Q&A with Famous Tik Toker Ryan
If you once enjoyed Vine a little too much, you may be a fan of the born-again Vine 2.0, TikTok. While Vine's video structure limited creators to uploading 6 seconds of content, TikTok allows for a good amount of footage to be uploaded, up to 60 seconds, thus providing a better platform for creatives to share original content. To some, the video-sharing app might seem like a pretty basic concept, but the reality is the number of TikTok users and accounts are continuing to grow. Viewers seem to love the app just as much as users once loved Vine, despite its different layout and features. Not to mention – it's pretty easy to go viral on TikTok; you just have to come up with some particularly witty video ideas, and the rest is left up to the viewers. At least, this was the case for Ryan O'Malley, a junior at Florida State, who over only 6 months gained 33.8k followers and 1.2 million likes on TikTok; and continues to upload short videos. I sat down with Ryan to talk about his experience with TikTok, as well as some benefits he's received through his use of the app. Ryan shares how his online presence leads him to rediscover his passion for creating videos.
Image Courtesy: Tik Tok
Strike Magazine (SM): Hey Ryan. So, what exactly is the purpose of TikTok? What exactly do you use it for?
Ryan O'Malley (RO): TikTok is really just a place that I put videos that I think are funny into the world. Will it inevitably affect future [job] interviews? For sure. Do I mind? Not really. [he laughs] I just enjoy making [the videos] and making people laugh. I didn't really expect anything to come from it, but I am really happy and appreciative it is taking off. I've always made videos like this when I was younger. I first posted a YouTube video sophomore year of high school of a parody version of the movie Unfriended and that got 40,000 views and I think I still have some really, really bad home videos still from when I was like 7. I've just enjoyed making them for myself and others to laugh at.
SM: How did you start getting likes and views? How do you come up with your video ideas?
RO: So I originally started posting videos just for fun, doing like stupid bits and stuff with my friends. The first video that 'blew up' was one that got like 40 thousand views, which I thought was crazy at the time, but it was me with my friends' cat with the song 'Throw That Ass in a Circle' by Lil Ronny in the background. I posted it going into a movie with my friends, and my phone wouldn't stop buzzing during it. I checked my phone after and saw all the likes and was in awe. I honestly don't know how I come up with my ideas, I really am just zoning out in class and a really weird idea will come in my head, and I'm like, “hey, that would be a funny video.”
SM: How would you describe your sense of humor?
RO: [laughs] I honestly cannot tell you what my sense of humor is. I would say it is a mix of like, sarcastic, dry, and dumb. You can see that through my videos.
SM: Speaking of videos, describe your most viral TikTok video.
RO: So, when I made my most viral TikTok video I was on a date function with my friend Lexi. I pretended to be dead as I swung across a zip line, and everyone was super confused. This one hit 1.6 million views, and it got about 300k likes. I've had a couple of other posts hit around 1 million views, too.
Image Courtesy: Tik Tok
SM: Word on the street is you recently bought yourself a car with the money you earned from the app…tell me all about that!
RO: Yes, I bought myself a car! So, I was partnered with TikTok and they would pay me for every couple of posts I uploaded. I also have companies ask me to license my posts where I let them try and sell it to other companies for use like Ellen, Jimmy Kimmel, and even some meme accounts on Instagram. I've partnered with Collab, Daily Dose of Internet, and Bviral, so the money just added up. As of now, I have no idea what I'd want to do in life career-wise. I'm in the Jim Moran School of Entrepreneurship, but for now, it's really just school, making videos, and hanging out with my friends. Maybe I'll be able to use these connections to get somewhere down the road.
SM: Alright last thing, any tips on going viral?
RO: [laughing] I wish I knew. I think really anyone can on this app. I would say if you have a video that you think is really funny, post it! The algorithm really allows anyone to go viral, you just need a good idea. If you do decide to post something tag me @2ryanomalley and I'll be the first like.
You can watch Ryan's Tik Tok's here.
Strike Out,
Writer: Ellen Dominy
Editors: Giselle Parks and Savannah Tindall
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