What works on TikTok? Not taking yourself too seriously

TikTok, more than any other social network, stands out for its ability to make content created in a nearly entirely amateur manner go viral, without the creators taking themselves too seriously. Unlike Instagram or other platforms, where an aesthetic with well-defined (albeit sometimes unconventional) rules has been established, TikTok rewards authenticity. Users prefer consuming "anti-system" content, as it's called on the platform, which is far removed from the pristine productions of celebrities and aspiring creators. This includes embarrassing sketches, pajama dances, or even failed attempts at making a video, among other things, which garner millions of views. For example, last February, a video featuring a bowl of strawberries covered in chocolate went viral. The footage is shot with flash and includes many zooms, set to the tune of the song "What You Won’t Do For Love." Although it is objectively a poorly made video without much meaning, the video quickly became one of the most appreciated in TikTok’s history – today it has over 50 million likes and more than 400 million views. “We’re in an era where everyone is trying to be a creator,” TikToker @sammi.social said, explaining the success of this specific content. She added that many users try to come up with something new to replicate the success of challenges, lip syncs, and dances; the strawberry bowl video, however, is just "irreverent humor and shitposting”, which is why it works. This trend of sharing such videos already existed before the pandemic, but according to some, it may have been accentuated by the habit – developed during lockdown – of filming whatever was at hand, at a time when nearly everyone was confined at home, and even the most popular personalities didn’t have particularly interesting days or exclusive content to post.

Spontaneity Pays Off on TikTok

This carefree approach to content creation encourages a less rigid use of social networks, especially TikTok, where users feel free to express themselves without fear of judgment. The Gen Z, in this sense, seems uninterested in consuming “perfect” and “flawless” content, preferring authentic and fun representations of life. This might explain why the TikTok profile of Romania has recently gained so much success. The page aims to promote the country to the rest of the world and attract tourists. According to calculations by the NGO managing it, from 2019 to today, at least 200,000 people have decided to visit Romania after seeing the content posted on their TikTok profile. The account has found the right way to portray stereotypes about the country, ironically and humorously, yet respectfully. The most popular videos reference legends about some Romanian regions, like Transylvania being inhabited by vampires, or playfully depict the country as somewhat backward and tied to its agricultural traditions. Today, @romania on TikTok is followed by 2.4 million people, and its content has received over 94 million likes.

On TikTok, there are also categories of creators who attract the public's affection precisely because they seem down-to-earth and uninterested in crafting an idealized persona – as often happens on social networks. This is the case with the so-called “senior influencers”, people aged 70 and over who have an active digital presence that is particularly appreciated by younger users. Often, they gain fame from videos posted online by their own grandchildren for fun. Some immediately appear happy to play along, while others are gruff and straightforward, often with thick local accents, which in both cases comes across as endearing and amusing.

Another example of viral content and formats on TikTok, thanks to their authentic and slightly clumsy approach, is An Megastore. This is one of many shops run by people of Chinese origin that promise to have just about anything in stock. An Megastore, however, is probably the most famous store of its kind in Italy, especially since it began posting funny promotional videos on TikTok that have become incredibly popular. Part of the success of these videos is due to the charm of Angela, the store owner, who speaks with a noticeable Chinese accent and occasionally makes pronunciation mistakes. Users particularly enjoy her enthusiastic reactions when one of the content creators frequently featured in the store's videos tries on clothes chosen for her – often absurd outfits. Her catchphrases, such as “bela fisica!”, have become real catchphrases, quoted even outside TikTok. Since the scenes are acted out in a rather amateurish way, the result is often a bit clumsy, but this seems to be the key to the success of these videos, which probably would not have garnered any attention if they had been more professional.