I’m so glad you’re here! Read below for more information on my experience being a social media manager and content creator for a small business!
- Project purpose or objectives.
Over the last three months I have created and managed a TikTok account for a small boutique located in New York called @tuckedinboutiqueny. I came across this account on Instagram and noticed that it had such a small following. I looked at the posts and the website attached. The website looked professional and the products were appealing. I messaged the boutique and introduced myself. I told the owner that I am interested in doing social media and I have limited experience that I would love to expand. I asked her how it has been starting a small business. She confided in me that she wants to reach more people, but is working two full-time jobs to make ends meet and simply doesn’t have time to do more on social media..”I’ve been looking into it more to see what I can naturally do to grow my social media just to get more eyes on my stuff. More familiarity with my brand.” I offered to create a TikTok account and some content for her “It’s so funny you say that! You don’t even understand how badly I’ve wanted to do this. You would be a LIFESAVER!” This really propelled me to take this task in stride. I wanted to do the following for my new friend Julia:
- Create a TikTok account for Tucked In Boutique NY.
- Post consistent each week to engage an audience.
- Gain a following.
- Interact with current and potential customers.
- The project (samples of the work produced or the final product).
The following three videos are TikToks I created to show the clothing from the boutique!
- Challenges encountered in completing the project.
There have been many challenges I’ve encountered since beginning this project. I moved across the country and all the changes and hectic schedule made it difficult to keep direct communication. Although it wasn’t easy, I did my best to let her know what I was doing to set a secure connection with the owner of the boutique. I wanted her to trust me. I kept her updated through the changes and challenges that arose. The second challenge was that I found out that I am pregnant. This brought on intense morning sickness for two of the three months I have worked on this. This made it difficult being sick and being unable to keep food down and being so nauseated that I couldn’t stand up for long periods of time. I used the small amount of energy I had to film after I had carefully planned the content I wanted to create. I started to get a baby bump which meant the clothes I was being sent were more limited because they aren’t designed for pregnant women.
- Project processes.
Each week consisted of brainstorming ideas, looking for trends, trying my best to create content that people would enjoy,interacting with my target audience, recording and editing videos, and posting them. As I would watch other TikTok trends, I would brainstorm how I could use that to promote pieces from the boutique. When I offered to create content for Tucked In Boutique, Julia the owner offered to send me clothing to wear and display in the videos. I was able to incorporate them in my posts and invite others to learn more about the pieces. Despite the associated challenges, I was able to post each week to create a landing page for potential customers.The boutique now has a following on TikTok instead of just on Instagram. I made sure to post content that leads to the website so that they have the potential to become conversions and benefit the boutique.I feel confident that I have been able to meet the needs of this small business owner by getting more eyes on her shop.I will continue to work with her to strengthen my skills in social media, communicating, and content creation.
- An overview of the experiences you had.
Below are excerpts of my experiences over the last three months creating and running the TikTok account for @TuckedInBoutiqueNy.
Public Report #1
Starting this TikTok has been an exciting challenge that I have decided to take on head first. Starting from scratch comes with pros and cons. Connecting the new account to the Instagram account had me jumping through hoops to set it up securely. Now that that is finished, content creation and consistency is the key! I was able to create some content with the tie dye set and appeal to people who like sets since they are a huge trend. I was able to also do another trend where the creator shows a video of the scene and then shares the photos taken. I think this brings the viewer into the behind the scenes and makes them feel more included and aware of how this small business runs. I can’t wait for more creativity!
Public Report #2
Starting this TikTok has been an exciting challenge that I have decided to take on head first. Starting from scratch comes with pros and cons. Connecting the new account to the Instagram account had me jumping through hoops to set it up securely. Now that that is finished, content creation and consistency is the key! I was able to create some content with the tie dye set and appeal to people who like sets since they are a huge trend. I was able to also do another trend where the creator shows a video of the scene and then shares the photos taken. I think this brings the viewer into the behind the scenes and makes them feel more included and aware of how this small business runs. I can’t wait for more creativity!
Public Report #3
The last two weeks have brought a lot of growth. I found myself using my time more usefully as I scrolled through social media, especially TikTok. I found trends and brainstormed how they could fit the branding of Tucked In Boutique. We are now at 35 which is half of my goal. I only have a few weeks to reach it, but I am determined. I spent time creating content in different locations and using the outfits given to me by the owner. It has been more difficult for me than I anticipated putting myself out there and sharing content that shows off a different side of me. I have seen a lot of personal growth throughout this project as I have broadened my perspectives and did what it took to create and share the content. I have a great opportunity to grow and strengthen my skillset as I move closer to my graduation and closer to the opportunities that await me! I spent a lot of time trying to apply myself to the media I consume and use It for the good of this TikTok account and this small business. I am growing to care about it so much.
Public Report #4
The last two weeks were the most challenging up to this point. I spent hours trying to come up with content. I have been creating content with the pieces that the company has sent to me. I had to get creative with my content using past outfits I have been given. I don’t want to be too repetitive with content so I was able to make photo collages of photographs that display the products on the website. I got some traction on these. I was able to talk to the owner of the boutique and she let me know about the upcoming sales so was able to post about them. I have been debating between keeping the personal account and switching to the business account. I did some research and the professional accounts don’t have direct access to all the popular music and you have to pay to get access to certain abilities on TikTok. As a creator on TikTok you must weigh out the options. Having a professional account gives potential to sponsor and promote content. For this project, with no budget it makes sense for me to keep it a personal account. I was able to gain a few followers, but this week I learned that people respond better to TikToks that show a face and a person rather than just pictures. I will use more personal content and show my face more in the future.
- What insights or takeaways you have gained from the project.
I have learned the importance of communication throughout this project. Bringing understanding to the forefront of any project that involves multiple people brings clarity and reduces the chance of misunderstandings and unmet expectations. I have also learned to adapt to new circumstances. It wasn’t ideal to be in front of the camera while feeling so sick. I lost 20 pounds over the duration of this project, but I am proud of myself for pushing through and accomplishing tasks although it didn’t look exactly as I thought it would. The last thing I learned that I will take with me moving forward is how to be myself on social media. I felt comfortable being myself and showing my personality on this TikTok account. The content that got the most engagement included me being myself while showing off the cute clothes the boutique has to offer.
Thank you for reading!