Content material creation has captured the needs of individuals world wide. Particularly amongst youthful generations — millennials and Gen Zs — the influencer life-style appears to have way more attraction than a company job.
As of April 2022, 67 per cent of Singaporeans between the ages of 16 and 24 have been creating on-line content material. Whether or not it’s images, music, dance, and even vlogs capturing on a regular basis life, there are limitless niches at present, for folks to find and grow to be part of.
With the emergence of platforms similar to TikTok and the rise of short-form movies, content material creation has grow to be extra accessible than ever earlier than. The creator economic system has been quickly rising, and for a lot of firms, influencer advertising and marketing is not an experiment — it’s important.
That being stated, what does it actually take to succeed (learn: make a full-time residing) as a content material creator in Singapore? We spoke to Jay — extra generally identified by his YouTube deal with, Sneaky Sushii — to seek out out extra.
Changing into a YouTuber in Singapore
In contrast to many others in his footwear, Jay’s rise to YouTube fame was surprisingly quick.
In July 2018, he posted his first video — a brief movie created completely out of footage from the online game Fortnite. A number of extra adopted and in simply six months, there have been 100,000 subscribers ready for Jay’s subsequent add.
It may’ve been the top-notch modifying, the well-told tales, or Fortnite’s immense reputation — both manner, Jay discovered the arrogance he wanted to place all his efforts right into a YouTube profession.
“The channel type of blew up and I assumed, ‘I can in all probability make a residing off of this’,” he defined.
Halfway by 2019, Jay’s movies have been getting tens of millions of views. Nonetheless, after a 12 months of making brief movies, he’d grown bored of the sport itself. He determined to shift niches and below a brand new moniker, Sneaky Sushii, he started providing up a mix of comedy and social commentary.
I acquired bored of Fortnite and determined to enter the Singapore YouTube market. Again then, I assumed the YouTube scene in Singapore was trash and felt I may in all probability present some worth to Singaporeans. That’s the place I’m at present.
– Jay, often known as Sneaky Sushii
In the present day, Sneaky Sushii has over 380,000 subscribers (and counting). Together with this, Jay additionally posts content material on second channel, Sneakier Sushii — with 53,000 subscribers — and hosts livestreams on Twitch each Thursday.
What makes Singapore’s YouTube scene stand out
Whereas his Fortnite content material was geared in direction of viewers from world wide, Jay’s movies as Sneaky Sushii have a heavier Singaporean focus. Previously, he has shared his views on native manufacturers, influencers, and trending information tales.
Concentrating on a Singapore viewers comes with advantages and downsides. On one hand, Jay believes that as in comparison with nations just like the US, it’s simpler to attract in Singaporean viewers.
Singapore is so tiny and concentrated that every one you want is one viral video to [gain the attention of the masses]. Sustaining your relevancy is one other subject however I’d say — so long as you’re concentrating on the native demographic — it’s simpler to be a content material creator in Singapore.
– Jay, often known as Sneaky Sushii
On the flip facet, when creating for a Singaporean viewers, there’s additionally a good ceiling on most viewership. This impacts the quantity which creators can straight earn from YouTube.
“The strategy of incomes cash may be very totally different from US creators. In Singapore, the cash is in getting sponsors and model offers,” he defined. In different nations — with greater populations — creators can construct up sufficient of a following to earn a considerable quantity from their views alone.
“I suppose that’s why most content material creators in Singapore default to ‘promoting out’ and [promoting brands in all of their content]. Both that, or they simply cease doing YouTube as a result of you may’t survive solely off of your views,” he added.
Reaching a world viewers
Regardless of the present focus of his content material, Jay hopes to broaden his viewers sooner or later. That is significantly necessary for him as his unfiltered type typically shuts him out from model offers.
I make lots of [inappropriate] jokes and I attempt to be as genuine as doable, which limits the manufacturers that I can work with. I need to attain a world viewers and get extra viewers so I might be as unbiased as doable, with out having [to rely on] too many sponsors.
– Jay, often known as Sneaky Sushii
Jay acknowledges that this comes with its personal challenges. He has to look, not solely on the content material he creates, however on the manner during which it’s delivered.
“Perhaps it’s simply my unconscious inferiority advanced, however as a Singaporean, I’m not tremendous happy with the best way I communicate. This may occasionally or could not have an effect on how my content material is perceived by a world viewers,” he stated.
Jay clarifies that he’s immensely proud to be a Singaporean and loves the nation, nonetheless, in his try to succeed in a world viewers, the accent could also be holding him again.
“I discover myself talking extra eloquently and enunciating my phrases extra. Maybe, this can be a good factor, however I danger sounding inauthentic, like somebody who picked up a British accent simply because they went on trade for six months.”
A YouTuber’s work-life stability
From the surface, the influencer life-style can seem to be a breeze. Nonetheless, there’s lots of work which matches into creating content material every day.
“I’m undoubtedly working greater than somebody would in a standard nine-to-five job,” he admitted.
So far as work-life stability goes, he argues that it comes all the way down to having enjoyable with what he does.
Work-life stability is sort of a fable isn’t it? What for those who actually get pleasure from what you do and obsess over it every single day? To others, it might seem to be you’re overworking your self, however to you it’s probably not work. I discover [YouTube] enjoyable — for essentially the most half — so I’m simply going to maintain doing that.
– Jay, often known as Sneaky Sushii
That being stated, Jay acknowledges that, although he loves the job, it’s not at all times smooth-sailing.
“Burnout is an actual factor,” he stated. “Particularly whenever you begin changing into too onerous on your self and anticipating each video to do higher than the final. I’ve learnt to let that go although, so it’s significantly better now.”
Featured Picture Credit score: Sneaky Sushii
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