TikTok: A saving grace for the average Nigerian to become an Internet sensation -By Adenyin Oluwatosin Pelina

“I am a tiktoker”, is the phrase every individual who has got a video uploaded on TikTok calls themselves. They take pride in it with poise and elegance. With consistency and a unique niche, an average Nigerian can become a TikTok influencer in a short period. It can be singing, dancing, comedy, lip-syncing, acting, vlogs, DIY and craft videos, or anything at all as long as it is catchy, interesting, and channeled to the right audience. Musicians, actors, and comedians are joining the app and creating content to capture the attention of the users of this app. There is a term used by the users of the app, some term themselves “small Tiktokers” while some “Big Tiktokers”. The beautiful part of this whole thing is that a person can rise from being a small tiktoker to a big tiktoker as long as the content shared is channeled to the right audience and of course consistently. Before young people consist of a large number of users on the TikTok app but now adults are part of it( daddies, mummies, uncles, and aunties) because they do not want to be left out of the fun, lol. Trust me, these adults have got the funniest videos and yes their videos also go viral. The previous statement still shows that tiktok is the best place for an average person whether a Nigerian or not to become a viral sensation, and without the exclusion of businesses too.

Tiktok is a social media platform for creating, sharing, and discovering short videos. The app was the most downloaded social media app in the first three months of 2022 worldwide with more than 175 million downloads between January and March. The basic function of Tiktok is that users can film videos of themselves doing anything as long as the rules and regulations of the app are put in place. It also has video editing and customization tools. Users have access to a library of songs, effects, filters, and sound bites to add to their videos. They can also duet with someone by replying to a video creating a split screen and endless reactions.

In Nigeria, statistics show that TikTok makes up 47.7 percent of 34 million social media users in the country. The app is dominated by young people as well as adults who now use it as their go-to social media platform in Nigeria. The app has gained popularity among Nigerians more than its counterparts Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, Triller, Likee as well as Vskit. There they jump on trends and make viral videos. As a result, we have many tiktokers, influencers, and content creators. The app is gaining dominance and distracting people from other social media platforms. The reason why this app is used widely by Nigerians is mainly that it is a place where they can be themselves, you don’t have to be an expert before you can make use of the app ( slow and steady is the theme) and one aim of TikTok is “make your video”.The average Nigerian youth spends countless hours on TikTok daily and not even minding the amount of data wasted on that activity.

It is also a form of respite for Nigerians from the daily stress and problems they face daily in the country. No wonder they are dubbed the happiest people on earth because, despite all of the challenges and (shege) in the nation, they tend to be happy and discover humor in everything. Online communities that offer support, manage and advise upcoming and even established tiktokers, also aided the success of the app in the country. An example of these communities is The TTeffect headed by tennie ( Miss Tpepper). The trend of Tiktok in the country is not going down anytime soon because more and more Nigerians will still join and become creators of the app and also enjoy the vast opportunities the app has to offer.

Tiktok places importance on organic and creative content with algorithms that naturally push good content to reach more viable viewers. There is no shortcut to the system. Many Nigerians who have gained popularity and fame on TikTok are those who are driven and passionate about creating content and entertaining viewers, regardless of monetary benefits. We have heard and seen so many average Nigerians the TikTok platform has given opportunities for them to become internet successes irrespective of their backgrounds. This number of individuals ranges from the likes of Beauty goddess, Softmadeit, Jenni Frank, Berylama, Anji anje, Rinaboy, Maraji, Khloesgram, Enioluwa, and a host of others who have made use of the app to bring themselves out there today. They went from being ordinary Nigerians to becoming public figures.

Though TikTok does not pay them; these influencers are paid through sponsored posts (influencer marketing) and recently, when a content creator goes live and receives live gifts; those gifts are exchanged into money and will be paid to the person. Most popular TikTok influencers got to that status through consistency. This has also opened them to various life-changing opportunities in the Nigerian entertainment industry. This has also helped in building their other social media page.

Businesses are not left out as it helps them to get their business known to a large audience, get faster results from marketing campaigns, getting potential buyers. It does not matter if the business is a new startup or not, whether it is run by a student or a business-savvy individual. The point is each and everyone gets a chance to make sales and gain visibility for their businesses.

f you have a talent, an innovation, or a unique business idea, and you want to be out there and showcase yourself. The best place for you to be is Tiktok; be original and creative and watch your videos go viral in no time and become a successful “tiktoker”. Also, get the opportunity to make money while doing what you love and exploring all of the vast opportunities tiktok gives to content creators in its community. Consistency will enable you to make a difference and stand the test of time. once I am done with the write-up, I am going back to my content creation on TikTok, yeah, why not? All I have been trying to point out is that social media has a lot of good opportunities embedded in it, it is so large that you can find yours and it will not stop the other person. It is a goldmine, go get yours appropriately, and yeah starting on TikTok is your best bet to rise to the top of your niche.