Building a business that lasts in today’s digital space requires a hard look at how online attention actually turns into real money. For years, the go-to plan for creators has been simple: chase the algorithm, get a viral hit, and hope the traffic turns into cash.
But as Africa’s creative space grows into a massive industry, relying only on viral spikes is proving to be a shaky way to build a real company.
The plain truth about social apps today is that the lifespan of online attention is shrinking fast.
Feeds are built to flip through content quickly, meaning a viral video often holds people’s focus for only two or three days before the app pushes the next trend. If a creator’s entire income depends on riding these unpredictable waves, their business can collapse the moment an app changes its code. Building something that lasts means moving away from chasing quick virality.
Instead, it is about giving your audience steady, valuable content week after week. This consistency is what builds real trust and keeps a brand on people’s minds when it is time to buy.
Connecting the Industry at Entertainment Week Africa
Bringing together the creative ecosystem is exactly how we see these industry shifts for what they really are. Entertainment Week Africa brings creators, industry experts, and stakeholders into the same room, which helps us gather deep insights into where the market is going next.
During a masterclass at EWA focused on next-gen discoverability, Tomiwa Aladekomo, the CEO of Big Cabal Media, broke down exactly how the landscape is changing. In his session, he shared how creators can build real strategies instead of just hoping to go viral.
Bringing the community together like this makes it clear that the future belongs to those who treat their work as a real business. Here is how creators can make that shift happen.
The Power of Owning Your Accent and Local Identity
A common mistake creators make when trying to reach a global audience is hiding their local identity or faking Western accents. In reality, being deeply specific about where you come from is exactly what makes you stand out internationally. Global audiences do not want watered-down versions of content they can already get at home. They want authentic, distinct perspectives from different parts of the world.
A strong sense of place gives your brand immediate authority and builds deep community trust. Leaning fully into your local context, your slang, and your daily realities creates a brand identity that no one else can copy.
“It is important that Nigerian creators no longer fake their accents or pretend to be elsewhere… Our slang represents the fact that we are here. Why is that important? Because it allows us to have a sense of place. It allows your audience to know that you are real.” — Tomiwa Aladekomo
Aladekomo points to global hits as proof that local content travels best. “Look at Squid Game! Massive global audience, but it’s still deeply specific to South Korea,” he notes. “Often what allows you to go global is that there’s a local audience that really resonates with your content first.”
Five Simple Rules to Get Your Work Discovered
Getting your work noticed does not have to be a guessing game. Apps like TikTok have completely flipped how people discover content by pushing videos based entirely on how interesting they are, rather than how many followers an account has. In this new setup, having a lot of followers does not automatically guarantee people will see your posts.
To build a steady stream of viewers today, creators need to focus on five basic rules:
- Purpose: Be able to explain in one clear sentence exactly why your brand exists and why anyone should give you their time.
- Audience: Find the exact group of people you want to serve, learn what they care about, and shape your content directly around their daily needs.
- Format: Decide on the shape of your ideas, whether that is long videos, short clips, or a written series, and master that space before trying to do everything at once.
- Distribution: Learn the specific rules of the app you are using so you can make the algorithm work for you.
- Feedback Loops: Keep a close eye on your views and how your audience behaves so you can constantly tweak and improve your work.
Turning Simple Content into Long-Term Assets
The biggest milestone for a creative entrepreneur is turning everyday content into long-term intellectual property (IP). If your business requires you to manually post a video today just to make money today, you do not own a business; you have just built yourself a demanding job. Real scale happens when you create models that can turn into physical products, live experiences, or larger media projects that hold value on their own.
We are already seeing this change happen across the continent, where local brands have turned simple content ideas into major operations:
- PiggyVest: This financial giant started as casual banter on Twitter about better ways to save money instead of using a traditional wooden kolo. Over ten years, they used that community storytelling to build a business bigger than roughly two-thirds of Nigeria’s banks.
- Naira Life: Zikoko originally launched this as a written series documenting how young Nigerians handle money and careers. Because the audience used the stories to make real-life financial decisions, Zikoko successfully turned the series into packed, sponsored live events.
- I Said What I Said: What began as a casual audio podcast between two relatable hosts expanded into video and completely sold-out live tours across Lagos, Abuja, and London.
- Hertitude: Zikoko created this women-focused festival as a physical extension of their online articles. While they only expected 150 people the first year, deep community trust helped the event grow into an annual festival that draws nearly 2,000 people.
Building a Brand That Outlives the App
Social media apps are valuable tools to share your work, but they are not the final destination. Relying entirely on a single app leaves your business vulnerable to sudden corporate changes or shifting trends. The history of the internet is full of apps that were once massive but are now completely forgotten.
“Today TikTok is dominant, but one day it may not be. Once upon a time everybody was on Facebook. Before that, there was MySpace. Platforms change. So the real question is whether your content and your brand can survive beyond the platforms that are popular today.” — Tomiwa Aladekomo
Building a lasting business means making sure your audience’s loyalty is tied directly to you and your ideas, rather than the app where they happened to find you. When your brand is built on deep trust, clear formats, and a real community, your audience will willingly follow you wherever you decide to build next.