Thread by @packslight

Yesterday I spoke live in Memphis at
@travel_con to a crowd of ~100 people about a key part of my craft—TikTok 🧵

My talk was "How to Crush it on TikTok", something I feel like I've done growing to 275,000 followers on @tiktok_us in the last 1.5 years (25,000+ in April alone!) I've also done sponsored brand partnerships with TikTok before, and am in @tiktokcreators's #BlackTikTok community.

I shared the importance of an optimized profile as well as setting/meeting expectations of your audience. I also dissected the formula for a viral video. AND had the crowd actually MAKE their first TikToks with me! All in 45 minutes!

Here's one of them :) tiktok.com/@thetravelingt…

I was so nervous the morning of that I skipped the other sessions that morning to zone out in my hotel room. Public speaking ≠ easy. Public speaking after 2 years of isolation and solo-ness? PHEW.

But climbing the steps to stage, I was overcome with a sense of calm. I really know this topic! So much so I could just talk without slides or prompting, about it for an hour. Especially in the travel space. This is truly my jam.

I've spoken on stage few times—on a panel about study abroad in 2017, a TEDx talk in 2019, on a panel about travel influencers inn 2021, at Women's Travel Fest about traveling in the pandemic in March this year. This was by far the most at ease I've ever felt!

My talk was entertaining, concise, actionable, and FUN—just like a good TikTok should be I had the audience raising their hands, contributing, asking questions, and even it was a low stress, high value talk.

Thanks again to @nomadicmatt for inviting me to speak at @travel_con, and to all of the attendees who came to support and learn about the hottest short-form video platform of 2022 (and beyond!)~