WITH all this information and technology at our fingertips and unlimited access to global audiences, you may wonder why all creators aren’t rich.

The truth is that making brilliant quality alone will not guarantee success in the digital world — you also have to know how to optimise tech. Data is the new oil, and is now the most valuable resource in the modern world.

Today, every creator needs to gain a working understanding of how to analyse data and use it to reach and engage their target audience. The more you know about who consumes your content, the more you can tailor that content to their likes and dislikes. This ultimately increases your content value and your prospects for profit.

What does this mean for Jamaican content creators? Though we are recognised globally for our natural musical talents, creators elsewhere have been busy churning out amazing video and visual art content.

In 2020 Digicel sponsored the first official show for Jamaican-born augmented reality artist Bonito Thompson, more popularly known as Don Dada, a rising star who fuses art, tech and culture to create immersive masterpieces. By expanding his vision and using tech to create a product with global appeal, Don Dada is finding success with international audiences and will soon be launching a collection of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) — unique digital assets that can be sold like any other piece of property.

Here are some suggestions for moving our local creators deeper into the digital world:

• Use data to guide the type of content you produce. Do not limit content appeal to our established geographic boundaries or the Diaspora. Develop content that anticipates and responds to what audiences want.

• Place stronger focus on monetisation. Content takes time, effort and money to create — it has value, and should consequently be treated in the same way we do tangible goods. Take time to learn how to generate revenue from the platforms that host your content.

• Diversify your content. What is popular on YouTube may not be popular on Sound Cloud, or Instagram. Use data analytics to learn what works best for where, and tailor content for each platform. This helps you to diversify your income streams on and off different platforms.

• Evolve from being an influencer who earns from endorsements to using owned, paid platforms. If your content is good enough, your audience will follow it, even if they have to pay. When you own your platform you retain far more of the earnings.

• Protect your intellectual property (IP). While some IP rights are automatic, you still have good reason to register your work. This makes it more recognisable and less susceptible to others using your marks or works to mislead or steal your audience. Work with a seasoned IP professional who can help you to secure copyright protection for your videos, photos, written text, artwork, audio and video recordings, and even your dance moves.

Public/private partnerships can also get us there faster

• Narrow the gap between the cultural sector and other sectors that drive the digital agenda. This will help creatives to improve their skills, build knowledge and secure funding to compete in a rapidly changing market. The Kingston Creative project for painting murals in downtown Kingston is a living example. It innovates through the use of augmented and virtual reality that creates an immersive experience for persons who visit or take virtual tours online. The project is a critical part of a 10-year programme to transform downtown Kingston and stimulate growth in the creative economy.

• Close the digital gender gap by providing equal opportunity for boys and girls in ICT, and do the same for persons with special needs. The result: an equal and appreciable level of improvement in digital literacy.

• Develop a national digital culture/creativity plan that encourages policymakers’ support for the work of artisans, creatives and musicians in the digital space.

The digital age has changed the cultural value chain, supported by new technologies that have changed the ways we participate in arts and culture. With more of our people connected to the Internet than ever before, new, captive audiences are emerging with expectations of consuming content at low to no cost, thereby challenging the relationship between audiences and creators.

However, the need to translate cultural content into real economic activity remains paramount. Jamaica, as a fast-growing hub of creativity, must champion the importance of our cultural and creative industries through constant collaboration to leverage their economic promise in the digital age.

Nasha-Monique Douglas is chief marketing officer of Digicel Jamaica.