The TikTok Experiments, Vol. 4: Posting Only 60 Second Videos for a Week

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The TikTok Experiments, Vol. 4: Posting Only 60 Second Videos for a Week

For a few months now, I’ve been conducting experiments to learn about TikTok’s algorithm. I plan to continue these experiments for as long as I can, despite the looming threat of (another) potential TikTok ban. My goal is to learn how to create content that will be served to just the people you’re hoping will see it. I’m testing several different tactics and sharing my findings.

Lately I’ve seen competing theories about video length. Some folks claim that the algorithm is boosting longer form content and we should all pivot to that; others assert that video completion is the most important metric, so shorter videos work best. I tried posting only 60 second videos for a week to see what would happen.

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How to Schedule Posts Natively on Instagram

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How to Schedule Posts Natively on Instagram

In the past, I’ve written about why I use a scheduling tool as a social media professional. Creating and managing content, engaging with your online community, staying on top of trends and changing algorithms, reviewing analytics and adjusting your strategy–it’s a lot of work! Scheduling content in advance helps me make my social media work a bit more manageable. That’s why I was excited when Instagram released a new feature: scheduling posts natively right in the app! Here’s what you need to know:

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Here's What I'm Reading for the March 2023 Trans Rights Readathon

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Here's What I'm Reading for the March 2023 Trans Rights Readathon

2023 has seen a massive and terrifying rise in anti-trans rhetoric and legislation. To show support for trans people and raise funds for trans rights organizations, author Sim Kern organized a Trans Rights Readathon that runs March 20-March 27. The goal is to read and uplift trans authors and stories and to donate to a cause based on how many pages, chapters, or books you read. I’ll be joining the readathon next week and wanted to share my reading list in case you’d like to join too!

If you decide to participate, be sure to fill out the Trans Rights Readathon Survey. For the fundraising component, I’ll be donating 10 cents per page read to the Transgender Law Center. Here’s what’s on my reading list.

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The TikTok Experiments, Vol. 3: Posting Only Slideshows for a Week

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The TikTok Experiments, Vol. 3: Posting Only Slideshows for a Week

I’ve embarked on a series of experiments to better understand TikTok’s algorithm. TikTok is known for serving users content that feels uniquely tailored to their interests. People feel seen by TikTok. So how do you create content that will get served to exactly the right people? I’m testing all kinds of different tactics to find out!

This winter, theories began swirling that TikTok was boosting their new slideshow feature in the algorithm. I saw tons of slideshow posts every day. I decided to try posting only slideshows for a week to see what would happen. 

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The TikTok Experiments, Vol. 2: I Posted on TikTok 5x a Day for a Week. Here's What I Learned.

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The TikTok Experiments, Vol. 2: I Posted on TikTok 5x a Day for a Week. Here's What I Learned.

TikTok’s algorithm continues to amaze users with its uncanny ability to recommend content that feels perfectly tailored to your interests. Everyone’s FYP is a different experience. So how do you get your videos to land on more people’s FYPs? I’ve embarked on a series of experiments to find out!

I often see other social media professionals recommend posting 5-7x per day on TikTok in order to grow your account. That cadence seemed aggressive and unsustainable to me, but I decided to give it a try for one week. You probably have a lot of questions about how it went, so let’s dive in!

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What I'm Reading for Black History Month 2023

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What I'm Reading for Black History Month 2023

I read 160 books in 2022, which was a new personal record! Part of this was because I read more graphic novels and manga than in past years. Either way, it’s more about quality and enjoyment than quantity! Whatever and whenever I’m reading, I always try to make sure I’m reading a diverse assortment of books rather than just books written by people who look like me. It’s important to read diverse books year-round and not just in whatever history month it happens to be! That being said, I haven’t written a Black History Month TBR blog post since 2020, so I thought it would be fun to share my list for 2023. 

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TikTok Glossary: 36 Terms to Know

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TikTok Glossary: 36 Terms to Know

One of the most fun (and let’s be honest, sometimes challenging) parts of working in social media is that the industry is constantly changing. New apps take off and there’s always more to learn. A few years ago, I wrote a social media glossary that explained 50 different terms. With TikTok continuing to dominate the social media landscape lately, I thought it was high time to explain 36 TikTok terms, from basic tools within the platform to unusual abbreviations and slang you may encounter on TikTok.

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How Often Should I Post on Social Media?

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How Often Should I Post on Social Media?

As a social media strategist, one of the most common questions I get is, “How often should I be posting on social media?” Like many things in social media, the answer starts with “it depends.” It’s also evolved over the past few years as the social media landscape continues to change rapidly. Last year, I wrote about where to invest your time and effort on social media. But once you’ve decided which platforms to focus on, how do you figure out how much to post? As is often the case, quality is more important than quantity–but there are other factors at play too. Without further ado, let’s dive into social media posting frequency!

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My 22 Favorite Books of 2022

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My 22 Favorite Books of 2022

Like 2021 and 2020 before it, 2022 contained plenty of struggles and joys, all coexisting in this strange life. In May I celebrated three years of running my own business! I also received my New York State woman-owned business certification in November. 

I also dove into the world of TikTok and blogged about it often, which included one of my most popular blog posts of 2022, where I shared what I learned by posting on TikTok 3 times per day for 3 months. Additionally, I wrote about non-marketing topics like how my ADHD affects me as a business owner and the joys of visiting all 31 libraries in Monroe County.

Libraries have been essential to my reading journey in 2022–they’ve often led me to pick up books I might not have encountered otherwise. Last year, I read over 120 books and shared 35 favorites on the blog. In 2020, I read 86 books and shared my top 25. This year, I’ve narrowed it down even more! I’ve read 155 books this year and I’m sharing 22 of my absolute favorites. 

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Learnings from My Most Popular TikToks of 2022

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Learnings from My Most Popular TikToks of 2022

I started off 2022 with an experiment: I set a goal to post on TikTok 3 times a day for 3 months and see what happened. It was challenging, fascinating, and fun! Afterwards, I kept posting twice a day on TikTok. That consistency has helped me continue to grow. I’ve gone from 1,500 followers in mid-April to 3,400 at the time of writing this post. It’s not monumental growth, but it’s steady! Today on the blog, I want to share reflections on some of my most popular TikToks (any that received 10k views or more) and what I’ve learned along the way.

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