How to start your TikTok from scratch in 2024

In their most recent YouTube video, creator economy icons Colin and Samir said 54% of adults said they would quit their job to make a living as a social media influencer.

There are many different platforms and formats you could use to become an influencer, but my strong suit happens to be TikTok.

I want to share the strategies I've used to tips grow our internal accounts to a combined followership of over 2 million. And they don't only apply to TikTok - they're applicable to other social platforms, too.

If I were just starting out on a short-form video platform, here are the 3 things I would do:

Focus on story before visuals.

We already know that content styles have dramatically changed over the years. With the rise of TikTok, we've seen more commentary about authentic and raw content. This isn't that surprising.

Yes, we enjoy aesthetics and appreciate well-curated visuals, but there's one thing that always trumps this--story. Lucky for us, being able to tell a story is WAY more accessible than creating mesmerising visuals. 

So instead of worrying about what camera you should be using or how to edit like a pro, focus on your ability to tell a story. The basic 3-act story structure is simple and used in most of your favourite films:

1. Set up

2. Conflict

3. Resolution.

(Here's a link explaining this in depth.)

Practice using this structure in your content to create a compelling story. Once you've nailed that, you can play around with your delivery and visuals to enhance it further. (Check out this example of low-production, story-driven content that I guarantee created an uptick in sales and attention.) 

Create quantity before quality.

Content quality is subjective. Unless it became an Olympic sport, then maybe the world would find a way to grade it, but, for now... 

It's subjective as fk. I still think quality is important, don't get me wrong. But my favourite way to build towards quality has been quantity.

Quantity can teach you A LOT. It's taught me to let go of the fear of posting and the desire for perfection. Instead, I've learnt to read analytics, try new things, increase my efficiency in creating content...the list goes on.

Learning from the outcomes of quantity will eventually lead to quality. So, push yourself to do the most that you can! The best change comes when you make yourself uncomfortable.

Choose an overarching message.

You might think of this as your niche, but I think it's more than that.

It's more important to know what your overarching message is than what your niche is. To find this, ask yourself how you want your audience to describe you in one phrase.

Some people will think of a niche being the category they play in (e.g. lifestyle, beauty, tech). But if you're only thinking about category niches, what happens when someone tries to distinguish you?

Oh, that guy in tech or the girl who does makeup... It's just too broad. Those statements make up for the majority of people on the platform!

So think about what your values are and what you want your audience to take away from your content. This will help people identify WHY they want to follow you in the first place. 

Yes, it's easier said than done, but when you have your message, your content creation will feel much clearer. 

Lastly, find something you enjoy. Because if you're not enjoying something, it's most likely not sustainable. If your content is too hard, or doesn't align with you, your consistency WILL diminish.

If you're starting your platform from scratch, I wish you the best. Good luck with your content creation, and I hope to see you on my For You Page soon!

-Jony, Short-form video strategist