I have been a marketing/communications intern with Find Your Influence since January and coincidentally, as a writer for a student-run lifestyle magazine, I was given the opportunity to interview five students who are considered social media influencers at JMU. My goal was to gain a better understanding of what the influencing world was really like for young college students. I wanted to unlock the truth; the good, the bad, and the ugly of the influencing world. I wanted to get a better sense of how these students balance being influencers while still trying to have a normal college experience.

Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and the ever so addictive app, TikTok, have taken the world by storm. We scroll for hours until the blue light, illuminating from our smartphones, ultimately exhausts our eyes. Five-minute break; time to scroll again.

Social media influencers have become a growing phenomenon. Influencer culture has exuded a pristine image of perfection. It has become the life that most adolescents envy; brand deals, sponsorships, money, fame and followers. Sounds like the ultimate dream, right? But what about what’s behind the camera? What about what’s off screen? The time, energy, tears shed, self-shame, death threats, humiliation. Welcome to the not-so-perfect side of being a publicized punching bag.

 Megan James | 604.3K on TikTok

What do you do as an influencer?

“I do your relatable type of content on TikTok, fashion content on Instagram and work for Snapchat by posting videos on their Spotlight Feature every day.”

Do you actually enjoy being an influencer?

“I don’t think there will ever be a point in my life where I could sit in front of everybody and complain about what I do. I can tell you that it’s a lot of work, but I wouldn’t want to do anything else. So, if I have to work for however many hours a day, then fine I’ll do it because this is what I want to do with my life. I enjoy the hell out of it. Is it exhausting? Do I want to rip my hair out sometimes? Absolutely. But who doesn’t when you’re working? It’s what I love, it’s what I’m passionate about, it’s my work, it’s everything.”

What are your goals for the future after college?

“I have some pretty fun plans coming up! I graduate this May and then in August I’m moving to Los Angeles, California. When I move out there, I’m not getting your typical job, I’m going to focus primarily on social media. At the moment, I just started working on this business idea so I might start up a business while I’m there. I’m really just going out there and throwing everything at pursuing a dream. The way I see it is that I won’t let myself fail, I can’t. I have all the time in the world to put everything I’ve got towards this one thing. Now, say it doesn’t go how I want, then I just get a job. I live, I love, I can do whatever I want, so why the hell not?”

Anna Medykowski | 322.6K on TikTok

What do you do as an influencer? When did you first get started and why?

“I first started out in December of 2020 mostly posting my outfits and dancing videos. I think the first video I ever made got around 50,000 views and I thought that was the coolest thing ever, so then I kept going and my account just slowly started going up.”

What is the most difficult part about being an influencer?

“The hate on the internet. You can post something and not even think anything is wrong with it, but people will pick it apart and find anything to comment on. I have my own humor and my own style. If you don’t like it, I don’t really care, but at the same time it’s still aggravating to see these hateful comments.”

How has becoming an influencer affected your college experience? 

“Even though I’m constantly filming TikToks and working to keep my followers, I’m still having the same college experience I would have even if I wasn’t on TikTok. Sometimes it’s a bit annoying because I don’t get to expand and do everything I want to do with TikTok. I’ve had many photographers ask me to come out to LA, but I have to say no because I can’t miss class. So right now, I’m just focusing on the people that are in my area and those who are willing to come see me.”

Spencer Aitken |  2.3M on TikTok

What do you do as an influencer?

“I typically make story time videos on TikTok. I would make story time after story time and then last summer I had my most viewed video which was close to 60 million views. That’s when I really started to gain more followers.”

Is it hard to balance doing TikTok and school?

“Yeah, definitely. I’ve been putting a lot more emphasis on school this year rather than TikTok. Before the school year started, I had the opportunity to not go to JMU and go out to LA to be a part of a content creator house, but I decided to go to school instead because my parents always emphasized getting a degree first. Even though TikTok is good money, it was important for me to focus on the long-term.”

How has becoming an influencer affected your college experience? 

“It’s definitely positively affected my college experience. I feel like it’s made me into a more confident and self-assured person. I think that has reflected on my relationships and the people I’ve met. A few years ago, I wouldn’t have the social skills that I do now. I can now be myself without any repercussions. I’ve also gotten a lot more organized. Before TikTok, I was terrible with time management, but when companies give you deadlines, you have to meet them. It’s correlated to a lot of my school assignments as well.”

Tram Tran | 881.7K on TikTok

What do you do as an influencer?

“I went viral by making all you can eat sushi videos on TikTok. My friends always knew that I ate a lot and as a joke they told me to film a TikTok and my first video ended up getting around a half a million views.”

How much time, work, and effort does it take to keep your following?

“Before becoming an influencer, I never realized how much work it takes to keep up with your following and stay relevant. I had to email my advisor and ask to do all my classes online for this semester because it’s so hard to keep up with classes along with my work. Just posting a 15 second video can take me almost three hours to make. I also have certain deadlines I have to meet for brands. I’m part of an agency where they assign me certain deadlines and if I don’t meet them, not only does it look bad on me, but it looks bad on the agency as well, so there’s a lot of pressure to ensure everything is filmed on time.”

Do you actually enjoy being an influencer?

“I have this platform where I get to make people happy which is so rewarding. I still don’t think I have grasped how many people watch me on a daily basis. Like I’m just that girl that eats on TikTok, nothing special. My favorite part about influencing is the reaction from my followers. I get a lot of DMs from girls saying how much I helped them with their eating disorders and how I encouraged them to eat today. To know that I am making someone’s day a little brighter means that this is all worth it.”

Kendall Vertes | 7.3M on TikTok

How did you get started?

“I’ve done competitive dance my whole life and eventually we got a call from the TV show, ‘Dance Moms.’ After seven years of ‘Dance Moms,’ that was the steppingstone that opened a lot of doors for everything that came after. We were getting sponsorships and a lot of us got into music, acting and modeling.”

Do you actually enjoy being an influencer?

“Overall, my life is a revolving door of posting on Instagram, filming movies and making TikToks. My life is work, but I love it. That’s what I do. The hatred that people will post about you is the hardest part. I’ve been through a lot and I have tough skin but at the same time it’s difficult to bear sometimes. It’s hard not to respond, but most of the time I just have to let it go. I guess it comes with the job.”

How has being an influencer affected your college experience? 

“It was definitely a transition. Coming to a big campus in an entirely different state where I knew no one was definitely a big change for me. Everyone here at JMU has been so nice and I never imagined having the number of friends I do. I didn’t want my friends to like me for being ‘Kendall from “Dance Moms”’ I wanted them to like me for who I am now. I don’t really consider myself an influencer at JMU, and I don’t even like to consider myself famous because I came to college to be a normal person and get the typical college experience. I didn’t want to blend the fame part of my life and the normal college part of my life, so I try and keep those separate. Sometimes I just need to take a step back and remember to live my life for myself too, not just for my followers.”

Influencers are role models, public figures, comedians, fashion-icons, and more, but they are also real humans too. They go to school, watch way too much TV, fail tests, get their hearts broken and even do the dishes. Through hard work, dedication and a strong work ethic, Megan, Anna, Spencer, Tram and Kendall have developed the strength and resilience to make it in the influencing world and have preserved through the challenges of balancing college and millions of followers.

Freelance contribution especially written for Find Your Influence by Jordan O’Connor.

The post How College Influencers are Affected by the Influencing World appeared first on Find Your Influence.

It’s difficult to know how much money a creator can make on TikTok. It often depends on where they live and where their followers live. Content creators with 100,000 followers or more can get paid $200 to $1,000 per sponsored post. Creators with a million or more followers can get paid $1,000 to $5,000+ per brand partnership.

The biggest question beginning creators often ask is “How do you make money on TikTok?” We offer the following seven ways to make money on TikTok:

1. Join the TikTok Creator Fund
2. Go Live and Collect Virtual Gifts
3. Partner With Brands in the TikTok Creator Marketplace
4. Make Money from TikTok Ads
5. Sell Merch to Users
6. Become a Consultant
7. Influencer Marketing

Join the TikTok Creator Fund

The TikTok Creator Fund is not an ad grant or revenue sharing program. Creators receive funds from their videos based on many factors. The Creator fund is a way for TikTok to thank and reward their creators for their videos and creativity. In order to join, creators must meet eligibility requirements and apply in the app through their pro/creator account.

Go Live and Collect Virtual Gifts

Going live is an easy way to make money on TikTok. Creators must have at least 1,000 followers to go live. Followers can give creators “coins” as a way to show appreciation for their content. Users can purchase 100 coins starting at $0.99. Prices vary if one chooses to purchase more coins. Once a creator has collected a certain amount of coins they can exchange them for real money through PayPal.

Partner With Brands in the TikTok Creator Marketplace

Creators can apply for the TikTok Creator Marketplace when they have 100,000 followers. This will allow them to partner with brands and get sponsorship opportunities. Videos dedicated to brand sponsorships can earn up to $1,000 for a single post with 100K views, and videos dedicated to app sponsorships can earn $100 to $250.

Make Money from TikTok Ads

TikTok Ads are a great way for businesses to widen their reach among customers. Creators can use TikTok for Business to make money by using in-feed video ads, branded Hashtags, brand takeovers, and branded effects.

Sell Merch to Users

TikTokers can sell merch (merchandise) to make money. Some items may include hoodies, sweatpants, hats, and phone cases. Creators don’t have to have millions of followers to capitalize on this idea.

Become a Consultant

If you are a TikTok expert, there are many brands and individuals who will hire you for your services. This is a good way to leverage your expertise and diversify your income.

Influencer Marketing

Brands are always looking for individuals with a large following. It’s important that the influencer relates to the brand in some way. Based on follower count and engagement, it’s possible to earn tens of thousands of dollars for a post.

Freelance contribution especially written for Find Your Influence by Katie Meyers.  Meyers is an SEO Specialist at SEO Design Chicago.

The post Top 7 Ways to Make Money on TikTok appeared first on Find Your Influence.

A little over two years ago, the then 15-year-old Charli D’Amelio joined TikTok. As she began to post videos of herself dancing in her bedroom, her follower count began to grow. Soon enough, she became the most followed person on the app and a household name. At the time of this posting, her follower count stands at 136 million and she has an estimated net worth of $20 million. Her older sister Dixie has made a name for herself in the music industry with nearly 1.6 million monthly listeners on Spotify. The D’Amelio parents, Marc and Heidi are influencers in their own right, with nearly 20 million followers combined. 

TikTok Hyper-Growth Led to a Cross-Country Move and Brand Partnerships

After the D’Amelio family moved from Connecticut to Los Angeles, they began to expand their job opportunities by teaming up with various brands. The D’Amelio sisters created their own clothing line with Hollister, along with a new Morphe makeup line, Charli became a sponsor for Dunkin Donuts with her own drink called, “The Charli”, and she is now a sponsor for Takis.  Brands have shown interest in working with the D’Amelio sisters due to their youth and vast outreach on all social media platforms despite the barrage of insults and negative feedback they receive from internet trolls. 

Social Media Backlash

Since Charli’s rise to fame, there has been backlash from the public on whether or not the D’Amelio family “deserves” to be famous. In reality, the newfound fame was never asked for. In the eight-episode series, the D’Amelio family reveals their vulnerable moments of when the dark side of social media gets to them. The stark contrast of the confident and bubbly sisters on TikTok to how they are in real life, which is more timid and anxious, is shown on purpose to exhibit how negative and hurtful comments can have a harmful effect on influencers. The D’Amelio Show gives insight on how their family and other aspiring influencers can overcome hate on the internet. 

In the first episode of The D’Amelio Show, viewers watch as Dixie breaks down after receiving hate comments calling her “musty” following leaving the gym. As she sobs to her parents she says, “Everyone picks apart every single thing I say and do and the way I look. I know it’s just people’s opinions, but it hurts so much.” Many fans showed support to Dixie as they expressed pity for the singer. Some viewers blamed the D’Amelio parents for showing their daughters in such a vulnerable situation. D’Amelio father, Marc, revealed why they included this specific scene, “I wasn’t going to put my daughter in that position, unless she 100% wanted to be. She said yes. That’s why we have cameras on us — because the main goal of ours is to tell a true story of us.” Both sisters reveal that they would much rather stay at home to avoid public scrutiny. “I’ve had a constant anxiety attack for the past four years,” Charli says. “It’s very exhausting to do this and always wonder what’s going to happen next. If I’m gonna wake up and everyone’s gonna not like me again.” Throughout the series, the sisters introduce their fellow TikTok star friends including, Avani Gregg, Madi Moore, Quen Blackwell, and more. All of these influencers relate to the sisters and show the audience and aspiring influencers how to overcome these hateful comments.

Sharing Lessons to Strengthen Other TikTok Users

The D’Amelio’s have revealed that since their move to LA, being able to connect with other influencers that are experiencing such similar drastic life changes have helped them overcome the hurtful comments. By relating to each other, it makes them feel less alone in these stressful times. The sisters have also disclosed that by staying grounded and recognizing that this is all just temporary, has made them appreciative of all the experiences they are able to partake in. In one episode, the influencers reveal that they try their best not to read any comments so it won’t impact their mood or prohibit them from wanting to continue to make content. 

Living life in the public eye brings inevitable scrutiny. When looking at the close-knit D’Amelio family, aspiring influencers can take note of how they overcome the unwarranted hate. The sisters show that by surrounding themselves with supportive and understanding people can assist them in processing the hateful comments and push through.

Freelance contribution especially written for Find Your Influence by Alice Wholey.

The post Hulu Show Reveals How TikTok Stars Overcome Internet Trolls appeared first on Find Your Influence.

Then came TikTok, an app that quite literally took over the world during a time of global quarantine. While we were locked down in our houses where all we could do was stare at our phone screens for hours on end, our new hobby involved watching random people create a 15 second dance to any Doja Cat song they could get their hands on.

Eventually, TikTok influencers became a reality and we were all infatuated with the lives of those like Charli D’Amelio and Addison Rae.

TikTok has become the most used social media platform on the planet, and a new generation of influencers have arrived. What sets these TikTok Influencers apart is their age; teens, even tweens, are dominating the content created on the app, and making millions while doing it.

The Hype House was formed in December of 2019 by TikTok Star, Lil Huddy (Chase Hudson), and YouTuber, Thomas Petrou. It was made as a way for TikTokers and other social media influencers to collaborate to gain more views and followers. The Hype House is a group of mostly teen influencers who live together in an LA mansion. Their livelihood revolves around making TikToks and other collective content.

Recently, on January 7, a new Netflix reality TV show came out about the Hype House. The show exploits the lives of a group of young TikTok influencers, while we get to see an inside scoop into what the world of influencing can be like.

According to NBC News, the stars of the show, Petrou, Hudson, Nikita Dragun, Alex Warren, Kouvr Annon, Jack Wright, Vinnie Hacker, Mia Hayward, and Larray (Larri Merritt) had no control over what was going to be put in the show. They did not have access to the show or get to see the final cuts.

The drama-filled show received a lot of backlash and criticism because it made being young, rich, and famous seem depressing. It was interesting to see the struggles that come along with content houses. Instead of showcasing how exciting and entertaining the Hype House influencers lives are, viewers mainly saw the pain and misery that followed them.

There are also certain rules the influencers are required to follow in the house. One being that they must post three original TikToks a day. This is for brand-deal purposes, specifically their most reliant brand, Bang Energy Drinks. This influencer marketing strategy of product placement in their TikToks, while also receiving endorsement deals, is how they have made an extensive amount of their money.

One question still stands: Is the Hype House reality show a true depiction of what the influencing world is really like for young influencers?

After finishing the show, I almost felt bad for the influencers. The constant influx of viewers judgements and expectations was overbearing and would be difficult for anyone to handle, let alone a group of teenagers.

Unfortunately, the world we live in today has cast a negative connotation around young influencers like those of the Hype House. In the Netflix show, we see how hate comments, cyberbullying, and getting “canceled” can affect these influencers’ lives.

Do I believe that the Hype House reality show is a perfect representation of what the lives of all young influencers is like? Not quite, but I do see how certain aspects of their lives could be considered a clear example of how the world of social media can affect young people, both negatively and positively.

Millions and millions of people constantly watching your every move can be a daunting experience, especially when you are under the age of 18. The Hype House reality show has vulnerably exposed what being a young influencer is like for so many people. Sure, it comes with the benefits of million-dollar mansions and designer clothing, but we also need to remember that these are real human beings with feelings, not computer-generated robots.

Freelance contribution especially written for Find Your Influence by Jordan O’Connor.

The post Netflix Hype House: Fantasy or Reality of Life as a TikTok Influencer? appeared first on Find Your Influence.

Although TikTok was founded in 2016, it gained major success during the 2020 pandemic. According to Music Business Worldwide, during the week of March 16, 2020 the app was downloaded 2 million times (an 18% increase in downloads from the previous week). The app additionally saw a 27% increase in the first 23 days of March compared to February with 6.2 million downloads. People turned to the app to connect with one another and navigate the loneliness they felt. But, what made TikTok more compelling than other social media platforms?

Unlike Instagram and Twitter, TikTok isn’t just a space to post but to rather engage in trends and express yourself creatively. Over the course of the year-long pandemic, people were able to connect by participating in a number of dance and sound trends. People across the globe had an intense need to connect and find a space in which to spend their unplanned downtime. It gave users a sense of a virtual community, making connections, and the ability to be inspired by those connections to create their own trends. It gave the world a chance to take a breather and to not think about how scary their current situation was, because they had an online community they could interact with and learn new things from.

Kevin Bubloz, a TikTok star managed by Find Your Influence, is a perfect example of utilizing the pandemic to his advantage. In an interview with Find Your Influence he noted that during the pandemic he needed something to fulfill his newfound spare time. He turned to TikTok, sharing videos of his therapy dog Ellie in hopes of brightening people’s days with his content. Since joining the app in March 2020, he’s been able to inspire others’ through his uplifting videos and gained 2.2 million followers. He was able to use the platform to his advantage by sharing videos of himself and Ellie’s challenge videos to spark joy in others. 

What sets TikTok apart from other platforms is that the content you see is truly specific to you. Through the “for you page”, users are able to gain a unique experience that is highly entertaining. One video could be advice on how to deal with anxiety and the next could be a tutorial on how to make whipped coffee. Not only is it specific to you, but there is a wide variety of content, constantly keeping you entertained. That is why it grew so much with the pandemic. People were looking for the ability to connect with others, be entertained, and share the universal experience of being stuck inside at home.

TikTok additionally gives people the ability to go viral. Given the specific algorithm, it gives creators an equal playing field for the chance to get views and gain a following. This was especially seen over the course of the pandemic. Although social stars on the app were popular on the app before it started, with the increase of users, their success could only grow from there. For example, Charli D’Amelio, a popular dancer on the app, gained 60% of her following during March 2020. The public had the ability to develop a sense of a shared experience with these stars since they were too stuck at home. 

Are you someone who wants to grow their popularity on the platform but you don’t know where to start? Reach out to our Influencer Management Team with your questions today. Send us an email at info@findyourinfluence.com.

Freelance contribution especially written for Find Your Influence by Gemma Weinstein.

The post The Pandemic Effect on TikTok appeared first on Find Your Influence.

TikTok Creator Fund

The TikTok creator fund was announced in July 2020 and creators were invited to join the next month. The fund allows creators to be paid for the content they produce based on the number of views they get. When TikTok announced the fund, they noted that, “The US fund will start with $200 million to help support ambitious creators who are seeking opportunities to foster a livelihood through their innovative content. The fund will be distributed over the coming year and is expected to grow over that time”. Since then, TikTok has projected that the fund will grow by over one billion dollars over the course of the next three years. There is no cap on the amount of creators who can join, so it is open to anyone on the app, as long as they meet the qualifications. 

Qualifications

In order to join the Tik Tok creator fund, users must fit specific qualifications. According to Tik Tok’s community page, the creators who join must be based in either the United States, France, Germany, Italy, or Spain. Creators have to be 18 years of age, have at least 100,000 followers, and at least 100,000 views on their posts in the past thirty days. All accounts must additionally follow Tik Tok’s community guidelines and terms of service. Want to join the fund but struggling with engagement? Check out a recent blog post by Piper Martin with best practices to grow a TikTok account.

Getting Paid

According to influencers enrolled in the TikTok creator fund, they can receive between two to four cents per thousand views. It all depends on a number of factors including total followers  compared to total likes. So, if a creator has half a million followers and has good engagement in both the comments and likes, they would be getting around $450 a month. 

How to Join the TikTok Creator Fund

To join the fund, creators can access the application through their pro or creator account. In settings, select “creator tools” and then “TikTok Creator Fund” to find the application.

Ready to jump into TikTok, but need a helping hand? Reach out to our Influencer Management Team with your questions today. Send us an email at info@findyourinfluence.com

Freelance contribution especially written for Find Your Influence by Gemma Weinstein.

The post A Beginner’s Guide: TikTok Creator Fund appeared first on Find Your Influence.

Many unsuspecting users found themselves with a quick ticket to a large following on the platform, lending itself to be deemed as a network for endless opportunities for creators to grow, regardless of the size of their existing audience.

TikTok held their first ever Ready, Set, Grow summit for small and medium businesses on March 24, 2021. The event lasted more than two hours with multiple topics discussed and panelists answered many of the biggest burning questions. We’ll save you the trouble of trying to track down a copy of it online; here are the five biggest takeaways from this year’s TikTok summit.

Just Start

The biggest piece of advice from TikTok experts: Just jump in and begin! Everyone starts somewhere, so don’t feel the need to wait until you have fancy lighting or a nice studio to shoot in. Creators might not feel 100% ready to create perfect content, but the beauty of the app’s culture is any one piece of content can go viral, regardless of its production value.

• • Pro-tip: Make sure you’ve converted your account to a business profile so you’re able to collect insights on your following as well as the audience that is viewing your content. This will help you later down the line when you start thinking of things like a posting schedule.

Join a TikTok Community

TikTok’s algorithm serves you content you watch repeatedly, so blending in with other creators in your vertical will actually get you served to more of your target consumer. When you’re just starting out, search hashtags that relate to your business and join the communities that are using those hashtags. Use those same hashtags on your content to end up on the ‘For You’ page of your ideal consumer. Feel free to put your own spin on trends or content within your vertical so you can stand out among the crowd!

Teach Your Audience Something New

TikTok video’s that teach the viewer something, have shown the most growth. Consumers of TikTok look to the platform for tips/hacks on products they should be using for greater convenience, increased productivity and a better user experience. TikTok also values content on how often it is watched through, or “looped”, so the more views your video gets per one viewer, the better! Content that teaches a skill or shares a set of tips is often watched more than once so it sticks in the viewer’s memory.

TikTok Trends are KEY

Trends are a great way to grow quickly when you’re just starting out. For example, content where fashion influencers follow the same trend and use the same song to show their clothing hauls is a one-stop shop for fashion consumers to find new fashion creators, and therefore new places to shop and new products to try.It’s important to hop on trends early. Trend forecaster and TikToker Jera Foster-Fell recommends how to find trends early:

• • Keep your eye on the ‘For You’ page for trends that repeat themselves across different creators/verticals. Don’t be afraid to put your own spin on it, you might start your own mini trend!
  • Follow trend alert accounts like @gingermarketer or @jera.bean so you can jump on trends early. This will give you more exposure when people go to look through the trend’s hashtag or sound.
  • Use the ‘Discovery’ page to see what trends might be lurking there. They are most often being pushed by TikTok, which will favor you in the algorithm when you participate.

Learn from Others in Your Community

Look through other small businesses profiles and see what trends they’re participating in or what content they’re creating. Interact with this content if you have something to add by ‘dueting’. This helps you build momentum and visibility off the creator who originally posted.This could also start a relationship between you and someone else in your field, which could be a great collaboration opportunity down the line!

Ready to jump into TikTok, but need a helping hand? Reach out to our Influencer Management Team with your questions today. Send us an email at info@findyourinfluence.com

The post 5 Best Practices to Grow on TikTok appeared first on Find Your Influence.

Ellie is a therapy dog, trained to provide support and comfort to people in homes and hospital settings. When the spread of the COVID-19 virus in the spring of 2020 forced Bubolz to wait out the pandemic indoors, he found himself with a lot of spare time to try something new.

In March 2020, Bubolz decided to start a TikTok account for Ellie, @elliegoldenlife (formerly @goldenretrieverlife). Here, you can find the dog-dad duo posting entertaining videos weekly.

Bubolz says the most rewarding part of the experience is seeing how much Ellie resonates with people.

“It’s one thing to get lots of views, it’s another thing to get so many positive comments and hear all of Ellie’s fans and to hear their stories,” said Bubolz.

We caught up with Bubolz to gain some insight into how he has developed Ellie’s following and grown the business of @elliegoldenlife.

What is the best part of being the social media mogul behind @EllieGoldenLife?

“Just connecting with so many people and having that positive impact. From day one, our mission has been to spread positivity, and to put a smile on people’s faces.”

How did you get your start with TikTok? 

“It all began back in March 2020, when I started posting random videos of Ellie. My following increased more when I started uploading daily challenge videos.”

What was your first @EllieGoldenLife TikTok video with Ellie? 

“One day I was checking my TikTok feed page and I came across the “Flip the Switch” challenge. I decided to jump on the trend with Ellie. I closed my phone, woke up the next morning and our video had hit over one million views!”

What makes TikTok a better platform than other social media? 

“The unwritten community of collaborators as opposed to competitors within the app. “

How did you know that Ellie had the ability to bring so much joy to people all over the world? 

“I always knew people loved to see Ellie, but I didn’t know you could do this at scale with millions of people around the world. That part has been pretty amazing.”

What’s your content strategy with @EllieGoldenLife?  

“Don’t overthink your content. Sometimes, I’ll have two days of content planned out. But most of the time, I just kind of get a feel for how things are going on the platform, and then build the content around that.”

Do you have tips for people looking to grow on TikTok? 

“My best advice would be to focus on authenticity. Try things out, it doesn’t have to be perfect. People like imperfection! 

Also, don’t be afraid to fail. You don’t know what’s going to do well and what’s not. 

It’s okay to have content that flops.Try not to only look at the views because it’s very easy to get sucked into that. The vanity metrics are cool, but they’re not the end state.” 

Anything exciting moving forward into 2021? 

“Recently, my wife and I embarked on the 4x4x48 challenge to honor the memory of Pat Tillman while raising support for Tillman Scholars. The challenge consisted of running 4 miles every 4 hours for 48 hours. We were able to use social media to drive awareness about the fundraiser, and ended up even raising over $2,500.” 

Freelance contribution especially written for Find Your Influence by Sophia Parsa.

The post The Dog-Dad TikTok Duo Behind @EllieGoldenLife appeared first on Find Your Influence.