What they don’t tell you about TikTok

Top of the mornin’ voyagers,

As the journey continues, we captains have decided to be a wee vulnerable and open up about an uneasy time.

Captain McMahon, lead the way.

I never started any of this for attention. Not for views, likes, followers. In fact, my content creation journey began from a curriculum - preparation for the industry, my uni tutor said. No expectations. Just a cute little TikTok page for some cool things I made.

That was until suddenly you’re not making those things for yourself anymore. Before you know it, there’s an audience, tapping their watch, anticipating your next big thing.

But what if it never comes?

Like everyone else, I’ve spent days stressing that my time in the sun is passing - which must mean my stuff isn’t good enough, that I’m not good enough. But how am I gauging this? Views.

September last year I had little else to do besides make videos - all day. At the time, I was close to quitting. Most videos were flopping, the traction wasn’t there.

I was letting my attitude be governed by a digit.

It’s bullshit! Like, really. The second I detached my self-worth from that little number I felt freer, more creative, a better risk-taker. Looking back to September - at my close-to-quitting self, I was actually never so inspired! I was working on a new personal project every day!

All that said, I don’t mean lose focus on audience. When a video flops (and they will), you’re far from alone. Picture it as a little VIP screening to your closest followers. It’s what I do. It’s pretty cute. Learn from it, keep creating, and move forward.

Ok, I gotta come clean. I’m an addict. So is Tejas. So is Daniel. And so are you (otherwise, why are you reading this?).

I started posting seriously on TikTok just over a year ago. To paint a picture, in just two days of posting, I’ve garnered over 50k views, cumulatively. The momentum that I once viewed as far-fetched is now right under my nose, and with both hands on the wheel, I’m careening my career towards inevitable social media success (I mean, look at my numbers!)

But stare at the sun too long and you’ll get hurt.

The human brain was never meant to experience the level of connectivity or dopamine spikes this app allows. It feels like when you’re new on the platform and the algorithm – all praise be to thee – picks up on that, it purposely inflates your account for that first rush of virality. There’s nothing like that first high. 

Previously, the saying was “15 minutes of fame.” Now, I think it’s closer to five minutes. Throughout my year of posting every single day, I experienced the highest highs and maybe the lowest lows literally ever. I predicated everything on the meaningless metrics from TikTok, and not how the piece of content I made was making me feel.

In case nobody told you - TikTok is just as dangerous as it is rewarding. So, like always - keep creating mindfully.

Although the three of us are social media creators, what I lack in editing and storytelling skills like the other two have, I make up for in business knowledge. So on top of feeling mentally frustrated every time I run in the hamster wheel that is TikTok, I anxiously ponder on how I can build a sustainable income.

Every time we post, there is a chance we get anywhere from a couple thousand views to millions, the range is absurd. Unless you are in the top 1% of TikTok’s creators, you won’t be able to make a sustainable income on the platform.

I’ve put an ungodly amount of hours thinking about the reality we as creators live in and I can’t simplify it better than what I texted Sean in October.

TikTok creators are trying to build a business on a slot machine.

This all really hit when I signed the “Leave of Absence” at my university. I’m no longer a traditional student, taking a traditional path to becoming a traditional finance bro. I’ve now signed up to be a creator. Fuck yeah.

My only regret is depending solely on TikTok for so long. We as creators need to build a whole media company, across platforms, hence the reason we started this newsletter and are working hard on our YouTube channels. It’s a whole new grind but in the end, it's better to pull three levers than one. 😅

As we speak, there is a movement going on led by Hank Green, who presented that the more TikTok makes, the less creators make (must watch).

Tell us your experience with TikTok down below! Do you agree with us, disagree? We will respond to every comment. <3