Influencer Sessions: Get to Know @alexdeamteam

We caught up with digital content creator @alexdeamteam, to talk all things comedic entertainment, content, and community. Read on to discover how her journey online led her

Where does your love for creating comedy content come from?

I’ve been an entertainer for as long as I can remember. As a little kid, I would put on home performances for my parents and family friends. At the age of 3.5 (I was the youngest in the group), my parents enrolled me in a Children’s Leisure and Creativity Center near where we lived. I spent the next 14 years performing and participating in all kinds of creative events hosted by the center or organized within our city. In school, I was also the main entertainer—concerts, festivals, school events, homecomings—you name it, I was planning, scripting, organizing, hosting, and performing. In high school, I even became the school DJ, hosting all the dances. 

In my early 20s, I teamed up with other enthusiasts and got into the club industry, working as an executive manager. I was responsible for planning and developing ideas for parties and festivals, organizing, and hosting them. With the rise of social media, I transitioned my entertainment career online, creating content, and that’s where I am today. I wouldn’t call myself a comedian since not all of my content is comedy-focused—many of my pieces revolve around music and general nostalgia. Sometimes I add humor, sometimes I don’t. Entertainment comes in many different forms.

How has the increase in different content niches impacted your success online? 

On one hand, the space has become more competitive, with more creators and more content vying for attention. Everyone is trying to create the best content that the algorithm will push to more people, which can be stressful. But on the other hand, the growing number of creators has diversified the content available, making it easier for platforms to match creators with the right audience. Back in the day, if you were making something different and no one else was doing it, it was much harder to grow. Platforms simply didn’t know who your audience was. Now, with so many niches, creators can film what they love, and the platforms already have an audience for it.

Which platforms do you predominantly use? Which do you prefer for posting, and which for community building? 

I primarily post on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. I also use Instagram’s crossposting feature to automatically share my content on Facebook. I occasionally use Threads (when I remember it exists) and have a small Telegram channel. I’m planning to expand to Asian platforms, but I need to refine my content strategy first. The Eastern audience requires a different approach. I tried posting the same type of content there, but it didn’t perform well. However, that’s actually a good thing because it gives me the opportunity to experiment with new formats. For community building, I use Instagram and Telegram, where I get more personal with my audience. Once I return to creating long-form content on YouTube, that might become my main platform—who knows?

How does community engagement vary on your chosen platforms?

If you want to get more personal with a creator, see what they do daily, and engage in discussions, Instagram is currently the best platform. Other platforms also have Stories, but they aren’t as popular among users as they are on Instagram. Instagram started as a photo app, and over time, we got used to watching and posting Stories. Platforms like YouTube and TikTok, however, were originally video-focused, so it will take time before their users start engaging with Stories regularly. Right now, people engage more with the content itself rather than the creator. Audience demographics also vary across platforms, affecting how people interact with content. On Facebook, for instance, most of my viewers are my peers, with less than 8% under the age of 25. That’s why there’s less misunderstanding of the content I post there, which means – less negativity in the comments.

What is your favourite type of content to create, and which works best for your audience? Is there a juxtaposition? 

I love experimenting. Two years ago, my favorite type of content was music-based funny videos. Then, I discovered that I enjoyed making “music video”-style content. It takes longer to produce, but it’s absolutely worth it. Now, I want to integrate more “talking to the audience” content. I feel like we’ve known each other long enough to “take our relationship to the next level,” lol. In these videos, I can share more stories while still staying within my niche—it’s just a slightly different angle.

@alexdeam

Modern club songs, anyone? #millennials #millennialsoftiktok #clubbing #2000s #2010s

♬ original sound – Alex Deam

In your own words and experience, how would you define “influencer marketing”? 

Influencer marketing is a fresh alternative to traditional advertising, allowing brands to reach their target audience in a more natural way with the help of content creators.

Why do you think influencer marketing is so powerful in today’s society? 

We’re all tired of intrusive ads popping up everywhere. But when we watch someone whose content aligns with our lifestyle, goals, or preferences, we naturally become curious about the products they use, the places they visit, and the food they eat. That’s why we follow certain creators in the first place. Providing audiences with this kind of information is what makes influencer marketing effective. The key is to be authentic and not overdo it.

People don’t want ads; they want a friend’s recommendation or a genuine review. Personally, I watch YouTube reviews before buying products. It makes it so much easier to make the right choice when someone has already tested and showcased the item in detail.

Do you have experience working with brands? How do you decide which brands you would like to work with? 

I’ve collaborated with brands and companies across music, beauty, and lifestyle industries. When choosing partnerships, I ensure the brand and its products make sense for my audience—something they’d find useful or interesting. It’s even easier when followers ask about certain products they see in my videos because then I know exactly what they’re interested in.

When promoting a product, service, or event, I try to keep it entertaining so my audience still enjoys the content, even if it’s a sponsored post. Sometimes, this requires extensive negotiations with brands to let me present them in my authentic style instead of following a rigid brief that wouldn’t work in the comedy niche. Unfortunately, not all brands understand this, making it challenging to stay true to my content while working in this industry.

@alexdeam

Important emails, big purchases and for god sake concert tickets – I’m coming to my laptop to do that.

♬ original sound – Alex Deam

How do you foresee the influencer marketing space changing within your niche in the next 12 months? 

Hopefully, we’ll see a shift toward native advertising in comedy and entertainment content. When a product is seamlessly integrated into a skit instead of being blatantly showcased, it performs better and gets better feedback. On the other hand, standard brief-style ads stick out awkwardly and disappoint audiences, leading to poor campaign results. Many brands still don’t understand this and just want their product featured in a post, but this approach is not applicable in every niche. What’s working in the haul and reviews are not working in the comedy and comedy-like niches. If the promotion doesn’t align with the creator’s usual content, it will fail. Because brands are often unwilling to adapt, I predict that many creators will shift their niche to something more advertising-friendly.

Based on your experience, what would you advocate to change about the perception of digital content creators/influencers? 

People need to understand that being a digital content creator is a real job. It’s a fun job, but it’s still a job. There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes work that audiences don’t see, especially for those who create original content. A 30-second video can take hours—or even days—to make. And ideally, we post content daily, which means constantly coming up with ideas, scripting, preparing, filming, and editing. That’s just the creative side—there’s also the business side, which takes just as much, if not more, time.

We also experience burnout like anyone else. There’s so much information to process daily, yet we’re often criticized for feeling overwhelmed. “What are you tired of? You just post videos.” No, I’m actually “a whole TV channel in your pocket.” Except instead of a big company producing it, it is just me.

How do you balance your online and offline lives? 

To maintain a work-life balance, I create schedules to track all my tasks. I try to save time by filming and sometimes even editing in advance. This allows me to focus on other aspects of my job, like business and planning. I also take weekends off to spend time with family and friends.

In terms of mental balance, I avoid oversharing. I share a lot with my audience, but I also set boundaries. Some aspects of my life remain private because not everything needs to be in the public eye. That’s what helps me stay sane.

Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years? 

I have so many plans and I’ll work hard to make them happen. I want to start a YouTube show where I try new things, visit new places, and share those experiences. I’ve also started working on my own brand—something completely new for me, requiring a lot of learning. But I’ve always wanted to try it, and the creative process excites me.

Additionally, I plan to return to making music. I was active in the 2010s but had to pause in 2015 for personal reasons. After such a long break, it’ll be tough, but I’ll give it a shot. Performing live has always been my biggest passion, and hopefully, in the next five years, I’ll be entertaining people offline as much as I do online. 

What is a piece of advice you would give to your younger self when starting out in comedy and content creation? 

Don’t panic! Things won’t work out immediately, and that’s okay. Give it time. Try formats YOU enjoy, not just what’s trending online. It’s easy to lose yourself in the chase. Stick with what you love and refine it until it looks the way you envision. If you lose interest in a niche, it’s okay to change it. Don’t hold yourself hostage to a format you no longer enjoy—your mental health will get back at you for that. And probably the most important advice (that I know I’d still ignore, ’cause I’m hopeless) is this: perfectionism is not your friend. It’s a time- and energy-devouring demon that you need to protect yourself from at all costs. Stay imperfect—you’re only human.

@alexdeam

Thank you all!! And happy holidays! Sound credit: @STVW #millennials #nostalgia #2023 #newyear

♬ original sound – Alex Deam

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