This archive report was first published on 11 December 2019.
From Blogger to YouTube Sensation ¶
Dimma Umeh, a Nigerian fashion and lifestyle vlogger, has gained over 12 million views on YouTube. In a panel discussion with Kenyan content creators, she shared her strategies for monetizing and growing a business on the platform.
Dimma's channel, which has over 300,000 subscribers, offers tips and strategies for optimizing YouTube video content at every stage of the production process. She describes her channel as 'fun, real, and helpful.'
Dimma started her YouTube journey during her youth service year in Nigeria, where she had a lot of free time to create content. She initially started as a blogger, posting makeup looks and product reviews, which eventually led to her first YouTube video.
Dimma's breakthrough came in 2013 when her eyebrow tutorial video went viral, earning her an email invite to YouTube's offices for a chat on how to avoid copyright strikes and turn her channel into a business.
Lessons from a Successful YouTuber ¶
Dimma's thesis focused on creating a business idea solely based on YouTube, with case studies on Nigerian blogger Linda Ikeji, the Chapman Sisters, and English YouTuber Zoella. She learned that her audience is 'customers in waiting' and that monetization is key to creating organic content that generates revenue.
Dimma's tips for growing a YouTube channel include collaborations, studying the algorithm, and consistency. She emphasizes the importance of call-to-action elements like thumbnails, titles, and tags, and advises creators not to spend all their time on quality and color grading while neglecting these crucial aspects.
Dimma also stresses the need for creators to diversify and tweak their content with monetization in mind, while maintaining consistency and adding value to their audience. She encourages creators to visit their analytics often to fine-tune their content and avoid getting emotionally attached to their views.
Dimma's journey from a blogger to a successful YouTuber serves as an inspiration to creators looking to monetize their content and grow their audience.
