There’s no longer any dispute – TikTok is a powerful social media platform for the youth of the world. Everyone from tweens to young adults is on TikTok, whether they are creating content or simply scrolling for fun videos in their area of interest. And there truly is something for everyone.
So, if you’re interested in growing a following, TikTok really is the place to become an influencer because most brands want to reach young people.
The Rise of TikTok
Since 2018, TikTok has had a meteoric rise among young people, and it has remained largely a platform for that demographic.
What was once two different video and dance platforms for kids has morphed into a mass conglomerate with a market share of 44% of U.S. video sharing app installs.
Just a few years after the merger between Chinese music and video company Douyin and Western company Musical.ly, Tiktok now has millions of users that include celebrities and politicians.
If you want attention in this world, you’ve got to get on TikTok.
What Is a TikTok Influencer?
In short, a TikTok influencer has the power to reach millions, potentially billions, of people because the algorithm is seemingly random.
Your video has more potential to go viral on TikTok than on any other platform precisely because users log on to TikTok with the intention of seeing content they would not otherwise know how to access.
Unlike Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, you can find videos from people you don’t follow quite easily.
Which poises TikTok creators (influencers) to get in front of large audiences quickly.
Those who continue to use it successfully gain followers exponentially, and their following can grow into the millions.
A professional influencer knows to create an engaging, short form video, anywhere from 15 to 60 seconds, and to keep that video relevant to their account.
In short, you want your audience to know what to expect from you, and then deliver.
Successful influencers understand their audience, typically have a strong online presence on other platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube, and collaborate with other influencers and companies that align with their message and brand.
You can find get details on the TikTok creator program here.
Can You Get Paid to Create TikTok Videos?
Can you make money on TikTok?
Yes. You absolutely can get paid to create TikTok videos. But it will take time, energy, and dedication to get to that point.
Think of becoming a TikTok influencer as a full-time job. You must step into your role as a social media maven.
TikTok pays its creators who create high quality, obviously popular videos time and again.
Not everyone gets paid to create videos, and it takes a lot of time to gain a strong following and make good money.
You can check out the TikTok influencer calculator here to roughly estimate what it takes to make good money.
What Steps Should I Take to Become a TikTok Influencer?
So, you’re ready to jump in with both feet and start making TikTok money as an influencer? Check out the steps below to get the ball (or video) rolling.
Steps for a TikTok Influencer
Create Engaging TikTok Videos
The biggest trick to becoming an influencer on any platform, and especially on TikTok, is to have your finger on the pulse of your audience.
It is not enough to simply create great videos using TikTok’s array of editing and enhancement tools. You must know what audiences are watching now, what they are hungry for, what is relevant to them, and then create something innovative that speaks to all of that.
This will require you to spend a fair amount of time watching your competitors and your mentors, gauging what they do right as well as where they go wrong.
Then get started making your own videos and watch how they perform.
Build a Following by Consistently Posting to TikTok
You will fail at first.
And that’s okay.
You have to get really comfortable knowing that your first, and perhaps your first hundred videos, will likely not be great or even good. It’s essential to know your goals and to keep aiming at them single-mindedly.
Learn from your mistakes, compare your videos to those of your competitors, and get really clear on where you are failing so you can correct course as you go.
This persistence, patience, and consistency will gain you a following over time.
The better you get, the more followers you will get, and the more likely they are to share your videos, gaining you an even bigger following.
Engage with Other TikTok Users
A key to success on TikTok, like with most other platforms, is to engage with your competitors and mentors. Share their videos, like and comment on their content.
Show up.
The more you cheer on others, the more likely they are to cheer you on. And while you may not gain the attention of someone with 12 million followers, you may gain the attention of some of those followers, who will then take the time to check out, then follow and share, your account.
Consider Paid Ads to Grow Your TikTok Following
When you are just starting out, paying for advertisements on TikTok may help you gain a bigger following more quickly.
It can be difficult to get the attention of the TikTok algorithm when you’re brand new, and paid ads help you get an edge.
Just be sure that you already have a steady stream of content and enough videos to warrant a follow when you pay for advertisements.
Otherwise, you’re directing potential followers to your account only to have them not find enough content to engage with and then leave.
Commit to Success on TikTok
Patience is key to all success, and that is nowhere more true than on TikTok.
Becoming a truly successful influencer on TikTok will take time, effort, and energy, and it’s not for the faint of heart.
The good news is that it is possible.
The tough news is that it takes work.
Commit to your success on TikTok, and you have a great shot and seeing it come to fruition.
I hope you enjoyed this article on how to become a TikTok influencer. If you have tips and tricks to share with our readers, make sure to leave them in the comments below. I love hearing from our community!
— Sean