Opinions expressed by Digital Journal contributors are their own.
Social media influencer Nikan Nadimkhah believes the responsibility of social media influencers is to build community, with him explaining he found strength through the online community following the tragic death of his father.
The talented online thought leader said he found his profession by chance. He said that after school, he hadn’t known what career to pursue, and realising he had built an online community of friends from around the world, saw the potential cyberspace held for becoming someone of influence.
He then studied graphic design to give him the edge online, and the rest you could say was history.
Having set up a YouTube account, and garnering many followers in a short period of time, he realised this was something he was really good at.
Today, he has accumulated over 2 million followers and 300 million views across his platforms.
However, for him it’s not just about numbers. He wants to lead his online communities towards positive change, and he wants to help individuals and businesses to forge their way to new levels of success and influence online.
Community at the heart of his success
Nikan believes that however technical online work might seem, it is really about people; and first and foremost, community: “I have always loved connecting with an audience and sharing my life with them,” he says.
He gives gaming as an example of an online community. “It provides a creative space where a lot of people gather to find a sense of community and in some cases, a family bond.”
He says that YouTube and gaming helped him to get through some of the hardest times of his life and that he wanted to do his best to help others to do the same.
He has also challenged stereotypes through his online work. After his father died, he made the decision to adopt a healthier lifestyle and chronicle this online. He believes gamers and online users can lead healthy, balanced lifestyles and he hopes to challenge gaming stereotypes through his content, which chronicles his own health journey.
He is clearly doing something right in engaging with his audiences. He currently has 1.33 million subscribers on YouTube, 494,000 followers on Instagram, 556,400 followers on X, and 71,000 followers on TikTok, with 445,800 likes.
His social media accounts have received millions of engagements. His YouTube channel (@NikanYT) has garnered a total of 118,643,213 views, with the most viewed video garnering 4.5 million views. The channel has also received revenue of $325,923.93.
YouTube Buttons represent significant achievements in a social media influencer’s journey. Nikan has earned both the Silver and Gold Buttons, awarded for reaching 100,000 and 1,000,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel, respectively.
These awards serve as official recognition that an influencer’s content not only captures audience interest but also motivates viewers to subscribe, ensuring ongoing engagement with their videos.
He is also a $60,000 Gaming Tournament Winner (charity), a Host of Toronto Maple Leafs gaming day, a G Fuel Brand Ambassador (a three-times winner of Ambassador of the Month), a Leader of FaZe House, and a Faze Clan Member of the Month (two times).
He is affiliated with the FaZe Clan, an American professional esports and entertainment organization, having joined as a graphic designer, and eventually transitioning to become a content creator.
Reaching out to communities through social media
Nikan’s work has seen him reaching out beyond his own interests and personal pages, to help charities and businesses expand and gain revenue.
To give an example, he played a key role as a social media influencer in the Fight2Fund Gaming Tournament, a highly regarded event hosted by FaZe Clan. This tournament stands out as an exciting competition where top-tier gamers go head-to-head in various challenges, all in support of a charitable cause.
During the event, Nikan and his team dominated the competition, securing victory in five out of six matches. Their performance helped generate over $46,000 in donations and attracted more than 725,000 unique viewers.
Then, it takes a community to create an online community. Nikan’s work has taught him to engage with others to produce content; and to step up as a leader on his many platforms.
“Problems always present themselves in this industry,” he says. “There are deadlines, editing issues, and so forth. When creating content with groups I’m always looked upon as someone who can take the lead and get what needs to be done,” he says.
He says he has learned to be a success through being people-focused.
FaZe Clan’s leading talent agent Jordan Galen, said of him: “Nikan’s social media accounts stand out because he knows how to properly connect with his audience and make them keep coming back to see more. He is very skilled at creating content that resonates with his viewers.”
The talented social media influencer continues to dream of becoming a thought leader in his chosen profession; and dreams of building the online communities of the future through remaining true to himself and integrity towards the audiences he continues to grow by the masses.
