UAE’s budding new talent, Nadia Shahril Menon, is inspiring other creators with her content

The marketing world is turning its focus onto social media platforms and all the companies have realized the importance of these platforms. Snapchat has just developed Spotlight, Youtube started shorts and Instagram introduced reels. All these changes mean one thing, content creation will soon play a major role in this realm. Nadia Shahril Menon has hopes for a bright future as a content creator. She discovered her passion during the lockdown and has been working hard ever since. Her work inspires a lot of influencers just like her and drives them to work harder in their content. Nadia thinks of it as healthy competition, it will only raise the bar higher and improve the quality of content creators around her. She’s here to answer some questions about herself and her career as a content creator.

What’s your story?
I am Singaporean and I was born in Malaysia. After finishing school, I studied accountancy which I later regretted. It really didn’t feel like I was destined to punch in and tally numbers. I was lost so I went for an interview as cabin crew for Gulf Air and got through. I was based in Bahrain and met my husband there. We got married and have 2 beautiful girls together. All this time, I have worked for companies, banks, and oil companies but still felt lost. We moved to Dubai and then a few years later the pandemic hit us. We were on lockdown and I turned to TikTok and loved it. I later discovered a different side of Instagram and decided to pursue content creation.

What’s your secret to getting to where you are?
There is no secret. Hard work and consistency are key to the social media game. Of course, you need to create well too but that will fall in place, as you go along, learn and observe other creators. Don’t be afraid to stand out and be different in your field. The audience loves to see new things not copies of other creations. Work professionally with brands and agencies. Engagement is also essential, relate and communicate with your followers and fellow influencers around you for support.

What are the current challenges you face in this industry?
Some influencers love the idea of barter or services in exchange for collaboration and some would prefer to be paid for it. Ever since the pandemic there has been a hike in the number of influencers and a whole lot of them are accepting barters for everything. This affects the influencer market greatly because of course brands/agencies would rather go for collaborations without charges.

Content creation and influencing take a lot of work and time. A 30-second video may take days to complete. It starts from the brainstorming of the idea, setting up and gathering the materials required, choosing a shooting site, preparing the outfit, hair, and makeup, filming and editing, and following guidelines given by the brand/agency. It is only fair to be paid for all the hard work. Sadly there is still not much clarity or awareness in the creator world at least for the UAE. We are left to fend for ourselves and stumble most of the time.

What keeps you motivated?
There is not much needed to motivate me as content creation is my passion. I don’t feel like I am working especially when I’ve begun the process I tend to even forget my meals and get so engrossed with it. I’m sure most influencers can relate to this.

How do you plan to grow and succeed?
I will keep up with the current trends and keep creating content. The more content you create, the more exposure you are allowing for yourself to brands and you increase the chances of getting discovered in the whole abyss of content in social media.

Do you have any advice for the aspiring content creators out there?
Be yourself. It is easier to be consistent and relatable to your audience that way. Believe in yourself and you are halfway there. You can do anything you set your mind to when you have confidence in your capabilities. Learning is a journey there is always something new to pick up on especially in the digital world. And don’t let others bring you down or judge you. The only one who has the right to judge you is the Almighty.