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The Revolution of TikTok

by with No Comment The Internet of Everything

                                        How the App is Changing Kenyan Commerce

TikTok has become a major worldwide force in recent years, changing the face of digital entertainment, interaction, and increasingly, commerce. TikTok is more than just a place for viral dances and memes in Kenya, a nation with a thriving digital economy and a young populace; it’s revolutionising trade. Here’s a closer look at how TikTok is changing Kenyan commerce and what it means for both companies and customers.

TikTok’s Ascent in Kenya

Kenya’s quick ascent to popularity on TikTok is indicative of a larger trend in Africa, where the app has taken on cultural significance. Kenya’s tech-savvy young have taken an interest in TikTok because to its user-friendly video creation tools and algorithmic content discovery. TikTok is a major participant in the digital scene with millions of active users in Kenya, according to current research.

A Novel Approach to Brand Interaction

In the past, Kenyan firms have primarily depended on print, radio, and television as their marketing platforms. On the other hand, TikTok provides a new channel for brand interaction. Utilising the platform’s distinctive characteristics, such popular challenges and short-form video content, brands can produce relatable and captivating content that appeals to a younger demographic.

By creating campaigns that combine user-generated content, trends, and popular music, local brands are using TikTok’s potential. This strategy not only increases brand awareness but also strengthens bonds with customers, who are more and more searching for realistic and real brand experiences.

Utilizing Brand Ambassadors and Influencer Marketing

Although influencer marketing has long been a mainstay of digital commerce, TikTok’s impact has given it a whole new level of prominence. TikTok influencers, also referred to as “content creators,” have grown to be crucial in determining customer preferences in Kenya. Companies are collaborating with well-known TikTok influencers to market their goods in a natural and interesting way.

These influencers provide a direct channel to the younger audience because of their established fan bases. TikTok is a crucial medium for influencer-driven marketing techniques because of their endorsements, which have the potential to generate considerable traffic and sales for firms.

The Influence of Content Created by Users

A highly attractive aspect of TikTok is its capacity to promote user-generated content. Kenyan users are active content providers as well as passive content consumers. Because of this dynamic, hashtags, challenges, and viral trends have emerged that have the power to instantly increase a brand’s awareness.
For example, a company might issue a challenge to users, inviting them to make videos that highlight their product. The challenge may lead to extensive publicity and raised brand recognition if it becomes popular. This phenomenon has shown to be especially successful in Kenya, where involvement and creativity are highly prized in the digital realm.

Direct Sales and Integration with E-Commerce

For Kenyan enterprises, TikTok’s entry into e-commerce is another game-changer. The platform has been experimenting with features that let users buy things straight from within the app, saving them from having to leave TikTok. In Kenya, where mobile commerce is booming, this seamless purchasing experience is becoming more and more popular.

TikTok’s e-commerce solutions are being used by small enterprises and local entrepreneurs to expand their consumer base and increase revenue. By using TikTok’s shopping tools and producing captivating product demonstrations, these companies can improve sales performance by expediting the buying process.

Difficulties and Things to Take Into Account

TikTok has its own set of difficulties despite offering a plethora of commercial options. In order to stay current, brands need to manage the platform’s fast-paced environment and keep up with emerging trends. Furthermore, since TikTok content is transient, it takes ingenuity and flexibility to sustain regular interaction.

Furthermore, as TikTok develops its commercial potential, worries about data security and privacy become more pressing. Customers and brands alike must exercise caution about how their data is handled and safeguarded.

Taking a Look Ahead: Kenya’s TikTok Business Prospects

TikTok’s contribution to reinventing business in Kenya is probably just going to increase as it develops further. The platform presents businesses and entrepreneurs with intriguing opportunities due to its revolutionary approach to content production, user engagement, and e-commerce integration. Kenyan brands can expand their reach into new countries, meaningfully interact with consumers, and accelerate their growth in an increasingly digital world by leveraging the potential of TikTok.

To sum up, TikTok is more than simply a fad; it’s revolutionizing the retail industry. As the platform continues to transform how companies interact with customers and increase sales, Kenya will face both new opportunities and difficulties. One thing is certain as we look to the future: TikTok is changing Kenya’s business environment and paving the way for a vibrant and inventive digital economy.

 

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Understanding Internet Shutdowns

by with No Comment The Internet of Everything

Causes, Processes, and Mitigation Measures

Overview

Internet shutdowns, or the purposeful suspension of services by institutions or governments, have grown to be a major problem on a global scale. Everything from corporate operations and communication to the availability of essential data and services might be affected by these outages. It is essential to comprehend the causes, ramifications, and countermeasures for internet shutdowns in order to protect digital rights and build resilience against such interruptions.

How Outages Occur on the Internet

1. Government Orders: The majority of internet shutdowns are the result of official government orders. These directives could be issued to stop the dissemination of false information, address political turmoil, or address national security issues, among other reasons. Internet service providers (ISPs) may be directed by governments to restrict access to the internet or to particular online platforms.

2. Technical Contextualization: A number of technological steps are involved in implementing an internet shutdown:

3. Internet traffic blocking: Internet service providers (ISPs) may be ordered to obstruct traffic to and from specific websites or services, so limiting the availability of online material.

4.  Network Disruptions: To prevent internet access, authorities may mandate the closure of network infrastructure, including data centers and internet exchange points.

5. limits on Mobile Networks: In order to prevent internet access through mobile devices, shutdowns frequently involve limits on mobile networks, such as turning down cellular data services.

6. Geographic Scope: Shutdowns may be restricted to particular areas, towns, or even whole nations. They could lead to a total blackout of internet access, or they might merely impact specific internet service categories, including social media sites.

Consequences of Internet Outages

1. Communication Breakdown: When the internet is shut down, it can seriously impair communication, making it difficult to engage with people both personally and professionally. In times of crisis, this may result in isolation, less access to emergency resources, and poorer crisis coordination.

2. Economic Impact: During internet outages, companies that depend on online activities suffer large losses. Remote work, e-commerce, and digital financial transactions are all impacted, which has a negative impact on the economy and productivity.

3. Information Access: Public awareness and the capacity to keep informed are impacted by shutdowns, which restrict access to vital news and information. This can make it more difficult to share crucial updates, especially during emergencies.

4. Human Rights Concerns: The right to information access and freedom of speech are two issues that are brought up by internet shutdowns. They may be viewed as an infringement on digital rights and a kind of censorship.

Reduction Techniques

1. Advocacy and Awareness: Educating people about the effects of internet shutdowns and promoting digital rights can aid in gaining support for laws that safeguard free speech on the internet. The public and legislators can be informed on the value of preserving unrestricted internet access by organizations and campaigners.

2. Alternative Communication Channels: Using alternate communication channels, such as satellite phones, radio broadcasts, and community networks, can assist sustain connectivity and information access in the case of an internet outage.

3. Redundancy and Backup Systems: To lessen the effects of internet outages, companies and providers of vital infrastructure should create redundancy and backup systems. To maintain business continuity, this entails providing backup channels for communication and data storage.

4. International Pressure and Legal Recourse: One way to address and stop such activities is to work with human rights organizations and international bodies to put pressure on the governments that are causing the unjustifiable shutdowns. Unjust shutdowns may also be challenged and corrected through legal action taken under international human rights frameworks.

5. Technological Solutions: Modern technology can offer substitutes for established internet infrastructure, such as peer-to-peer platforms and decentralized communication networks. By reducing reliance on centralized systems that are prone to failure, these solutions can improve resilience.

6. Policy and Regulation: It is crucial to promote laws and rules that protect online liberty and restrict the arbitrary application of shutdowns. Governments and international organisations ought to endeavour to institute structures that safeguard digital rights and guarantee openness in the determination of internet access policies.

 In summary

Shutdowns of the internet provide serious obstacles to human rights, economic stability, and communication. It is essential to comprehend the mechanisms underlying these disruptions and put in place practical mitigation strategies in order to lessen their effects and protect digital liberties. People and organizations can strengthen resilience and assist the protection of digital rights in the face of possible shutdowns by supporting open internet policy, using alternate communication channels, and providing technological solutions.

 

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Facebook Allows Short-Form Video Creators in Kenya to Make Money

by with No Comment The Internet of Everything

                                    A Revolution in the Field of Digital Content

First Off

Facebook recently announced that it will now let content creators in Kenya to get money from short-form videos, a move that is expected to completely transform the country’s digital content market. With increased prospects for revenue and exposure on one of the biggest social media platforms globally, this development represents a substantial shift in the digital economy for Kenyan content providers.

What This Indicates About Kenyan Artists

1. New Income Sources: Short-form video monetization has opened up a new source of income for Kenyan content producers. With Facebook’s ongoing efforts to diversify its revenue streams, this new capability enables them to make money through ad placements, in-stream commercials, and possibly other revenue streams. For numerous producers, this entails having the capacity to convert their ardor for producing content into a sustainable revenue stream.

2. Greater Growth and Visibility: Content producers are likely to make more excellent short-form videos if they have the option to monetize it, which will increase their visibility on the platform. Gaining income can also encourage more interaction and draw in a wider audience, which can promote expansion and strengthen a brand’s position in the online space.

3. Encouraging Local Talent: Facebook is encouraging local talent and assisting in the expansion of Kenya’s digital economy by giving Kenyan creators the means and chances to make money from their short-form films. This action is in line with more general initiatives to support innovators and empower content producers.

The Mechanism of Monetization

1. Ad Revenue: By placing advertisements in their short-form videos, creators can be paid. Through the matching of pertinent advertising with the content, Facebook’s ad system will make money based on viewer engagement and ad performance.

2. In-Stream adverts: In-stream adverts will be incorporated into short-form videos, giving producers more revenue prospects, much like other platforms’ monetization strategies. These advertisements may show up as post-roll, mid-roll, or pre-roll depending on the interaction of the viewer with the content.

3. Material Creation Tools: To assist producers in making their material as profitable as possible, Facebook provides a number of tools and services. These resources include audience preference information, analytics for monitoring performance, and advice on making interesting videos that draw both viewers and sponsors.

Consequences for Kenya’s Digital Economy

1. Economic Opportunities: Kenyan creators now have new avenues for income due to the possibility of earning from short-form videos. More people are anticipated to investigate careers in content creation as a result of this development, which will boost the digital economy and provide employment in the creative industry.

2. Cultural Impact: Kenyan producers can reach a worldwide audience by using the platform to offer their distinctive viewpoints, anecdotes, and cultural experiences. In addition to promoting Kenya’s rich heritage internationally, this can improve cross-cultural exchange.

3. Innovation and Competition: The advent of monetization is probably going to encourage creators to innovate and compete with one another. Financial incentives will encourage content producers to try out novel concepts, formats, and aesthetics, hence propelling the development of digital content in Kenya.

Obstacles and Things to Think About

1. Getting Used to New Systems: Artists must become acquainted with Facebook’s monetization guidelines and resources. To maximize the revenue generation potential of their content, further training and modifications could be necessary.

2. Content Quality and Compliance: To continue to be eligible for monetization, it will be essential to maintain both content quality and adherence to Facebook’s policies. To prevent such problems, creators must abide by community norms and best practices.

3. Revenue Distribution: To optimize their earnings, producers must comprehend the ways in which revenue is allocated and overseen via Facebook’s network. To foster trust and guarantee equitable remuneration, income reporting must be transparent and unambiguous.

In summary

The move by Facebook to enable Kenyan creators to profit from short-form videos is a game-changer for the digital content market in that nation. Facebook is encouraging innovation and growth in Kenya’s creative industry by giving local talent more possibilities to get paid and by opening up new revenue streams. Creators can potentially increase their visibility, encourage engagement, and help Kenya’s digital economy grow if they adopt this new monetisation strategy. Kenyan content production appears to have a bright future ahead of it, full with fresh opportunities and prospects.

 

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Generation Z-Led Protests

by with No Comment The Internet of Everything

              Kenya’s Generation Z-Led Protests Witness Increased Social Media Usage

Social media use in Kenya has increased significantly in recent years, particularly among Generation Z those born in the late 1990s and early 2010s. This surge signifies a dramatic shift in the country’s political and social mobilization and communication landscape, not merely a passing trend.

 Social Media as a Change-Catalyst

For Kenya’s Gen Z, social media sites like Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok have developed into indispensable resources that fuel their activism and influence public conversation. In contrast to earlier generations who placed a greater emphasis on conventional media, today’s young use social media’s real-time connectivity to organize protests, voice their concerns, and garner support for different causes.

The usefulness of social media in grassroots mobilization has been demonstrated by the #EndSARS protests in Nigeria and worldwide movements such as Black Lives Matter, which have acted as catalysts. Similar tactics have been adopted by Kenya’s youth activists, who use live streaming, viral content, and hashtags to bring attention to regional problems including corruption, police brutality, and environmental degradation

Increasing Voices and Organizing Assistance

Kenya’s Generation Z has taken to social media to offer ideas as well as voice their displeasure with the current situation. While Instagram and TikTok enable visually striking and creative storytelling, Twitter and other social media platforms have evolved into forums for public discourse. A new era of citizen journalism and advocacy is ushered in by these digital venues, which provide voice that were previously marginalised a platform.
Social media activity has increased in response to recent rallies in Kenya, particularly those that highlight economic inequality and education reform. Young Kenyans are becoming more and more skilled at using these media to plan events, rally supporters, and engage their audiences with real-time updates and first-hand stories.

 Possibilities and Difficulties

Social media offers a vibrant venue for advocacy, but there are drawbacks as well. Misinformation can arise from the quick dissemination of information, and the ongoing need for online interaction can occasionally eclipse offline behaviour. Furthermore, gaps in digital literacy and internet access can impede digital activism, thereby marginalising certain communities.
Notwithstanding these obstacles, social media has had an indisputable impact on Kenya’s political and social climate. It serves as a vehicle for long-term change as well as an instrument for quick action, according to Generation Z. This generation’s influence will only increase as they use digital platforms more and more, influencing Kenya’s future in terms of public participation and activism.

 In summary

Kenya’s Generation Z is using an unparalleled spike in social media use to redefine activism. A new chapter in the political and social story of the nation is marked by their capacity to use these platforms for advocacy and mobilisation. The potential for substantial reform and change is becoming more apparent as they use these tools, which will cause a big change in the way Kenya’s youth interact with and impact their society.

 

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Ecommerce And GS1 Standards

by with 3 Comments The Internet of Everything

Ecommerce refers to any kind of commercial transaction that is facilitated through the internet. Michael Aldrich, an entrepreneur and IT guru is credited as the inventor of e-commerce, with his pioneering style of online shopping in 1979, long before the uptake of internet.
Ecommerce is often used to refer to the transaction of goods and services online whereas e-business refers to all aspects of operating an online business.