The TikTokification of Everyday Life

In an exploration of the micro-niche content on TikTok, we can find new communities and ways of interacting with unique markets.

Transcript

1. The TikTokification
   of Everyday Life
   Jamie Cohen
   CUNY Queens College
   & Digital Void
   Speakerdeck.com/jamiecohen
   @NewandDigital
   

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2. #brightonSEO
   Do you remember
   being asked as a kid
   what you wanted to be
   when you grew up?
   

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3. #brightonSEO
   

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4. #brightonSEO
   According to multiple studies, today about
   33% of young people want to grow up to
   be “influencers,” “YouTubers,” “Vloggers,”
   or ”Creators”
   https://www.highervisibility.com/ppc/learn/gen-z-and-the-rise-of-influencer-culture/
   https://theharrispoll.com/briefs/lego-group-kicks-off-global-program-to-inspire-the-next-
   generation-of-space-explorers-as-nasa-celebrates-50-years-of-moon-landing/
   

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5. #brightonSEO
   Video is the most valuable medium with over
   50% of social media users preferring video
   https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-video-statistics/
   

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6. #brightonSEO https://thenextweb.com/news/17000-youtubes-youtube
   

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7. #brightonSEO
   

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8. #brightonSEO
   According to Goldman Sachs, the “Creator Economy”
   is worth about $250 billion and could reach half a
   trillion by 2027
   https://www.goldmansachs.com/intelligence/pages/the-creator-economy-could-
   approach-half-a-trillion-dollars-by-2027.html
   Across all platforms was born
   

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9. #brightonSEO
   Who do you think of when you think of
   “influencers” or “creators”?
   

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10. #brightonSEO
    Forbes 50 Top Creators have a collective
    following of nearly 2 billion people and earned a
    combined $570 million in 2021
    https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexandrasternlicht/2022/09/06/top-creators-
    2022/?sh=739cb1c367a1
    

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11. #brightonSEO
    Most of them make their earnings through brand
    endorsements
    But what are the odds of success for a new creator?
    

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12. #brightonSEO
    That’s where TikTok changes everything
    New language, different algorithm, new content
    models, new genres
    “TikTok is a social network that has
    nothing to do with one’s social
    network.” – Jia Tolentino, The New Yorker
    https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/09/30/how-tiktok-holds-our-attention
    

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13. #brightonSEO
    TikTok inspires creator to take advantage of the
    micro-niche and aesthetic “cores”
    

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14. #brightonSEO
    “What this actually speaks to is a
    fascinating amalgamation of
    aesthetics that is blurring the lines
    of set style guidelines and
    expectations, which shouldn’t be
    taken too seriously.” – José
    Criales-Unzueta, I-D
    https://i-d.vice.com/en/article/y3vj8m/trendcore-tiktok
    

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15. #brightonSEO
    Sometimes the
    niche becomes even
    more niche…
    “a genre of
    nothingness”
    https://www.thedigitalfairy.co.uk/digiverse/vlog-like-nobodys-watching
    

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16. #brightonSEO
    Some examples of “nothing”
    

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17. #brightonSEO
    “For me and many others I’ve talked to, “day in my
    life” videos are opportunities for voyeurism, sure, but
    they are also satisfying on a more basic human level:
    By watching other people be productive, we get to
    feel productive ourselves.” – Rebecca Jennings, Vox
    

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18. #brightonSEO
    “Vlog Like No One
    is Watching”
    #digitaldiary
    

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19. #brightonSEO
    

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20. #brightonSEO
    #romanticizeyourlife
    

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21. #brightonSEO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wLk2MsArHE
    

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22. #brightonSEO
    The power of “relatable” content
    “It’s to say that coming across as relatable online
    takes far more work and self-awareness than
    perfecting a TikTok dance or filming high-budget
    YouTube pranks.” – Rebecca Jennings, Vox
    

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23. #brightonSEO
    But what makes TikTok a
    unique creator medium?
    

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24. #brightonSEO
    The comments
    

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25. #brightonSEO
    "What's unique is that you can create content off
    of it. You could never do that on YouTube or
    Instagram… I think TikTok amplified comments
    and commentary to almost an equal form of
    content on par with the actual original post.”
    – Taylor Lorenz
    https://www.thedigitalfairy.co.uk/digiverse/taylor-lorenz-chronically-online-
    interview
    

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26. #brightonSEO
    

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27. #brightonSEO
    

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28. #brightonSEO
    

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29. #brightonSEO
    A micro-niche audience is arguably as valuable as
    a celebrity influencer’s audience.
    Communities of viewers and participants are
    what create optimism in an overwhelming world.
    The content of “nothingness” is the content of
    everything
    

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30. #brightonSEO
    Thank you!!
    You can email me at jamesncohen@gmail.com
    LinkedIn: in/jamesncohen
    Website: jamesncohen.com
    Internet Literacies Project: digitalvoid.media
    

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