Nathalie Moreno
Florida Southern College students have gone viral on TikTok, reaching tens or hundreds of thousands likes and views.
Going viral is a lot easier than it sounds. The infamous TikTok algorithm takes into account the things that its users like, share and view, but most times TikTok For You Page will have some random videos on it as well. The random nature of the For You Page plays a big role in videos going viral around the world.
Mariah Clark, a junior who has had multiple videos extend past the 100,000 likes and views, enjoys the leniency of TikTok, as well as the outreach of her videos that lead her to people who share similar interests. People post whatever they want, whenever they want, with no rules or expectations.
“For me, a TikTok post is way more enjoyable to make than an Instagram post because I don’t have to worry about what I look like or what other people will think,” Clark said. “I get to upload whatever I want and have conversations with people who relate to or like whatever I’m making.”
Apps like TikTok, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook are being used now more than ever to stay connected to and make some new friends. Another benefit that comes with going viral on TikTok is the community of other TikTok users that want to engage with your content. Thousands of views, likes and shares come with thousands of comments alike, which range from notes of praise, jokes, or just random statements they felt the need to share.
“It’s really cool to connect with people all over the world and talk about the same videos and topics,” sophomore Rowan Marshall said. “I made a video about pronunciation in different accents that went viral and I had people from all over the world commenting on it which was surreal to me.”
There is no general outline for videos that reach viral fame on TikTok. Videos can be cute, funny, aesthetically pleasing or just plain weird
Other users go viral on TikTok by sharing more serious matters with their viewers. Some users utilize their platforms to share personal experiences or opinions on topics like racism, cultural issues and political views.
Current events like COVID-19 updates, recent presidential election feedback and the Black Lives Matter movement have all been talked about or shared with others through TikTok. While users go on TikTok strictly for comic relief, they can also use it to stay updated on what goes on in the world.
Senior Brooke Broxterman has had multiple videos go viral but, like others, gets more out of TikTok than just new friends and followers. TikTok also acts as a teaching tool in unexpected but necessary ways.
“I don’t care that much about going viral,” Broxterman said. “I was also informed about social issues during the summer and I am very thankful that I received so much knowledge from that.”
