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The Power of Unconventional Social Media Platforms
We are in an era where new social media platforms are being created all the time. This makes it especially important to not only be aware of the larger more popular platforms, but also the newer, up and coming ones. These untraditional, possibly unfamiliar ways of using social media can be hidden gems. They may just possess the tools and fresh audience required to grow yourself or your brand. Tik tok is A perfect example of a social media platform that started as a small fun app for kids that has now grown into an essential platform to start promoting yourself on. The app formerly known as Musical.ly, used by 12–15 year olds to make lip syncing and dance videos, has transcended into what is now known as Tik Tok. Users of all ages and demographics have migrated to the platform and it continues to grow more everyday, with over 1 billion users to date. Videos now range from comedy skits to tutorials, montages, storytimes, dances, etc. Really anything you can fit into a minute long video. There are no limits to what kind of content you can put out, and what might just skyrocket you or your brand.

One of the main reasons why Tik Tok is such a vital tool in gaining exposure is because of how easy it is to gain organic traffic. Anyone, regardless of your time on Tik Tok, amount of followers, or any other traditionally important factors, do not come into play on this app. It is a great way to promote you or your brand in a fun and creative way, to attract audiences you may otherwise never reach. I have used the platform since it first transitioned into Tik Tok in August of 2019. Within only a month of posting casually for fun and I went from having 10 followers to over 8,000, and am currently sitting at almost 30,000. As I’ve experienced personally It is very easy to have one of your videos posted on Tik Tok go viral organically. My most popular video hit 1.5 million views, 390,000 likes and gained me almost 5,000 new followers in just a couple days. There are no limits to what kind of videos get this magnitude of attention, so what’s stopping you from posting and potentially reaching millions?

Many celebrities, companies and influencers have picked up on the potential for growth by using this platform, and many have started joining. The platform acts as a great way for them to reach and gain a large audience fast and effectively, to promote a new product or project they are working on. A great example of someone who used the app and its trends to their advantage, is NDP leader Jagmeet Singh. When the 2019 federal election was in high gear, Jagmeet Singh took to Tik Tok in attempt to gain the attention and support of a new demographic. He used the trends going around on what is known as the For You Page (the page that shows all content to users). He integrated a political twist to these popular trends, promoting his party’s platform and ideas for what he would do if elected Prime Minister. When I came across him on Tik Tok and saw his take on these popular trends, I thought it was a very smart move on his part. The comments on these videos were overwhelmingly supportive and he gained quite a large following on the app. By promoting his political stances in a trendy and fun way, he got great support from younger audiences, arguably the most influenciable demographic in an election.

This is just one example of the many instances in which people and businesses have grown exponentially because of their presence on the platform. I’ve seen multiple small businesses, such as artists or graphic designers, promote their work on the app and gain hundreds of thousands of loyal followers and customers. Tik Tok may seem unfamiliar and odd at first, but it is an indispensable platform to start joining to reach a new audience, in a fast and effective way. If Tik Tok has taught me anything, it is to never be afraid to join untraditional, newer platforms. You never know the power these social media platforms may hold in making you or your brand more successful.