The 1 Billion Followers Summit in Dubai witnessed an enlightening keynote speech by Vishen Lakhiani, the renowned Indian entrepreneur, author, speaker, and activist. Lakhiani, founder of Mindvalley, a platform for world-class teachers, shared invaluable insights on leveraging social media for success, drawing from his journey as an influencer.
Lakhiani emphasized a fundamental principle: having two distinct social media accounts – one for personal use and one dedicated to business. This advice stems from his personal experience, where he gradually entered the social media landscape in his 40s, catalyzed by a meeting with author Jay Shetty. Today, with 3 million followers, Lakhiani generates a substantial $10 million in revenue and anticipates his company, built without venture capital, to approach a revenue of $200 million in the coming years.
The influencer shared his formula for social media triumph: understand your contribution, know your company values, scale, and bring in revenue. Lakhiani stressed the power of storytelling, emphasizing that human connections resonate more with individuals than with faceless corporations. He illustrated this point with the success of a viral post about a Nestle product in his home country.
Notably, Lakhiani urged aspiring influencers not to fear being "amateurish" in their early attempts, advocating a learning-on-the-go mentality. He introduced the three-second rule for videos – if you can't capture your audience's attention in the first 3 seconds, your video is unlikely to go viral. Lakhiani also acknowledged the potential of controversial posts, generating both anger and curiosity responses, to gain virality.
In a tech-driven era, Lakhiani acknowledged the role of AI tools like ChatGPT in scaling media. He highlighted the importance of leveraging social media to gain a competitive edge, underlining its significance in Mindvalley's remarkable success.
Another speaker at the summit, Hala Ajil, YouTube Partner Manager (MENA), provided valuable insights into finding success on YouTube. Stressing the importance of consistency, Ajil explored various content formats available on YouTube, including long-form videos, live streams, music, and shorts. She highlighted the role of AI tools like Dream Screen, Aloud, and Insights in aiding content creators.
Ajil delved into crucial aspects for YouTubers, such as choosing content verticals, effective branding, AdSense utilization, channel settings, content frequency, and analytics. She urged content creators to set realistic goals for revenue and growth, remain relevant to regional audiences, collaborate with fellow creators, and maintain efficiency and sustainability in their endeavors.
Organized by the New Media Academy, the UAE's premier hub for content creation, the 1 Billion Followers Summit serves as a global platform for over 3,000 content creators, influencers, and creatives. With 100 expert speakers, the event aims to inspire and address over 1 billion people globally, discussing the role of new media in supporting economies and contributing to sustainable development agendas. The Summit, held at the Emirates Towers and the Museum of the Future in Dubai, is the largest event of its kind, offering a unique opportunity for networking, learning, and fostering the future of digital content creation.
