Whether you use Tik Tok or not, you’re probably aware of its existence. Initially it was infamous for its dances, but it’s become so much more. There is just about every type of niche available on Tik Tok and the algorithm is pretty good at tailoring the “For you page” to videos you’d most like to see. Many people use it just to browse and laugh when they’re bored or waiting for the bus. Others create content and try to hone their short form video creating skills. Speaking for myself, I’m more of a creator on Tik Tok than a viewer (even though I also support people’s pages by giving them likes & comments).
Why Did I Get Rid Of Tik Tok?
At the end of 2022, I needed a break from Tik Tok. I also wanted to simplify my life more by getting rid of one more app – and Tik Tok seemed to be a reasonable choice at the time. One can spend hours scrolling on there if they’re not careful and even if you’re not posting sexy videos, you will still get enough guys messaging you. While I initially got Tik Tok as a way to share some nice moments from my day, something started to feel off last year. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it – the annoying DMs, people you know creating fake accounts to “spy”, troll-ish comments, or something else? After deactivating my account, I didn’t miss the app at first. I felt like I could breathe again.
Even though I’m not getting paid and I’m a relatively small account, I felt some sense of obligation to post consistent content and sometimes it was draining. Once I returned to my apartment after visiting my family for a vacation, I realized I did miss posting on Tik Tok a little. I do enjoy sharing some of the cool sights I see sometimes.
I think the reason why I needed a break from Tik Tok was because
1) I was posting too often
2) I got a professional account that limited what type of music I can use (Professional accounts can’t use licensed songs)
While my account was growing steadily for a while, it seemed to cap in the summer of 2022. My videos weren’t attracting as many new people and the fact that I couldn’t use whatever song I wanted put a damper on the experience. I wasn’t making any money off my content anyway, so I think the best thing I did was to reactive my account and go back to a personal plan (rather than be a professional who wasn’t making any money anyway).
Why I Got Tik Tok Back
As I mentioned above, returning my account to “personal” breathed new life into it. I can post without focusing on how much my account is growing. The first reel I posted this year was such a refreshing vibe – it was one of me in a plane that was flying over the mountains. The videos I’ve posted since have a similar vibe – they have the songs I want that go with them. I’ll also let go of any obligation to post daily or even weekly. I’ll post things when I want to post which will keep it fun like it used to be. As far as the DMs go, I’ll play it by ear. If they seem legit and kind, I’ll be friendly with boundaries. If they’re rude by asking too many questions or saying weird things, I won’t bother responding.
If my account ever explodes into something like 15K followers, I might look into getting a professional account again, but for the time being I’ll just post for fun whenever I want – and I’ll use any songs I want (The thing I’m most excited for!). That’s what makes Tik Tok fun! Not everything you do needs to make money or serve some huge purpose. As long as you and your followers enjoy what you post, that’s what matters. There’s nothing like creating just for fun.
Thank you so much for reading today. ❤
Musings Of A Wildflower 
My daughter likes Tic-Toc, and is of an age where she grew up with it. Me, I think I can live without.
Aw yeah it can be pretty fun! 🙂 I think it’s great if it serves a purpose for you, but if not, its probably just a time waster.
I can relate; at one point, I stopped using social media because it was making me feel down. After that, I concentrated on my mental health. I finally felt ready to come back and reactivate my accounts after some time had passed. Now, I solely use it for my personal or book reviews. Mindfully.
That’s the best way. It should be for fun or enrichment. Once it stops being fun, there’s no point.
I feel this. Doing something out of a sense of obligation, especially if it’s a hobby, takes all the fun out of it.
That’s so true. 🙂
I’m curious about BookTok, as a writer, but it’s entirely a self-interested idea of finding readers for my mainstream fiction – readers who will love a deep dive into the lives of three characters in a love story that is NOT a category Romance. And I have no idea how to pull that off.
I’m also sure that I’m so slow that by the time I have learned how to do it, it won’t work any more. Frustrating having the slow processing speed I’m stuck with due to illness – video does NOT work with a slow brain, unless you spend highly disproportionate amounts of time on short output.
So it will remain curiosity – unless I find someone who manages that for/with me. But I KNOW that some of my best readers are that age and disposition, and have no other idea how to reach them.
I don’t use it for Book Tok. I totally get it though – Book Tok is a world of its own and it’s even more dynamic than Bookstagram. That said, there’s nothing evil or self-interested about wanting to sell books you wrote – business owners market their business. Writers market their books. I can totally rate to you not going down that road though. I think I’ve used most of the apps mainly for writing and books, so I wanted to use Tik tok to channel my nature love. It’s a lot more peaceful on that end of Tik tok.
Maybe you could find someone to manage a Booktok for you if you ever wanted to take the plunge. Either way, your unique romance idea sounds very interesting! 🙂
There is a prequel short story on prideschildren dot com (1500 words). If you’re curious about writing style, and one of the trilogy’s three main characters.
The first two novels are published; PURGATORY was awarded 2021 Best Contemporary novel by Indies Today (sample on above site; longer sample on Amazon under my full name – Look Inside, GR), and NETHERWORLD is doing well in reviews. It’s a trilogy with a single story in three parts, same characters – Amazon can’t bind anything that thick! I’m working on LIMBO, but I’m dreadfully slow.
As I said, not a category Romance, but a mainstream love story embedded in a story of Hollywood, Bollywood, actors, and writers. If interested, let me know – I have ARCs for potential reviewers. No obligation.
My autistic wife cannot deal with the flashing Tik Tok logo. As for me, I’ve never felt any desire to use the platform.
There ya go. Everyone’s different.
I am not someone who likes using social media but if it’s making someone happy then why not:) Great Post ❤️
Thanks so much for reading. 🙂
I don’t mess with TikTok, but I’m glad you create and express through it. And adjusting the boundaries as necessary. That seems really good.
Thank you so much for reading & commenting! And I understand – if you never get it, that’s ones less app to worry about. LOL
Nice post. I have been off social media for at least a year. I still have a Facebook but I do not post. I have Instagram but my oldest shares videos of our grandson there so it is a keeper although I have gone down the rabbit hole of scrolling. What I did do is go through and delete of stop following anything or one that did not add value to my life. So many people say to grow your brand you have to post on social media but I am not sure how to use it yet. There is so much “front staging” of peoples lives leaving many to think that they have the “perfect” life. I want to be sure that when I go back it is real and authentic. I had tic toc at the beginning of the pandemic but after a month I was tired of it. Thank you for your journey as it provides me with some insight that I may be able to use as I ponder posting content in the future.
Yeah I think a lot of lifestyle bloggers do the staging of a perfect life where they are either always traveling or have the best brands or are always out at these amazing events/parties. I think when it comes to authors, you just let your personality show through a little bit. I’ve never in my life “staged” my life to look a certain way – I keep things simple and just share little moments from my week/month. It’s people who make assumptions that I am always traveling or never working – I never led them to believe that. I just give people the benefit of the doubt that they know there’s much more going on in our lives than social media shows. I don’t think that’s really the point.
You can definitely keep things really simple or in the case of lifestyle bloggers, you’d show more of what you’re doing/where you’re going. I like to believe most intelligent people have an awareness of what people are doing when they post on social media.