Did you know that the average micro-influencer in Nigeria makes between N30,000 to N60,000 per campaign? And a macro-influencer between N150,000 to N300,000 per campaign? Why scroll aimlessly when you can make cool cash from your social media addiction? In 2022, the average person spends about 2 hours 45 minutes daily on social media, but you spend more time on the ‘gram and TikTok and you should get rewarded for it!
With active followers and engagement on your social media pages, the possibility of how much you can make is endless. How much money you make from social media depends on how much commitment you put into it.
It is not strange that many undergraduates in Nigeria are faced with financial challenges where they do not have enough money to fund their daily expenses, and this often leads to stress. The sad reality is that often, these financial challenges have a mental impact on students which sometimes also affects their grades. This could be traced to the fact that aside from their parents, they do not have a source of income—in most cases. Students who sponsor themselves to school struggle more because they have to sort tuition fees and daily expenses all by themselves.
Social media has become a profitable business and many are “cashing out” from channelling their social media addiction strategically. For example, as an influencer on Wowzi app, you’ll be able to make money on social media by creating content for brands with at least 250 followers.
Although there are many downsides to being addicted to social media, some of its advantages include the ability to reach a large audience, being able to connect directly with your audience, increasing your recognition, connecting with like-minded people, and yes, cashing out! So let’s focus on the brighter side—to make money.
You can make money from social media by:
Becoming a brand ambassador.
A lot of people assume that you need hundreds of thousands of followers to be able to make any money on social media. This is not true, well, it’s simply an assumption. Brands no longer just want expensive celebrities to advertise their products, they’re deliberately looking for ordinary people who can be effective. For a start, they may only offer you free items, but the more you get noticed, the higher the value of your reward.
However, you will need advertising skills to successfully sell products and services for brands. And note that you will also be a contracted employee of the brand, working by their terms.
Becoming a freelance social media manager.
With your expertise of the platforms you spend your time on, offer to help other people and businesses to manage their own platforms in exchange for some cash. Although becoming a social media manager takes a lot of time and skills, it’s something you can do simultaneously with your undergraduate studies and earn.
Becoming a social media influencer.
This is similar to being a brand ambassador but here, you mainly advocate for and review products from brands. You are expected to influence your fan base to also develop an interest in the product. And, you have more freedom and flexibility in what and how you do promotions.
Becoming a content creator.
The good thing about being a content creator is that you don’t have to use your own platforms. All you have to do is create relevant content for other people to post on their sites or platforms and you get paid for it.
Becoming a campus ambassador.
As a campus ambassador, your primary task is to promote a brand within the student community. One amazing thing about being a campus ambassador is that it gives you the opportunity to work with professionals and develop your skills. You’d get to gain more exposure, more influence on campus and of course, money. Campus ambassadors also have the opportunity to attend events hosted by the brands they work for and meet new people.
These are simple good ways of making money by the side as a full-time undergraduate. Remember that the possibility of acquiring wealth through social media is endless. Expand your mind, and turn your addiction into something profitable!
Gift Chukwuma is a final-year student in the department of English at Lagos State University, Ojo.
