What happened when I went viral on Tik Tok

I’ve adjusted to the fact that social media platforms and their algorithms will favour those who are thinner, younger, fairer, richer - the list goes on. It’s a hard pill to swallow, but I'm not surprised.

I’ve been making content for ages, hoping some social media mogul would scout and skyrocket me into stardom. Source: Supplied

I stared at my reflection on my phone as I tightened my frazzled pony. The sun-fried bleached strands stuck to my sweaty upper neck. My new Apple Watch caught the late morning light, and a funny skit randomly popped into my head, like most of my video ideas. I quickly checked my surroundings and swiftly hit record. It took me a couple of tries before getting it right. I opened TikTok, uploaded the clip, added some text, and rushed to hit post before going on my bi-yearly government-mandated walk around Woodcroft Lake.

Later that night, on my sporadic dunny TikTok doom scroll, bright red love hearts flooded my notifications. My blasé post from that morning had garnered hundreds and thousands of views. I messaged my sibling group chat on Whatsapp, keeping them across yet another pinnacle life moment while we couldn’t see each other.

Source: Supplied

The viral video currently sits at 1.5 million views and roughly 160k likes - no easy feat in general, let alone for someone who sits outside of the Australian social media and influencer mold.

I don’t say that with any resentment. It’s heartbreaking to say, but I’ve adjusted to the fact that social media platforms and their algorithms will favour those who are thinner, younger, fairer, richer - the list goes on. It’s a hard pill to swallow, but I'm not surprised. This isn’t anything new, and to believe a hierarchy wouldn’t exist on these public apps is naivety.

I’ve been on social media for almost half my life. Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, Snapchat - they all bloomed as I navigated my adolescence. I used them more than I’d like to admit, but as a serial people pleaser and therapist-diagnosed perfectionist, this was where I thrived.

I’m not going to lie - I prayed and wished for a moment like this. I’ve been making content for ages, hoping some social media mogul would scout and skyrocket me into stardom. I set Facebook statuses daily, I vlogged my life on Instagram, I played around with dog selfie filters on Snapchat. But as I trickled into my mid-20’s - a decrepit and old demographic for most teen-centric digital spaces - I came to terms with never achieving that type of success. I know that it’s a very superficial desire to have, but can you blame me? I’m starved for representation on the outlets that inform modern trends. If not for myself, then for others like me: large people, queer people, brown people, people from outer-city backgrounds.

I’m not going to lie - I prayed and wished for a moment like this. I’ve been making content for ages, hoping some social media mogul would scout and skyrocket me into stardom.

It needed to be genuine too. In a space that can be very curated, I wanted it to be real. I’m a little relieved that this skit was the one that went off. I like to think I'm a funny person; I love making people laugh, regardless of the form. I mean, I’ve always joked around with my fatness. At this point of my life, I very much see it more as reclamation than self deprecation. This is a whole different discussion to be had, but I’m going to happily gatekeep ‘fat’ humour from people who use it synonymously with ‘ugly’.

If you’re looking for some surefire tips and tricks on how to go viral and get famous, then babes, you’re in the wrong spot. I have no idea how and why this video got the numbers it did. But, I’ve had a solid amount of time to think, and I have some theories:

• I’m very clearly not skinny.
• There’s a social understanding that having Apple products provides owners some form of aesthetic elitism (myself included, Apple > Android for life).
• The clip is short, quick, to the point - reminiscent of Vine.
• A lot of comments were about western Sydney pride.
• Lockdown forced a lot of people onto their phones.

Nothing has really come from it. Brands aren’t flocking to my DM’s to sponsor my next post, Australian TikTok doesn’t have a creator fund, and I'm yet to be scouted by a plus-size friendly modelling agency. Life has had to go on for me. If anything, I'm left with this immense pressure to come up with the perfect follow-up, and it’s burdensome.

It’s strange. This is all I've ever wanted, but I’m okay with this just being my digital four leaf clover. I could very much ride this wave and really franchise my ‘No idea, i’m skinny!’ brand. Part of me wants to drop everything and start an Aussie content house with my humble 54 followers, but that sounds really exhausting - don’t you think? My hat goes off to content creators who do this full-time. It's a risky and unpredictable industry.

I’m just going to continue to create content with no real objective. If only one person likes it, that’s enough - even if that person is me. I hope my little six seconds of fame helps facilitate other users who navigate this space not ever feeling worthy enough.

I truly believe more and more people will break down this mold as platforms like TikTok become even more progressive, sentient, and conscious.

Until then, ask someone else for the time x

Mark Mariano is a freelance writer and Digital Content Coordinator at SBS Food. You can follow Mark on Instagram here.