With TikTok being the fastest growing social media platform, I think we all want to know how to best use it for influencer campaigns and growing an audience. So we sat down with Ruby Elovaris a TikTok creator who has amassed over 100k followers in under 12 months. She's worked with over 20 brands in the last 6 months alone, and sat down with us to share her experience of becoming a creator, and staying true to her own aesthetic style
Tell us about your TikTok profile - what is your aesthetic, what is your content about, and how do you decide what to share ?
My tiktok channel is @rubywlove and my content focuses on fashion and a little bit of lifestyle/room decor content. My style is very neutral, featuring mostly black and white with shades of cream, grey and silver throughout. Most people refer to my aesthetic as 'acubi' but I would also say it can be described as ‘minimal’ or ‘neutral’ and I love my feed to reflect my aesthetic. I usually share outfit ideas and fashion related trends with my followers, and I also love doing unboxing videos and videos where I pack my bag with essentials in different aesthetic ways.
How did you get started with Tiktok?
I've always been interested in social media, and I used to make youtube videos for about five years before I joined TikTok, so I was familiar with making videos for storytelling and showcasing my style and life. I decided to start my TikTok at the beginning of this year when I redecorated my room and wanted to show the progress. My following grew quickly from there!
What inspired you to get started as a creator?
I really enjoy seeing the progress of other creators' styles and aesthetics, and I wanted to try it myself with my room decor elevation. So then it became an evolution of creating my style & sharing it with my followers.
Was there one piece of content that 'blew up' for you, or was it a steady growth over time?
I was growing steadily over time, and then I had a video blow-up that reached 2 mil views and gained around 20k from it! I then had 3 or 4 other viral videos over the past year, with steady growth in between.
What have you learned about creating content that gets great reach on TikTok? Any tips & tricks?
From what I've learned, the thing that seems to do the best is using a trending sound very early on; as soon as that sound looks like it might become something that will gain popularity. When I see 2-3 videos of the same sound within 15 minutes, I will always use the sound, and then usually, that piece of content does well. You have to be quick and responsive to new trends!
How do you decide which brands to work with?
I base my choice on how much I like the brand and its product and if it will align with my feed. For example, a sustainable eco-cup brand that fits my aesthetic would suit my style very well, as I talk a lot about sustainability. Obviously, visually, it would align with my content. If it's a product I need or already use, that will also factor into my decision of whether or not I will work with that brand.
What do you wish brands knew about working with creators/influencers?
Personally, I want brands to know that creators can make lots of different kinds of content even if it doesn't fit perfectly with my feed to provide to them as UGC. UGC made by a creator can be many different styles, not just my specific look/feel. Still, it will always have a personal twist, which is one of the benefits of working with creators for content!
What's the best/most memorable campaign you've been involved in?
My favourite campaign I've worked on so far has to be my collaboration with Vitaly and YesStyle. Both brands treated me really well and gave me a lot of freedom in the type of content to make and the creative process.
What brand do you think is doing a fantastic job working with creators/influencers, and why?
I think Motel Rocks does an outstanding job of letting influencers put their own spin on styling their products. As a result, everyone has their own style and shows it with their pieces, which is really cool!