Being TikTok famous is a ‘career’ that’s only really been around for a couple of years. Whether by chance or on purpose, being a TikTok star is about more than just making a single video that gets a lot of views. I am by no means a TikTok star but I do enjoy creating TikTok videos and I’ve come to realize that keeping up your channel is actually a lot of hard work.
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For anyone who doesn’t know, TikTok is a video-focused social media platform that allows users to create videos up to three minutes long. It was launched in 2016 and quickly grew in popularity. By 2018 it had 500 million subscribers and was the Apple store’s most downloaded app. TikTok now has over 700 million subscribers and is the seventh most used app in the world.
So how do you become TikTok famous? Well sometimes, it’s completely by chance. There’s no telling when or if a video might become viral but if it does, you can be sure your follower count will shoot up quicker than you can say TikTok. However, if you’re not one of the lucky ones who turn into a viral sensation overnight, there are a few things you can do to draw in the views.
1. Keep content consistent
When you start posting on TikTok, it’s a good idea to decide what type of stuff you want to post and stick to it. The most popular people/channels on TikTok usually revolve around one thing. That could be anything from documenting beautiful parts of the world, sharing recipe ideas, reading poems, making art or styling outfits. There are of course channels that feature lots of different types of videos and once you've got the followers, you can start expanding on your content.
@norskdesigns ♬ Something's Got A Hold On Me - Etta James
2. Post at least once a day
To keep followers coming back, not only do you need to be conscious of the type of content you post, but you also need to be consistent with when you post. If you have dreams of becoming a TikTok star, it’s a good idea to create a backlog of content before you start posting. If you can come up with two weeks worth of videos for example and keep them in our drafts, there won’t be so much pressure to film something new every single day. There are also better times of day to post but that will depend on where in the world you live.
3. Get involved with TikTok trends
One of the features that sets TikTok apart from other social media platforms are trends. They can be anything from using a certain sound to learning a dance routine or recreating recipes that went viral. While you mostly want your posts to be organic, jumping on trends is a great way of gaining followers quickly, especially if you find a way to make them funny or unique.
4. Engage with other TikTokers
Whether it’s by commenting, liking or subscribing to other TikTokers profiles, engaging with other people similar to you on TikTok is a great way of making your account known. There is also a really cool feature called Duet where you can collaborate on someone else's video may that be by singing, sharing your opinions or copying a dance and sharing it to your page.
@emilykristenmorris ♬ original sound - Valencia Grace
5. Have fun and be true to yourself
Nothing will shine through more than if you’re having a good time and expressing who you really are in your videos. Whether you’re giving people photography tips, talking about your experiences, making suggestions of things to do/places to visit, make sure you’re being true to yourself. Don’t say things you wouldn’t say to your friends or people you meet out and about as it will come across forced. Some people on TikTok get famous because people simply like who they are and what they have to say.
@sophiediener ♬ cherry wine jonah kagen cover - Jonah
6. Don't give up
If you haven’t risen to TikTok stardom in the first few days, don’t give up straight away. Rome wasn’t built in a day so be patient, keep up with your niche content, be inspired by other TikTokers and slowly but surely, the views on your videos will increase.
@motiveforsuccess ♬ Hometown - Dumplings
TikTok has faced some controversy over the last few years. Some people think it’s a waste of time, some don't understand it all and others don't see the point in yet another scrolling app. Sure, there are a lot of rubbish videos on there but for every awful video, there's one that will make you cry tears of laughter. Some will teach you something, some might just change your outlook on life and others might make you feel better about yourself, your future or your place in this world. If you feel like you have something worth sharing with the world, it doesn’t matter how old you are, there’s a space for you on the app. Be careful though, it is addictive. Once you start scrolling it's hard to stop.
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