Brooke Monk is a 21-year-old TikTok influencer with over 28.4 million followers and 4 billion likes on her videos
Despite her enormous success on the platform, Monk revealed in an interview with CNBC that she never intended to become an influencer. Instead, she started creating content for social media because she genuinely enjoyed it.
Monk posted her first video on TikTok in September 2019, and since then, her audience has grown exponentially. When asked about the key to her success, Monk shared that she believes the secret to creating popular content on TikTok is to make posts about things that people can relate to, such as little mundane things that everyone has experienced in their lives.
Furthermore, Monk stressed the importance of listening to feedback from her audience and being positive and uplifting on social media. She explained that many influencers become disconnected from their audience as they grow too big, which can negatively impact their popularity. In Monk’s view, it’s essential that influencers remain authentic and engaged with their followers, even as they gain more attention.
One of the most significant shifts in the social media landscape over the last few years has been the rise of influencers. Brands increasingly rely on influencers to promote their products and reach new audiences, and Monk believes that this trend will only continue to grow. She emphasized that audiences feel more connected to influencers who share their daily lives and create engaging content, rather than traditional celebrities or commercials.
Monk also shared her views on how brands can effectively work with influencers. She believes that it’s crucial for brands to allow influencers to maintain their personal style and creative freedom. If a brand tries to control the content too much, it can come across as overly promotional and damage the influencer’s reputation.
In terms of monetization, Monk did not disclose her earnings, but recent data from music licensing platform Lickd.co suggests that a user would need a minimum of 10,000 subscribers and 270 million clip views per year to make $100,000 on TikTok. Monk mentioned that most of the time, companies get in touch with her rather than the other way around when it comes to brand partnerships. She tries to incorporate sponsored content into her regular posts as seamlessly as possible, but only if she genuinely likes the product.
The popularity of TikTok has exploded during the pandemic, with the total number of US monthly active users jumping from 27 million in 2019 to over 91 million as of June 2020. This growth has led to an increase in competition among influencers, with many aspiring creators hoping to replicate Monk’s success. However, Monk advised against solely chasing followers or fame and instead urged creators to focus on creating engaging and relatable content.
Overall, Brooke Monk’s success on TikTok demonstrates the power of social media and the increasing importance of influencers in the marketing landscape. By remaining authentic, engaging, and true to her personal style, Monk has built a massive following and become one of the most influential creators on the platform.
