The TikTok Experiments, Vol. 7: Using an SEO Trick in All My Videos for a Week

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The TikTok Experiments, Vol. 7: Using an SEO Trick in All My Videos for a Week

Throughout 2023, I’ve been experimenting on TikTok with the goal of better understanding their mysterious algorithm. I’m hoping to determine which commonly-promoted tactics are worthwhile and which are overhyped. In June, I experimented with an SEO trick that I’ve seen circulating the platform: hiding keywords in your video so the TikTok algorithm knows what your video is about and who to serve it. The results of this experiment were mixed. Today I’m sharing exactly how to do this SEO trick for TikTok and what I learned from the experiment.

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Celebrating 4 Years of Serve Me the Sky Digital

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Celebrating 4 Years of Serve Me the Sky Digital

This May marks four years of running my own business full-time. A four year anniversary may not be a big deal to some, but it feels important to me. Four years of successfully running my business, even through an unprecedented global pandemic and economic turmoil? It is a big deal!

As I said in my newsletter this week, running Serve Me the Sky Digital is the most satisfied I’ve ever felt in my work life. I spent four years in higher education and earned a master’s degree in educational administration, then pivoted to nonprofits and worked in marketing at a startup incubator. I learned a lot at those jobs, but both were not a great fit for me.

Since diving into self-employment full-time, I’ve had opportunities I never would’ve guessed would come my way and have been happier all around. Glowing testimonials from clients I love working with make me proud of how far I’ve come and thankful to be where I am in my career right now. 

Let’s get into some of my favorite projects, lessons I’ve learned, and a glimpse ahead!

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The TikTok Experiments, Vol. 1: I Posted on TikTok 3 Times per Day for 3 Months. Here's What I Learned.

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The TikTok Experiments, Vol. 1: I Posted on TikTok 3 Times per Day for 3 Months. Here's What I Learned.

After being an avid consumer of TikTok content for a few years, last December I started feeling the impulse to experiment with creating my own TikToks. I started making a handful here and there, and by January I felt ready to ramp things up. I challenged myself to post three times a day on TikTok for three months.

Many TikTokkers were claiming that posting three times a day would help you grow quickly–some even advocated for five times a day! I knew five wouldn’t be realistic for me, but thought I could manage three, so I dove in. I started on January 23rd and finished the experiment on April 23rd. I had about 140 followers when I started, and thrillingly, had 1,533 by the end. 580 of those followers I gained in the very last week of the experiment! Here’s what I learned along the way.

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How to Know When it's Time to Go

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How to Know When it's Time to Go

Over the past year or so, I’ve had to make some difficult decisions regarding how I’m spending my time–whether it’s my client work or volunteering efforts. In 2021, I ended client relationships and moved on from leadership positions, and those decisions weren’t easy. Back in 2020, I ended my passion project, which was also a tough call. Sometimes it can be extremely challenging to figure out whether an endeavor is serving you anymore. Is it time to move on? Should you stay? There’s no rulebook and it’s different for everyone!

That’s why I thought it might be helpful to transform some of my own experiences and feelings into a handy quiz for others who are in the same boat. This isn’t a definitive guide, it’s simply meant as a jumping off point.

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How ADHD Impacts Me as a Business Owner–For Better & For Worse

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How ADHD Impacts Me as a Business Owner–For Better & For Worse

In October, I got diagnosed with ADHD. Learning about my ADHD has helped me understand how I function as a human and as a business owner. This learning process all started thanks to TikTok. I saw a video about Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, a condition commonly comorbid with ADHD. "I don't have ADHD, but I definitely have Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria!" I told my therapist excitedly.

"Oh Emily...you definitely DO have ADHD. I've been trying to tell you that, but I guess you weren't paying attention," she said.

Consider me roasted! I had to laugh. Once I started doing my research, it was shocking how many things suddenly made sense. ADHD has a huge impact on how I show up as a business owner–for better and for worse. If you have ADHD and are considering starting a business, but worry that your ADHD may be a barrier: this blog post is for you! For as much of a hassle as ADHD can be in some ways, it can also be a superpower.

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What I Learned as Vice President of a Nonprofit Board

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What I Learned as Vice President of a Nonprofit Board

Around this time last year, I wrote a blog post reflecting on what I learned in my first year on a nonprofit board. The blog post was published just a few weeks before COVID shut down the world’s in-person activities. I never could have imagined what my second year on the Cameron Community Ministries Board would be like! I had just stepped into the role of Vice President of the Board, and I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. Looking back, I want to share a little bit about what a Board VP does, what we worked on at Cameron in 2020, and what I learned along the way.

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Make Your Content Work for You

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Make Your Content Work for You

As the year draws to a close, I figured it was a perfect time to talk about something we all want to get better at: making your content work for you. Creating content is a LOT of work, and folks outside the social media profession often underestimate how much time, knowledge, and creativity it takes to create quality content that your audience will enjoy. 

Based on my and Elise Miklich’s presentation at Upstate Social 2019, I’m sharing some tips for making your content go further. We shared 10 tips for overwhelmed small business owners at Upstate Social, and today I’m sharing five of my favorites from that presentation.

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