I have been spending endless hours on TikTok during the last few weeks since my curiosity keeps telling me to watch just one more video. I am definitely experiencing the feeling of missing out on something very cool or creative. I have mentioned in my previous post that I have restrictions set on my TikTok account since I share one with my daughter and my son likes to watch the videos as well. Sometimes I come across inappropriate songs or content, but I feel that it is not more than what kids are being exposed to on the various radio-, and tv stations.
I did want to know more about TikTok, so I went on their website to find out about the content that I miss out on for different reasons. In the newsroom, there are a number of articles highlighting some of the memorable TikTok moments, such as Charlie Puth seeking help from TikTok in coming up with the lyrics for one of the melodies he created. What I loved about this was, that many people collaborated and came up with creative content. It was quite successful and Charlie Puth did end up finding the right lyrics for his song. This was a great example for Digital Communication and Collaboration as well as Digital Etiquette, two of Mike Ribble’s 9 elements of digital citizenship.
Under TikTok shows heart on Valentine’s Day, I came across some valuable content, such as a recipe and tutorial for molten lava cake, as well as a TikTok showing great Digital Etiquette by addressing not only couples but single people as well, bringing a smile to everyone’s face on Valentin’s Day.
I also like the TikTok videos with the main focus on managing screen time. Obviously TikTok is aware of its addictive quality. What I appreciated about these recordings was that they are addressing one of Mike Ribble’s elements on digital citizenship by teaching Digital Health and Welfare.
There was still a missing piece I needed information on, the Digital Commerce. My main focus was looking into ways TikTok can be used to make money online. According to the article “How to make money from TikTok”, the #1 way is to become an influencer, that can lead to being approached by brands to showcase their products in your videos. I also came across an Instagram Marketer, Elise Darma who presents six ways to make money on TikTok:
- Growing a TikTok profile around a ‘niche topic’ then reaching out to brands and selling the account to them. This also means that the purchasing brand would have access to all those followers. I just wonder how this fits into the Digital Etiquette and the Digital Rights and Responsibility category?
- Going live and collecting donations from viewers. TikTok has a built in monetization, with the opportunity to buy coins.100 coins cost $1.39. Viewers can send coins to the creators of the videos, that the creators can turn into diamonds, converting them into cash through PayPal.
- Being part of influencer campaigns
- ADS platform, by signing up for TikTok ads
- Offering management services to creators
- Offering consulting services to boost their strategy to become TikTok famous
According to Elise Darma, another way business owners can make money from TikTok is to use it for growing an already existing business. She shares five creative ideas for TikTok videos that might be helpful for the world to get to know you and your business.
It seems that there is a lot more behind TikTok, than being a simple entertaining platform. I am looking forward to learning more about it and maybe experimenting with creating my own video. If I will ever be able to figure out how to make one. Lol
Melinda,
I love how you have related your apps (specifically Tik Tok) to Ribble’s Nine Elements. I think this is a great way to frame your app reviews, while also pulling in some class content! I’ve always wondered how people make money on social media apps like Instagram and Tik Tok. This is so ambiguous to me because the apps are free to create and view content, so how can anyone make money on this? Elise Darma talks about selling Tik Tok accounts, but the necessity to build up a following first… So you’re essentially selling a following of people. I have never given much thought to using social media (especially Tik Tok) as a way to make money either through becoming an influencer or offering management/consulting advice on monetizing the platform. This makes me wonder about the possibilities of Tik Tok in education. It really does seem like the sky is the limit!
Tik Tok is definitely addicting and I feel like some of these apps capitalize on the addictive qualities their social media platform. However, I appreciate Tik Tok’s initiative in managing screen time! As far as I know, other apps like Tik Tok (e.g.: Instagram, Facebook, etc.) do not have a screen time management feature. Thank you for sharing!
I look forward to following your journey!
-Leigh
Hi Melinda
Good for you to dive deep into TikTok to see what makes it so attractive and interesting to many. Like you, I enjoy the entertaining videos and am amazed by the creativity for some.
I can tell you that as a marketer, I am very reluctant to advertise on TikTok. The reason being is that it doesn’t offer the same opportunities to be very targeted on who sees your ads. It feels more interruptive, and the ads that I currently see are the same as the ones that my 14 year old son sees. So – not all that relevant for either of us! It is mass advertising, and it reminds me of Youtube video ads that are unskippable – an annoyance!
I think that the opportunities are in content creators – people who are masterful at creating unique and interesting content. I did hire a TikTok dad creator who shared a video he created for a recreation service we offer in Calgary. It was difficult to determine how many people would see the ad – which is typically how you determine the cost of ads and media. Instead, our payment focused on his ability to create a video, that I could repurpose on Instagram too.
Keep these great updates coming!
Nancy