Short video sharing apps have witnessed a surge in the user bases. According to recent statistics, entertainment platforms have seen their monthly active users rise by 90 percent during 2021. Short video sharing apps within the same period have seen active users grow by 300 percent on a monthly basis and time spent on these platforms rose by a staggering 84 percent. The Pakistani market has reflected these trends. Besides providing audiences with a unique place to view content belonging to diverse genres, short video sharing platforms like Likee have enabled creators to transform their lives considerably. Many users have started from scratch only to accumulate immense popularity while basking from the appreciation and affection that they receive from respective audiences. We sat down with some of the creators who are contributing significantly to these platforms particularly Likee and let them tell us how their lives transformed thanks to the videos that they were making. Social media platforms including short video sharing services are contributing extensively towards transforming individual lives by not just offering them a creative outlet for their talents but providing an opportunity for financial independence, spreading social awareness, connecting with like-minded individuals while honing their skills and also playing a role in strengthening national identity. Jawad is a content creator who has built a following of 1.2 million fans and 25.7 million likes since he joined the platform. He belongs to the city of Gujranwala and has risen through the ranks becoming one of the most frequent contributors to Likee. Along with his energetic group of friends, he works on amazing videos that have a dramatic element within them. One of his most famous postings is a humorous take on how men truly want to let their opinions known but are scared of taking such a big risk. When asked about his journey through 2021, Jawad was extremely ecstatic regarding his achievements stating that; “If I were to summarize the year 2021 in three words it would be joy, happiness and achievement for me. I earned a blue badge from Likee during this time and accumulated substantial appreciation from my fans. According to him, his favourite video by far that he posted was him dancing in the classroom with his friends. It had a lot of bloopers and was extremely fun to shoot for the entire group. It turned into an experience worth remembering. “Likee is an amazing platform that is uncovering hidden talents and although there are a lot of discussions around these platforms and the content posted on them, I would say that there are positive and negative aspects to everything. It is always better to focus on the encouraging side,” he said when expressing his views on the current state of short video sharing platforms in the country. He concluded with a lot of gratitude towards his followers and blessings for new beginnings as we enter a new calendar year. Other creators have experienced similar appreciation and acclaim from their audiences. Danish Ali is an influencer from Karachi with 1 million fans and 20.9 million likes across his videos. His series #SpreadHumanity has served as a medium of inspiration for millions of his followers to play their part in spreading a fair share of good amongst the relevant communities. “2021 was amazing for me in terms of virality and followers. I would like to thank my followers for making my new year exceptional and it is the love I receive from them that will encourage me to work with greater zeal in 2022,” Danish summarized his journey through the year that passed and his plans for the one that has begun. When asked about his opinion on short video sharing apps especially Likee, he noted that; “Likee inspires creators like me to gain financial independence besides incredible followers who motivate us a lot to perform better,” Lala jee is another creator who has been garnering immense attention on the platform. With 4.77 million followers at the time of writing this article, he has accumulated a large fan base with videos revolving around every day funny situations that involve his business and family members, entertaining audiences exceptionally. The content creator from Rawalpindi was all praise for Likee and the opportunities that it offers. “Likee has been an amazing service for me especially in terms of the love that I’ve received. I’ve used this platform to promote responsible entertainment-based content to my audiences. One of the videos posted on his channel which is together with his son, addressing the topic of vaccination, received immense praise while sending an important message to the community. It also one of his most entertaining pieces of content to shoot in his own words. “I enjoy creating content on this platform for the reason that the acknowledgment that you receive in return is extremely motivating and I send a lot of gratitude to my fans for their support. For 2022, I look forward to delivering more content along the same line while working towards achieving 10 million followers on the service,” he concluded. In celebration of the New Year, Likee also launched a #Flashback2021 challenge for creators to post a compilation of their best videos throughout the year. The platform wanted to highlight the trends of joy and entertainment that the app facilitated over the past 12 months. “On Likee, people of diverse professions, ages, and backgrounds discover their unique value and contribute delight to their followers. We are continuously working on enhancing their experiences through unique propositions, challenges, activities and rewards that can keep the momentum going. It gives us great pleasure to witness the growth and showcase of talents from far flung areas across Pakistan through our app and fulfil our social responsibility by encouraging positive contents like vaccination and mental health care.” said a Likee representative when asked to comment on the app and its performance across the year. Before the introduction of short video platforms, individuals not just in Pakistan but around the world didn’t have an appropriate outlet where their subtle yet creative potential can be realized. These applications offer incentives not just in terms of recognition but also in offering a revenue stream that can be utilized in numerous ways. Platforms like Likee are therefore serving as a portal for individuals belonging to diverse backgrounds and lacking extensive resources for video content creation to realize their potential dreams in a friendly manner. Likee is a leading global platform for creating, viewing, and sharing short-form mobile videos. Its superior video editing tools inspire real-life creativity with over 2,000 effects. Likee offers you an opportunity not only to be seen and heard but also to shine. Here you belong to a creative community that never stops making a rainbow of videos and interacting as a family. Made by Singapore-based BIGO Technology and launched in 2017, Likee has been one of the most popular short-video communities in the world and ranked the fourth most downloaded social media app worldwide according to Sensor Tower in January 2020.