Viral on TikTok
What surprised me about these TikTok creators, and it was true across the board, was that they were pretty regular folks. They had charisma and presence, but they also had anxieties around creating continual original work, meeting financial goals, and the constant concern about the authenticity of their videos.
I related to their struggle to balance audience expectations with making meaningful work.
Another surprise: how self-conscious they all were. Despite thriving in a cutthroat, populist media space, they were unsure of their public image. But perhaps it explains why they are so good at what they do—having some uneasiness is relatable and hence increases their appeal to an audience.
The size of their followings was truly stunning. It blows my mind when I see a photographer colleague with over 100K Instagram followers, but these folks' professional channels have numbers that dwarf that.
I asked Mark from Body By Mark for a real growth hack—something beyond “post consistently.” He said, “You should leverage meeting people like us. If we do a collaborative post after the story drops, you’ll gain followers. Maybe not thousands, but consistently doing this will grow your numbers.”
Later, during our shoot, I photographed him shirtless. After glancing at the monitor, he asked, “Can you not send those to the magazine? I don’t love how I look.” After an awkward pause I replied, “I submit the best images. The magazine decides what to use—they’re the client.” He turned away silently to adjust his wardrobe. Then I added, to the room, “That’s why I’m not big on Instagram.”
Top Image: My favorite of the channels was Meet Cute NYC. Their format of asking couples on the street their origin story and the keys to their bonding as a couple is both entertaining and speaks to something truly rich and meaningful in life. Plus, they’ve got a knack for finding charming, likable couples that you want to see succeed.
Second Image: creator grid, clockwise from upper right: Caleb Simpson, who wants to visit your home, Mark Langowski of Body By Mark, and Rachel Coster, top authority on the gross boy apartments of Brooklyn on her channel, Boy Room.
Bottom Image: It was a busy day for Guardian Saturday, but we were able to squeeze in some relaxed poses too.