Bad Advice for New Creators

What to ignore when you're starting out on social media

When I began a TikTok account with the intention of actually growing a following and maybe even making money, I found myself embarrassingly unaware of how to start, given that I had worked in social media-related marketing for the seven years prior. So I took to Google, and ChatGPT, and then TikTok itself, for advice on how to make videos that people—and the platform—might like.

The key axioms, a ubiquitous handful of “best practices,” seemed logical at the time, and I adhered to them. Now, a year later, I’ve come to understand that they are often devoid of a nuanced understanding of the algorithm and viewer psychology, and while not entirely invalid, may actually inhibit the creative experimentation necessary for a new creator to find their voice.

Here is a list of some of the “must-do’s” I came across at the beginning of my journey, and why, in many cases, they are best ignored.