Meet Kenneth Tebogo Middleton: Botswana’s Rising Foodie and Social Media Star
Meet Kenneth Tebogo Middleton
Kenneth Tebogo Middleton is a rising content creator and foodie from Botswana who has gained a strong following on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. With 161k followers on Instagram, 50k followers on Facebook, and 137k followers on TikTok, Middleton is the chief administrator and founder of a Facebook group with over 270k members, Foodies Botswana.
Middleton has built a loyal audience by sharing his passion for cooking and creating easy-to-follow recipe videos.
From Frustration to Passion
Middleton’s interest in cooking began three years ago when he was frustrated with the limited food options available in his local market and dissatisfied with the quality of food in local restaurants.
He began experimenting with recipes and sharing his progress on social media platforms. Middleton found his niche in food related content, focusing on creating videos of recipes and cooking techniques.
Favorite Cuisine
When asked about his favorite cuisine to cook, Kenneth said, “Asian cuisine. Eastern Asia to be more specific. I find its cooking techniques interesting. Also, the flavors and the balance appeals to me.”
He is constantly trying out new recipes and experimenting with different ingredients to simplify the recipe as much as he can before making a video.
Filming Process
Middleton’s filming process involves cooking and moving the camera around to get the best angles while avoiding burning the food. His editing process involves spending several hours chopping up the footage, telling the story in a logical progression, and adding voice overs and music.
Challenges Faced
One of the biggest challenges Middleton faces is finding paid partnerships from local and South African brands. He often reaches out to brands with proposals, hoping to leverage his influence to collaborate with them. In addition to that, he also faces legal challenges when it comes to selecting music to play with the crafted content.
Unfortunately, in Botswana, content creators are prohibited from using copyright music in their content. So consequently, this puts him and other content creators at a disfavor since they have no alternative but to always purchase premium sounds from websites. His goal is to learn and share what he learns, increasing the food experiences for an entire generation.
Advice for Aspiring Content Creators
Middleton advises aspiring content creators and food bloggers to experiment with different types of content, study the game, and invest in their work as they progress.
Monetizing His Content and Working with Brands
He monetizes his content on social media through brand partnerships, with the most significant revenue stream coming from local brands.
Middleton has worked with brands and sponsors, such as Woolworths, White Star Maize Meal, Nando’s, Lucky Star as well as Philips Electronics. He aims to work with more brands that share his values and are open to his content style, which his audience is accustomed to.
Balancing his creative vision with the needs and expectations of brands is important to Middleton, and he is willing to compromise or push his vision when necessary.
Future Plans
Middleton’s future plans for his content creation and career are to create more and more content, become better at the craft, and upgrade his setups to make better videos.
He stays up-to-date with trends and changes in social media algorithms and the food industry by reading blogs and watching videos from content creators who make content about changes in the social media world. He then tries out the changes, picks what works for him, and keeps it moving.
In a nutshell, Kenneth Tebogo Middleton is an up-and-coming content creator and foodie from Botswana, gaining a strong following on social media platforms by sharing his passion for cooking and creating easy-to-follow recipe videos.
He plans to continue creating more content, upgrade his setups, and monetize his content through brand partnerships. Middleton’s journey is a testament to the power of social media in connecting people and inspiring them to pursue their passion’s.
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