Key Takeaways:
– Mid-tier creators dominate TikTok, making up 42% of accounts with 50,000–499,999 followers.
– Mega-influencers (over 1 million followers) are just 10% of creator accounts.
– Posting habits and content length vary with follower size.
– Entertainment and humor are popular across all creators, while promotional content grows with audience size.
Mid-Tier Creators Lead the Pack
If you’re active on TikTok, you might think it’s all about the big names with millions of followers. But a recent study reveals that mid-tier creators are actually the backbone of TikTok’s creator community. These creators, who have between 50,000 and 499,999 followers, make up a whopping 42% of all creator accounts followed by U.S. adults. Meanwhile, mega-influencers with over a million followers represent only 10% of the followed accounts. This shows that while mega-influencers get a lot of attention, mid-tier creators are the real driving force behind TikTok’s vibrant ecosystem.
What Defines a Creator on TikTok?
So, who exactly qualifies as a creator? According to the study, a creator is someone who has at least 5,000 followers and has built their following primarily through social media, not offline fame. This definition helps us understand that becoming a creator is largely about engaging with your audience online and growing your presence through content, rather than relying on existing fame from other avenues.
Posting habits: how often do creators post?
The study also dives into how often creators post content and how their habits change based on their follower count. Creators with over a million followers have posted a median of 777 times, compared to 154 posts for those with fewer than 10,000 followers. This makes sense—larger accounts often have teams helping them create and post content regularly.
But it’s not just about the number of posts. The study finds that larger accounts also create longer content. Videos from these accounts average 39 seconds, compared to 21 seconds for smaller accounts. Why? Longer videos might allow creators to tell more detailed stories, showcase products, or share deeper insights.
Another interesting trend? Larger accounts are more likely to include speech in their videos. About 40% of their posts include spoken words, while only 20% of smaller accounts do the same. Speech can help creators connect more personally with their audience, which might be why it’s more common among larger accounts.
Content themes: what’s trending?
When it comes to content themes, entertainment and humor are consistent across all creator segments. Whether you’re a small creator or a mega-influencer, making people laugh or entertained seems to be a universal goal.
However, there’s a shift when it comes to promotional content. Creators with larger followings tend to post more promotional content. This might be because they have more brand partnerships or are more established in their niche. On the flip side, smaller creators are more likely to post about news and politics. This could be because smaller creators feel more connected to their audience and want to share their personal views or engage in conversations about current events.
Profile optimization: how creators present themselves
Your TikTok bio is more than just a few words—it’s a crucial part of your online identity. The study finds that 94% of creators have bio descriptions, which shows how important it is to have a clear and engaging profile.
When it comes to links in bios, there’s a clear difference based on account size. A whopping 82% of the most-followed accounts include links in their bios, compared to just 33% of smaller accounts. Linktree is the most popular choice, used by 34% of creators, followed by YouTube at 7% and Beacons.ai at 5%. Adding a link seems to become more of a priority as your audience grows.
Despite being in the creator industry, very few creators actually use the terms “creator” or “influencer” in their bios. In fact, fewer than 1% of creators use either term. When they do, “creator” is twice as likely to be used as “influencer.” This might suggest that creators prefer to define themselves by their niche or content rather than a broad label.
What does this mean for the future of TikTok?
The study paints a clear picture of TikTok’s creator ecosystem. Mid-tier creators are the backbone of the platform, while larger accounts have different posting habits and content strategies. As TikTok continues to grow, it will be interesting to see how these trends evolve.
For aspiring creators, this study offers some valuable insights. Building a following on TikTok takes time and consistency, but it’s clear that mid-tier creators have a significant presence. Whether you’re just starting out or trying to grow your account, understanding these trends can help you navigate the platform more effectively.
So, the next time you’re scrolling through TikTok, remember: it’s not just the big names that make the platform special—it’s the mid-tier creators who are shaping the future of content creation.
