Muwado Community Management
Week 8 of the Muwado Commercial Storytelling Webinars happened on Tuesday, 22nd April, with Moses Kiboneka, aka Uncle Mo, a sensational Ugandan comedian, actor, and social commentator, as our facilitator. He spoke on Building A Commercial Brand On and Offline.
Uncle Mo shared insights on becoming a professional storyteller and building a successful brand. He emphasized the importance of consistent content creation, adapting to audience needs, and focusing on influence rather than quick financial gains. He also discussed strategies for developing a personal brand, navigating sensitive topics, and expanding reach to international markets, while encouraging African storytellers to create content with global appeal.
Next steps
• Participants to produce 10 pieces of content consistently over the next month.
• Participants are to focus on creating content with regional and global appeal rather than just local stories.
• Participants to consider building a diverse team of reviewers for their content to get different perspectives.
• Participants to prioritize building influence and reach on platforms rather than focusing solely on monetization.
• Participants to explore opportunities for brand partnerships and sponsorships as a primary source of income.
• Participants are to practice failing quickly and learning from mistakes in their content creation journey.
• Participants are to develop a consistent brand image across multiple projects and platforms.
• Participants to consider seeking management or representation to handle administrative tasks and focus on creativity.
Uncle Mo’s Content Creation Evolution
Uncle Mo discussed the evolution of his content creation process and brand. He emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and adaptation, noting that creators refine their skills and audience over time. He highlighted key turning points in his career, including attracting unexpected viewers like corporate executives and winning a comedy award. He stressed the importance of understanding and curating content for the audience and how expanding to a regional audience has influenced his content choices.
Branding for Storytellers and Influencers
Uncle Mo discussed the importance of branding for storytellers and influencers. He explained that a brand is not just about talent, but about the impression and feelings it creates in the audience. Uncle Mo emphasized that clients pay for how the work makes them feel, rather than just the technical aspects of the performance. He mentioned that while he doesn’t have a manager yet, he recognizes the value of having one to help focus on brand development and maintain a consistent narrative.
Focusing on Influence in Content Creation
Uncle Mo discussed the importance of focusing on influence and creating meaningful content rather than chasing quick money in content creation. He emphasized that the value lies in how the content makes people feel and its impact, not in expensive equipment. He shared his personal journey of discovering this and outlined his three-step approach to building a brand: imitation, integration, and innovation. He suggests that most people start by imitating someone who influences them before developing their own unique style.
Building a Personal Brand Through Consistency
Uncle Mo discussed the process of developing a personal brand or skill, emphasizing three stages: imitation, integration, and innovation. He stressed the importance of failing quickly and consistently producing content, even if it’s not perfect. Uncle Mo used his own experience in content creation to illustrate how adapting to limitations and persevering through failures can lead to success. He advised against waiting for perfection before starting and encouraged people to keep creating, noting that consistency and volume of work often matter more than initial talent in building a successful brand or career.
Building a Brand Through Consistency
Uncle Mo discussed the importance of consistent output and hard work in building a brand and developing skills. He emphasized that creating a brand requires repeated execution and improvement, likening it to buying lottery tickets with each piece of content. Uncle Mo advised maintaining a consistent image across projects and suggested that content creators should aim to be easily identifiable through a simple, consistent concept. He also touched on the challenges of addressing sensitive topics in comedy, mentioning the need to navigate ethical boundaries carefully.
Disruptive Content Creation and Intellectual Property.
Uncle Mo discussed the importance of being disruptive and staying relevant in content creation. He emphasized the need for a diverse committee to proofread work and catch potential issues before publishing. Uncle Mo shared examples of how he handles sensitive content, copyright concerns, and client dissatisfaction. He also touches on the challenges of valuing intellectual property in a limited market and the benefits of allowing content to be widely shared for greater reach. He suggested that having a global audience can help creators navigate cancel culture by providing alternative markets if one region rejects their work.
Uncle Mo’s International Work Opportunities
Uncle Mo discussed his international work opportunities, which have arisen organically due to his brand’s growth. He has worked with agencies in Nairobi, created content for medical tourism in Turkey, and done work for Downey with a client in Dubai. Uncle Mo expressed interest in having an agent to help expand his reach and negotiate better deals. He also shared his criteria for choosing brands to work with, including the company’s longevity, product relevance, and uniqueness in the market.
Building Influence for Commercial Opportunities
Uncle Mo explained that while platforms like YouTube offer monetization, the real value lies in building influence and audience reach. He advised that creators should aim to earn 20 times their platform earnings through sponsored work and endorsements. Uncle Mo emphasized that the platforms are primarily tools for growing influence, and the real challenge is leveraging that influence for commercial opportunities. He also noted that brand partnerships can be lucrative, especially when creators have a large, engaged audience that aligns with advertisers’ target markets.
Global Storytelling for African Creators
Uncle Mo advised African storytellers to create content with a global audience in mind, emphasizing the importance of telling stories that resonate beyond local contexts. He suggested focusing on regional and global topics to increase reach and appeal, citing examples of how this approach can lead to significantly wider viewership. He also encouraged creators to produce consistently, recommending they create at least 10 pieces of content over the next 6 weeks to refine their skills and understand what works best for their audience.
This was the final webinar in a two-month series on storytelling, focusing on becoming a professional storyteller and setting up a business.
