The two forms of social media that I have used most frequently during the semester would be Instagram and Tik Tok. These implications are important factors to the fields of advertisement and communication because of the way these platforms present their content to viewers. In using these two platforms, I have learned more about brand awareness, marketing my content, and how to create raw and original content for my viewers. In using these learned methods, I have been able to increase my following count on Instagram by 3,000 and my Tik-Tok by 20,000 in the past couple of years. So how did I do it? How was I able to spread my content and gain a following so quickly?

            To begin, Tik Tok is the platform I spend the majority of my time on compared to others. It starts with being able to communicate correctly and in a beneficial way with your target audience. Tik Tok is a short-filmed, video sharing app that allows users to create and share fifteen second, 30 second-, or two-minute videos on any topic. Tik Tok is a fairly new social media platform that took over a previous competitor called Musically just a couple of years ago. I use Tik Tok the most out of all my social media accounts, spending around 1.5 hours a day sliding through my “For You Page” or “FYP”. A “FYP”, in summary, is Tik Tok’s recommended videos for your viewing from accounts based on who you follow and what you like the most. This essentially is an algorithm designed to keep you on the app entertained by your own preference while also promoting people’s work at the same time (making them money)! I truly believe that Tik Tok is the best platform for advertising and selling product to their target audience. I believe this because of Tik Tok’s ability to track and record how much one user spends on a particular category, meaning more videos like the one’s that the viewer is watching is going to be added to their personal “FYP”. This gives Tik Tok a major advantage to the other social media platforms because they can advertise product on your page based on the users interests that Tik Tok has recorded. Although it is a very efficient tactic and successful business operation that Tik Tok utilizes, this can be very dangerous to the public regarding personal privacy but is now still the most profitable social media platform. 

            In addition, I can also use this as a great source of communicating with my peers. Based on the similar posts that appear on my social media page, will also appear on another individual’s page with a comment and direct message tab. This results in individuals sharing a common commonality with each other. As I first started out on Tik Tok, I thought that if I compiled and posted a bunch of the most viral “trends”, I was going to get famous. As it did get me some views, I began to realize that I was just blending in with my audiences’ views. With some thinking, I learned that posting viral trends with a “twist” was a key to success. For example, I would take that common trend, and add original content that expressed my character and who I was as a person. This added personally and showed a newness to the audience viewing my posts. Tik Tok has taught me that in using my original self in my content, I am better able to communicate and relate to others. 

            On the other hand, Instagram is an important platform that works wonders for brand awareness. Instagram is a very famous and commonly used social media platform which is popularly being used as a marketing tool these days. On average, I spend up to 4 hours on Instagram per week, so roughly around 20 minutes per day on Instagram. Ever since I have had Tik Tok, I have always had my Instagram page linked in the bio.  After gaining followers from my content on Tik Tok, companies would reach out to me on Instagram. Through this, I have learned that Instagram is a better communication tool because it helps individuals deliver visual direct messages or public posts to many recipients conveniently. It is also simply more formal than Tik Tok. Companies use a more selective audience to advertise their product to sell. Posting visual content over text- based content processes faster, resulting in more attraction and attention to the brand consumer. Therefore, brands are better anchored and advertised in the memory of a brand campaign, sponsorship, and/or collab of a product. On Instagram, you can now create a business account on Instagram and then use photos, videos, reels, and hashtags to market your business. This is an important factor because it can also can quickly and easily get the customer engaged and easier in touch with the consumer with questions or concerns about the product they are selling.