The Social Media Breakthrough in Kenya

Social media usage has drastically increased in the recent past. Ranging from personal benefits to both business and marketing of products. Kenyan’s have always been fast to exploit each new invention with lots of subscription.
At the forefront, media personalities have been on the move to ensure they reach their followers through the latest media invention.Moving along from WhatsApp groups to Instagram, below are some of the biggest media being used in Kenya.

Facebook

For a long period of time, Facebook usage has managed to remain the most used media in Kenya. Apart from the being main communication tool.

 Facebook has largely helped in the marketing of brands through running advertisements. Companies can now develop and showcase their products through Facebook Pages attracting lots of customers from all over.

One can order products from a company as well as access customer care services. The major breakthrough has been Facebook Live, where one can run live video updates to the world. One can easily showcase an event, political rallies, company events, live updates from a developing scene story as well as personal live coverage.

Twitter

Famously, the term ‘KOT’ (Kenyans on Twitter) has been used to refer to Kenyans under Twitter subscription. Kenyans have used Twitter to share live updates. One can easily find the state of road traffic around Nairobi and be able to navigate swiftly.

With the usage of the hashtag (#), Kenyans have expressed their unity under different public situations. From the recent experience, Kenyans came together with a hashtag calling for the release of a media personality who had allegedly been arrested in Uganda.

Mostly, this often leads to successful results. Other hashtags have been made to mimic the state of the government. ‘#UhuruChallenge’ was recently trending as Kenyans made fun of the recent project launches by the president.

Youtube
This has been one of the best channels especially when it comes to monetizing one’s product. The more the number of subscribers, the more the rate of earning.

Comedy shows to musicians have established personal channels where they can stream in their products.

From my recent research, media personalities are also running YouTube blogs where they share personal experiences and even motivation and inspiration message. Fashion brands and
Photography brands can as well upload their products on Youtube and reach lots of viewers.

Blogs
For the latest up to date news, blogs will get you the information you want. From the latest gossip in town to the latest product release from different companies. The number of Kenyan bloggers has substantially increased over the recent past.

Best brands to thrive under blogging have been the Fashion and photography industries.

Travel and tours, food and hotel are also among other thriving industries through blogging. However, a red flag can be raised since most of the information sources are unreliable. Most blogs have ended up spreading false rumors and also explicit content which is rather discouraging.

Instagram
Last but not least, Instagram subscribers in Kenya have increased over the recent past. Unlike all other media sites, Instagram is only limited to visual images only.

Fashion, Photography, Travel and tours among others have seemed to do well on Instagram.
 Media personalities have also used the same to increase the number of followers. With short video uploads, one is also able to run a preview of their products and may provide a link to other media such as Youtube.

The latest innovation is the Instagram Live Video. Most Radio and TV personalities including comedians have been fast to run live updates from their shows.

Unlike Facebook Live, Instagram Live comes in handy as one can read viewers feedback immediately as they post it making a one-one connection.

Key points to note
With the increase in media subscription, the service providers will be smiling at the end of the day. Beginning from smartphone and other gadget suppliers, a breakthrough will be experienced with the increasing demand.

Service providers like Safaricom will as well, thrive especially with the live videos as that would mean more data subscription. Other brands and companies will as well be able to increase their sells through social media marketing.

 The recently fastest growing industry, comedy, comedians will as well earn from their sites with the increasing number of subscribers.

Different campaigns on different issues such as the sensitization of peace as we approach the general elections have been easier through the media.

 However, Kenyans should be careful on what they post and how they express their view to avoid causing chaos at such strategic time.