Social media has become a part of many people’s lives to the extent that someone with an Instagram account can hardly spend an hour without scrolling and checking the latest updates and posting to gain likes, comments, and shares.
Although many use it for communication, others have discovered the secret to monetizing it, thereby reaping substantial benefits.
Umutoni Nadia is one of the women known on Instagram for her widely liked photos, evidenced by her following which has exceeded 250,000.
Many like her photos, but social media has become more than just a communication tool for her; it’s her daily job.
Umutoni mentioned that she started using social media casually but soon realized it could be profitable and thus put more effort into it.
“In 2017, I started using social media just for fun, gradually increasing my usage. I treated it like a job, frequently posting photos.”
“I used social media with a goal, believing it would sustain me, so I began treating it as a job. In 2018, I started advertising various companies on Instagram and began making money.”
Umutoni is among those who advertised different companies due to her high social media following, and she capitalized on this to start her business with the earnings.
Umutoni now owns a salon that provides hair services for both women and men, nails, and makeup and sells beauty products named ‘Beauty Mark’ located in Gikondo.
She says she started doing makeup with 300,000 Rwandan francs earned from social media, and it expanded until she owned a salon.
“I didn’t start with a salon; I began with a small space for makeup, but because I loved it, it grew into a salon. Generally, I’m a hardworking person; the money I made on social media was saved until I achieved this.”
Umutoni, despite facing various challenges on social media, says it has brought her many benefits in her everyday life.
“There’s a lot I’ve gained from social media, including meeting people, different opportunities, and making money.”
She advises the youth to use social media in a profitable way.
