Controlled Chaos: What makes TikTok different for nonprofits?

For years now, most of us have been swept under social media’s spell. In spite of the fair criticisms it receives, we can't deny its importance as a tool for engagement. Now there's a new kid on the block when it comes to nonprofit messaging: TikTok. And as a result of its frenetic short-form videos, artificial intelligence, and relative ease of video creation and amplification, it is changing the way organizations relate to their audiences. In this episode, we talk to Dr. Kimberly Wiley, Assistant Professor of Nonprofit Leadership and Community Sciences at the University of Florida, who led a team of researchers to code 1,160 TikTok videos from 58 nonprofits to better understand how organizations use the platform – and which messages engage their audiences the most. We also learn from Darcy Porter, Associate Director of Communications and Content Strategy, who has harnessed the power of TikTok at SUNY Brockport to mastermind everything from student influencers to a viral video memorializing a beloved campus squirrel.