Social media has evolved dramatically over the past decade. What began largely as a way to share updates and keep in touch has grown into a space where creators, influencers and digital entrepreneurs can build careers around their online presence.
For many content creators, the phone in their hand is more than a camera. It has become the starting point for a personal brand, a community and, increasingly, a source of income as the creator is no longer simply the person behind the camera. They can also be the presenter, marketer, business owner and community builder, turning an online following into something that can exist beyond the feed.
In South Africa, TikTok has become part of that ecosystem, with creators using the platform across entertainment, fashion, food, education and many more.
Shift from building audience to what the audience can make possible
As more people turn content creation into a career, the focus is shifting beyond simply building an audience to what that audience can make possible – from getting brand partnerships and campaigns to starting businesses of their own.
That was the backdrop to TikTok One being showcased in Johannesburg on Tuesday, September 22. The platform became available in South Africa earlier this year, adding another route for creators to connect with brands and find paid content opportunities.
Working with brands, however, is hardly new territory for content creators. Many have already built careers through sponsored content, campaigns and collaborations on social media. TikTok One adds to that existing ecosystem by bringing some of those opportunities into one place, where eligible creators can discover campaigns, apply to work with brands or earn from content they have already created.
For creators, that can also mean being less tied to the type of content that first built their following.
READ: African digital influencers reshaping continent
Digital content creator, influencer and podcaster Bheki Ndamase said creators should be willing to experiment and grow beyond a single niche.
“At the end of the day, it’s a business and businesses will always grow,” he said.
Ndamase said branching into different types of content can expose creators to new audiences and opportunities, rather than limiting them to one area.
“If you stick to one niche, you’re going to feel stuck,” he said.
That flexibility is particularly relevant in a creator economy where brand partnerships can take many forms. A creator might be approached directly by a company, respond to a campaign brief or find commercial opportunities through platforms designed to connect the two sides.
More ways to make money
TikTok’s Head of Sales for Sub-Saharan Africa, Zethu Mthethwa, said the platform is intended to build on the opportunities already available to creators while creating additional ways for them to participate in the commercial side of TikTok.
“TikTok One as a solution is really intended to elevate the commitment that we have made to local creators, also understanding the immense talent that comes from South Africa,” Mthethwa said.
She said it provides creators with more ways to maintain earning opportunities on the platform, alongside the options they already have access to. Moreover creators can potentially be discovered by brands, apply for campaigns or have existing content used in paid campaigns, depending on the opportunity and its requirements.
TikTok says the number of creators receiving rewards through TikTok One increased by 90% between June 2025 and May 2026.
The bigger shift, however, is not simply about another tool for creators. It reflects how the role of the once seemingly simple content creator has changed.
- Social media has evolved dramatically over the past decade.
- What began largely as a way to share updates and keep in touch has grown into a space where creators, influencers and digital entrepreneurs can build careers around their online presence.
- For many content creators, the phone in their hand is more than a camera.
- It has become the starting point for a personal brand, a community and, increasingly, a source of income as the creator is no longer simply the person behind the camera.
- They can also be the presenter, marketer, business owner and community builder, turning an online following into something that can exist beyond the feed.
Social media has evolved dramatically over the past decade. What began largely as a way to share updates and keep in touch has grown into a space where creators, influencers and digital entrepreneurs can build careers around their online presence.
For many content creators, the phone in their hand is more than a camera. It has become the starting point for a personal brand, a community and, increasingly, a source of income as the creator is no longer simply the person behind the camera. They can also be the presenter, marketer, business owner and community builder, turning an online following into something that can exist beyond the feed.
In South Africa, TikTok has become part of that ecosystem, with creators using the platform across entertainment, fashion, food, education and many more.
As more people turn content creation into a career, the focus is shifting beyond simply building an audience to what that audience can make possible - from getting brand partnerships and campaigns to starting businesses of their own.
That was the backdrop to TikTok One being showcased in Johannesburg on Tuesday, September 22. The platform became available in South Africa earlier this year, adding another route for creators to connect with brands and find paid content opportunities.
Working with brands, however, is hardly new territory for content creators. Many have already built careers through sponsored content, campaigns and collaborations on social media. TikTok One adds to that existing ecosystem by bringing some of those opportunities into one place, where eligible creators can discover campaigns, apply to work with brands or earn from content they have already created.
For creators, that can also mean being less tied to the type of content that first built their following.
READ: African digital influencers reshaping continent
Digital content creator, influencer and podcaster Bheki Ndamase said creators should be willing to experiment and grow beyond a single niche.
“At the end of the day, it’s a business and businesses will always grow,” he said.
Ndamase said branching into different types of content can expose creators to new audiences and opportunities, rather than limiting them to one area.
“If you stick to one niche, you’re going to feel stuck,” he said.
That flexibility is particularly relevant in a creator economy where brand partnerships can take many forms. A creator might be approached directly by a company, respond to a campaign brief or find commercial opportunities through platforms designed to connect the two sides.
TikTok’s Head of Sales for Sub-Saharan Africa, Zethu Mthethwa, said the platform is intended to build on the opportunities already available to creators while creating additional ways for them to participate in the commercial side of TikTok.
“TikTok One as a solution is really intended to elevate the commitment that we have made to local creators, also understanding the immense talent that comes from South Africa,” Mthethwa said.
She said it provides creators with more ways to maintain earning opportunities on the platform, alongside the options they already have access to. Moreover creators can potentially be discovered by brands, apply for campaigns or have existing content used in paid campaigns, depending on the opportunity and its requirements.
TikTok says the number of creators receiving rewards through TikTok One increased by 90% between June 2025 and May 2026.
The bigger shift, however, is not simply about another tool for creators. It reflects how the role of the once seemingly simple content creator has changed.
