“Oprah Winfrey is an influencer, not everyone on Instagram is” : TV Presenter NourAldin Al Yousuf tells audience at AUD media chat
Al Yousuf began TV presenting in 1997 and was awarded “Best Gulf Presenter” in 2013. His social media journey began in 2004, on Facebook.
“I created the account out of curiosity,” Al Yousuf said. “I didn’t really use it until I joined the Dubai Press Club, so I started using it purely for work purposes.”
Al Yousuf, who has garnered over 100,000 followers on Instagram, discussed the steps he took toward transitioning from a TV presenter to a social media personality. It all took off when he joined Instagram in 2011.
“I was like what do I need from social media? What do I want to expose on social media? I didn’t want to expose my real character to be honest,” he said.
He believes that many “influencers” on social media lack authenticity and credibility. “Not everything we see on social media is reality, most of it is an act, scripted.”
He stressed the importance of maintaining one’s credibility on social media, as many people take endorsements and advertise products solely for financial remuneration.
He said he only accepts brand deals if they were in line with his interests, and who he is as a person.
“Influencer” is a term misused by people, he said. The concept of “Influencer” transcends social media platforms because influence means you have an impact on the world. It isn’t about shating posts showing your daily life, or what you’re wearing. And eventhough he has a large number of followers, he still identifies with his roots in traditional media, as a TV presenter and a public figure, not as an influencer.
