BU Today: So when you first started, were you just making goofy videos to show your friends? When did you realize that you could grow your following?

I realized I could [grow my account] when I got to college. Algorithms cater to people around you. I arrived at BU and started making content. I made silly videos but ones with relatable humor, centering around what Harvard, MIT, BU, and anyone who goes to a Boston school could relate to. I believe that they [TikTok] cater my videos to a specific audience because they know this is where a lot of colleges are. So a lot of people around the area will pick up my videos.

BU Today: How do you describe the content? What do you make videos about?

It’s definitely entertainment-based. So some of them are about college itself. Some of them are about dating and boys, but the ones that really do well are goofy, fun ones, just because I think they’re refreshing.

BU Today: Can you tell us about the sponsored post you did?

I’ve only done one paid promotion in Boston because my content is Boston-related. And it was a grocery company. But I will only take promotions that I think people would benefit from and that I personally use myself.

BU Today: When you do a sponsored post, how does it work? Does a company reach out to you?

Companies have contacted me—they will comment on a video or send me a DM request. And then they’ll talk logistics. If you have a big following, you can reach out to huge brands that you want to partner with, but that’s not guaranteed. I feel like most people get sponsorships from brands that reach out to them.

BU Today: What kinds of questions do brands ask before agreeing to work with an influencer?

There are criteria you have to meet. There is a level of professionalism that has to be in your videos. You can’t be too much of a controversial influencer, and that goes for every platform. YouTube will not monetize your video if you’re cussing in it or talking about inappropriate things—they’re a bit picky. TikTok is different because it’s really catered to a younger audience and the rules are less strict.

BU Today: How do you strive to be honest in your sponsored posts?

I know that I don’t appreciate people who promote things that they would not use, or products that are not good products and that they wouldn’t normally use in their day-to-day lives. So I only partner with brands that I think my demographic would benefit from as well. So, one of the brands I promoted, I personally used in the past, so I was happy to work with them. I would never partner with a brand that I know is phony or has bad product quality just for the sake of money, because you’re going to get bad feedback and lose followers.

BU Today: How much were you paid for your post?

I’m a smaller content creator so it’s about $400 per video. I’m just starting out and I like creating content, so it doesn’t feel like work. So I’m happy to do that and it doesn’t take too long.

BU Today: Do influencers ever do shady things, like product placement?

Yes, it’s a big thing on TikTok. You can just hold something like a drink, and depending on how big you are, that would be a paid promotion. Or [stars] pretend they always take certain supplements before going to the gym and make videos like “Come get ready with me for the gym.” They slip it in that way.

BU Today: And they’re not revealing that it’s a paid promotion, with a #Ad at the bottom?

No, not usually.

BU Today: Is that just because they figure no one will hold them accountable?

I think you have different requirements, depending on how big you are. If Charli D’Amelio is doing the same sponsorships that a smaller influencer is doing, the company might tell her that she doesn’t have to put seven hashtags in her post, she can put one. Brands seem to be more lenient with bigger influencers because they’re gaining a lot back with that promotion.