Dubai: More than 3,000 influencers and content creators from around the world have gathered in Dubai for the inaugural ‘One Billion Followers Summit’ that opened on Saturday at Atlantis The Palm, Dubai.
Organised by New Media Academy, the two-day expo for content creators is aimed at sharing best practices as well as “educating and qualifying the new generation of content creators in the field of media and digital content through a wide range of programmes, events and workshops.”
The summit is also aimed at networking and providing opportunities to participants “to develop their capabilities and enhance their career opportunities.”
Alia Al Hammadi, CEO of the New Media Academy, told Gulf News: “This is the first international platform where content creators from East and West are gathered in one place in the Middle East.”
The name of the summit is from the total number of followers of over 100 prominent social media influencers who also serve as conference and workshop speakers.
1.2 billion followers
“We have more than 50 sessions and over 75 speakers of different nationalities from the Arab world, Europe, Asia, America and Africa,” said Al Hammadi, adding: “The combined influence of all our speakers and guests have actually reached 1.2 billion followers.”
“We have actually received more than 18,000 applications from 196 nationalities when we opened the application for One Billion Followers Summit few months ago,” Al Hammadi continued.
Use talent wisely
During her welcome remarks, Al Hammadi exhorted the participants to use their “talents and influence wisely.”
She noted: “The One Billion Followers Summit is not just about the total number of followers but the impact you (influencers) are creating. So, use your talents wisely.”
Al Hammadi also highlighted the efforts made by New Media Academy, which was launched in June 2020 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, as a hub for content creation and education.
“New Media Academy enhances the UAE’s leading position as an international hub of talents and innovators and a global centre for purposeful media industry attracting influencers and prominent international personalities,” Al Hammadi explained.
With the strong showing of the inaugural One Billion Followers Summit, Al Hammadi told Gulf News that a season two is possible.
‘Don’t quit’
Meanwhile, highly-popular content creator Nuseir Yassin, who is more popularly known as Nas Daily, told aspiring content creators that his most important advice for them is “not to quit”.
The CEO and founder of Nas Company, who is now based in Dubai, said being a content creator is not an easy job and his secret to success was he did not quit, even if he faced failures video after video when he was starting six years ago.
He added content creators should not focus on the number of followers. What is more important is to build “your own community” and another important lesson is how to remain relevant as social media is about fad and what is trendy.
Day two
The ‘One Billion Followers Summit’ concludes on Sunday with more than 20 sessions and number of prominent influencers, including Karen Wazen, Layla Tamim, Muhammad Orfali; Eman Sobhi, Zaina Khaled, Ahmed El-Ghandour, Alaa Wardi, Vishen Lakhiani and Jordan Matter. Participants will also have after event party in the Arabian desert.
