Ready to Wander Season 2 – Episode 18

Hey! I’m Sydney Breann, and welcome back to the Ready to Wander Podcast. A long awaited topic has finally made its way to the top of my list: TikTok. You love it, hate it, or you’ve avoided it like the plague. While TikTok has certainly been a buzz word in legislation, I’m not here to talk about politics. Today, Abi Jane Photography is joining me on the Ready to Wander Podcast for another business chat. Together, we’re unpacking the benefits of using TikTok for your business. So if you’ve been on the fence about sharing your content on another platform, you’re in the right place!

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Benefits of Using TikTok for Wedding and Elopement Photographers

Before we dive in, I’d like to introduce you to my friend and former associate, Abi Jane Photography! Abi is a cat mom by day and a Minneapolis wedding and elopement photographer by night. With a passion for travel and documentation, Abi took to sharing her life over on TikTok. What began as posting for fun turned into another lead generation source as Abi’s videos gained traction. Before she knew it, TikTok became one of her top sources of inquiries (plus an additional revenue source)!

What Sets TikTok Apart from Other Platforms

I am not shy about the fact that I don’t understand much of TikTok (which is why Abi is here). But what I can say is that TikTok’s algorithm seems to prioritize content based on user preferences, rather than follower count. So the opportunity for creators across the globe to go viral is far easier than it ever has been! If you’re not familiar with the app, TikTok has two “pages” – one dedicated to those that you follow, and a “For You Page” dedicated to sharing various content. To me, the coolest thing is that you never know who could come across your video, resonate with it, and connect with you! It’s incredible. 

Abi took to TikTok and quickly realized how much it positively impacted her Minnesota clientele. She would post videos asking questions about things to do in the Twin Cities-metro area, which would push her content to more local folks. As her content gained engagement, people realized she was also a photographer which prompted couples to start reaching out to her! 

Abi has had a few videos go viral, but chocks it up to being random. However, after doing some experiments, she realized there is a way to increase the odds of going viral. Content like unique wedding ideas, controversial topics, story-times, etc. are a great way to stop users right in their scroll. If you’ve been on TikTok, I’m sure you know exactly what we mean! Some of the most mind-numbing content goes viral. There’s literally a viral video of an egg falling off a table; the video had 16.7 million ‘likes’.

TikTok to Grow Your Business

In Abi’s specific situation, TikTok was pivotal in helping establish her business when she relocated from Wisconsin to Minnesota. Additionally, as Abi continued to share bits from her past travels, bucket list destinations, and personal life, her content was placed in front of an even larger audience. She has been really intentional about the content she posts, without taking it too seriously. The couples that Abi wants to attract are people who are a little bit non-traditional. By sharing behind-the-scenes moments from unique weddings, Abi has continued to attract her ideal clients!

Advice for Using TikTok for Your Business

When it comes to the best advice for using TikTok in your business, the most important thing is authenticity. Showcase your personality rather than trying to conform to a certain “aesthetic” or “trend”. We can’t drive this tip home enough: be unapologetically, authentically you. Period.

Secondly, be consistent. It’s like caring for a plant; you need to take care of it if you want to see growth. Show up on TikTok regularly, engage with your audience, and reply to those comments! Establishing connections with your audience is the best way to see continuous, consistent growth. 

Finally, don’t be afraid to experiment. TikTok is like a giant playground where everyone is just showing up and seeing what sticks. Feel free to freshen up your content if you aren’t seeing results you’d like but remember to post what you like to create. There’s no “one size fits all” formula when it comes to TikTok; don’t take it too seriously. 

Mixing Business and Personal Life on TikTok

Spoiler alert: people love to see other peoples’ lives. As a wedding and elopement photographer, it’s important for your couples to see your personality! They want to see not only what a wedding day with you looks like, but what your values are outside of your business. 

For my own business, I make it known on my Instagram, Facebook, website, Pinterest, etc. that I love the mountains, being out on the water, mountain goats, big dogs, and Diet Coke. So when I show up on social media, I don’t have to pretend to love those things: I genuinely DO! It’s easy to share my personal life alongside my work because it’s real. 

But let’s be honest: TikTok can also negatively impact your personal life (and business). The biggest challenge in using TikTok is dealing with negative comments. But the funniest part of receiving negative comments is they are actually increasing your video’s visibility — so look who’s laughing now! Know your limits and don’t be afraid to block people! It’ll save your sanity. 

The Wedding Industry and TikTok

The impact that TikTok specifically has had on the wedding industry has been such a fun thing to witness. It literally happened right before our eyes! The amount of inspiration, tips, advice, and real brides on the journey throughout the wedding planning process is insane. Additionally, TikTok has truly had a huge influence on trends in the wedding industry. The days of waiting for The Knot to publish a magazine in January about the year’s summer trends, we now immediately have the “ins and outs” at our fingertips. 

When thinking about the wedding industry (specifically wedding photography) and just how far it has come with the help of TikTok, it’s exciting to look ahead. Over the past few months, TikTok Shop has gained a ton of traction and popularity. Like affiliate links, the possibilities of additional revenue streams is increased for photographers who may also have merch, sell prints, or offer additional products. I’ll be interested to see what the platform looks like in just a year to come. 

But I think both Abi and I can mutually agree that we hope to see more photographers jump onto TikTok. It’s an incredible (free) resource to generate leads from across the globe. The potential reach alone from TikTok should be enough to understand just how impactful it could be to your photography business.

Ready to Wander Podcast with Sydney Breann Photography

It was an absolute blast getting to pick Abi’s brain on this week’s episode of the Ready to Wander Podcast. Chatting about the benefits of using TikTok for your business was such a fun perspective to get a glimpse of. If you want to see what all the hype is for my girl Abi, check her out on TikTok (@abijanephoto).

Are you caught up on the Ready to Wander Podcast!? If not, CLICK HERE to listen on Spotify. And of course, keep up with Sydney Breann Photography over on Instagram (@sydneybreannphoto). Until next time, are you ready to wander?