Social media is constantly changing and the way that we consume media in this era is a non-stop scrolling stream.
On top of the influx of information, there is also a lot of fake news being spread daily. This is why it is important to have
real journalists on our social feed giving us the news as a
trustworthy source.
Scroll on as media update's Saads Abrahams tells you why you should put your face all over our for you page (FYP).
Make it your own newsroom
One of the ways in which you can
successfully utilise TikTok is by making it your
own personal newsroom. Have a set up in your home or office, where you
exclusively record from. Try to only give your followers the latest news updates from this
specific space.
The reason this works well is because it can be your "identifier", and the second you pop up on the FYP, your
viewers already know whose page it is and what type of content to expect.
A successful example of this is
Dylan Page, who has amassed over 7.1 million followers on TikTok and is known as a reliable global news source. He has his own personal little newsroom with a sign that says "news daddy".
This quirky look has added personality and makes his videos stand out.
Give your viewers behind-the-scenes access
If you are working for a broadcaster, and want to figure out how to use your TikTok page, a cool way to do it is by giving your viewers behind-the-scenes access.
There are so many ways to incorporate this into your page. Here are a few examples of how to angle your content:
- 'get ready with me'
- 'a day in the life of a journalist'
- 'come with me as I investigate', and
- 'behind the scenes of a live news broadcast'.
If you are looking for some inspiration to create some of these, then you should check out
Brianna Borghi. She gives different types of behind-the-scenes content, and this helps her create a connection with her followers in a really
fun and
interesting way.
Make use of live streaming
Live streaming is a great way to
connect with your followers and to get new followers.
The beauty of live streaming is that you can show your viewers the
news as it happens. If you are at an event, you can live stream — this also adds
authenticity to your voice.
It is a great way to give viewers a way of
experiencing an event as it happens, as opposed to receiving the news or information long after it has occurred.
A page that successfully utilises live streaming is
Sky News. By doing this, they can
reach a wider audience at all hours of the day — no matter where they are in the world.
Define your own brand
TikTok allows journalists the
privilege to define their brand. How do you want the world to see you? What sets you apart from other journalists? What topics interest you and what do you want to report on?
Creating a TikTok account allows
you, the journalist, to be in control and have full creative control of your work. You need to remember that the people that are successful on TikTok are
genuine and
passionate about what they post.
And this is
essential for journalists to keep in mind. If you are posting and discussing something that you don't enjoy, the viewers will pick up on it and you will end up losing followers.
The South African TikToker
Zethu has done this really well. When she discusses a news topic, she is always
extremely informed and passionate about what she is reporting on. In many of her videos, she is in her gown or a hoodie and it is all part of her brand image.
What are your thoughts on journalists using TikTok? Let us know in the comments section below.
*Image courtesy of Canva