The TikTok storytime has become an entire literary genre of its own. It is the trend that is never fading and the gift that keeps on giving. In recent weeks, this trend took on a new life with Reesa Teesa sharing her story, giving viral a whole new meaning.
If you have been on TikTok nearly as much as I have, you have probably seen your fair share of storytimes.
Even if you are not on TikTok, there is a chance that you've heard about Reesa Teesa. The woman took TikTok by storm! She gave us a 50-part series on her whirlwind marriage, and the whole world was hanging on to every word.
People even wanted to sell merch and contact Netflix to get a miniseries in the works. The series gave viral a whole new meaning and made everyone question what we know about short-form content.
With that being said, not all storytime posts became a Reesa Teesa-level hit. This left me with a multitude of questions about storytime — and what makes a storytime good.
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media update's Alrika Möller spills some piping hot tea on TikTok storytimes.
Before we go any further, we have to look at the storytime legend that is Reesa Teesa and why she went absolutely viral.
TikTok user @reesamteesa started the storytime series 'Who TF Did I Marry' on Wednesday, 14 February. In the series, she explains the ins and outs of her five-month marriage.
Her storytelling is impeccable, and she manages to keep people coming back for the rest of the story to finally find out what happens.
The whole story has 50 parts, and in some of the episodes, she is driving in her car or doing her hair. She is basically telling the story while she is living her life, and the people have been totally here for it.
Like any good story, hers has a multitude of twists and turns, and the whole thing is so shocking that it definitely has to be true — because nobody can make these things up.
So … why did her story go viral and others didn't?
Reesa Teesa is not the first person to share a shocking story on TikTok. TikTok is the platform for shocking stories. So, what makes hers so different?
I have done the research — scrolled on TikTok — to curate a list of storytelling tips that will give your storytime that special oomph.
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1. Create a hook line
TikTok is a platform built on short-form content, which means you want to grab people's attention quickly to ensure that they want to listen to your story.
In Reesa Teesa's case, she gave her series quite a punchy title that she uses in the captions of every part she posts. Another popular one is to start off by saying something shocking and interesting.
You can kick things off with, "Storytime about how I broke my leg" or "I robbed a bank. Storytime".
This piques interest and makes people want to hear more.
2. Humanise your story
People listen to stories because they get invested in what happens and who it happens to. You have to give the audience a bit of info about yourself or how you felt about what happened if you want them to keep listening.
Reesa Teesa managed to make an emotional connection with people by explaining what she went through and how it made her feel.
If you are telling a story about someone else, you have to add a little bit about who they are to make people care about their story.
3. Think before you speak
Some people — you know who you are — tend to ramble on when telling a story. That can sometimes be fun, but when you are sharing a story on social media, you have to be a bit more aware of what you are saying because of where you are sharing it.
Storytime content needs to either provide valuable information that gives context to the story, or it must add entertainment value.
How can you do this? Ensure that people have all the pieces of the puzzle to understand the story as they listen. Make it fun and add some spice through entertaining anecdotes and funny moments.
You have to find a balance within that so that you are not droning on forever and people get bored.
4. Focus on your delivery
Miss Reesa Teesa had all of us invested just by the way she was telling the story. Put all the oomph you can muster into telling the story, and you will have people coming back for a second, third and 50th part.
You don't have to look perfect and curate a perfect image. That is not what it is about. The content of the story and the way you tell it is what's going to make people engage with your posts. Social media is often extremely image-focussed, but storytimes are different.
Storytimes is all about personality.
5. End it strong
This tip is for those who want people to move on to the next part of the story, as well as those who are telling a one-post wonder. End the story — or the part — with a sharp line.
If you have follow-up content, you want to end on a cliffhanger that will make people jump over to the playlist and find the next part.
If you are ending off the story, you can provide a one-sentence synopsis that brings the story together. Think about using a fun zinger that will make people want to send it on to friends, family members and every coworker they have ever had.
Reesa Teesa ended her series by telling people that she will be going on a TikTok live to share some more of her story and answer some questions. This had people clicking that follow button so quickly because they did not want to miss a second!
TikTok storytime is here to stay. Make the most of it and give your stories the cinematic edge they deserve.
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TikTok is a world and culture all on its own. Is there a TikTok trend or viral moment you want to try? Let us know in the comment section below.
*Image courtesy of Canva