TikTok, Don’t Stop

If you have not gotten on TikTok yet, you are missing the boat with our newest generation of women in STEM. As someone who is part of the social media generation guinea pig, it is my obligation to test this platform and participate. LET ME TELL YOU: I AM NOT MAD I JOINED THIS COMMUNITY. If any of you remember Vine (RIP), you’ll enjoy this platform even more.

TikTok has been evolving as a platform since its inception, but since the pandemic had everyone locked inside, it has produced a feed of absolute GOLD. While some may see it as the platform of never-ending dances and random “kids” online, I am following more and more millennials and people like me thanks to the incredibly unique algorithm.

The “For You” page (FYP) is where I spend a majority of my time, which means that this is how I tailor my content to me. The FYP shows me things I like, things I might like, and sometimes it misses the boat completely. You actually get to train your algorithm kind of like the way we’ve trained our Spotify channels using (what I assume is) AI technology. I can like, comment, share, follow, etc. on the side bar or if I really hate what it’s shown me, I can press and hold the center screen and click “not interested” to realign what I like to see. The platform learns who we are which is what makes this super addicting.

When you open TikTok, it automatically goes to the FYP vs. the “Following” page. This means that most users spend more time viewing new content and in order to continue to training your algorithm, the likes/follows are incredibly abundant. You have a huge opportunity to make an impact if you go at it the right way. I don’t see a lot of my fellow STEM ladies on this platform as one of their main values and I would love to see more ESPECIALLY since I’ve gotten comments from younger women engineers in college that said they needed my random pep talk that came across their page. Digital outreach is the name of the game and TikTok is going to make that happen for us, so how can you contribute?

I’ll tell you what has been working for me and my personal brand. As I’m writing this, I’m only at 11K followers, but it has skyrocketed within a few weeks.

Study the trends

Yes, this means spending some time on the platform watching videos and taking note of what you find entertaining. I spent about 6 months just watching before I started really creating anything with purpose. Here’s my list of questions as I’m reviewing the videos I scroll through:

·        What did that creator do differently?

·        What trend do you keep seeing pop up that has a lot of engagement?

·        How can you put your own spin on the trend?

·        How long has the trend been around?

·        Have you clicked into the sound to gather more angles on it?

Want to generate original content? Awesome. Find the angle that works for you. There will be a LOT of trial and error. I regularly remove videos that don’t perform well not because I don’t want people to see they aren’t performing, but because they clearly don’t fit the brand that my audience expects. Ya dig?

Don’t be shy

I hate the way I look and sound on video, but the more you exercise this muscle, the more natural it will feel. Capitalize on what you think your strongest trait is. Example: I am really dramatic, so my page is all over the place, but people seem to like it. Share funny stories, empowering moments, tough situations, your mundane stuff, crazy weird hobbies, etc. I share anything about my pole dancing (which performs well) to things that happen at work or my core values like empowering women and staying culturally diverse. Our younger generation is really open to learning things on this platform, so if you have something to teach or even demonstrate, those get a lot of views. Give it a shot!

Enjoy the creativity

Honestly, I think this is the most important part of TikTok. Some of these videos take some mad talent and once you start attempting some of this stuff on your own, you’ll understand. I like having fun with the effects, filters, transitions, angles, and other editing features. The editing is incredibly user friendly so you can definitely get lost down the rabbit hole if you’re a newbie. As techy ladies, I have no doubt you will enjoy this side of the platform. I “storyboard” regularly as I’m scrolling if I have an idea so I don’t lose it. Sometimes if the idea is simple, I’ll stop what I’m doing and record right on the spot, but if it’s more involved, I revisit it over the weekend when I have more time.

This platform is here to stay and growing more rapidly by the hour. Our outreach efforts don’t have to remain as in-person only. Our digital outreach is really going to make the larger impact in this post-COVID world. You have a lot to offer to our younger generation even just by seeing a STEM woman who looks like them loving their job and sharing their story. This does not have to feel like you’re moving mountains, but I’d love to move the mountains for those who will come after me.

Happy creating!

-Rachel