Dubai, January 12: Participants at the 1 Billion Followers Summit, which kicked off in Dubai on Saturday, stressed that purposeful content is essential for effective communication in the digital age as it raises awareness, stimulates critical thinking and adds value to users by addressing their needs.

Key Points
1. Content creators now produce massive volumes of digital media
2. Social platforms enable unprecedented global communication opportunities
3. Strategic content creation drives meaningful audience engagement
4. Personal passion crucial for authentic digital storytelling

Doug Shapiro from the Boston Consulting Group explained that the content creator economy significantly impacts traditional media due to the massive amount of content being produced.

He pointed out that 300 million hours of content are uploaded to YouTube annually, compared to 15,000 hours from Hollywood. While creators produce far more content, their share of media consumption is still only a quarter of the total, generating 15 per cent of the industry's revenue.

Shapiro noted that new platforms have democratised the media landscape, allowing millions to compete with established media companies.

Rania Masri El Khatib from IMI highlighted the importance of leveraging social media platforms like TikTok to expand media influence. She stressed the need to enhance content delivery and train individuals to produce effective content that fosters positive engagement.

Caspar Lee, founder of Influencer.com, shared how his growing self-confidence has made him more willing to face new challenges and adapt to uncomfortable situations. He encouraged emerging creators to focus on producing content that aligns with their personal passions to foster creativity and genuine connections with audiences.

Eslam Ali, founder of Yellow Tape, said that his company, founded in 2017, specialises in digital content management and intellectual property protection in collaboration with the New Media Academy. He commended the 1 Billion Followers Summit for connecting creators from the UAE and globally, offering increasing business opportunities.

Branding expert Khaled Elahmad emphasised the importance of implementing effective strategies for appearing in search results and building relationships through valuable content and meaningful comments. He encouraged focusing on comments to foster engagement, particularly in the UAE and stressed the importance of consistent content sharing. (ANI/WAM)