TikTok as a boost to your personal brand

Two weeks ago I started a series of 4 chapters on social networks, and at the moment I have been dealing with the platforms Twitter, Linkedin E Instagram.

And today we end the series with TikTok, the network that has grown the most thanks to video in recent years.

So today I present TikTok as a boost to your personal brand, but I do it with someone who knows much more than I do about this platform: It's called Berta Recolons, And yes, is my daughter, the one that taught me how to use the platform, pure generation Z.

Here's a one-minute summary:

If you prefer to listen to it on podcast, here you have it in iVoox, Apple Podcast And Spotify.

What is TikTok and what is it for??

The Chinese translation of TikTok Is, Literally, "stir the music". According to the expert Pedro Rojas @seniormanager, TikTok is an App to create videos with background music, with an algorithm that analyzes the interests and preferences of users through their interactions with the content, to then show them personalized content.

The expert Fatima Martinez @fatimamartinezlope, author of "The TikTok Book" (Anaya Multimedia, 2021), adds that navigation is vertical and mobile, full screen, and that music is an essential part of this network, with more than 7.000 themes in your gallery

Videos of all kinds can be found at TikTok, from DIY tricks and makeup tutorials to games and sports. People can let their imagination run wild in TikTok, since there is not actually a type of content “Right” Or “wrong”. 

We can use TikTok to acquire new skills, learn to play an instrument or even connect with people with whom we share interests.

How does TikTok work??

Importantly, TikTok started with 15" videos, then expanded to 60" and currently allows up to 10 minutes.

Videos are often fun and make the most of editing tools to make them as memorable as possible.

Although most of the content you'll find is optimistic, fun and cheerful, the platform is also used to respond to political events and movements, as the campaign #BlackLivesMatter, or the COVID-19 pandemic.

Unlike most of its competitors, TikTok does not require the user to add any information to their profile: are given a user number, but if they add a name, a profile picture or any other personal information is your choice.

Users have complete creative control of their content. Assembling a video is very easy and there are a variety of tools available to enhance the content, as music, Filters, effects, text and stickers.

Users don't need an account to watch videos on TikTok, but if they want to like it, Comment, customize your feed or create your own video content, they will be asked to register for a free account.

When you log in for the first time, the user will be prompted to log in using their email, your Google account or by linking TikTok to one of your other social media accounts, For example, Facebook or Twitter.

In January, 2021, TikTok updated their privacy settings so that the accounts of minors of 16 years are set to private by default.

A recent update also prevents anyone from downloading content produced by users under the age of 16.

History of TikTok

TikTok was born from the merger of two very popular applications, Douyin and Musical.ly. It's based on many of the same features found on those platforms and is primarily a social media app where users can create and watch short video snippets., often accompanied by music.

Since its launch, the app has consistently remained at the top of Apple Store and Google Play Store downloads.

TikTok Timeline

2014

• Musical.ly was a social media video platform that allowed users to create short lip sync and comedy videos., initially released in August 2014.
• The 9 November 2017, the parent company of TikTok, ByteDance, disbursed up to 1.000 million dollars to buy musical.ly, a startup based in Shanghai and with an overseas office in Santa Monica (California, USA.). 

2016

• TikTok and its Chinese version, Douyin, have almost the same user interface, but they do not have access to each other's content.

2017

• The app was launched as TikTok in the international market in September 2017. The 23 January 2018, the app TikTok ranked first among free app downloads in app stores in Thailand and other countries.

2018

• Looking to tap into the young user base of the American digital platform, TikTok merged with musical.ly the 2 August 2018 to create a larger video community, with existing accounts and data consolidated in a single app, keeping the title of TikTok. This ended musical.ly and converted to TikTok in a worldwide app, excluding China, since this country already has Douyin.
• TikTok became the most downloaded app in the United States in October 2018, something that musical.ly had already achieved once

2019

• In February 2019, TikTok, together with Douyin, reached one billion downloads worldwide.
• Notable collaborations between larger brands and major influencers of TikTok have included Chipotle's partnership with David Dobrik in May 2019 and the Dunkin Association’ Donuts with Charli D'Amelio in September 2020.
• Trends are displayed on the navigation page of TikTok or on the page with the search logo.
• The company introduced the hashtag #EduTok it received 37 one billion visits. After this development, the company initiated partnerships with edtech startups to create educational content on the platform.
• TikTok and the NFL announced a multi-year partnership.

2020

• TikTok allowed many bands to gain a wider audience, often including foreign fans. The platform received some criticism for not paying royalties to artists whose music is used on its platform.. More than 176 Different songs exceeded one billion video views on TikTok.
• TikTok announced a “family safety mode” so parents can control their children's digital well-being.
• TikTok appointed Shou Zi Chew as its new CEO, who took over from interim CEO Vanessa Pappas, following the resignation of Kevin A. Mayer on 27 August 2020.
• The 3 August, Donald Trump, threatened to ban the App in the United States on 15 September if negotiations for the company to be bought by Microsoft or another company failed “very American”. 
• From 2014, the first apps with more than 3.000 millions of downloads were Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger; all of them belonging to Meta. TikTok it was the first non-Facebook app to reach that figure.
• TikTok banned Holocaust denialism, but other conspiracy theories were echoed on the platform, like Pizzagate and QAnon.
• The 27 In July, Egypt sentenced five women to two years in prison for videos of TikTok. One of them, for dancing.
• The app expanded its parental control feature called “Family Pairing” in September 2020 to provide parents and guardians with educational resources to understand what children are exposed to on TikTok.

2021

• The New York Times reported that the viral videos of TikTok made by young people who related the emotional impact of books in them, labeled with the label “BookTok“, significantly boosted literature sales.
• The platform revealed that it will stop sending push notifications after the 21 hours to users between 13 And 15 years.
• In 2021, TikTok Obtained 4.000 million dollars in advertising revenue.
• TikTok updated its privacy policy to include the collection of biometric data, Including “facial and voice fingerprints.” 
• Cases of white TikTokers stealing content created by black content creators were observed. In June 2021, the New York Times published an investigation into this practice as part of the Hulu documentary, Who gets to be an influencer?
• In October, TikTok launched a test feature that allows users to give money directly to certain creators. The accounts of users who are of legal age, have at least 100.000 followers and accept the conditions can activate a button of “Tip” in your profile, that allows followers to give any amount of money.
• TikTok started testing the beta version of Live Studio, streaming software that would allow users to stream open applications on their computers, including games. The software was also released with support for streaming on mobile and PC.

2022

• Bytedance and Oracle negotiated that Oracle take over the data storage of TikTok in the United States.
• The Washington Post reported that Meta (Facebook) had paid Targeted Victory — a consulting firm backed by supporters of the U.S. Republican Party- to coordinate pressure and media campaigns against TikTok. 
• In May, TikTok announced TikTok Pulse, an advertising revenue sharing programme. Covers the “4% highest of all videos” and is only available to creators with more than 100.000 Followers.
• In August 2022, Software engineer and security researcher Felix Krause discovered that the TikTok contained keylogger functionality.

Today. TikTok Stats

• Users of TikTok pass more than 850 minutes per month in the app (more than 14h, approx 30 minutes a day)
• TikTok already has 1.000 millions of monthly active users (January 2022)
• 3.000 millions of people have downloaded the app
• Every minute, are displayed 167 Millions of videos of TikTok
• The entertainment category is the most popular in TikTok according to hashtags
• It is the second most popular iPhone app downloaded on 2020
• It is the most popular iPhone app downloaded in the United States at 2021
• Most popular global app downloaded worldwide on 2020 And 2021
• It is present in more than 150 Countries
• You can find it in 75 Languages

Before you create an account on TikTok check this

If you are very jealous with the privacy of your data, better not to create profiles on any social network, Or TikTok, where your data is accessible to the Chinese government, or any of the others, where the same thing happens with the U.S. government. Written is.

If you overcome the heat, you should know that you don't need to be Gen-Z or centennial to enjoy, learn or mentor in TikTok. 

But if you want to address this generation Z (attention schools, universities and recruiters of the planet), TikTok it is ab-so-lu-ta-men-te indispensable.

If you want to be influencer or millionaire without giving a stick to the water, forget about TikTok and YouTube, Instagram... I don't know anyone who has been successful in these networks who doesn't spend many hours a day on these platforms.. It's easy to see the tip of the Iceberg without seeing what's underneath that supports it..

7 reasons why TikTok is a great driver of your personal brand

1 Show your most creative side

If you are there as an observer, you will not be able to enhance your brand, but if you create, you produce videos and provide DIFFERENTIAL value, you're in the right place. TikTok It's him Behance of the videos.

2 Helps you differentiate yourself

For example, Yes 100 people apply for a job, but you are the only person who shows videos expressing your opinion on how to improve aspects of a labor sector, you'll stand out from the crowd and capture the attention of recruiters (Yes, good recruiters are also in TikTok).

3 Helps you reach the most important brands in the world, that are shown open and close

The most important brands and great entrepreneurs are already taking advantage of the massive audience in TikTok to grow your business efficiently. But they also do not do it with the protocol tone of networks such as LinkedIn or posture such as Instagram, but they are close, no masks. That's a good opportunity to connect with those brands..

4 Helps you reach unimaginable audiences

With Goal (Instagram, Facebook...) you only reach large audiences if you pay or have good sponsors (influencers). With TikTok -and until they change the algorithm- millions of people can see your posts if you manage to do something unique and noticeable. If you are also persistent (that is not a flower of a day), you can monetize your knowledge in an extraordinary way, Products, Services.

5 Helps you connect with the youngest

If you are a recruiter, Master, or you simply think you can deliver value to Gen Z, In TikTok it will be easier for you than in any other social network.

There are some requirements, clear messages, no trap, without inviting you to go elsewhere, valuable contents, as original as possible, and if you can create trend, Bingo!

6 It makes it easy for you to produce spectacular videos

Music, Filters, an extraordinary editor, Subtitles, thousands of templates, visual effects, sound effects. All in an App that you carry in your pocket.

Like everything, has its learning curve, but I assure you that it is much shorter than a classic video editing software, and also take advantage of current trends so you can join them.

7 It is a source of inspiration and connection

The videos of TikTok deal with sensitive or controversial topics. With the use of artificial intelligence, the page “For you” , TikTok recommend specific videos that you will like and inspire.

And that will lead you to follow its creators and foster community..

There are also drawbacks, Of course

Of course, this social network, offers certain drawbacks: encourages comparison, time-consuming, is addictive,  is permissible to harassment and fake news, 

Some ideas to have a good profile on TikTok

• Good design of your TikTok profile. This is the main step to get started, your success will depend directly on the information you put as a basis in your profile: the name or nickname, a different profile picture (don't use LinkedIn), info about you or a description of your account. The main thing is brevity, brevity and interest to other users.
• Link to all your profiles. Link your Tik Tok account to all existing social media profiles, like Instagram or YouTube. This will help to further interest netizens..
• Keep your posts regular. In the world of social networks, content is king. There must be many posts, but not periodically, but constantly. Thanks to constant content, you will always be in sight and they will not forget about you soon.
• Hashtags are important. After each publication, don't forget the hashtags. No doubt, help promote your account, quickly attract new users, who will have access to your channel.
• Emotion is a winner. Those videos touch the heart, especially if you use the latest musical news that will help you promote them to the TOP.
• Free advertising. In your feed, you can safely advertise any item or thing, but it must be something very demanded and popular.
• Create interesting contests or challenges for users. The most important thing is to get users interested in participating in your contests or challenges in the best possible way. To do this, you can devise small purely symbolic gifts for them.
• Create your own special effects / Masks. To enhance your video, as well as to obtain a high score, you can come up with new special effects that, reaching trends, you will be paid income to your TikTok account.
• Consider doing marathons. There have been very popular marathons, especially those related to balanced diet or weight loss.
• Elegance, Please. If you ignore or respond rudely to user comments, your account will fall apart. Do not leave a single comment unanswered, not even if it's negative, and do it with education.
• Like and you'll get community. Making likes on other users' channels, one day they will want to know your account and follow you.
• Collaborations. You can record videos with other registered users (Duets). But the main condition is that the user's account must be at your level in terms of metrics..
• Group videos. The latest trend is videos with your relatives. You can also show your favorite pets, especially if they have any special abilities.
• Good quality of photos and videos. To boost your account, remember to upload photos or videos of the highest quality, using the best means at your disposal.
• Start by inviting your friends. To start building community, invite your friends to subscribe to TikTok.
• Don't forget the description of your videos. To gain interest from your followers, you must comment on your newly exposed photo or video. Special attention should be paid to spelling, the correct wording.
• Try to attract new users. To do this, create questionnaires on various relevant topics, ask questions during live streams, in general, everything that is aimed at interacting with users.
• You can propose incentives or bonuses. As a reward for the subscription of new users, you can come up with some kind of reward or bonus. You can also advertise to the user for free in exchange for them subscribing to your account..
• Don't buy followers. TikTok will know and penalize you. You will receive a message like this and they will remove your fake followers and all the likes they have made to you. (Source: Hootsuite): 

• Do you want to create a viral video? When you post a video on TikTok, is shown to between 300 And 500 random users. You need that around the 70% of those people watch your video Full to go viral. You already have the formula.

To know more about TikTok

• The TikTok Book, Fatima Martinez (Anaya Multimedia, 2021)

Interesting accounts to follow

• Monica Perez de las Heras, Director of the European School of Oratory
• @ladyscience Teresa Arnandis Chinesta, scientist and Doctor "Laude" in Biochemistry and Biomedicine
• @lawtips Andres Millan, Lawyer, is dedicated to giving legal advice
• @pacoescipion, Francisco Javier Álvarez is a classical philologist and an expert in etymologies
• @anhele_yeah Angels Fernandez, it reveals to us the lives of great women who have been ignored.
• @albavilchess Alba González Vilches gives tips on how to prepare for an interview or how to make a CV
• @santigarciacc Santi García Cremades is dedicated to explaining mathematics in a simple and fun way.
• @academiaplay is one of YouTube's most important historical outreach and learning channels

Tiktokers influencers

If you are interested in following those who have achieved great communities, here I leave you several profiles: @twinmelody, @juliamenugarcia, @koldoroyo, @jordi.koalitics, @conbuenhumor.

TikTok's influence on the Internet (Infographic)

All the data surprise, but attention to those of TikTok, they simply impress.

Stock Photos from Ti Vla / Shutterstock