How important is social media to celebrities and how should they use it? Panellists Omawunmi, Jimmy Jatt, Chichi Nwoko (Hey Whatson), Noble Igwe (360 Nobs) and Lanre Aina (Google) discussed the ever evolving world of social media in the lives of Nigerian celebrities.
Noble Igwe of 360 Nobs gave his candid thoughts on the issue citing Don Jazzy as an example of a celebrity who used social media well. “He’s a social media star and a real one” said Igwe. “He’s made it his house. He interacts with followers and makes them pay attention to him.” He went on to say that Nigerian celebrities who have a lot of followers but don’t engage with them correctly are missing out on a golden opportunity. “Followers should not just be there, they should be converted to soldiers.”
Just as important as social media presence is social media strategy according to Chichi Nwoko of Hey Whatson. Social media should be used as a marketing tool for the artists brand and if the artist themselves can’t do it, they should hire someone who can.
Omawunmi acknowledged the importance of social media, saying it was key to have a solid presence, but relying on this alone would not result in success. Being on ground was equally important, going to media houses, distributing music videos and using traditional means of getting yourself out there .
This sentiment was echoed by DJ Jimmy Jatt, a veteran in the industry, he argued social media should be used in moderation, in conjunction with traditional media and ultimately should make sense. He discussed the emphasis some people put on trending, that while it may mean an artist is popular for a particular period it isn’t enough. It doesn’t deliver the product to the consumer and does not necessarily mean an artist has substance, and that is what really counts. He warned that artists should be wary of being loud for the sake of being loud.