global community who will add value to your life, avoid following toxic and hate speech promoters.
5- Use social media as a branding and marketing platform
Some social media offer us excellent digital marketing options and promotional opportunities that could boost our own initiative with small payments. Use it wisely to reach targeted audiences/markets. A good example is Facebook’s visibility and boosting options which allow you to choose particular demographic features of your target market such as profession, gender, age and location.
6- Limit your time on social media to essentials only
For you to be productive in your normal day-to-day activities, you need to balance your time between social media, work, and study. limit your time on social media platforms to essential purposes especially when you realize that it is consuming your time more than benefiting you financially or skill-wise. Socializing online is a vital part of our life but it has to be controlled and as a millennial generation, you should make use of the valuable time you have. Give yourself some self-care reward; read articles or books, do some exercise, watch a movie or talk with a close person offline.
You have two choices; make your choice wisely
With that said, you have two choices; waste your treasured time on social media without making use of the large audience you have and live with daily stress, trauma, and anxiety. Or spend your time on these platforms wisely to nourish smart and creative ideas, do meaningful initiatives, businesses and hopefully become the next millionaire. Social media has already created several millionaires around the world. follow their footsteps.
Abdifatah Hassan Ali, human rights defender, blogger and founder of Digital Shelter.
