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
2. #brightonSEO Do you remember being asked as a kid what you wanted to be when you grew up?
3. #brightonSEO
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/
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/
6. #brightonSEO https://thenextweb.com/news/17000-youtubes-youtube
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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
9. #brightonSEO Who do you think of when you think of “influencers” or “creators”?
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
11. #brightonSEO Most of them make their earnings through brand endorsements But what are the odds of success for a new creator?
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
13. #brightonSEO TikTok inspires creator to take advantage of the micro-niche and aesthetic “cores”
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
15. #brightonSEO Sometimes the niche becomes even more niche… “a genre of nothingness” https://www.thedigitalfairy.co.uk/digiverse/vlog-like-nobodys-watching
16. #brightonSEO Some examples of “nothing”
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
18. #brightonSEO “Vlog Like No One is Watching” #digitaldiary
19. #brightonSEO
20. #brightonSEO #romanticizeyourlife
21. #brightonSEO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wLk2MsArHE
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
23. #brightonSEO But what makes TikTok a unique creator medium?
24. #brightonSEO The comments
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
26. #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
30. #brightonSEO Thank you!! You can email me at jamesncohen@gmail.com LinkedIn: in/jamesncohen Website: jamesncohen.com Internet Literacies Project: digitalvoid.media