Influencer
Ameyaw Debrah, African Pop Culture Influencer: Adapting To New Changes, Platforms, And Technologies
Ghanaian entertainment and African pop culture influencer Ameyaw Debrah shares his journey as a creator and advice for aspiring creators. Learn why being an early adopter is essential and how staying authentic and adaptable is the key to success as a creator.
Ameyaw Debrah is a Ghanaian celebrity blogger, influencer, freelance journalist, and reporter. After being voted one of the best publishing students in his year at college, Ameyaw Debrah received the opportunity to work with a magazine, interviewing celebrities, which launched his career in the entertainment industry.
Later, he expanded his personal brand by launching an entertainment blog, social media, and Ameyaw TV, a Web TV channel sharing entertainment and lifestyle content from Ghana and around the world. His TV channel encompasses many topics, including travel, entertainment, business, and personal development.
Adapting To New Changes, Platforms, And Technologies With Ameyaw Debrah, African Pop Culture Influencer
How Has Your Cultural Heritage Influenced Your Content and Engagement with Your Audience?
Ameyaw Debrah grew up and attended school in Ghana, but at some points, his parents were in the UK, so he would receive videotapes from them to watch, exposing him to other cultures. He quickly noticed that Ghana didn’t have a significant celebrity culture compared to many parts of the world.
He shares, “We didn’t have that celebrity culture in Ghana. It was something I wanted to do, being somebody who had followed celebrities around the world. Of course, we are now building our own crop of young celebrities from music, film, fashion, etc.”
Ameyaw’s blog, Web TV channel, and social media became a way to bring content about Ghanaian celebrities to more people.
Facing Obstacles as an Influencer
Ameyaw Debrah explains that his biggest challenge was learning how to make money and monetize his passion, especially when a lot of his content took a significant amount of money to create.
When he started creating content, many brands didn’t fully understand the value of influencer marketing, which added to his early monetization struggles.
Ameyaw Debrah says, “It was those growing pains of a system where people are not sure until now, where now brands are coming in, but you’re not alone. You are competing with everybody else, and so now the time is right, but you have to compete with everybody, so there are some of the challenges that I have gone through.”
His first brand partnership was with a telecom company interested in launching a reality show. The company hired Ameyaw to review contestants and give input on who he thought had the right personality for the show. He was paid with tablets, which were worth a lot then and opened the door to future opportunities.
Adapting Content Across Multiple Platforms
Ameyaw’s brand is widespread across his blog, YouTube channel, social media, and much more, making it critical to adapt his content to each platform. He also shares content in several languages, adding another layer to how he adjusts his content to the audience.
He shares, “You never know how the audience is going to engage with it, and then sometimes the algorithm comes to play too.”
The Importance of Being an Early Adopter
One component of Ameyaw’s success has been his willingness to join new platforms as soon as they launch. Early adoption allows him to grow on this new platform faster as there is less competition. He also learns the new platform and algorithm before other creators.
Communicating with your audience, asking for feedback, and having a strong voice are crucial to growing as a creator.
Ameyaw says, “It’s important to have that voice. The believability is also important so that people know what you are putting out there is not fake.”
Authenticity and Staying Real Online
Ameyaw Debrah shares, “People who follow me will trust me because I try to be very objective and real. I sometimes see a lot of people – our space in Ghana is politically driven – so people expect you to take a stance when something is happening. They want your voice in there. I cannot just come and have my voice for [the sake of] having a voice. I must have a true, authentic thing to say.”
He recommends not taking a stance for the sake of taking one but only contributing to political or hot-button issues when you have something genuine to contribute to the conversation.
For example, Ameyaw may share his views on something political if he has an experience related to it. But he won’t get involved with politics just because the topic is trending online.
This upfront mentality translates to brand partnerships and reviews, too. For example, if Ameyaw reviews food, he will share what he likes and dislikes about it to stay honest with his audience.
Ameyaw’s Advice to Aspiring Creators
Ameyaw’s number one advice for aspiring creators is to remember that it won’t happen overnight. You need to build an audience and relationships, which is a gradual thing that will evolve and grow with time.
He explains, “When you have that mindset, you are more in control than somebody who is hopping on trends and doing everything that is trendy.”
Remember, your content is your portfolio, so only creating high-quality content you stand behind is vital to your future success.
Ameyaw Debrah also recommends that creators stay patient and consistent with their work. The space is constantly evolving, so staying on top of new platforms may help.
However, it’s essential to stay true to yourself and the type of content you enjoy creating simultaneously.
For example, Ameyaw felt he wasn’t producing enough content targeted at Gen Z, but then he realized that he would only be making that content because it’s trendy. Instead, he creates content his audience will like on his terms, with minor tweaks to adjust it to newer spaces like TikTok. This combination allows him to develop relevant but authentic content.
Working with Waxprint Media
Another contributor to Ameyaw’s success is a team to support his goals. Waxprint Media, a public relations and media strategy company, represents Ameyaw, providing additional support for negotiating brand deals, finding new clients, marketing, and more.
Ameyaw Debrah says, “When these agencies come on board, the brands they work with, they have new ones coming in, so you get the opportunity to work with different brands that wouldn’t have been on your radar.”
Working with an agency has simplified finding brands to work with and the negotiation process significantly, saving him time. The opportunity for cross-collaboration with other talent is another benefit of working with an agency.
The Future of the Creator Economy
AI technology is a massive disrupting force in the creator economy and other industries.
Ameyaw shares, “I’m looking forward to seeing this growth and how it challenges what we are doing and what new strategies we may have to adapt to stay relevant and keep getting more gigs.”
As for Ameyaw’s content, he is perfecting a new format for cooking content. He’s finalizing deals with advertisers and sponsors and can’t wait to create content in this new format for his viewers. He is also interested in continuing to explore new ideas, platforms, and even a podcast.
