If, like me, you consider yourself "old", you may not yet have delved into the world of TikTok, I'm here to report back from Gen Z Land and let you know that it is a fun (albeit incredibly addictive) place. Long gone are the days (as I understand them) of it being mostly people lip synchig to various pop songs. Now it's a really creative playground. There are historians giving mini-lessons on all kinds of things from the past, ballet dancers and piano players showcasing their skills, BookTokers reviewing recent reads, and so, so much more.
TikTok mostly consists of one-minute vidoes (though theye're rolling out three-minute videos for some users) and it's unlike other social media platforms in that it is primarily algorithm based rather than follower based. The feed you see when you open the app is most similar to the Instagram Discover Page, and as you click like, the algorithm learns your interests -- so that in theory, you never have to follow anyone to get a tailor-made feed. And you don't have to have followers for people to see your videos.
TikTok is great place to follow local content creators, too, and discover new restaurants and other venues to check out now that the world is opening back up. If you're new to TikTok and want to follow some people relevant to the DC area, here are some recommendations!
@bidenwh
Joe Biden's classic aviators make a frequent appearance on this account showing the comings and goings of the President.
@chefjoseandres
One of our most beloved local icons, Chef José Andrés doesn't just feed the foodiest and neediest among us. He also has more than 200,000 followers on TikTok.
@eastcitybookshop
The bookshop on Capitol Hill in Washington DC (where, full disclosure, I work) shares fun memes, new releases, upcomig author events, and highlights books by diverse voices.
@jaketapper
The CNN author is charming and endearingly goofy on his TikTok, where he calls his followers "besties" and is well on his way to 50k followers.
@laura_hankin
Laura is one of the most fun authors to follow on social media, as evidenced by this trailer for her latest book.Follow her for her local take on the less-than-glamorous writer life.
@overhearddistrict
If you love or love to hate the idiosyncacies of this town and the people it attracts, you likely already know about DCist’s weekly Overheard column. This TikTok account is a visual equivalent.
@theblacklistdmv
This account with around 50k followers promotes Black-owned restaurants in DC and the surrounding area.
@thejonathanlurie
The self-styled "DC Gossip Boy", who admits in his bio to being probably "your least favourite Washingtonian", is nonetheless followed by 27k people and has 2.3 million likes accumulated so far. He walks us through a day in the life of a teenage resident of DC -- in one TikTok, he says he's 15 -- and gives us restaurant reviews. A lot of his TikToks are North West focussed.
@thelaynierose
A bookseller locally, @thelaynierose is something of a star in the BookTok community with almost 50k followers. She especially loves sapphic romance and YA, and shares bookish memes and reviews of her recent reads.
@representativelin
The self-appointed “CEO of Congressional Children” is a great teen to follow for a fun insider take on DC.
@styled2be
This duo share dance moves, restaurant reviews, fun things to do around DC, and more. "Fun+Fashion+Reviews" is their mantra and they've got more than a million likes so far, as well as over 65k followers.
@washingtonpost
Dave makes fun videos for an accessible and informative take on national and local news.
Who are your favourite TikTokers to follow in the DC area? Share them in the comments!