I did it. I took the plunge. I jumped on the bandwagon. I included myself in the fad and the phase. And this is so much unlike me.
Yes, I joined the generational phenomenon known as TikTok. Weird, right? Especially since I am a self-proclaimed anti-social teacher and public speaker.
Social media is the most influential mass media source for young people under the age of 21. It’s very influential for people over 21 as well. It drives followers to hours and hours on their phones, looking at the latest “newsworthy” information, ideas, and silly stuff. But there’s a reason why the top ten social media platforms generate over $460 billion, with Facebook leading the way with $85 billion, according to SourchEngineJournal.com.
Facebook also leads the way with over 2.9 billion subscribers. Followed by YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, and TikTok. In fact, TikTok has over 1 billion subscribers, which, I guess, makes me one in a billion.
TikTok is known for its creative dances that young people have created and shared worldwide with popular music, where other people take on the challenge of duplicating those dances. Some have taken to the popular app just to show themselves being funny (or ridiculously silly), and millions play those videos over and over again with people, including my 17-year-old daughter, erupting in bursts of uncontrollable laughter.
In recent years (TikTok launched in 2016), other uses for the platform have exploded: lip-sync videos, cute animal videos, DIY & instructional videos, and social media challenges, some of which have had deadly consequences and promoted violent or unwarranted behaviors. So just like almost anything else, there is some good and some bad.
Another trend that has recently come on the scene is #booktok. That hashtag is one way authors and readers take to TikTok with videos about books they read and books they write. Although I have Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn accounts, I believe a TikTok account is beneficial for me to get my face out there, talk about what I’m reading and writing, and even do a few silly things (maybe, maybe not).
I’ve posted my first few videos on TikTok and look forward to posting many more. Follow me as I continue on this journey on all of my social media platforms:
TikTok: @mytoungeisapen
Instagram: @pen_of_a_skillful_writer
Twitter: @jaerAJones
Facebook: Jarrod Jones & Jaer Media Group
LinkedIn: Jaer Armstead-Jones
Goodreads: Jaer Armstead-Jones
So much for being anti-social, I guess!