So, you’ve discovered Tik Tok and decided to give in to the temptation. Congratulations! Like its predecessor, Vine, Tik Tok is a creative platform for short videos. However, unlike Vine, it has more editing and audio choices, and the videos are slightly longer. Nonetheless, these short video apps are surprisingly lucrative.
Social media is a huge part of daily life. Tik Tok started out slowly, somewhere between Vine and the app Musical.ly. Vine has long since disappeared (may it rest in peace) and Musical.ly never caught on at the same level. With Tik Tok, though, creators have found a new outlet for silly, funny, and highly creative short videos. These videos quickly become viral sensations – remember kombucha girl? Her real name is Brittany, and one short video made her famous. She’s all over Twitter and YouTube now, as well as gaining thousands of followers overnight. She now has 1.3 million followers on Tik Tok (and counting!).
So can anyone become famous on Tik Tok? Absolutely!
The app is super user-friendly, so with a few creative ideas and your own twists on the trends, you can easily start a Tik Tok “career”. The nature of social media means there is no surefire timeline for blowing up online. However, if you know how to use the app and use your own understanding of the internet to your advantage, you could gain yourself a following.
Popular Types of Tik Tokers
Commonly called “Tik Tokers”, creators on the app often have different niches. Finding your niche and knowing how to appeal to those audiences can only help your appeal. Even those who have a “brand” – like popular cosplayers – often branch out into other Tik Tok areas to get noticed. Finding a niche doesn’t mean you’re limiting your creativity. Instead, it means understanding what works for audiences and your own interests. All of this can help you gain followers and recognition.
Finding your niche will help you improve your content since you’ll have a base to start from. Based on the “fyp” (for your page) hashtag on the app, here are some of the most popular kinds of Tik Tok creators.
Cosplayers
Cosplay, in the past, was somewhat taboo. Only “nerds” did cosplay and went to conventions. However, since the rise of the internet – and Tik Tok, especially – cosplay has become very popular. Even “casual” cosplay or closet cosplay (things from your closet) can get thousands of likes in a day. Obviously the more invested you are, the more your audience will be as well.
It doesn’t mean you have to be amazing. Putting your own spin on beloved characters is well appreciated. There are also popular chains of short videos – where multiple users link their videos together with the same audio. One that comes up relatively often is a “mafia oc” chain. There are dozens of popular Tik Tok creators who participate in this role play. Each has created a character and outfits, and they frequently interact with others in the same mafia “game”.
Trends come and go on the app and jumping on them quickly when they appear works to your advantage. A major trend right now is the musical Beetlejuice, with multiple audios used across the app. Cosplayers have jumped on this, dressing up as Beetlejuice himself, as well as Lydia, her father, Miss Argentina, and other “spooky” characters. Cosplay can be very lucrative if you know what you are doing.
Beauty
Makeup artists are also a big deal on the app. Even if you don’t consider yourself a guru if you’re good at makeup, use it. Everything from tutorials to your own beauty routines, to a great smoky eye, can make it big. This is another instance where using trends to your advantage helps, too. There are comedic audios on the app that you can use during your video to add an extra kick.
As on YouTube, beauty creators do very well. Makeup is booming right now, and the target audience of Tik Tok are of an age where make up is starting to appeal to them. Whether you just want to show your daily looks or combine it with other things, these Tik Toks can do really well. Consider combining it with a “cosplay”! Themed looks often appear on others’ “fyp” because they have already expressed interest in the trend or cosplay.
Comedy
One of everyone’s favorite things about Vine was its comedic appeal. Short videos are even funnier because they are so short. Using one of Tik Tok’s many wacky audios, or creating your own, for a punchline is very appealing. A lot of clips go viral simply because they’re funny. If you have an affinity for comedy, try some of these audios are doing your own twist on them.
Even things you may not realize are funny can be funny. With some editing and clever hashtags, your brand of funny could become everyone’s brand of funny.
A Few More Tips
- Pay attention to popular trends. Trends can be looks, audios, characters, or something else entirely. Participate in the trends while they’re still popular, and you’ll definitely get some more attention – and followers!
- Try doing duets with other Tik Tokers, if you’re comfortable. Often their followers will find your video too, and maybe they’ll follow you!
- Going viral or becoming internet famous might not happen in an instant. Don’t give up on it – stay determined and grow along with the app and the trends!
- Hashtags are your friend! “Fyp” and “for your page” are especially useful, as they can make your videos show up on random timelines in their “for you” section.
Conclusion
Tik Tok has created a whole new brand of a social media star. With the right content and attitude, you can gain popularity and followers in a snap! Find your style, follow the trends, and don’t beat yourself up if followers aren’t immediately flowing in – it could take time! Stick with it, and keep making your awesome content.
