5 TikTok Trends Students Can Use to Market Themselves

In an era where social media reigns supreme, TikTok has rapidly emerged as the go-to platform for the younger generation, especially students. With its bite-sized videos, catchy soundtracks, and viral challenges, the app has captivated millions worldwide. But TikTok isn’t just a digital playground for frivolous fun. It’s an influential marketing platform that offers substantial exposure to personal brands, businesses, and causes. This article aims to reveal five potent TikTok trends that students can harness to elevate their personal brand and garner the right kind of attention.

Trend #1: Personal Brand Storytelling

Personal brand storytelling is a strategic narrative about who you are, what you stand for, and the unique journey you’ve taken to get to where you are today. This trend has taken TikTok by storm, thanks to its inherently human, relatable nature. It gives the audience a more intimate look at the person behind the brand, making connections more profound and meaningful. For instance, if someone searches for an essay writing service for Canadians, they could be interested in videos that share the journey, recounting how the writers developed their writing skills, the challenges they faced, and their passion for assisting fellow students. 

This form of storytelling effectively communicates the values and uniqueness of a personal brand, setting it apart from the competition. It elicits emotional responses, which can significantly influence decision-making and brand loyalty. For students, it’s a powerful way to show potential employers, mentors, and peers who they are beyond a simple resume or academic transcript.

Trend #2: Educational/Informative Content

In the sea of dances, lip-syncs, and pranks on TikTok, educational content acts as a breath of fresh air, attracting attention from viewers keen on learning something new. This trend allows users to impart knowledge or share valuable insights in a concise, engaging manner.

For example, a law student could share quick, digestible videos explaining complex legal terms or a recent high-profile case. Similarly, a computer science student could do a coding hack or break down a trending tech innovation. This trend offers an excellent opportunity for students to showcase their expertise and thought leadership in their respective fields.

Creating informative content not only boosts the credibility of the creator but also serves the TikTok community by adding value. Educational content often gets shared beyond the platform, multiplying the reach and, subsequently, the personal brand’s visibility.

Trend #3: Duet Challenges

Duet challenges are an interactive feature unique to TikTok, which allows users to respond to or interact with another user’s video content, creating a split-screen effect. The trend fosters creativity, collaboration, and a sense of community, making it a popular tool for personal branding.

Duet challenges can be particularly helpful for students looking to expand their network or collaborate with peers, mentors, or influencers in their field. For instance, a marketing student might duet with a viral marketing strategy video, adding their unique insights or perspective. This participation in an existing conversation can help them get noticed by the original creator and their audience, opening doors for potential collaborations or opportunities.

Moreover, duet challenges often become viral, providing an opportunity for students to increase their visibility significantly within the TikTok community. By choosing the right duet challenge, students can tap into the momentum of a trending topic, helping to amplify their voice and extend their personal brand’s reach.

Trend #4: Utilizing Trending Songs and Hashtags

One of TikTok’s unique features is the integration of trending songs and hashtags into its ecosystem. This trend is a powerful tool for boosting visibility and engagement on the platform.

When creators align their content with trending songs or hashtags, they increase their chances of appearing on the platform’s coveted “For You” page, exposing them to a vast and diverse audience. A psychology student, for example, could create a video discussing cognitive biases with a trending song playing in the background or jump on a hashtag challenge that relates to their field of study. 

The key to successfully leveraging trending songs and hashtags is to ensure they align with your content and personal brand. While it’s essential to ride the wave of trends, authenticity, and relevance should not be sacrificed for virality.

Trend #5: Authentic Behind-the-Scenes Content

In a digital world filled with carefully curated content, TikTok users crave authenticity. Authentic behind-the-scenes content—revealing the real, unfiltered experiences behind a polished end product—is becoming increasingly popular on the platform.

Students can use this trend to share their unique processes, challenges, successes, and even failures. This could range from an architecture student documenting the creation of a model to a literature student sharing their experience analyzing a classic text.

Such content humanizes a personal brand, fostering relatability and trust. It shows viewers that the person behind the content is not perfect but is committed to learning, growing, and sharing their journey. This authenticity can make students more attractive to potential employers or collaborators who value transparency and resilience.

Why Those Tips?

With its vibrant, dynamic community and robust features, TikTok offers an exciting arena for students to market themselves creatively and effectively. By leveraging these five trends—personal brand storytelling, educational content, duet challenges, trending songs and hashtags, and authentic behind-the-scenes content—students can build a robust and compelling personal brand. These trends offer a golden opportunity for students to go beyond traditional marketing methods and create a lasting impression.

For instance, a student who is part of the best research paper writing services can use these trends to showcase their proficiency, share insights into the research and writing process, and engage with a community interested in academic success. However, it’s important to remember that while trends come and go, authenticity, consistency, and value addition should be the driving forces behind any personal branding effort on TikTok.

Start Now!

Now it’s your turn to start your TikTok journey! Embrace these trends and see the power of this platform in elevating your personal brand. Each TikTok video you create is a chance to express your unique perspective, connect with like-minded individuals, and even catch the attention of potential employers or collaborators.

Remember, the most successful TikTokers are those who provide genuine value and stay true to themselves. So, find a trend that resonates with you, add your unique spin, and start creating. We look forward to seeing your creativity come to life on TikTok and can’t wait to hear about your success stories. Feel free to share other TikTok trends you’ve found useful for personal branding—we’re all in this learning journey together.