In Kosovo, an interesting trend has developed on TikTok where regular, "unknown" people are becoming more popular than traditional showbiz celebrities when it comes to creating content and getting engagement. This shows how fast social media influence is changing, especially on TikTok, where being real and relatable often matters more than being famous.
Unlike famous people, who become well-known through things like music, acting, or TV, these TikTok creators start from nothing and build their following by making interesting and relatable videos. There are a few key reasons why these unknown creators are becoming more successful:
Being real and relatable: TikTok users like watching videos that feel real and are easy to relate to. Famous people often have carefully planned appearances, while unknown TikTok creators can be more casual and show their true selves. This honesty is what young people on TikTok like because they see themselves in these creators. For example, someone from Pristina might make funny videos about daily life in Kosovo, and many people would follow them because they can relate to it.
TikTok's algorithm: TikTok shows videos based on how much people like and engage with them, not on how famous the person is. This means that a video from an unknown person can become just as popular as one from a celebrity if people enjoy it. This allows everyday creators to get more attention and engagement than some stars.
Freedom to be creative: TikTok encourages all kinds of creativity, like dancing, lip-syncing, humor, or commentary. Unknown creators often feel free to try new things, while celebrities might be worried about protecting their public image. This creative freedom helps regular users come up with new and interesting content that keeps viewers engaged.
Talking with followers: TikTok allows creators to connect directly with their audience by responding to comments, doing live streams, or collaborating with other creators. Unknown creators often engage more with their followers than celebrities do, which makes their audience feel closer to them. In Kosovo, where community connections are important, these interactions help increase engagement.
Posting more content: Unknown creators usually post more videos than celebrities, who might be busy with other things. Posting often keeps these creators on their audience's feed, and being active is important for staying relevant on TikTok. The more they post, the more likely they are to join in on the latest viral trends, which keeps their popularity growing.
As these unknown creators grow their following on TikTok, it’s changing the way people in Kosovo think about fame. It shows that anyone can become influential, not just traditional celebrities. This could also change how businesses and advertisers in Kosovo think about working with influencers, as they may start choosing local creators who have a closer connection to their audience rather than big stars.
In conclusion, TikTok in Kosovo shows how the idea of fame is changing. Regular people, by being real, engaging, and creative, are getting more attention than showbiz celebrities. This proves that on TikTok, being popular is all about connecting with your audience, not about how famous you were before.
This analysis was made by Pikasa using their real-time platform "analytics.live" which monitored TikTok profiles in Kosovo in September 2024. Through this platform, Pikasa observed the growing popularity of unknown creators compared to showbiz celebrities, highlighting how these everyday users are gaining more engagement and traction on the platform.