YouTube is changing how the platform counts public views across its video formats. From 24 August 2026, a public view will be counted as soon as a video starts playing, from the first frame.

On 17 August 2026, across all its platforms, YouTube confirmed that the update will retire the public view-counting methods previously used across formats, including the minimum 30-second watch time plus intentional playback system for standard videos and the separate Engaged views metric for YouTube Shorts.

The new view count method will apply globally to long-form videos, live streams, Shorts and other video formats. According to YouTube, the unified view count will give creators a clearer picture of their overall exposure on the platform and make it easier to confidently express their reach and value to brand partners and sponsors.

Will the New View Count Affect YouTube Creator Revenue?
No! YouTube says the change will not affect creator earnings or eligibility for the YouTube Partner Programme (YPP).

Impact on Channel Analytics & Performance
YouTube will keep “Engaged views” in YouTube Analytics’ Advanced Mode, showing how many viewers continued watching after the video started.

In summary, starting 24 August 2026, creators may see an increase in their public view counts, but a higher view count will not necessarily mean viewers watched more of the video. Engaged views, watch time, and audience retention will remain important metrics for measuring viewer engagement and content preference.

10 August 2026 – YouTube is raising the requirements for creators who want to earn money from YouTube ads and YouTube Premium revenue through the YouTube Partner Program (YPP).

Starting 1 February 2027, to monetise a YouTube channel, new creators will need:
1,000 YouTube subscribers
8,000 valid public watch hours from long-form videos in the previous 12 months, or
20 million valid YouTube Shorts views within 90 days.

The new thresholds double YouTube’s current requirements of 4,000 watch hours or 10 million Shorts views.

The changes will also affect creators already in the YouTube Partner Program. To continue earning revenue from YouTube Shorts, they will need to maintain 10 million valid Shorts views within a rolling 90-day period. Channels that fall below the threshold will remain in YPP and can continue earning from long-form videos. Shorts revenue sharing will resume automatically once their views rise above the threshold again.

YouTube says creators who already earn significant revenue from Shorts are unlikely to be affected.

The lower YPP tier will remain unchanged. Creators can still qualify for fan-funding and shopping features with 500 subscribers, three public uploads within 90 days, and either 3,000 valid watch hours in the last 12 months or 3 million valid Shorts views in the last 90 days. However, this tier will not allow creators to earn money from ads or YouTube Premium views.

In summary, starting 1 February 2027, reaching 1,000 subscribers alone won’t be enough. Creators will need 8,000 watch hours or 20 million Shorts views to qualify for advertising and YouTube Premium revenue, while existing Shorts earners will need to maintain 10 million views over 90 days to continue earning from Shorts.

X (formerly Twitter) is overhauling how its creators get paid, phasing out its long-running Revenue Sharing program for a new system called the Original Content Rewards Program.

The platform’s Creators account announced the change in a post, noting the program is meant to “reward creators who bring original ideas, expertise, reporting, creativity, and commentary to X.”

So, what is the Original Content Rewards Program?

Simply put, X wants to pay creators for making original content, rather than mainly rewarding engagement on recycled content, when you capitalise on other users’ content.

Under the old Revenue Sharing programme, creators earned money based largely on the engagement their posts generated. The new programme puts greater emphasis on the value and originality of what you actually create.

That could include your own articles, videos, reporting, analysis, commentary, memes, photography, graphics or other creative work.

For example, reposting a viral news story adds little of your own. But reporting on the story, explaining what happened, adding context or giving your analysis creates something new for your audience.

The same applies to videos and images. Simply downloading someone else’s content, adding a caption or making minor edits does not make it original. X wants creators to add meaningful creative or editorial value.

Who can qualify for the Original Content Rewards Program?
With an X Premium subscription, creators need at least 500 verified followers and 500,000 qualifying Home Timeline impressions from verified users within the previous 90 days.

Importantly, not every view automatically counts towards rewards. X uses specific qualifying impressions when determining eligibility and payouts.

What Does This Mean for Revenue Sharing Creators on X?
If you’re already enrolled in Revenue Sharing, you won’t be cut off immediately. You’ll continue earning through 7 September 2026, with three final payouts: 14 August, 28 August, and a final payment for earnings through 7 September, expected around 11 September.

From 8 September, existing Revenue Sharing members will be able to apply for the new Original Content Rewards Program, provided they meet its eligibility requirements.

If you’ve already completed ID verification and have a valid payout method, you won’t need to do those steps again. Check eligibility here.

However, accounts whose monetisation is currently paused because of a previous policy violation will not be eligible for the Original Content Rewards Program.

In summary, this change does not mean views no longer matter. They still do, but only from content you actually created.

So instead of asking, “What tweet can I steal that will go viral?” the better question is, “What can I create that people will want to see?”

First, TikTok monetisation has not been approved in Rwanda, at least not yet. Posts circulating online are recycled misinformation that was debunked by the country’s Ministry of ICT and Innovation on X in February.

Rwanda TikTok Monetisation Buzz
The conversation began after the 20th Umushyikirano Council, Rwanda’s national dialogue forum, where content creators and music artistes, specifically Bruce Melodie, asked officials why creators in Rwanda cannot earn directly from platforms the way creators in Europe or the United States do. This question was acknowledged by President Paul Kagame, who instructed officials to engage platforms like TikTok on how local creators could access monetisation.

Why Rwanda TikTok Monetisation Has Not Yet Been Approved
Getting TikTok monetised in Rwanda may be a longer shot than many people think; it’s not just about TikTok flipping a switch. The platform only opens payouts when a country meets three requirements: clear digital regulations, reliable payment systems, and advertising demand, the latter being king and the main reason most African countries still lack full TikTok monetisation.

In this case, the Rwandan government needs clear policies that align with platform rules, reliable payment options like banking and fintech systems for smooth creator payouts in local currency, and most importantly, a strong advertising market where brands run ads that generate revenue, a portion of which is shared with content creators.

When to Expect TikTok Monetisation in Rwanda
Regulatory and payment approvals don’t happen overnight, and even after they are in place, advertising brands, the lifeblood of monetisation, usually take three months or more to adjust budgets before the revenue pool starts to fill.

In other words, Rwanda’s talks with global tech companies on monetisation are less about lobbying TikTok and more about planning and coordinating improvements to the country’s regulations, payment systems, and advertising market. You could also say this is to prove that Rwanda is commercially valuable to TikTok. Depending on how government systems progress, these improvements could take more than six months.

Until then, TikTok creators in Rwanda will continue relying on indirect monetisation such as brand partnerships, sponsored posts, and cross-platform strategies, while waiting for the day TikTok officially opens direct payouts.

You are a DJ uploading non-stop music mixes on YouTube, generating hundreds of thousands of views and watch hours that make you eligible for YouTube monetisation, except for one part: the content. You can’t get a penny from the monetised content on your channel because the music rights aren’t yours to monetise.

At a time when almost all artists are copyrighting their music, the frequently asked question of how a DJ can monetise content on their YouTube channel is likely to have no definitive answer, but rather to advise DJs on other ways to make money off their mixes.

In case you’re new to the field, here’s how it goes. DJ X creates a 20-minute nonstop mix featuring, let’s say, 10 songs from various artists and uploads it to YouTube. If all 10 songs are copyrighted and their publishers allow external monetisation (copyright claim) rather than takedowns (copyright strike), all revenue the mix generates will be split among the publishers based on the time each song has in the video.

What if some songs are not copyrighted? Still, even if only one song out of the10 is copyrighted, all the revenue the nonstop mix generates will be sent to that one publisher whose song is copyrighted. Good news! If only 1 of the 10 is copyrighted, you can trim it out using YouTube editor tools in YouTube Studio and keep the video’s revenue, as long as the remaining songs stay copyright claim-free.

I’m a big fan of these mixes sometimes, and can tell how easily they carry you through late-night hours of work. It’s just sad that the DJs who carefully put them together barely earn from the revenue they generate from the countless YouTube ads, but I thought of something.

Generating massive views and watch hours, as a DJ, you’ll have your YouTube channel monetised in the shortest time possible, alongside an ever-growing YouTube subscriber base.

With this, you could start creating non-copyrighted content such as YouTube DJ tutorials, sharing tips, reviewing DJ gear, and music commentary. I mean, you already have the subscribers, and your YouTube channel is highly favoured by the YouTube algorithm for its constantly playing mixes.

Still leveraging the subscription base, you could also start featuring emerging artists on your channel for a fee. This could be through YouTube channel collaborations for music videos, or directly featuring on songs. Another Selecta Jeff or DJ Khalid in the making.

The more popular your mixes get on YouTube and TikTok, by the way, the more you can capitalise on to get bookings in bars, clubs and events. What are YouTube royalties compared to a continuous stream of bookings every weekend?

You have the numbers. Your nonstop mixes hit millions of views on YouTube. That, my friend, is when you start charging artists who want to feature on your mixes. Though not every artist should be asked to pay, those better off without your mixes become the lever that promotes the ones you charge to feature.

Sounds like a lot? You still want YouTube royalties? Well, the only way you can make YouTube AdSense money from copyrighted music is by having music artists and their publishers whitelist your YouTube channel from copyright claims. This means that every artist whose song features in your mixes would need to whitelist your channel so you can keep all the royalties.

This is quite impossible, and very few will reply to that email or text, unless it’s a single-artist compilation mix and they are willing to whitelist your channel. That’s if all the music is under one publisher, such as TuneCore, that supports whitelisting. Please understand that these mixes pull views that some artists never get on their own channels, and it’s hard to convince them to whitelist.

Oh yeah, you could also sell the monetised YouTube channel. Many creators, music artists and businesses buy them at a good price.

#1.  TikTok Monetisation in Uganda
You can earn money from TikTok in two main ways. First, through TikTok monetisation, where the platform shares part of the revenue generated from your content under the Content Rewards Program (formerly the Creator Fund). However, this programme is only available in a few countries, including the USA, UK, Germany, France, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, and Mexico.

This leaves Ugandan creators out, although some get around it by having their accounts created in one of the supported countries, which they then use from Uganda. Even when posting from Uganda, a TikTok account set up through a relative or friend in the USA still has access to monetisation privileges such as Creator Rewards, TikTok Subscription, where fans pay recurring monthly fees for exclusive content and features, TikTok Series, where followers pay a one-time fee to watch a series of videos, and Live Gifts, where viewers send virtual currency that creators redeem for real money.

In reality, TikTok monetisation remains difficult for many creators in Uganda. It requires a large and consistently active audience of at least 100K followers, with each video pulling in at least 50K views to earn a reasonable payout based on RPM. Making things even more challenging, monetised accounts are subject to strict content rules, which restrict popular Ugandan topics such as adult-themed discussions, politics, and other controversial subjects. These limitations make TikTok monetisation in Uganda an uphill battle, even with an eligible account.

#2. The Ugandan Way of Making Money on TikTok
The second approach to making money on TikTok is far more accessible because it doesn’t depend on TikTok monetisation. Instead, you leverage your content and following to attract people who are willing to pay for the attention your account commands.

Growing and Selling TikTok Accounts in Uganda
Some creators are gifted at building accounts from scratch, posting engaging videos and growing TikTok accounts to over 100K followers in just a month or two. Brands, businesses, and even musicians often buy such ready-made accounts to save time. This can become a profitable business if you manage several accounts simultaneously.

A creator who built accounts by sharing movie clips recently sold one with 123K followers for UGX 900,000, noting it could have sold for more if not for the urgent financial need. Buyers change usernames and account details, adjust the following list, remove posts that contradict their brand while posting new content. For someone who can grow numbers quickly, this is a solid side hustle.

Brand Collaborations for TikTok Content Creators in Uganda
While working with major brands like Airtel or MTN Uganda can be tricky, as they expect a specific content style, a large audience, and sometimes personal connections, you can still earn in the early stages. Even with just 1,000 to 5,000 views per video, local businesses and campaigns value your reach and may pay for mentions, referrals, or featuring their branded products in your videos.

For example, creators making fun or helpful content around grocery shopping can secure deals with local supermarkets or emerging stores/shops trading related products. The Ugandan creator I can think of is Kisfra Ug, whose content consistently combines cooking local food with humorous commentary. At the time of this writing, he has over 103K followers and an average of 100K views per video on TikTok. Kisfra has collaborated with brands like Royco, Tableside Tales Restaurant, TBIA Kitchen Mart, and even some car-related businesses that tap into his audience. He earns while still growing his audience for even bigger deals in the future.

Every niche has its earning potential. Review phones, and Kampala’s gadget shops take notice. Explore adult-themed conversations, and bars and dating apps come knocking. Love dancing and good at it? Music artists and brands will want your moves to carry their songs or products. Whenever your content attracts attention, there’s always someone ready to pay to tap into your audience.

This approach is currently the most reliable way to make money from TikTok in countries like Uganda, where monetisation isn’t available. Imagine growing your account from 1,000 followers while generating an income.

#3. Using the Burst App
Beyond growing accounts and brand collaborations, there’s another option for Ugandan creators to monetise their TikTok content: using third-party platforms. One popular choice is the Burst App, where you link your TikTok account, find brand campaigns such as Jumia…, create TikTok videos around them, and get paid based on views. While some creators have raised complaints about the app, it can still be a worthwhile option.

@kisfraug Hi guysss, let’s try out these saucepans from @TBiA kitchen mart.                                              .. #tiktokuganda #fyp #viralvideos #food #cookingcontent ♬ original sound – KISFRA

Are you looking into the possibilities of turning social media content creation, or a tabloid site like this one, into a profitable side hustle or even a full-time career? With proven examples, this is the article that outlines the most effective methods and content niches through which you can easily make money online in Uganda.

Following the points outlined below will help you attract a substantial online audience in the shortest possible time, which can be monetised into real income. The market is easy: tap into what people already want.

The best part? At a starter level, all you need is a mobile phone or a laptop with an internet connection.

#1. Children’s Education
Ugandan parents spend on education no matter what. Schools close? They’ll pay for online coaching. UNEB around the corner? Revision materials sell fast. Social media accounts and WhatsApp Channels that share free PLE, UCE, or UACE resources will grow overnight before charging for “premium” notes or mock exams.

A YouTube channel teaching Primary Maths in Luganda or Runyankole will rack up views and get monetised in no time. If you can make learning easier online, parents will not only encourage their kids to watch your content but also pay for personalised lessons.

#2. Women’s Desire for Beauty
From TikTok users selling waist trainers to Instagram skincare vendors, women’s spending on beauty fuels e-commerce in Uganda. A single influencer reviewing a body lotion or wig can instantly sell out stock. On X, threads like “how I cured acne (pimples)” are likely to go viral with millions of user engagements in a week.

Creating or initiating threads for this kind of content will put you on the radar for skincare brands and vendors like Jumia seeking to tap into your audience. The same can be said about fashion and food.

#3. Elderly Health
Ugandan families are always looking for herbal remedies, health supplements, and simple wellness tips for their ageing parents. This can explain why Facebook and local TV stations are awash with ads for liver cleansers, joint pain oils, and diabetes teas. YouTube channels discussing foods and natural remedies in local languages attract a strong viewership.

While the elderly themselves may not scroll through TikTok or even read long web articles, their children, the decision-makers, are online daily searching for solutions.

#4. People’s Fear of Loss
Everyone wants to protect their hard-earned money and investments. This explains the buzz on social media whenever there’s news about land grabbing, bank collapses, or investment scams. Not just to the rich, people are willing to pay for guidance, whether it’s legal advice, financial planning, or secure digital platforms, to safeguard what they have.

Authoritatively, can you position yourself on social media as someone who helps people get their financial house in order? Popular names in Uganda include Hajji Bakaluba, Mohammad Kakiika, Newton Butereba on TikTok and Alex Kakande on X. With influence built through their content, they have secured free airtime on national TV stations, organised and hosted paid seminars, and scaled their social capital into offering high-end consultancy services to businesspeople.

The only catch is that you must have something real to show for people to trust your counsel. Without it, anyone claiming to be a “protector of wealth” online will struggle to build numbers. Though with social media, you can always appear affluent while silently sorting out your finances.

#5. Ugandans’ Desire to Get Rich Quickly
Everywhere you look, there are ads about betting tips, crypto coins, and “make 200k daily with forex.” Why? Because the majority of Ugandan youth are hungry for shortcuts. Even though many of these are scams, the demand is real. That’s why betting companies, sports tipsters, and online lotteries keep growing.

If you can create a legit way or content to help this group of Ugandans make money quickly, you’ll never run out of customers in need of help. Leading names in Uganda using this approach include Daniel Ahikyirize and Godfrey Kahului. Whether their methods are legit or not, they charge in dollars to teach people how to trade.

#6. Content Centred around Men’s Lust
Whether in a socially acceptable or controversial way, content that plays on male desire sells. Intimacy-driven online spaces like weird confessions, private groups, or even consistent reposting of spicy photos of female public figures on social media can pull in huge traffic. The possibilities of cashing in on those numbers are endless, from direct advertising to selling accounts to interested buyers.

Look at how X Spaces about relationships and intimacy in Uganda will trend overnight, attracting thousands of listeners. Now imagine leveraging that audience attention to attract advertisers selling related products. That’s how many creators quietly monetise lust-driven content.

On the other side, content that helps men overcome lust or related challenges also draws numbers and potential funding. A good example is Men’s Cave Ug by Andrew Kyamagero and Engineer Faisal. While not solely on lust, the Saturday morning Twitter space helps men navigate life challenges, and lust often comes up. With such initiatives and support from funders, they have organised counselling sessions and in-person events with fair attendance fees.

To these six content niches, you can add offering unsolicited relationship advice, whether constructive or controversial, as a way to help people feel better or address unresolved issues. It’s one of the easiest and most popular approaches in Uganda, and before long, you could find yourself invited to speak at men’s and women’s conferences.

In our previous article, we broke down everything you need to know about abafere ba mobile money, the fraudsters behind mobile money scams, and how to avoid falling victim to their tricks.

But did you know that mobile money fraud is just one of the many schemes scoundrels use to steal money from you, and that another common one comes disguised as a job offer?

Picture this: you’ve just graduated or still at university, a time when money is a constant challenge. Any job offer, no matter how modest, feels like a lifeline. Even when you’re already working, given the Ugandan economy, your salary rarely covers all your needs. One of those mornings, you receive a text message reading “A mobile phone can earn 80K a day, contact the teacher: [Link to WhatsApp Business number].” It’s tempting to check it out, just in case it’s real.

So, out of curiosity, you click the link to text this so-called ‘teacher’ or ‘job manager.’ Pause, if this sounds like you, know that over 90% of cyberattacks begin with links sent via text, email, or social media. Fortunately, these job scammers don’t operate like foreign hackers; they’re often ordinary Ugandans using WhatsApp or Telegram to trap you.

Once you’re on WhatsApp, inside the chat, you’ll likely see a low-resolution profile photo with some vague phrases like ‘make money online’ or ‘now hiring’ paired with a recently created WhatsApp Business account displaying details like a description barely a month old. That alone is a clear sign that something isn’t right. But driven by what killed the cat, you still go ahead and drop a hey.

The response will be smooth, friendly, and convincing, explaining how everything works, making it sound easy, and assuring you of the UGX 80,000 daily income. Once you’re hooked, they ask for a small fee, UGX 25,000 or even more, either to register you, unlock training, or grant you access to the opportunity. The moment you send that money, you’re immediately blocked, and uhh!

How To Report Scammer Number?
Making it nearly impossible to trace them, most of these fraudsters use WhatsApp numbers linked to SIM cards registered under fake names or foreign codes like +1 or +9, many of which are illegally obtained. The local mobile money number you send the money to is often different and used only to collect and withdraw the money before you can reverse the transaction. Try to call the line? It’s off. Your cash is gone, and there’s no way to recover it.

In 2020, I received a call from this chap claiming to offer a managerial job at the Coca-Cola factory in Namanve. He promised UGX 800,000 monthly pay, plus a UGX 100,000 weekly allowance.

He asked if I could make it to the factory that very day to fill out the application or risk losing the spot to someone else. When I said I was far away, he quickly suggested I send my academic documents through WhatsApp along with UGX 35,000 to his mobile money line, so he could process the application on my behalf. A big scam, but if you’re in a hurry or desperate, you might easily think, what’s 35K for an 800K-per-month job? That’s the trick!

Fortunately for me, I knew who he was, and before he could continue, I sharply replied, “Man tonfera,” don’t try to scam me, because I had already seen someone fall for the same trick a year earlier.

That’s the pattern with these fake job scams, including those printed on A4 black-and-white flyers pinned to electric poles and walls around Kampala. They promise you big earnings while asking for a small fee to get you in, and once you’ve sent the money, they disappear. It’s the same strategy used by the likes of AIM Global and Superlife sijui life is super, where lowlifes are dressed in suits to act as testimonials and sell fake dreams to desperate jobseekers. They use convincing speeches to tell fresh graduates they can earn quick money, but all they want is your ka little money. If 500 people each send UGX 20,000, that alone in one district is a good business for them.

There’s more to getting a real job and making real money than quick promises. Don’t lose your hard-earned money to online scammers selling illusions. That UGX 25,000 could get you through days or a week, as you continue searching for a genuine opportunity.

How to Verify if a Job Offer is Real
If someone contacts you claiming to offer a job at a well-known organisation, say URA or Stabex, don’t rush to follow their instructions.

First, visit the company’s official website and check their Careers or Jobs section to confirm if they’re actually hiring. If you don’t see anything there, use the official contact numbers listed on the site to call and inquire about open positions and the application process. Always use Google to find the official website; don’t click on any links sent to you by the person claiming to offer the job.

Once you have this information, go back to the person who contacted you. If their process matches what the company confirmed, that’s a good sign. But if they’re asking for payments upfront or there’s no clear link between them and the actual company, it’s likely a scam.

Be smart. Don’t fall for it.
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Does anyone remember the glory days of blogs, vlogs, and websites? The internet used to be a beautiful and fun place to join—there was a blog for everything. A blog for your grandma, a vlog for your cat’s daily antics, and a website dedicated to ranking the best pizza toppings.  It was the golden era of independent content creation, where anyone with an internet connection could carve out their own little corner of the web and enjoy it wholeheartedly.

Today? Not so much. Things feel… different. Blogs aren’t as easy to set up and grow as once were. SEO, SERP analysis, content marketing strategies—it’s all gotten more technical and a lot less fun. And then, of course, there’s the rise of short-form video content. TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts—these platforms have changed how people consume content—users are more inclined to scroll short video platforms for leisure and entertainment instead of the blogs that once dominated the online information space.

Some even perceive starting a blog today as “flying against the wind”—a slow, tedious process with limited results, and truth to point, the process is rather demanding… It’s the era of social media videos, they say. But does that mean blogging is dead? Is there still hope for those who want to start a blog in 2025 and turn it into a side hustle?

Blogging has come a long way since ages past, that’s a given. Once upon a time, blogging was simple: write a post, publish it, and watch readers roll in, ohh how the times have changed.

In the early 2000s, blogs were personal, journal-style pages—fun spaces where anyone could share their interests and easily get noticed. Then came monetisation—ads, affiliate marketing, and sponsored posts—turning blogging into a full-fledged business. SEO best practices took over, Google updates made ranking harder, and social media reshaped content discovery.

In 2025, successful blogging isn’t just about writing—it’s about strategy. You need strong SEO, a clear niche, and a content plan that incorporates different formats (text, video, images), which makes it a lot less fun for the average citizen. A process that could be done by anyone now requires outsourcing creators, SEO experts, and all that with very little chance of success or even earning from the trouble. The days of casual blogging for fun? They still exist, but making money from a blog now requires more effort than ever before.

Is Blogging Still Profitable in 2025?
So, is it still possible to make money from blogging? Short answer: Yes. Long answer: Yes, but it’s not as straightforward as it used to be.

Ad revenue isn’t what it used to be, and affiliate marketing is more competitive. However, bloggers who find their niche and build a loyal audience can still monetise effectively…albeit with a little more work under the hood.

Selling Digital Products: E-books, online courses, templates—blogs are great platforms to sell knowledge-based products, because, quite frankly, today people hardly visit websites for fun, but for information, services and something of an exchange. They expect knowledge from a website, YouTube shorts and IG reels for fun. So, having a dedicated category that you work on and then having a related product or service offered is more likely to get you returns on the hustle.

Affiliate Marketing: Partnering with brands to recommend products can still be plausible with the right approach. Again, the best way is to specialise in a category so that you get an audience that’s already interested in that particular niche/category you cover.

Freelancing & Consulting: A well-established blog can position you as an authority in your field, bringing in consulting gigs or freelance work. A poet with a great blog will easily get people that view their work and enlist their services here and there, it is one of the reasons many a freelancer will work on creating a personal website as a way to create credibility, but also to showcase ability to visitors.

Subscriptions & Memberships: Some bloggers are turning to platforms like Substack or Patreon for reader-supported content, where they offer subscription packages for content. This has especially been successful for those in the creative video industry, the likes of artists sharing motion picture series or even those that offer tutorials in a certain field, offering subscriptions for more personalised handling.

The key is diversification—relying on one income stream isn’t enough anymore.

Is Blogging Flying Against the Wind in 2025?
The biggest argument against blogging is the dominance of short-form video. People are consuming content differently, and scrolling through quick videos is often easier than reading a 1,500-word article. Social media algorithms also favour video content, making organic reach for blog posts harder.

That said, blogging still holds a unique advantage: searchability and longevity. A TikTok video might go viral for a few days and disappear, but a well-optimized blog post can bring traffic for years. Unlike social media, where trends shift overnight, Google still prioritizes high-quality, informative content. Blogs also allow for deeper storytelling, detailed explanations, and ownership—something social media doesn’t always guarantee.

My verdict is that blogging isn’t “dead”; it’s just different. If you’re expecting instant results, you’ll be disappointed. But if you play the long game and use smart strategies, your blog can still manage to rank and bring in some returns…but again, it’s not a quick results kind of investment or project.

How to Make Your Blog Work in 2025
If you’re serious about making blogging work for you in today’s internet landscape, here are some essential tips:

(1). Prioritize High-Quality, SEO-Optimized Content
Google favours long-form, well-researched content. Make sure your blog posts answer real questions people are searching for and not some poorly prompted AI checklist of keywords to write on baselessly.

(2). Integrate Multimedia
Adding videos, infographics, podcasts, or interactive elements can make your content more engaging and shareable, in turn bringing more traffic to your page.

(3). Use Social Media Wisely
While social media isn’t a direct traffic goldmine for blogs anymore, it’s still useful for brand awareness. Share snippets of your blog posts in a way that connects with social media audiences, it is a very different kind of space, so don’t expect to just drop a blog post link on Instagram and expect to get leads.

(4). Build an Email List
Social media algorithms change constantly, but your email list is yours. Engage with your readers directly through newsletters, by collecting interested emails on your site with offers of newsletters or any such freebies. I cover some of this in Is Email Marketing Still Relevant Today?

(5). Monetize Smartly
As mentioned earlier, rely on multiple income streams instead of just ads. Consider offering services, digital products, or premium content.

Should You Still Start a Blog in 2025?
Blogging isn’t dead, but it’s no longer an “easy money” side hustle—it’s more competitive, and success requires strategic effort as opposed to the aged “just for passion” mindset. However, for those willing to adapt—using SEO, multimedia, and diverse monetisation methods—blogging remains a valuable platform for sharing knowledge, building a brand, and even making some profit.

So, if you’re thinking about starting a blog, go for it! Just make sure you approach it with the right expectations and strategies. The internet still has space for well-crafted, insightful content—and your blog could be part of it, but it is a long-term venture, not something that will yield great and memorable statistics in a few months.

A few years ago, pre-COVID-19 pandemic, if someone told you that being popular on social media could pay your bills, you’d probably laugh at them for being unserious. And it would be understandable, while Ugandans have always loved social media and viral reels, we were not that keen on earning from it… Such was the trade for Kenyans and other famous “Bazungu” people. The rise of the gig economy post-COVID-19, however, taught Ugandans one thing: turning likes, comments and shares into real money. And by this, I don’t mean making royalties from social media companies that pay for huge success on their platforms, but rather businesses that caught the eye of this trend… influencer marketing as a part of their marketing strategies to derive sales, as in, take a look at Mirembe Beddings TikTok campaign for instance. But what is influencer marketing anyway?

Influencer marketing is all about using people with large followings on social media to promote products or services. Instead of brands relying solely on traditional adverts, they collaborate with influencers to reach a bigger and more engaged audience.

For Ugandans, this tactic has taken over as businesses realise that influencers can make their products or services go viral. Whether it’s a new restaurant, a fashion brand, or a tech gadget, having the right influencer talk about your product has proved profitable for companies, even Jumia went to TikTok to spread word of their black Friday flash sale deals.

But what is causing this boom, and why now? Social media has always been around, and influences have also been around for some time. Well, turns out the reasons are quite several, we just overlooked them.

Increased Social Media Usage: The number of Ugandans on social media has greatly increased over the past few years. When the lockdowns hit, many of found themselves at home with nothing to do. Some, those with the talent went into content creation as the rest watched what they made…the results? More social media influencers and more users. Update, platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Twitter (now X), and Facebook are filled with users looking for content that resonates with them. Influencers tap into these audiences and bring businesses right to their target market.

Smartphones and Internet spread: Smartphones haven’t always been this accessible in Uganda, over the past few years, however, the Internet has penetrated and reached further places as smartphones, for those that are not aiming for the flagship brands, have become more manageable. This has increased the number of social media users because quite frankly, anyone buying a smartphone will find themselves signing up for a social media account, at least WhatsApp.

Youthful Population: Uganda has one of the youngest populations in the world. With a majority of the population being digital natives, social media has become a primary source of information, entertainment, and trends. Businesses are naturally drawn to this demographic, making influencers a perfect channel to engage them.

Trust and Relatability: Unlike traditional avenues, influencers often feel more relatable. They share their daily lives, struggles, and successes, making their recommendations feel genuine. When an influencer recommends a product, their followers are more likely to trust it compared to a faceless corporate ad.

For example, some of our influencers have made niches and monopolised some industries…

Bryan Ahumuza (Abryanz), a fashion icon but also a significant influencer in Uganda’s fashion scene. His collaborations with brands like MTN and Nile Breweries have shown how influencer marketing can be both stylish and effective.

Martha Kay, the self-proclaimed “Range Rover girl” has been a prominent figure in influencer marketing. Martha Kay has worked with brands like TotalEnergies and Coca-Cola, leveraging her relatability and humour to promote products.

Sheila Gashumba, known for her vibrant personality and fashion sense has partnered with numerous brands, including beauty and fashion companies, to drive their messages home to her massive following.

Patrick Salvado, the comedian-turned-influencer, has worked on several campaigns, especially with telecom companies. His comedic touch makes ads feel less like marketing and more like entertainment.

Uncle Mo, if you are into Ugandan comedy skits and content, mechanic Uncle Mo has graced your YouTube feed a couple of times…and your TV too, with adverts for companies like Airtel and Prudential Uganda. His ability to effortlessly weave brand messages into his comedy content (which I often find very truthful and relatable) makes him a go-to influencer for companies looking to connect with audiences in a lighthearted yet impactful way.

Influencers often leverage and utilise some benefits other advertising avenues may find hard to tackle, which is exactly why companies use them. For example,

Targeted Reach: Influencers often have niche audiences, a kind of category they “influence” in. A beauty brand, for instance, would benefit more from partnering with a beauty influencer than running a general TV ad. This targeted approach ensures businesses reach the right people.

Higher Engagement: People are more likely to engage with content from influencers. Whether it’s liking a post, commenting, or sharing, influencer content tends to generate more buzz than traditional ads, which works in favour of the parent company… or not, depending on the consumer comments.

Cost-Effective: Compared to traditional advertising methods, influencer marketing can be more affordable. Businesses can collaborate with micro-influencers (those with smaller but highly engaged followings) to get better results at a lower cost.

Despite this growth and adaptability on the Ugandan marketing space, influencer marketing has had its fair share of backlash. Things like;

Credibility Issues where some influencers are seen as “pay-to-play,” promoting anything for a quick buck. This can hurt their credibility and, by extension, the brands they represent. For example, in 2018, Hollywood actress Gal Gadot faced backlash after promoting the Huawei Mate 10 Pro on Twitter, only for Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) to point out that her tweet was sent from an iPhone. The blunder quickly went viral, with many questioning the authenticity of celebrity endorsements.

Gal Gadot with the Huawei ad… tweeted from an iPhone. Niceeeee pic.twitter.com/aEKJVwoyBL

— Marques Brownlee (@MKBHD) April 24, 2018

That said, influencer marketing seems to be on a rising trend with no sign of dying down. As more people join social media platforms and digital connectivity improves, the potential for influencer marketing also continues to grow. It has become a major publicity tool for Ugandan businesses. It’s personal, relatable, and, most importantly, effective. A small startup or an established brand, utilising the power of influencers, could be your ticket to capturing Uganda’s dynamic and growing market.

For any Ugandan out there, the value of a US dollar against the Ugandan shilling needs no sweet-talking. We all know it is way bigger than our shilling, even though most of us may not track the exact rate daily. For instance, the dollar hovers around UGX 3,700 to UGX 3,800 today, a noticeable jump from just a few years ago when it was closer to UGX 2,500. For that reason, many Ugandans have realised that saving in dollars not only secures their wealth but also provides an opportunity for a “passive profit” when the exchange rate shifts. I mean, I can save 1 dollar today, valued at 3500 and then next week it’s valued at 3800 shillings. This volatility alone of the Ugandan shilling against the dollar has encouraged many to put big cash in dollar accounts, only withdrawing when the value is higher…talk about a safer kind of day trading.

But while this idea of profiting from exchange rates is enticing, it’s not the main reason many Ugandans are stocking up on dollars. Overall currency stability has been the main appetiser for both everyday savers and economists.

Let’s face it, as a country, our currency has been losing purchasing power over the years. Does anyone remember the time land could be bought at 10,000 shillings? Or the days when UGX 200 was enough for break-time snacks at school? Now? The same UGX 200 barely buys you a stick of gum. You can burn through a million shillings on rent, food and transport.

The dollar, however, offers some kind of shield from this depreciation. True, it also fluctuates, but its purchasing power remains relatively stable globally. In simpler terms, a US dollar in 2010 could buy roughly the same amount of goods in 2024, compared to the Ugandan Shilling, which has seen significant devaluation over the same period.

Another reason for the dollar’s rising popularity is the growth of e-commerce and cross-border trade in Uganda, as we explain in our article, The Growth of Uganda’s E-commerce: Convenience, Choice & Economic Boost. As more Ugandans engage in online shopping, freelancing, and importing goods, having access to dollars is becoming increasingly essential.

Platforms like Amazon, Alibaba, and even freelance job boards frequently used by youth for gig work often require payments or withdrawals in dollars. For merchants sourcing stock from abroad, a dollar account simplifies transactions and eliminates the hefty costs of currency conversion.

As to why the dollar makes sense for savers;

• Hedge Against Inflation: The dollar protects savings from inflation-driven depreciation that reduces the value of the Uganda shilling.
• Facilitate Global Access: Having savings in dollars makes it easier to access global markets and investment opportunities.
• Ensure Stability: While no currency is immune to shock, the dollar has maintained a global standard, making it a safer choice for long-term savings.

However, while saving in dollars has its advantages, there are challenges too. Many banks require higher minimum balances for dollar accounts, which may not be accessible to everyone. Additionally, foreign currency accounts can sometimes come with higher maintenance fees.

Other than that, Ugandans are becoming more financially savvy, moving beyond traditional savings methods to embrace global money management strategies. Dollar savings are just one example, alongside options like trust funds and stock securities.

Whether it’s about protecting their wealth, preparing for international transactions, or simply making the most of exchange rate fluctuations, the dollar is proving to be a smart choice for many Ugandans.

For those considering this route, a little financial planning and guidance can go a long way. After all, it’s not just about saving—it’s about saving smart.

It’s a good bet you’ve heard someone—be it a friend, classmate, or that guy on Instagram—rave about how forex trading is transforming their life. While it’s often marketed as the new way to achieve financial independence, forex trading has actually been around for a long time. But before jumping in, it’s important to understand what forex trading is before you can profit from it.

What is Forex Trading?
In simple terms, “forex” is short for foreign exchange, which refers to the process of converting one currency into another. You might have already participated in forex trading without even realizing it. For instance, if you’ve ever travelled to a different country and exchanged your home currency for the local one, you were engaging in forex trading.

However, forex trading as a profession is more than just swapping currencies for a vacation. It’s about making strategic moves to profit from fluctuations in exchange rates.

Let’s say you exchange $1,000 for euros at a rate of 0.85 EUR per dollar. You would receive €850. Later, when the exchange rate shifts to 0.90 EUR per dollar. If you then exchange your €850 back to dollars, you would get $944.44. Just like that, you’ve made $44.44 in profit by capitalizing on currency fluctuations.

This is the essence of forex trading—buying and selling currencies at the right time to make a profit.

How Does Forex Trading Work?
Forex traders actively monitor exchange rates and market conditions, buying and selling currencies or commodities (such as gold or oil) to profit from price movements. Most traders use online platforms provided by brokers, which makes the process quick, convenient, and accessible to anyone with an internet connection.

One of the great advantages of forex trading is its flexibility. You can trade from anywhere—whether you’re at home, on vacation, or even in the middle of traffic. The forex market operates 24 hours a day, five days a week, so there’s always an opportunity to trade.

Additionally, you don’t need a large budget to get started. Some online platforms allow you to begin trading with as little as $1. This makes forex trading appealing to both beginners and seasoned traders looking for flexibility and opportunities.

Now that you understand the basics of forex trading, it’s advisable to approach it with caution. Be mindful of market volatility, the risks associated with online trading platforms, and potential fraud. Most importantly, always keep learning to stay ahead of the game.