TikTok

What is TikTok?

TikTok is a popular social media platform for creating and sharing short video clips that are typically 15-60 seconds long. TikTok was released in 2016 and is targeted toward the younger audience, but there are people of all ages with popular content pages. Videos commonly shared include, singing, dancing, educational videos, movie clips, voiceovers and lip-syncing, where users can use their own audio, or choose from other users’ audios to add to their own videos. TikTok used to be primarily for entertainment purposes, but is increasingly becoming more popular as an outlet to share news, tips, tutorials, and reviews. When creating an account, you can choose to have a private or a public account and you can also follow, message and comment on other people’s content. Most content that people consume from TikTok comes from their “For You” page, where a personalized feed of videos is created for you to scroll through and interact with, based on your digital footprint. A person’s digital identity refers to their online presence and personal data that is linked back to them (Avast, 2020), where TikTok utilizes this information to expose you to videos that will be relatable and interesting based on your online presence. Personally, I use TikTok as a visitor, rather than a resident and therefore I do not post my own content but have created a PLN through the videos that I view and other users’ content that I interact with.

What features & characteristics of TikTok makes it effective for personal learning?

I think that TikTok is a great example of how with all social media platforms, your digital footprint is what makes social media and technology effective for personalized learning, because the content is targeted to fulfill what you are seeking to learn about. The TikTok For You page allows for an effective way for content to be personalized. The algorithm is carefully designed to show videos that the individual is interested in, or has previously spent time watching or searching up. The content is curated to that individual, making it an effective technology for personal learning. It is still important to question the content that you are seeing and be conscious of fake news (Miller, 2021). If you watch videos posted by reliable sources and interact with positive and respectful content, this is what will continue to appear. 

How does TikTok allow you to enhance/develop your digital identity/reputation?

TikTok allows users to post a wide range of content, where popular accounts often have a niche, where they are known for providing education or entertainment on a specific topic. Their videos then appear on the For You page of people close in their area, or those who enjoy watching content similar to what they post. The profile customization and freedom to post about nearly anything allows for great personalization. The identity you want to create for yourself and what you want to be known for sharing is completely up to you. Your PLN creates a narrative of how other people view you online. Individuals are then able to build a career off of sharing their life, or just post and engage for enjoyment purposes. It is important to keep in mind that when creating your PLN, to prioritize your own best interest and mental health. When you begin to share your life online, people create narratives of you in their head and may hold you to an unrealistic standard. I often see online creators being accused by their audience, or becoming known for something that is false. Although TikTok is a great platform for developing a digital identity through your own PLN, you could become a public figure overnight and there is no way to make everyone online happy.

How to build a presence on TikTok:

After considering the content we have learnt through the weekly readings and class discussions, as well as my own personal experiences and some information from a blog posted by Acquire Agency (2021) on growing a business presence on TikTok, I have created seven points on how I think you could build an online presence via TikTok: 

• To have a successful PLN, you must be authentic and show your personality. Avoid delivering your content to your audience in an advertising manner (Acquire Agency, 2021) and instead show creativity and authenticity in the content you share.
• Build a content strategy by determining your niche. To promote your PLN, choose something that aligns with your interests, rather than just focusing on what you think people will be interested in viewing. Again, users enjoy authenticity. For example, you may choose to post cooking videos, daily “get ready with me” videos, or life hacks.
• Be consistent and regular with your posts in order to keep your audience engaged. Some content creators will film multiple videos ahead of time if they will not have time to film daily, and then post these drafts later on so that they are still providing their audience with regular content.
• Reference using hashtags and paid ads to increase your views. These paid ads may include branded effects, branded hashtags, in-feed ads, and so on (Acquire Agency, 2021).
• Feedback from your viewers. It is impossible to please everybody, but listening to what your audience enjoys seeing and interacting with your watchers, so they feel personally connected to you.
• Participate in things that are currently trending and partner with other creators. People love seeing when two public figures that they like (who perhaps did not previously know each other) come together and collaborate.
• Cross-promote on other platforms and link your other social media accounts to your TikTok account. Or, share your TikTok videos on Instagram as well if you have a following on Instagram.

How to know that your PLN is a success & my personal experiences:

When I first downloaded TikTok, my PLN was based on being a visitor, where I did not plan to post videos, but just wanted to see others post relatable content for enjoyment purposes. I initially thought that I would use it to mindlessly scroll, but over time it has shifted to have more of a learning and educational value to me. I recently went traveling in Europe, and before going I was able to look up other peoples videos of must-see landmarks, things to be cautious of in certain areas, or reviews on different restaurants with detailed visuals. This helped prepare me for my travels and once I started searching these places, they began to appear on my For You page with further information and tips that I initially would not have thought to research. My PLN also consists of videos on tips for school, such as how people have set themselves up for a successful and organized school year, or resources where you can access discounted textbooks. Overall, I think that your PLN can become a success when you meet your original goals of what you wanted to achieve when creating your social media account, but also when you are gaining new knowledge and modifying your goals to better fit your happiness and wellbeing. Goals can change – previously my intentions with TikTok were personal and leisurely, but now my PLN is also based on educational and daily-life learning purposes.

References

Acquire Agency (2021, August 20). How to grow a business presence on TikTok. Acquire Agency. https://www.acquireagency.com/blog/how-to-grow-a-business-presence-on-tiktok 

Avast (2020) What is digital identity?. Avast. https://blog.avast.com/what-is-digital-identity-avast

Miller, J. (2021, June 6). EDCI 338 – Media literacy with Julie Smith. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57r3-aEnci0

Moore, S. (2016) One Without the Other: Stories of Unity Through Diversity and Inclusion. Portage & Main Press