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Jessie Sims takes on TikTok

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4 years ago

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Jessie Sims takes on TikTokLaunched in 2016, the video-sharing platform TikTok has enjoyed a surge in popularity, amassing more than 800 million users since its inception and earning its spot as one of
the most-downloaded apps of the year in 2020. Its engaging design and smart algorithm
make it hard to put down, delivering the most interesting and relevant content to users
around the globe. It offers viewers hours of enjoyable escapism and content creators
the opportunity to spark the next viral craze.


TikTok has become the must-have social media platform for influencers who want to
grow their following and reach new fans. The app’s design serves up content to viewers
who are likely to find it interesting and engaging, giving it an edge over other popular
video content platforms Like YouTube. A range of social media stars find their fanbases
and increase their exposure on TikTok, some building up a steady following gradually,
and others propelling themselves to viral fame in a matter of hours.


One of these stars is Jessie Sims, who made the switch from life in small-town Maine to
a career as a social media influencer. Sims dropped out of nursing school to become a
model and actor, but her lack of a social media following made it tough to get jobs.
Realizing that it could be the key to success, she turned her hand to creating content on
YouTube and Instagram. In 2018, she discovered TikTok, and that was when her career
really took off.


Although she enjoyed decent success on YouTube and Instagram, TikTok is where
Sims found her largest following. However, a huge fanbase didn’t come overnight. Sims
speaks about the time it took her to gain a tribe of loyal followers.


“My Tiktok started growing fall last year. I went from 20k to 1M in a few months then 2M
within maybe around 6 months but as the platform began to grow due to COVID it
became harder to gain followers due to over-saturation.”


While the way content finds itself on users’ ‘For You’ pages is shrouded in mystery, it
partly comes down to how saturated a given genre is. The algorithm uses information
on who a user follows, which content they watch, and how long they watch it for. As
TikTok became more popular during the Covid-19 pandemic, many genres were flooded
with new content, making it harder for creators to stand out from the crowd. Sims
remembers that it became more challenging to get content onto users’ ‘For You’ pages,
and the number of new users following her slowed down.


“COVID didn’t really affect making content— obviously collars became harder and
basically non-existent but it also became harder to get on the FYP and gain followers.”
Sims’ niche of choice is comedy and prank videos, and she had to try a range of
strategies to get her content in front of audiences before she found the winning formula.
She speaks of the importance of engaging with her followers in the comments section to
promote her personal brand and encourage people to interact with her videos.


“I think it is important to be relatable and approachable to your audience. I don’t want to
feel disconnected from them. I make content for my own entertainment but mainly for
them. I want to make people laugh.”


So, why does Sims prefer being a social media influencer to a regular nine-to-five? The
answer, she says, is all down to job satisfaction. Her favorite part of the job is
collaborating with other video content creators to come up with fresh ideas and
experimenting with creative ideas. However, not every idea she has is a winner.
“I follow trends but I also think of things randomly but sometimes they are awful and I
never post them.”


Like anyone in the spotlight, Sims’ content receives its fair share of criticism. While a
certain amount of negativity is inevitable, she chooses to rise above it. Sims advocates
blocking and deleting hateful comments as the best way to cope with naysayers.

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