I Quit My 800K+ TikTok... This Is Why

I Quit My 800K+ TikTok... This Is Why

Author

Arnulfur Hakonarson
June 06, 2024

Hey everyone,

Today, I want to share the real reason why I quit my TikTok with over 800K followers after years of posting.

This decision wasn’t easy, but I believe it's important to understand why I did it and how it might apply to you too.

Ready? Let’s dive in.

📈 My TikTok Journey

I started on TikTok in early 2019 when the platform was fresh and the reach was insane.

Back then, short-form vertical video was a new concept, and it was insanely fun creating content with no rules.

At my peak, I was getting over 18M views per month—that’s nuts.

Recognizing the opportunity, I went all-in and posted relentlessly, sometimes up to 4 videos a day for months (while posting weekly to youtube and daily to ig as well).

This ended up netting me a lot of followers.

🌀 The Content Roulette

IMO, a major issue with TikTok is its content roulette, let me explain.

As a creator, every post feels like a gamble—will it go viral or not?

As a consumer, you endlessly doom-scroll through the “For You” page, seeing random creators who might never appear again.

This setup doesn’t really foster community building. Creators can get millions of views but remain unknown.

This is different from, for example, YouTube, where you often tune into your favorite creators.

💸 Money Matters

Money was another big factor.

Despite having millions of views, TikTok doesn’t pay creators well (at least not in Europe).

There is a creator fund now, but unless you're getting massive views, it doesn’t amount to much.

Sponsorships were also hard to secure, and what companies offered was often a joke compared to YouTube or Instagram.

Over the years, I’ve made only a few thousand dollars on TikTok, which is minimal compared to my earnings on other platforms.

🔄 Spreading Myself Thin

Here is my big problem and realization: as a one-man show, managing multiple platforms was spreading me too thin.

I realized I was putting a ridiculous amount of time into TikTok without seeing proper returns.

This led me to a crucial question: what if I focused most of that energy on one platform?

🚀 The Big Shift

At the start of this year, I decided to double down on YouTube.

It's the hardest platform to grow on but also the most rewarding.

The results have been fantastic: higher views, more subscribers, and better engagement across the board.

YouTube cultivates a stronger community, and it's where I genuinely enjoy creating content the most.

🔥 Conclusion

TikTok has its time and place, but for me, focusing on YouTube has been a great move, at least for now.

If you’re a creator considering where to invest your time, think about where you get the most value and enjoyment.

Sometimes, narrowing your focus can lead to greater success.

I made a video where I dive more in depth for those interested.

L8ter,
Arnúlfur

🤝 Let me help you create better content!