Nepal’s influencer scene: Too many views, too little impact

A growing number of young people in Nepal are dreaming of becoming content creators and social media influencers. It’s become a trend, almost like a craze. But the question remains—is it as easy and meaningful as it looks?

Walk into any youth crowd today, and chances are at least one person will say they’re a content creator. Just scroll through social media, and you’ll find many with “public figure” in their bios, using ring lights and following trending sounds. But is this creating real influence? Are brands getting results from influencer marketing? Is the audience being impacted?

Everyone’s creating—but not everything is meaningful

Yes, there are more content creators than ever in Nepal. But meaningful content and real influence seem to be missing. Being an influencer isn’t just about getting views—it comes with responsibility. Unfortunately, in today’s digital world, many consider likes, views, and comments to be the only sign of success.

But dancing to trends or showing your face for likes doesn’t mean you’re influencing people.

Many self-proclaimed influencers aren’t making any real difference. Brands aren’t seeing real business results. And the audience isn’t getting any value or message.

Problems in Nepal’s influencer ecosystem

Here are some visible problems in the influencer space:

• No unity—everyone’s in their own race.
• Brand investments often don’t deliver results.
• More ego, less real impact.
• Lots of show, little substance.

Today, both big and small brands in Nepal are investing in content creators, especially in sectors like FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods)—everyday products like snacks, soaps, shampoo, toothpaste, oil, tea, and more. But are these influencer campaigns really increasing sales?

Creators are getting views, but are those views converting into customers? Most of the time, no. A large part of those views come from India, Pakistan, or abroad—people who aren’t part of Nepal’s actual consumer market.

Where are the views coming from?

To understand this better, we checked the viewer insights of a popular Nepali influencer (with permission). It showed that most views came from outside Nepal. That means even if the video gets viral, Nepali brands don’t gain anything from these audiences.

So, if your product or service targets Nepali customers, such influencers won’t help much. Yet many brands fail to ask basic questions like:

• Who are the influencer’s main viewers?
• Where is their content targeted?
• Has their content ever helped in selling something?

Because brands aren’t asking the right questions, money is being spent—but there’s no real impact.

Copying trends, lacking originality

One of the biggest issues is that most creators follow trends instead of creating something original. Many simply copy Indian trends, dances, or audio and repeat them the next day in Nepal.

Even top influencers often lack originality. For example, if you look at celebrities like Simple Kharel, their social media is filled with videos using viral Indian audio. This shows a clear lack of fresh ideas and authentic content.

Instead of being a space for new, creative ideas, Nepal’s content scene is becoming a factory of repeated trends. There’s a growing drought of originality.

The need for meaningful content

Very few creators are researching topics, sharing useful ideas, or producing content that truly helps society. These creators are rare—but they show what’s possible when content is made with intention, not just for attention.

To improve Nepal’s content space, we need to focus on:

• Creating real impact—inform, inspire, or help increase sales.
• Professional discipline—timely delivery, clarity, transparency.
• Community and collaboration—not competition.
• Audience-first mindset—look at the real effect, not just numbers.

The title “influencer” should be earned, not claimed.

Creators must stop chasing trends blindly and start building their own style. They should ask: Who is my audience? Why am I creating this? Is it useful?

Likewise, brands should stop judging by follower count alone. They must ask:

• What kind of content does the influencer make?
• Who watches it?
• Does it send a message or change minds?

Final message: Look beyond the views

Nepal has talent, stories, and the ability to create powerful content. But we must stop hiding behind views and start focusing on value. The real question isn’t “How many views did I get?” but “Who did I impact?”

Now is the time to shift from attention to authenticity.