Key Takeaways:
- Social media users are increasingly turning their attention to everyday heroes and authentic voices, rather than traditional celebrities.
- Platforms like TikTok prioritize relevance and resonance over celebrity, allowing lesser-known creators to gain popularity.
- Authentic and passionate content, often with an educational element, is resonating with online audiences who are seeking more substance in their feeds.
- Everyday people, such as a Cotswolds-based pensioner and an Italian grandmother, are becoming social media hits and gaining opportunities and recognition.
- The shift towards authentic and everyday content is seen as an antidote to the increasing amount of AI-generated content on social media.
Introduction to Authentic Voices
For years, social media fame has been associated with the glamour of celebrities and influencers, but a new trend is emerging. Millions of users globally are turning their attention to everyday heroes and authentic voices, rather than traditional celebrities. This shift is driven by the desire for more substance and authenticity in social media content. Platforms like TikTok are prioritizing relevance and resonance over celebrity, allowing lesser-known creators to gain popularity and connect with their audiences.
The Rise of Everyday Creators
One example of this trend is Gerald Stratford, a Cotswolds-based pensioner who has become an Instagram hit with his posts celebrating his garden, including his fondness for red cabbage. With 370,000 followers, Stratford has even starred in a photoshoot for Gucci. Rowland Smith, the creative director at Billion Dollar Boy, a UK-based advertising agency, says that Stratford’s success is an example of the authenticity and passion that online audiences are seeking. Smith notes that the demand for everyday content appears to have increased this year, as audiences become overwhelmed with AI-generated content.
The Authenticity Factor
The authenticity of everyday creators like Stratford is a key factor in their success. According to Smith, audiences are becoming fatigued with polished, overly stylized creator content and are seeking more genuine and educational content. TikTok’s algorithm, which prioritizes relevance and resonance over celebrity, is well-suited to showcasing the work of lesser-known creators. The platform’s focus on community and interaction also helps to foster a sense of connection and authenticity between creators and their audiences.
Real-Life Examples of Success
The success of everyday creators is not limited to Stratford. Tola and Kevin Andu, a mother and son, have won the Voice for Change award at the TikTok awards for their account, which documents Kevin’s journey as a young autistic man. The account has over 700,000 followers and has given Kevin opportunities that have "truly changed his life", including a permanent job. Other popular creators on TikTok include "bus aunty" Bemi Orojuogun, ornithologist Jack Baddams, and the seventysomething identical twins Wayne and Dwayne Haneline, who have become a singing sensation.
Global Reach and Diverse Creators
The trend towards authentic and everyday content is not limited to the UK. In the US, creators like Asena Johnson, who posts about post-army life and Samoan and Tongan culture, are gaining popularity. In Europe, Nonna Silvi, an 84-year-old from Tuscany, has become a hit with posts from her son’s bakery and now offers her own line of bakery products. Solange Fugger, another Italian creator, has won plaudits for her educational videos as the youngest head of the emergency department at a major hospital in Rome.
Conclusion and Future Outlook
The shift towards authentic and everyday content on social media is a significant trend that is likely to continue. As Madolyn Grove, the head of creators at TikTok for the UK and Ireland, notes, the creativity of "everyday people" has captured the hearts of users this year. With the increasing amount of AI-generated content on social media, the demand for authentic and passionate content is likely to grow. As a result, we can expect to see more everyday heroes and authentic voices rising to fame on social media platforms like TikTok.
