Bettinah Tianah
People earn a living in different ways. Betty Nassali, popularly known as Bettinah Tianah, is one of those earning their pay from social media, writes Esther Oluka.
Betty Nassali, 24, popularly known as Bettinah Tianah, has mastered the art of whetting the appetites of her numerous social media followers.
Nassali puts a lot of effort in what she uploads on her social media pages because unlike the average user, the platforms are her source of income. Her pictures have to be of professional quality and standard. Her posts have to be well thought out, not rumbling rants since they might reflect negatively on the brands she works for.
The socialite’s efforts have paid off and she has more than 114, 300 followers on her Facebook (blue certified) page and 393,000 followers on her Instagram page.
The huge following, likes, comments have made Nassali one of the popular social media influencers in Uganda.
“I use my social media platforms for marketing purposes. My job is to look nice while promoting brands. For example, when I upload a picture of myself wearing a particular clothing line, my intention may be to promote the designer. On other occasions, the purpose of the post may be to promote make-up or a particular skincare product,” she says.
Bettinah Tianah and singer Pia Pounds blow kisses at Blankets and Wine.
Nassali is not keen on mentioning how much she is paid, but she says it is a good amount.
“I sign non-disclosure agreements with my clients which prohibit me from mentioning payments. However, what I can tell you is different social media influencers have diverse charge rates. There are those (in Uganda) who may charge Shs500,000 or Shs1 million per post for mentioning a product,” Nassali relates.
Get a manager
Normally, when a client is interested in working with her, they have to first go through her personal manager.
“My manager is responsible for drafting a formal statement binding me and the client. This statement often contains details about the project, terms of payment, the people involved, among other things,” she says.
One of the renowned companies Nassali has worked with include Coca Cola Africa. She often endeavours to post pictures on her social media platforms posing with a bottle from the company.
Looking good is an investment
In most of the pictures Nassali uploads, her dark skin is often flawless. I used to think that probably the pictures were over edited or it was simply because of the magic of make-up. However, I was proved wrong after meeting her in person for our interview on Monday. Indeed, she has a flawless dark skin.
“I take good care of my skin,” she says, adding, “I go for facial treatments from time to time, take a lot of water as well as use original brands of make-up,” she says.
According to Nassali, looking good is part of the business as a social media influencer because the more buzz they create the more they can charge.
Do research
Since fashion is one of the areas Nassali is passionate about, she is always researching on the latest style trends on the market.
“I am always looking at blogs and websites. In case I come across a trend that is not in Uganda, I will find a way of informing my followers about it. For example, I may do a photo-shoot wearing that designer’s outfit and thereafter acknowledge them,” she says.
Nassali has posed for pictures in designs made from both international and local designers.
“I do not do free work for international brands. They always pay me for modelling their outfits and uploading the images. It is a different arrangement for local designers. Sometimes I do free work for them as my intention is to help them also promote their work,” she says.
Post at the right time
Before posting any photos, it is important to judge what kind of mood people have on social media.
“If the mood is bad, do not post anything as you tend to attract only a few likes and comments,” she says. Also, the time of the day is crucial. I normally upload posts during morning or evening hours. when my followers are online,” she says.
EDUCATION
She is the last born with three siblings. She completed Primary Seven at St. Noah Junior Boarding School, Zana. She sat Senior Four and Six at St. Mary’s Kitende. Earlier this year, she graduated with a Bachelors degree in Journalism and Communication Studies from Cavendish University, Uganda.
Supporting a good cause
Sometimes, Nassali uses her social media influence for a good cause. This is why today she will be helping to fundraise funds for girls in Bulamagi Sub-county in Iganga District. The proceeds will be used to buy items such as sanitary pads and scholastic materials for the girls.