CONTENT MONETIZATION IN THE AGE OF TIKTOK : SHAILEN VANDEYAR

2020 is the peak of the digital age where entertainment, tech, and media have all been changed forever. Shailen Vandeyar is the 25-yeard old guru leading the charge and transforming the way creators and social-first agencies create revenue. Content monetization is the bread and butter for Shailen Vandeyar and Tik Tok is his domain. Vandeyar runs a media publishing page @Laugh which is the most interacted account on Tik Tok, boasting 1 million followers and 50 million engagements on the fastest growing social media platform.

Success rarely happens overnight, and Vandeyar’s is no exception. The 25 year old media mogul-in-making cut his teeth at digital media startups Daily Dose Media and Gadgets You Need, before spearheading VG Media, his own digital marketing agency which is behind the immense prominence of @Laugh. Vandeyar’s early entrance to the social media world positioned him to be an early adopter to help creators maximize their ability to profit off their engagements and views.

TikTok has grown immensely since @Laugh was first launched. TikTok has amassed 2 billion downloads and 800 million users worldwide. Vandeyar has been able to expand @Laugh’s reach starting out of his native New Zealand and now to a global audience. TikTok’s uniqueness is in its democratized media production and distribution attuned to the desires and interests of social media consumers, but engineered by masterminds like Shailen Vandeyar. Musicians are pivoting to create viral moments in order to stay relevant and continue to drive music and merch sales. Shailen has been able to guarantee exposure and formulate strategies to growth-hack for brands, artists, and influencers.

Despite Tik Tok’s rapid development, it has had its share of obstacles as tensions between President Donald Trump and China create uncertainty for the app’s future in the United States. Ultimately, this has not stopped digital entrepreneurs like Shailen Vandeyar from capitalizing on the here and now. With tech powerhouses like Oracle and Microsoft creating headlines for potential acquisition, signs are pointing in favor of TikTok’s long-term success.