{"id":925,"date":"2022-08-29T22:57:23","date_gmt":"2022-08-29T17:27:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.professorservices.com\/blog\/?p=925"},"modified":"2022-08-29T22:57:23","modified_gmt":"2022-08-29T17:27:23","slug":"tiktok-why-professors-need-to-start-here","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.professorservices.com\/blog\/tiktok-why-professors-need-to-start-here\/","title":{"rendered":"TikTok: Why Professors Need to Start Here"},"content":{"rendered":"

It starts on TikTok.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

That\u2019s TikTok\u2019s slogan. And, for over 2 billion people, TikTok is where they start their searches for information and content creation. If professors want to communicate with their student audiences, TikTok is where to find them.<\/p>\n

According to HubSpot (McLachlan, 2022), the app is the top choice for Gen Z. \u201cGoogling\u201d is now considered Millennial. Gen Z is skipping the search box and going to TikTok to search for topics and answers. On TikTok, users don\u2019t have to sort through the advertisements at the top of the search results. Users get recommendations based on their prior choices and views, so the results are more relevant to their searches.<\/p>\n

TikTok\u2019s mission statement says it\u2019s the leading destination for short-form mobile video. The mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. While attention spans are shrinking, TikTok is serving up bite-sized videos where 70% of users spend an hour plus on the app every week. Instead of watching or creating 2-hour YouTube videos, users are browsing 50 TikToks. (McLachlan, 2022).<\/p>\n

TikTok Advice from a Communications Professor\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Communications professor Ben Yarbrough, Ph.D., encourages professors, students, and businesses to join the TikTok bandwagon. \u201cTiktok is the new frontier,\u201d Yarbrough said when comparing the app to YouTube. \u201cWhat I love about TikTok is that it was a reset button on expectations. The rawness and authenticity of TikToks reduce the barriers to entry, making video production more available to more people. People love the raw experience. You no longer need a studio or professional equipment to make a direct connection with your audience.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yarbrough suggests TikTok meets personal needs while putting power into the hands of creators. \u201cUltimately, we want to connect, see, be seen, and share,\u201d said Yarbrough. He continues, \u201cThat\u2019s what\u2019s happening on a global scale. TikTok encourages democratization. Innovation and technology bring opportunities and take power away from the old guard of media.\u201d<\/p>\n

While some academics are comfortable on earlier social apps, Yarbrough encourages professors to meet students where they are watching.<\/p>\n

Yarbrough said, \u201cGet on there and start creating. Talk about your field, discuss topics you teach and things you like, and use it for personal branding.\u201d Yarbrough emphasizes that TikTok is a platform where academics should let go of ideas around excellence and credentials and be themselves instead. \u201cGen Z and Millennials have different perspectives on academics. I encourage professors to meet students where they are.\u201d<\/p>\n

How to use it:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n