Meet Sahir, a thriving Pakistani influencer in Dubai

DUBAI: “In my opinion, anybody can be an influencer.” Those were the words that introduced me to Sahir Iftikhar Mansoor Ali. She sat centrestage at a panel talk for Pakistani businesswomen in Dubai, relegating a starry-eyed audience to her journey from a successful corporate woman to an even more successful social media content creator.

Initially, creating casual Instagram content to connect with the expat community in UAE, Karachi-born Sahir curated her social media account towards Pakistani women living abroad.

“As expats, our kids don’t have a cousin or a friend circle apart from school,” Sahir said.

“So, for me, the main purpose was to interact with new and older moms, and get my kids and myself a social circle.”

For Sahir, her early Instagram days were all about events and meeting new people.

But, “When brands started approaching me, I was like what? You get products? For free?”

Sahir laughed as she reminisced about her response to early barter collaboration requests.

As she started to explore the business potential of being a content creator, she focused also on enhancing her video editing and conceptualising skills, putting her UAE market industry knowledge to work, and finding what worked for her.

Soon, Sahir was able to leave her day job and focus entirely on earning as a content creator, when a brand approached her with a paid opportunity. Recently, she sat down with Business Recorder to share her wisdom as an established influencer for those interested in the ever-growing industry.

“I didn’t have any friends in (the influencers’) circle that could guide me for what happens next. I just went with the flow,” said Sahir.

The cost of a post

“I had no idea that I could earn from this platform,” said Sahir, still astonished and grateful at the curve her career took.

With conventional advertisement services, creating a rate card comes with established industry budget guidelines. But how do you put a number on posting a 1- 3 minute video on Instagram?

Sahir used a quick Google search to give a rate to brands offering payment and willing to invest in Influencer Marketing.

“But then, with time, I realised that a (market) number cannot decide my charges. It’s also the time, preparation and effort that I put into it. I also wish I had started charging much sooner than many years into my account being active,” said Sahir.

The challenge of the influence

“The biggest challenge was at first trying to adjust (content creation) with my ongoing full-time job,” said Sahir. There were many times when her day job had to take precedence over her influencer aspirations when it was not yet a source of sufficient income. Managing the time for her career alongside her time with family was, as it often can be, hectic.

However, Sahir’s biggest push to keep going came from her husband. As in all relationships, but especially in the family-oriented South Asian culture, an encouraging spouse can make or break a person. Sahir points out that she always discusses her brand campaigns and concepts with her motivating husband for his input.

“My team is my family. My husband and kids, and the others. They are my cameraman, my actors, whatever I need,” said Sahir.

“Family supporting your endeavours is most important to grow in any field.”

With societal norms and expectations, citing the uncertainty of protection in the outside world, it is easy for women to be held back from professional aspirations. While a restriction for public image is significantly reduced in the UAE expat communities, Sahir advises a little more creativity in those situations.

For example, for women with certain skills, “You can be a food blogger or sell knitting products and not show your face. This can also be an opportunity where you can make your work speak louder than words,” said Sahir.

Staying true to the roots

An influencer in the UAE market being proud of their Pakistani heritage is not as common a sight as their Western counterparts. South Asian expats tend to file away their ethnicities to fit in. However, Sahir’s social media content is heavily influenced by her Pakistani roots. Even though she has been living in the UAE for almost 36 years, Pakistani culture is in the limelight of most of her videos.

“I always try to include my language (Urdu). I think that is what connects me with my audience (of Pakistani expats),” said Sahir. Her viewers see Pakistan in her desi outfits, in the way she eats ethnic food with her hands, in her patriotic celebrations, and in the decorations around her house.

For Sahir, staying grounded in her culture is extremely important.

“Our (expat) kids are living out of Pakistan and I know many children who don’t know that they belong from Pakistan and think they are just from Dubai,” said Sahir.

And her audience resonates with her sentiments. Her Instagram commentators often express a deep appreciation of her family-oriented content packed to the brim with heartfelt moments and anecdotes.

Earning as an influencer

“It’s a very different feeling when a woman is able to earn for herself,” said Sahir, which brought me back to her talk during a panel talk.

The talk was held to encourage women expats to become financially independent in a place where it proved to be relatively easier than if they still lived in Pakistan.

According to experts, financial independence does not only impact a woman but the generations that come from her, playing a vital role in increasing her self-worth.

Additionally, according to Demandsage, an influencer with more than 100k Instagram followers can make upwards of $2,000 on a single post, with plenty of room for growth.

“Years ago people would have thought that bloggers are just people who work to get freebies and free food. They would not understand the value of the work of influencers,” said Sahir.

With influencer marketing’s booming traction, more South Asians are venturing into the field. But for those new to the field, Sahir recommends starting with barter collaborations to establish a niche.

“And check your local laws,” Sahir pointed out, as in the UAE, a Social Media licence is required to start a platform to earn as a content creator.

Sahir has also expressed a deep desire to “be there for my country” when collaborating with Pakistani brands to further their impact in the UAE market.

She consistently tries for the most profitable deals when collaborating with Pakistani brands like Shan and Sapphire to benefit all parties. “I feel honoured to be working with Pakistani brands,” said Sahir.

The most important advice from Sahir is that the UAE market is big enough for everyone. “There is a place for everyone. Just find your niche.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024