Welcome to Creators on the Rise, the place—in partnership with international creator firm Jellysmack—we discover and profile breakout creators who’re within the midst of extraordinary progress.
We’ll by no means say that Ariana Lee Bonfiglio isn’t the star of her personal TikTok account…But we will say that Kuzac, her very fetching cockatoo, is actually near seeing his title up in lights.
Perhaps not surprisingly, Kuzac has performed a key position within the rise of 22-year-old Bonfiglio’s presence on TikTok. She launched her account throughout the summer time of 2018, and like most customers, didn’t begin posting movies with any form of content material technique in thoughts. She simply took clips of her on a regular basis life: her household, her boyfriend, and, in fact, her pets. These movies netted a couple of thousand views every, however by no means actually took flight–till Kuzac got here on scene.
Some of Bonfiglio’s hottest early movies featured the charismatic hen dancing to in-vogue tunes, playing peek-a-boo, headlining his very own remake of The Lion King. Bonfiglio typically posted clips of Kuzac collaborating in TikTok hashtags (the dancing vid above was from the “#petheadbop” development), and collectively, these clips–together with one notably viral the place he got caught in 4K–helped her account catch on. By mid-2019, her movies had been attracting not just some thousand, however a couple of hundred thousand views every.
Of course, not all these movies featured Kuzac. Bonfiglio’s library of content material traipses by way of all types of niches, from DIY (rock tumbler, anyone?) to pranks to sharing on a regular basis moments and large accomplishments, like buying her dream car.
@arianalee99I wished to see what kuzac would do 😂##foryou♬ original sound – Ariana Lee🦋
Bonfiglio’s viewership grew steadily by way of 2019 and 2020, after which skilled a significant surge in April of this yr. Why? She factors to 1 video: a 20-second clip of she and her buddies organising an enormous 280-square-foot, luxurious tent that comes with 5 rooms, 13 home windows, 4 energy stations, a screening room, and sufficient house to sleep 20 individuals. The video (embedded beneath) has accrued greater than 50 million views up to now on TikTok, Bonfiglio says, and spawned quite a few articles about her content material and the tent itself (which, by the way in which, prices a cool $380).
In the 5 months since that video went viral, Bonfiglio connected with managers at The Network Effect, and has labored with manufacturers together with iDesign, Lululemon, Lovesac, and Layla. Her TikTok account has grown to 12 million followers, and she or he nets 30 million views monthly, in response to knowledge from The Network Effect. She’s additionally expanded her presence to different platforms: her TikTok movies typically direct individuals to her Instagram account, the place she has 921,000 followers, and she or he just lately launched a YouTube channel (66,000 subscribers) the place she crossposts her TikTok content material to YouTube Shorts.
For Bonfiglio, having a rising presence on social media is an opportunity for her to attain the form of fame she dreamed about as a child–and to share the spontaneity of her each day life along with her followers.
Check out our chat along with her beneath.
Tubefilter: Tell us a bit of about you! Where are you from? What did you rise up to earlier than becoming a member of TikTok?
Ariana Lee: Hi! I’m Ariana Lee. I come from a very, actually small city in northern California, so small that the inhabitants is about 300! Before TikTok, I used to be in faculty learning to change into an elementary faculty instructor. I’ve all the time beloved working with children!
Tubefilter: When and why did you be part of TikTok? Did you be part of form of figuring out the form of content material you wished to make, or did you uncover your area of interest alongside the way in which?
AL: When I began my TikTok channel, I had no actual intentions of changing into “well-known.” I used to be bored one summer time and simply filmed no matter enjoyable stuff got here to thoughts in real-time. Then I posted a video of my hen pooping in gradual movement, and from there, my channel simply took off! Who would have guessed it!
Tubefilter: Loads of your content material options individuals in your life, like your sister and your finest good friend. Why is it essential so that you can make movies about them?
AL: I positively characteristic my speedy household and my closest buddies in my movies. The content material I publish on TikTok displays my actual life, and I really like making content material with the individuals I really like!
@arianalee994 course meal problem @davidrosenberg @meganrose.ee♬ Everywhereigo – Babyxsosa
Tubefilter: Walk us by way of what goes into a median video. Do you script? How a lot modifying do you do? How do you select filming places?
AL: Honestly, after I produce content material, I provide you with ideas off the the highest of my head and instantly movie immediately (so I don’t neglect it). All my BEST movies are after I get an thought and execute it immediately! For filming places, I select any spot that appears nice to the attention and naturally has nice lighting.
Tubefilter: Your following on TikTok has seen some main progress recently. Is there anyone video that basically popped off and drew in a giant viewers? Or has your progress constructed up throughout quite a few movies?
AL: Generally talking, my library of movies on TikTok have collectively accomplished nicely! But…with that stated, I had a video that I did with my buddies about us placing collectively a 20-person/five-room tent, and that went tremendous viral! It has virtually 50 million views and 10 million likes!
Tubefilter: What do you hope individuals take away out of your content material?
AL: What I hope individuals take away is to be your self and to not care what individuals take into consideration you! Keep doing what you’re keen on it doesn’t matter what individuals suppose! I’ve needed to overcome a number of this, and I would like others to know that folks’s opinions of you don’t actually matter in the long term.
Tubefilter: Was there a particular second the place you realized that TikTok might be greater than a interest for you? How has being on TikTok modified your life?
AL: I particularly keep in mind being in one in all my faculty lessons and considering, Wow, I might completely flip this into an actual profession. I simply saved pushing and grinding out movies, and now it’s my full-time job! TikTok has actually modified my life in so some ways, together with supporting my household!
Tubefilter: How has your private model grown over the previous few months? Have you gotten any cool sponsorships or different alternatives because of your digital presence?
AL: I’m targeted on diversifying my short-form content material and viewers throughout all platforms, together with Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube (the place I’ve just lately partnered with The Network Effect on my channel technique). I’ve had wonderful alternatives to work with quite a few manufacturers, together with Lululemon, Lovesac, and Layla. One of my favorites was partnering with iDesign, the place each room in my new home was professionally organized!
@arianalee99My sister is so stunning 🥺❤️ @analeeselb♬ You Are Enough – Sleeping At Last
Tubefilter: Due to your latest progress, do you’ve got any new plans or targets in your content material profession? Do you suppose content material might be a full-time pursuit for you long-term?
AL: Yes, I positively plan to be a full-time contact creator! It’s humorous, I all the time instructed my mother after I was youthful that I wished to be well-known. She would ask me, “What do you wish to be well-known for? Do you wish to be an actress? Do you wish to be a singer?” I all the time instructed her, “NO, I simply wish to change into well-known.” I positively really feel like being a content material creator is my dream come true!
Tubefilter: What’s your favourite a part of making content material as a complete?
AL: Getting to do what I really like!
Tubefilter: What’s subsequent within the speedy future for you and your channel? Where do you see your self in 5 years?
AL: I’m form of a go-with-the-flow form of lady, and I take alternatives as they’re thrown at me! 🙂 In 5 years, I’m hopeful to nonetheless be making content material and to proceed modeling.
Jellysmack is the worldwide creator firm that detects and develops the world’s most gifted video creators. The firm’s proprietary video optimization expertise and knowledge drive social viewers progress, unlocking new income streams and amplifying monetization.
Currently dwelling to over 150 influential Creators together with PewDiePie, MrBeast, Brad Mondo, and Bailey Sarian, Jellysmack optimizes, operates, and distributes creator-made video content material to Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube. Jellysmack-managed content material boasts 10 billion international month-to-month video views and a cross-platform attain of 125 million distinctive U.S. customers, making it the biggest U.S. digital-first firm in month-to-month social media viewers.
Looking to develop your social presence? Let’s talk.
https://www.tubefilter.com/2021/09/29/creators-on-the-rise-ariana-lee/
