TikTok Will Have You Lost: Why I Stopped Chasing The Creator Program

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:03

Welcome back to Ask Velvet Podcast, where we have real conversations about real life, social media, and the things people are talking about every single day. Have you ever opened TikTok planning to watch this one video and before you know it you've ended up somewhere you never intended to be? Because that's been happening to me a lot lately. One minute I'm watching a funny video, somebody cooking or a cute cat doing something silly. The next minute TikTok has dropped me into a completely different world. And I'm asking myself, now how do I end up over here? That's what I want to talk about today because social media can sometimes take you down some very unexpected rabbit holes. Now, don't get me wrong, I enjoy TikTok. There are some incredibly creative people on there. I've learned recipes, watched hilarious videos, discovered talented artists, and found some genuinely helpful content. But then there's another side of TikTok. Recently I came across a woman explaining how to manipulate men into buying expensive gifts, how to get money out of them, and how to play games with people's emotions. She was presenting it like it was smart advice. And all I could think was that sounds dangerous. Playing with people's emotions and manipulating someone for money isn't just dishonest. It can also put someone in a very dangerous situation. You never know how another person is going to react when they realize they've been used or deceived. That's not advice I would ever encourage anyone to follow. It also made me wonder about TikTok itself. Sometimes the platform removes certain videos or censors certain content, but then other videos with questionable advice seem to stay up. It makes you wonder how the algorithm decides what gets pushed onto people's for you pages. The truth is not everybody giving advice online is giving good advice. Just because someone has thousands or even millions of followers doesn't automatically make them an expert. Just because a video has millions of views doesn't mean it's true. And just because something goes viral doesn't mean it's wise. Some people create content because controversy gets attention. The more outrageous the advice, the more views, comments, and shares they receive. But views don't equal wisdom. Whenever you're watching content online, ask yourself is this safe? Is this honest? Would I recommend this advice to someone I love? If the answer is no, keep scrolling. Think for yourself. Use your own judgment. Don't let social media make your decisions for you. Now I also want to talk about TikTok's creator program. I tried several times to get into it, and after a while I started asking myself if it was really something I wanted to keep chasing. From my perspective, it seems like you have to spend a lot of time creating content, posting consistently, engaging with people, and staying active on TikTok. For me personally, that feels like being on the app much more than I want to be. Now, I want to be fair because this is just my personal experience. I'm not the most TikTok suave person. And I know there are creators who have built amazing communities and found success on TikTok. Everybody's journey is different, and what works for one person may not work for someone else. I'm simply sharing how I feel. I enjoy getting on TikTok, watching a few videos, posting every now and then, and then going about my day. I just can't see myself spending hours and hours on TikTok every single day. So eventually I decided to stop chasing the creator program. Instead, I decided to focus my energy on something that truly makes me happy. My podcast this podcast. That's where my passion is. I love planning new episodes, sharing my opinions, telling stories, making people laugh, making people think, and connecting with listeners who enjoy real conversations. Podcasting allows me to create content in a way that fits my life instead of feeling like I'm constantly chasing an algorithm. For me, it's about meaningful conversations, not just viral moments. And honestly, I'm okay with that. I've learned that success doesn't look the same for everybody. Some people thrive on TikTok, some people build incredible YouTube channels, some people become successful authors, some become successful podcasters. There's room for all of us. The important thing is finding the platform that fits who you are and what you enjoy creating. So those are my thoughts. TikTok can be entertaining, it can be educational, it can introduce you to amazing creators and incredible ideas. But it can also lead you down some very strange rabbit holes if you're not careful. Enjoy the app, laugh, learn something new, have fun, but don't believe everything you hear just because it appeared on your screen. Question what you hear. Think critically. Protect your peace. And remember that every creator's journey is different. What works for someone else may not work for you. And that's perfectly okay. Before I go, if you enjoy listening to Ask Velvet Podcast and you'd like to help support the show, I'd love your support. You can donate $10 through my Cash App and you'll find my Cash App information in the episode description and show notes. When you donate $10, you'll officially become a friend of the podcast. It's my way of saying thank you for helping support an independent podcast and for believing in what I'm building. Every donation helps me continue creating new episodes, improve the quality of the show, and bring you more conversations like this one. No matter how you support the podcast, whether it's by donating, following, subscribing, leaving a review, or simply sharing an episode with someone else, you are helping Ask Velvet Podcast continue to grow and I truly appreciate every single one of you. I'd also love to hear from you. Has TikTok ever dropped you into a part of the app that made you stop and say, How in the world did I end up there or here? Let me know. Until next time, thank you for listening. Thank you for your support. Stay safe online, trust your instincts, keep asking questions and keep choosing what works best for you. This is Velvet, and you've been listening to Ask Velvet Podcast. I'll see you in the next episode.