In this article, I shall be discussing media industry business ideas for Zimbabwe. It is vital that I start by breaking down what the media industry is. Bear in mind that at times it is referred to as the media and entertainment industry. Some of the major categories that fall under it are television, radio, publishing, the internet, gaming, music, movies, and advertising. Clearly the media industry is huge and is rapidly growing especially due to advancements in technology. In the next 5 years the global media industry is projected to grow by at least 13 percent. In 2020 it was worth over US$1.7 trillion so there is a piece for you in it.
Blogging ⸱ Vlogging ⸱ Podcasting
You can develop content through a blog, vlogging or podcasting. As for vlogging you can either do it on your own website or you can use YouTube. You can set up a YouTube channel and regularly post content. The same thing applies for podcasting; you can do it on your own website or use platforms that are there already. For blogging you will definitely need your own website to be successful. After all, some of the monetization methods e.g. Google AdSense is only possible if you have your own website. However, you can always have a multiplatform approach to broaden reach.
Social Media Consultancy
We cannot talk about media without talking about social media. Most businesses nowadays are now run exclusively online especially due to the pandemic. Most traditional media companies have been trying to adjust to the new normal. It is a different ball game for many media companies and that is where you can come in. You can offer your services to such companies and overall just helping other new media businesses settle online. The great thing about this avenue is that your potential client pool becomes infinite even beyond just the media niche.
Photography ⸱ Videography
These are two pertinent areas to media and entertainment. There is an article my colleague did on starting a stock photography business. That is one possible area of focus. You can also diversify into post-production services. Movie or short film production can also be another focus here. So you can offer all possible services to do with photography and videography. The type and sophistication of services you will offer will depend on your expertise and equipment.
Radio Or Television Show
I am talking about things like reality shows, documentaries, sitcoms, and the like. On a macro level you can even just start your own radio station or television channel. Getting your own radio station has become somewhat easier over the past few years. Quite a number of radio stations were licensed but most failed to take off due to financial issues. On the television side you can focus more on television shows that you can then license television stations to broadcast. You can also do the same for radio; another thing, you can consider internet radio than a physical one. So many ways to monetize radio or television shows so give it a try.
Digital Publications
I am looking at things like online magazines, newsletters, newspapers, e-books, and so on. Lately in Zimbabwe digital publications have sprouted a lot; we now have several of them. All the examples I have stated have numerous niching options. For example let us suppose it is an online magazine. You can choose to say it is for agriculture, business and finance, fashion, tourism and hospitality, health, and so on. I have also reiterated that in Zimbabwe people are sleeping on e-books. I believe if you come up with useful e-books specifically tailored for Zimbabwe you will make money. Given the little resources needed it is possible to sell e-books for as little as US$1 – imagine how many people you can sell to.
Freelance Writing Services
Writing entails a lot of areas of specialization. It can be copy writing or it can be ghost writing. Obviously other related services can be editing and proofreading. You can be writing articles, books, reports, and the like. The demand for writing services has significantly spiked and still continues to. Again there are endless possibilities when it comes to niching. I have seen countless accounts of people who have quit their day jobs to focus full-time on writing. If writing is your strength you could make lots of money from both writing and teaching how to write.
Digital Marketing
Due to the marked shift towards doing things online digital marketing has become imperative. Do you understand things like SEO, data analytics, sales funnels, email marketing, influencer marketing, social media marketing, content marketing, affiliate marketing, mobile marketing, pay per click (PPC) advertising, and several more? If you do, all these specialist areas are in high demand these days. You can even set up a digital marketing agency in the long run.
Branding Services
Branding entails so many things namely, printing, embroidery, and spray painting, amongst others. Finished products include items such as fliers, posters, banners, and embroidered items. Branding involves the partnership of many skillsets e.g. graphic designers, illustrators, and fashion designers plus more. All these things are needed in media production.
Music Production Services
Lots of people are now into writing and releasing songs in virtually any genre. You can put together a recording studio and starting offering music production services. Better still and over time you can actually morph into a reputable music recording label. I even feel we need to see more players offering such in Zimbabwe to create healthy competition. People have a huge appetite for music content so it is a potentially lucrative venture.
So these are 9 of some of the media industry business ideas for your consideration. Remember this is a multi-trillion dollar industry so there is plenty to go around. Make up your mind to venture into the media and entertainment industry today.