Life in TikTokland, year 1 + advice for game devs for getting into vertical video

my most popular videos: lunch shitpost, BL joke, Australia complaints... three different genres?

I've been posting vertical videos on TikTok / Instagram Reels for about a year now. I already did my first week and my first month retrospectives, and now this is my reflection on my first year.

Numbers-wise, I'm doing OK. Not that follower counts mean much, but I have 2000+ followers on TikTok (from 0 a year ago) and 4000+ on IG (from ~1500? a year ago) and a couple viral videos with 1 million+ views across both.

More importantly, I do feel like I understand much better how to make videos, craft-wise and culturally.

The common cynical marketing advice for game devs here is to automate a third-party app to schedule gameplay clips every day. I don't think it's great advice. Personally I don't really watch these videos much myself. It's also a short-sighted media strategy, because what about your next game, what about when you quit / escape the game industry? Even from a cynical marketing lens, gameplay clips will not foster a parasocial fanbase that follows you through every career shift / era of your life.

If cold robot gameplay posting is working for you somehow, that's great. But if you're looking for an alternate strategy, here's what's been working for me -- posting like a human being...

Postcards from TikTokland (month 1) + comparing TikTok to Bluesky

So I've now been playing the weird MMO known as TikTok for more than a month, and I thought I should reflect on my time there. 

In contrast to my first week on TikTok where I posted every day, I've now been uploading videos every 2-4 days. Which is much better. I highly recommend not posting every day, everywhere.

I've been making more local Australia / New Zealand game industry event vlogs. Here's a vlog from when I attended Wireframe conference here in Auckland, and here's another vlog (and yet another vlog) from my time at the Freeplay Angles festival in Melbourne. I tried to keep these pretty light and casual since I imagine most people aren't really sure what a game conference is.

I've also been making some more outdoor waterway videos. Here's a progress update on the backyard stream, a comprehensive review of the water fountains at the Auckland Domain Winter Gardens, and a waterfall walking tour. While I realize this could've been a savvy content strategy to try to capitalize on my most popular video, it actually wasn't a conscious strategy, I just like recording water and talking about it.

Postcards from TikTokland: week 1

A week ago I threatened to make some TikToks. I set a personal goal to make one TikTok a day, just simple basic daily vlog stuff of whatever I was already doing.

And now it's been a week and I've done it. I now have a modest following and a TikTok profile page (@radiatoryang) with a full grid of videos. I feel a lot more capable with the video editing tool now, and sometimes I even have a little fun when making videos.

Here's a recap / post mortem of my first 7 videos and what I've learned from making them...

A foray into TikTok / notes on social media aesthetics

So I've finally done it. I've made a TikTok account (@radiatoryang). Forgive me.

I still prefer text over video, and I certainly don't intend to "pivot to video"... but it was feeling increasingly foolish to lack the video skills / cultural context of virtually everyone under 30 in the entire world.

Now I'm not a total stranger to making video. I used to do weekly level design streams called "Level With Me" on Twitch, where I gained a decent sized following with regular viewers and even some paid subscribers, but the lockdown-era gauntlet of remote teaching marathons quickly burned me out and irrevocably soured me on what used to be a fun hobby.

For this foray into TikTok crafting, I'm approaching it somewhat slowly and methodically...