Purposeful content adds value to people’s lives, say experts

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.

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% 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.

Meanwhile, the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy and New Media Academy, the first innovative academy of its kind in the field of digital media in the Middle East, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation between the two entities, and to exchange knowledge and expertise in areas of mutual interest.

The MoU was signed by Dr Mohammed Ibrahim Al Dhaheri, Deputy Director General of Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy, and Hussein Al Atoli, Director of the New Media Academy in the presence of Ali AlHammadi, CEO of the New Media Academy. It was attended from Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy’s side by Abdullah Al Ameri, Operations and Support Director; Manal Al Braiki, Director of Strategy & Future Department and Asma Al Blooshi, Executive Training Director.

The MoU was signed during the third edition of the 1 Billion Followers Summit, the world’s largest summit dedicated to the content creator economy.

Organised by the UAE Government Media Office, the summit is hosted in the UAE from Jan.11 to 13 at Dubai’s Emirates Towers, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), and the Museum of the Future under the theme “Content for Good.”

The MoU stipulates the exchange of information, research papers, and studies within the scope of the two academies’ jurisdiction; cooperation in the field of training, communication, initiatives, and events; the exchange of institutional expertise in various projects; and the organisation of meetings, visits, and discussion groups on topics of common interest and mutual benefit.

Reflecting on the signing of the memorandum, Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim Al Dhaheri said: “At the Academy, we believe that investing in national competencies and enhancing the skill and knowledge of our local talents are critical for the success of diplomatic work, as well as achieving the UAE’s vision of building strong and sustainable international relations.”

He added: “The Academy offers diverse and integrated educational training programmes to better qualify current and future generations of diplomats, and to provide them with the necessary knowledge, experience and insights into the contemporary practice of diplomacy.”

WAM