Beyond the Likes: Khalid Al Ameri Calls Out the ‘Destructive’ Race for Followers at Dubai’s 1 Billion Followers Summit
Content and social media personalities from different parts of the world are thronging one of the greatest gatherings for the creator economy in the world, the 1 Billion Followers Summit taking place in Dubai. The 4th version of the 1 Billion Followers Summit, a three-day international event where 30,000+ content personalities attend, is actually not a boasting stage for the number of their followers but a learning platform where speakers inspire them to think beyond the figures.Organised by the UAE Government Media Office and held at iconic venues including the Emirates Towers, DIFC and the Museum of the Future, the summit is one of the world’s largest events dedicated to the future of digital content, hosting more than 580 sessions and workshops under the theme “Content for Good”.“Content creation is a responsibility and a mission,” said UAE leadership in welcoming global creators to the event, highlighting how digital influence shapes community and culture.
The numbers game: More followers do not mean more impact
Among the many voices at the summit was Emirati influencer Khalid Al Ameri, who used the platform to deliver a message that stood in contrast to the summit’s name.In a session titled “From Truth Comes Spread”, Al Ameri urged social media creators to resist the temptation to chase ever-higher follower counts and views at the expense of substance. He described the relentless pursuit of metrics as “destructive” and said it exhausts creative energy and distracts from creating lasting value.“Sometimes, creators have millions of followers,” Al Ameri said but added that these eyeballs don’t necessarily translate into real-world engagement, trust or meaningful community support. Al Ameri’s critique embodies the paradigm shift in thinking about the creator economies.With the evolving nature of platforms and a more sophisticated audience in mind, some creators as well as the brands they collaborate with are realising that a deep connection is more important than a superficial one. At the summit, he discussed that a loyal audience of no more than 1,000 fans can be considered far more valuable than millions of passive ones who simply glide by.
Khalid Al Ameri urges creators to look beyond the millions and instead focus on making an impact on people’s lives
That kind of engagement could lead to real support, real monetisation and real impacts in the community, he explained. Algorithms can be manipulated, trends copied and formats replicated but impact is unique. The speakers asserted that meaningful engagement cannot be faked.
Khaled Al-Ameri’s tips from virality to value
Al Ameri also relied on humour to drive home his message. He joked that anyone in this room could go viral in the blink of an eye, even if they were wearing a pair of pyjamas or underwear on camera but he asked the crowd to think about a key question that is, “What kind of virality do you want?” Is it fleeting attention or lasting impact that builds trust, reputation and real community engagement?This perspective reflects broader concerns in the creator space. While viral content may rack up views fast, it can also be shallow, fleeting and easily forgotten, whereas purpose-driven content that addresses human experiences, education, community needs or social good tends to resonate longer and yield stronger creator-audience bonds.Al Ameri, who has spent more than a decade in the content-creation space, said that most creators begin their journey asking the same question: How do I make a video that gets a million views? However, he explained that with experience it becomes clear that reach alone is not the true measure of success. Real impact, he argued, comes from honest content that reaches the right audience, sparks interaction and influences how people think, feel or act.He noted that it is entirely possible for someone to have millions of followers without generating any meaningful engagement, while another creator with just a thousand followers can drive significant economic or behavioural impact because their audience is genuine, trusting and actively engaged.Impact is not measured by the number of followers but by the depth of the relationship with them. Al Ameri added that while speed and virality may deliver short-term attention, sustainable influence is built through deliberate, consistent effort. Today, he said, achieving a million views is easier than ever, often through superficial content.“I can easily make a video that gets a million views,” he remarked, “but the real question is whether it will create impact or guarantee continuity.” Viral reach, he warned, does not necessarily translate into recognition or longevity in a professional content career.Reflecting on his own experience, Al Ameri spoke about a meaningful project that he developed in partnership with a company, which took nearly two years to complete. Despite the long timeline, he said the content delivered a deep and lasting human impact and continues to receive positive feedback long after its release. He also observed that the excitement of reaching a first million followers or views is fleeting, quickly giving way to an endless chase for bigger numbers. This cycle, he cautioned, can drain creators of purpose if not grounded in substance.Content creation, Al Ameri stressed, is no longer a casual pastime or hobby but a full-fledged profession that demands discipline, consistency and long-term commitment. He likened creators to athletes, constantly training, adapting and pushing forward despite challenges.He concluded with a message to creators and influencers, urging them to focus on being makers of impact before being chasers of views. Platforms, he said, should be used to spread positive values, inspire happiness and make a genuine difference in people’s lives because influence, when used responsibly, can shape society far beyond the screen.
1 Billion Followers Summithighlights: Creativity, AI and bigger ideas
The summit’s agenda brought together global tech leaders and platforms such as YouTube, X, TikTok, Meta and Google Gemini, all discussing not just how to grow an audience, but how to use digital influence responsibly. YouTube’s presence, for example, included workshops and dialogues around career development for creators and the role of community, exploring how digital platforms can help creators build sustainable careers in the long term.Artificial intelligence was another big topic, with sessions exploring its impact on creative workflows and content quality, alongside discussions on ethical use and avoiding misinformation in an age when AI-generated content is exploding. The summit underscores a growing realisation in the creator economy where raw follower counts are no longer the dominant currency. Instead, brands, platforms and audiences are increasingly valuing authenticity, trust, influence with intent, and community feedback loops. For aspiring creators, this shift suggests that strategies focused purely on growth hacking or viral content may eventually plateau, while those investing in niche communities, purpose-driven storytelling and long-term engagement may see deeper returns, both creatively and economically.At a summit whose very name celebrates vast audiences, Khalid Al Ameri, alongside many industry leaders, delivered a sobering message. The chase for followers should never eclipse the mission of meaningful, constructive content. As the creator economy matures, impact over numbers is becoming the new mantra, one that may shape the future of digital storytelling and online influence worldwide. Go to Source
