As at the time of this post, Uche Montana’s MONICA 2 has hit 7.1 million views in just one day on YouTube. An incredible milestone for NollyTube. That kind of number doesn’t happen by accident. It makes you stop and ask: what exactly drives a Nollywood YouTube movie to that level of success?
Is it the story? The actors? The title? Thumbnail? Is it an understanding of what the audience wants and how they consume content today?
We ask Nollywood viewers and cinephiles:
“The story is relatable. Nigerians like that. They want to watch a movie that reminds them of their neighbor’s sister-in-law, their colleague’s husband, their landlord’s aunt or a relative in their own family. Relatability is a big factor to success on NollyTube.” – Amarachi
“YouTube is a different environment entirely from traditional filmmaking. The viewers have their faves. If their favorite actors are missing, they are not going to watch. It’s an extended culture of Big Brother Naija. They even have fan names and couple tags for these actors. So good luck to everyone.” – Ebube
“It’s a bunch of a lot of things: a ride-or-die fanbase, popular and likeable actors, good story, brilliant cinematography, crisp posters. It doesn’t matter if the platform is free to watch, the viewers expect excellence. Some NollyTube producers finally got the memo.” – Harrison
“Success on YouTube rests on consistency. You have to show up as regularly as possible. Some filmmakers post weekly, others bi-weekly, and others monthly. Carry your audience along. Your consistency will pay off.” – Godwin
“Uche Montana is a hardworking filmmaker. I remember the days of a few hundred thousand followers on Instagram, watching her on ROK TV (City Crimes series and other movies), now look at her. It is so satisfying to see people build and are finally rewarded with success.” – Rhoda
“Stay authentic. It shouldn’t matter what others are doing. Tell the stories you want to tell. There’s magic in believing in yourself, soon enough others will believe in you. I think Uche Montana exemplifies this.” – Lotanna
“The picture quality. The authentic story. The acting. It’s an emotional chemistry with the audience. So much goes into making a film, just make sure you are making the film you truly enjoy making.” – Kemi
“Millions of view in just one day is a miracle! It is a testament to a solid fanbase who want to see you win by all means! How did she grow that kind of fanbase, by showing up consistently, listening to their needs and improving her game in every single movie!” – Emilia
