The gig economy, a segment of services based on flexibility, temporary or freelance jobs often involving connecting clients and customers online, has become a bustling marketplace with creativity and abundant opportunities particularly for young people who are digital-savvy.

As more individuals embrace the freedom and opportunities offered by gig work, content creators are flourishing in the digital landscape, shaping trends, sparking conversations, and shaping the way we consume and interact with online content.

At 28 years old, Jean Emmy Ishimwe, commonly known as "No Brainer" on X (formerly Twitter), is making a decent pay off his tweets. With 145,000 followers, he has found a way to make money through social media, showing the power of social media platforms in creating opportunities for content creators.

"My very first gig was in 2021, with 20,000 followers a company approached me and wanted me to tweet about a music festival that was about to happen. They offered me Rwf20,000 on a single post,” he recalls.

"It was a game-changer for me. Suddenly, my passion for tweeting turned into a lucrative opportunity. That first gig opened my eyes to the potential of the gig economy, and I haven't looked back since,” he narrates.

Ishimwe has since expanded his influence into a lucrative career, commanding around Rwf500,000 per tweet for established companies and offering a more affordable rate of Rwf50,000 for startups, a gesture aimed at fostering the growth of young entrepreneurs.

He has created a marketing agency inspired by the work he has been doing. His achievements point to how content creators can earn a living in a rising gig economy.

Tito Kimenyi, a 24-year-old based in Kicukiro, boasts an impressive following of 107.9 thousand on TikTok, where he has carved out his niche in the gig economy, leveraging his sizable following. Tito offers a range of services tailored to his audience, including sponsored content and brand collaborations.

"The package for my service always depends on my client’s needs but I mostly do video content or photoshoots for advertising purposes. My pricing normally depends on how the length of the video and the nature of workload involved in photography,” he says.

Power of digital marketing

Now Kimenyi says companies that work with him have come to appreciate the power of social media marketing and the work that young people who use social media to promote meaningful work do.

His success highlights the growing opportunities for digital entrepreneurs to monetize their online presence and thrive in the evolving landscape of social media.

More than ever, Rwandan digital-savvy youth who were previously unemployed or had no hope of getting decent jobs have found a living in the gig economy.

But Charlotte Gihozo, a 24-year-old, also known as Gihozo Content Creator on TikTok, says much as the gig economy pays off, extra investment is needed to win the hearts of clients.

"You don’t wake up and all of a sudden become popular on social media and then companies start flowing. For some of us who do restaurant reviews, you have to deliberately invest in visiting restaurants and paying for your bills every now and then for clients to believe in you,” he explains.

Language barrier and cyberbullying are other major challenges that Gihozo points out that tend to turn clients away, especially those that an English or French speaking audience as their customers.

She believes that content creators need to find a niche that works for them or where they can be more competitive than others. With that, a gig economy can be a game-changer for young people who are obsessed with social media.