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Dimmah Umeh, 29, is a top Nigerian digital content creator, YouTuber and blogger based in Lagos. She talks with Harriet James about her experiences, challenges and aspirations

What inspired you to venture into the world of content creation?

I started YouTube vlogging in 2012. People would complement my make-up and they would request me to show them how to do it.

This is when I started my self-titled channel and it grew so much more than that not just tutorials, but also on lifestyle, travel and fashion.  

How frequently do you post and what inspires your ideas?

I post two to three times a week. I get inspiration from so many places including social media, sometimes because there’s a lot of conversation happening there, social issues that I can address. I also get inspired by trends and people that I love.

How has your education assisted you with your blogging? 

I come from a family of seven children. The only thing I did before blogging was being a student.

I did banking and finance as an undergraduate then got into YouTube and studied my masters in 2016. 

I did a course on project management and innovation to create a business model out of any idea and that’s how I was able to create a business model out of social media presence.

I saw how I could monetise a number of things in my different platforms. My degree has assisted me, especially in getting contracts. 

What triggered your move to diversify into lifestyle, travel and fashion?

YouTube keeps evolving and the algorithms keep changing. In addition, people’s tastes also keep evolving, and that’s what dictates the trends.

The audience has to love the content that you are producing. At first, I began with make-up tutorials in very short videos.

I wasn’t sharing anything about my personality, but I wanted to crack jokes and air my opinions on various social issues.

My tutorials are not just tutorials, but they are more like chit chats; a hang out. The other reason was to have diversity in the content.

The more varied it is, the more options you have in the brands that will want to work with you. 

What draws the line when it comes to vulnerability and protecting your public space online?

I don’t put my family on social media. I can take it when you come for me, but not my family.

However, I don’t deny my siblings who want to be on camera a chance to do so. People come on YouTube to relate with people that they love watching or with the people who are watching them.

They also come to be entertained and educated. I feel like the more your audience feels like they know you, the better for you. 

How do you handle criticism? 

I am open to constructive criticism. People will not be nice all the time, but the most important thing is to read such comments with an open mind and try to understand whether they are just hating or correcting. 

What are some of the ways you use to grow your brand?

Consistency is key and I let the positive comments feed me mentally. I am also particular on quality and because of that, I ended up getting the attention of some big websites and blogs who did a lot of reposting of my content.

This exposes me to new audience all the time. In addition, I use all the platforms in my social media to full capacity. If I have a new video I do a lot of cross posting. 

Among other topics, you have been passionate about the dangers of skin bleaching. Why do you think African women are drawn to the practice?

Women in most cultures tend to reflect what the men like most of the time. For instance, in black America, women with big butts and boobs are more appreciated all the time.

In Africa, the more successful a man is, the more likely he is to have a light skinned woman.

In addition, soap, body lotions and creams adverts use light skinned models more than the darker ones.

This speaks a clear message to women that black is not beautiful. But things are changing as advertisers are trying to bring a range of women in the campaigns. 

Have you ever said no to a brand that didn’t support your values?

Yes. A product that was launching requested me to be their brand ambassador.

They didn’t even bargain my prices when I sent my invoice. However, the quality of the products was so bad that I sent them an email, gave them my own feedback and told them that there was no way I was going to come on board with a bad product.

I felt that they should take that and when they have a better brand, they should contact me because I can’t lie to my audience. I can’t ruin my relationship with my clients because of one post. 

How do you make money from blogging and vlogging? 

I started making money on Youtube in late 2013. This was because I made a lot of mistakes and I wasn’t monetising my content properly. I was copyrighting my videos and they were being flagged.

If not for that, I would have qualified for monetisation maybe after six months after starting.

YouTube earnings is tied to views; the more people you bring to the platform to view your videos, the more the money.

How do you stand out from the rest?

I look at ideas; I find out what is trending, I watch the content of the people I look up to and let their content inspire me.

I don’t put myself in a place where I am jealous or competing with other people, but I focus on my own growth.

If you don’t put in work you won’t grow like the other person. So, never let how well you think someone else is doing affect your progress.