According to some people, being a social media influencer on a platform like TikTok isn’t a “real job”. They say that since there’s no schedule, no boss, and no prior training involved, it’s really more of a hobby or an obsession than an actual career. On the other side of the argument, being a full-time TikTok creator can be just as demanding as any job. Whether you look at the time, networking skills, or effort that’s required – let alone the risk of burnout – it can be just as challenging as other more typical careers.
So, who’s right? There could be some truth to both sides of the argument, but that’s just because there are many different levels of TikTok influencers. Some of them genuinely don’t put that much effort into their account; instead, they have a whole team of people to do the work for them. In that case, they have it pretty easy compared to someone working a stressful 9-to-5.
Other TikTok creators give the bulk of their time and energy to growing their accounts; this requires way more than just making videos on a regular basis. Even if they have a few team members working alongside them, they still work hard to find success in their social media careers.
If you’re interested in seeing what your life could look like if you were the second type of TikTok creator, just keep reading – you may be surprised at how much work it can take! In this hypothetical scenario, the creator would have a few hundred thousand followers or more, as well as quite a few industry connections, brand deals, and so on. Many TikTok creators dream of getting to this point, only to find out that it’s harder than they thought. If you’re ready to do whatever it takes, then go for it! Just keep in mind that being a full-time creator on TikTok will require you to do a lot more than just film videos and occasionally accept brand partnerships.
They’d start the day by responding to emails, DMs, and comments
Full-time TikTok creators have a lot of people trying to get in touch with them, for various reasons. If it’s through email, it’s more likely to be offers for brand deals, affiliate marketing, collaborations, merchandising opportunities, plus emails from partnerships that had already been established.
A lot of these emails will quickly be deleted, especially the offers that aren’t a good fit or don’t pay enough. However, there will be plenty of emails to respond to as well. If there’s a possibility of working with a new brand partner, the process of nailing down the details could take up a fair bit of time throughout the coming days.
The DMs could be more of the same, but they’ll also be full of fans who want to get in touch for one reason or another. Depending on how much time the creator has (and how many fan DMs there are to respond to), these messages could be replied to by the creator themselves, or by a team member replying on the creator’s behalf.
The same could be said for comments. If the creator’s following is still a manageable size, then they could realistically be very active in the comment section of each video. If there are thousands of comments on every upload, though, they might limit their activity, or get someone else to take care of it for them.
They’d work on their content schedule
A crucial part of being a full-time creator on TikTok is planning videos well in advance. Even if they seem spontaneous, the majority of videos from large creators were developed days or weeks ago. This could mainly be taken care of by the creator, or it could be done in collaboration with a producer, a script writer, or other team members.
They’d film content
In general, a full-time creator posts as often as they’re able to. There’s usually a lot of pressure from their followers, who eagerly await the next video…and the next, and the next. They also have to consider TikTok’s algorithm, which rewards a frequent posting schedule. This being the case, it’s common for creators to stay busy filming videos as much as possible. If they aren’t filming, then they could be rehearsing dance moves, practicing makeup looks, finishing a project for a how-to video, and so on.
They’d meet with their manager
At the start of any TikToker’s career, they’d be a solo act. After all, it’s tough to get a manager when you only have a dozen followers and three videos. Once their account starts showing promise, though, it’s common for TikTok creators to get a manager if they’re really serious about becoming full-time influencers.
When they’ve reached that point, it’s likely that they’ll have regular meetings with their manager, or at least daily check-ins. They need to stay informed about upcoming opportunities, current brand deals, emerging trends on TikTok, PR opportunities, and even legal or tax-related matters. There are countless details to keep track of, and a manager is an important part of keeping all the plates spinning.
They’d take some time for self-care
This may not be a part of every TikToker’s daily schedule, but it should be. It’s been observed by actual full-time TikTok creators that there’s a high risk of burnout, because they feel the need to be “on” all day long. Even if they aren’t doing something like filming or attending a meeting, they’d stay busy with things like responding to messages, reading comments, or simply browsing their For You page to see what was going on. If they aren’t mindful about how they’re spending their time, they could end up spending the entire week without any meaningful downtime. To avoid burnout, a smart creator will actually schedule time each day to spend on something they truly enjoy. This will not only help them feel refreshed, but it will also give them the stamina they need to continue growing their TikTok career.