From Zero to TikTok Celebrity: A Success Story

TikTok is one of the most popular social media platforms that has surpassed other platforms such as Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Twitter for featuring higher user engagement. Entertainment value, viral content and trends, music integration, and Gen Z users are some of the reasons that have made TikTok incredibly popular across worldwide levels.

Many individuals have reached a global audience and turned their dreams into reality by leveraging TikTok. Khabane Lame is one such person who has made an exceptional transition from an ordinary factory worker to a TikTok star. As of 24 June 2024, he had more than 162 million TikTok followers, emerging as the most-followed person on the platform.   

The Beginning

Khabane Lame, who grew up in Chivasso, Italy, used to work as a factory worker in a town in northern Italy. Just like many other youngsters, he also loved using social media for self-expression and entertainment. He enjoyed scrolling TikTok videos and occasionally shared some of his own funny takes on popular challenges.

2020 was a challenging year for Khabane Lame, as he lost his job at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. His father wanted him to apply for other jobs, but he was interested in posting TikTok videos under the name Khaby Lame. It proved to be his best decision, as he became the most-followed TikTok person in 2022.

Khabane Lame’s Journey on TikTok.

He used to upload videos that break down challenging ‘life-hacks’ created by other creators. All his videos end with a wide-eyed stare and exaggerated reactions resonating with people from all walks of life. He became so popular for his “duet” videos, in which he humorously critiqued trending life hacks and DIY videos. The best thing is that he showed his peculiar sense of humor and achieved TikTok stardom without saying a single word.

He got success when one of his videos went viral on the platform. In this video, he interestingly disproved the challenging method of opening a juice box using a straw. This video gathered millions of views in just a few hours, proving to be a major turning point in his journey.

The expansion of Khaby’s TikTok following brought him great monetization opportunities. He started partnering with brands for endorsements and sponsored content. He also improved his presence on other social media platforms, such as YouTube and Instagram. He improved his life and financial condition in just 12 months by leveraging TikTok with the power of simplicity, authenticity, determination, and creativity.

Lessons Learned from Khabane Lame’s TikTok Journey.

Khaby Lame’s journey and success on TikTok prove that anyone with self-confidence, unique talent, and a work ethic can become a TikTok star and achieve the desired success. These are the key factors in Khaby Lame’s success. Any inspiring creator on TikTok can apply these factors as lessons to become a social media sensation.

1. Simplicity and authenticity

Khaby always stays true to himself and shows authenticity over production. His videos debunk overproduced trends on TikTok, whether it is a DIY or life-hack video. He never compromised his unique style, which attracted his audience. People like something that feels authentic. So, you don’t necessarily require an imaginative trick or strategy to drive and hold your audience’s attention. Keep your content simple by being authentic to yourself.

2. Consistency and relatability

Khaby Lame maintained a regular posting schedule to make sure that his TikTok fans always had fresh and interesting videos to watch and enjoy. As mentioned above, he created content that focused on daily life situations or hacks, making it relatable to a broad audience. TikTok is different from other social media platforms in terms of posting frequency. The more you post on TikTok, the better visibility you will have on the For You Page of your audience and the more engagement you will receive. Try to upload at least 2-3 videos daily; however, you can post as often as possible.  

3. Self-confidence

Success can’t be achieved overnight. When Khaby Lame started uploading his TikTok videos, just two people – his neighbor and father watched his videos. It took him one month to get 2 subscribers and 9 views. Instead of losing his patience and hope, he kept on creating more videos to entertain his audience. As a result, he became one of the most followed people on TikTok. So, keep your self-confidence alive and keep producing relevant content to conveniently walk on your pathway toward success.

4. Regular engagement

Engagement is important for success on TikTok and strengthening meaningful connections with potential fans. Khaby actively interacts with his followers by including their feedback or suggestions in his content and responding to their comments. You can actively interact with your audience by celebrating your users’ achievements, responding to their comments and questions, and incorporating their suggestions into your content.

5. An expensive setup is not necessarily required.

TikTok creators don’t necessarily need an expensive setup, such as a costly camera, editing software, the trendiest clothes, etc., to create quality videos. One of the best examples is Khaby Lame. When he first started his career as a TikToker, he produced content using his phone with no expensive setup.

His talent, creativity, and passion played a significant role in his incredible success on the platform. So, if you want to get more TikTok likes, focus on creating quality content that captures and retains viewers’ attention. High-quality and relatable content with appealing visuals and clear audio can make your content stand out among competitors on the platform.    

Conclusion

Appearing on the For You Page of the target audience and getting tons of likes can be easy if you remain authentic, relatable, and creative with your content. Khaby Lame serves as an inspiration to many aspiring TikTok creators across the world, motivating them that they can also convert their passion into a growing success and rewarding career. If you want to become famous on this platform, find your niche post authentic content consistently with trending hashtags, and regularly engage with your audience.