Since its launch in 2016, TikTok has become a platform for literally everything; whether you want to laugh, cry, learn how to make a soufflé or change a tire.
The social media application has been the medium through which millions of people around the world have launched a career, sharing content and receiving a salary through advertising revenue and sponsorship deals.
Lately, British workers have been betting on the app to make money, posting unexpectedly popular videos of different trades.
A study of Bionic It even found that traders and small business owners could earn up to £11,000 per stall, as well as £1 million per year.
A popular TikToker, ‘The Pool Guy’, known for his pool cleaning videos, has amassed a whopping 14.8 million followers on the app, as well as 20 million in total across his social media platforms, which include YouTube and Instagram.
Pink Plumbing has 36.5k followers and 225.7k likes and describes herself as “just a plumber/gas engineer who loves Pink.”
The worker, Miles Laflin from Bedfordshire, started making videos after being offered a permanent position as a pool apprentice.
His website says he has experience in: “Everything from opening and closing, general maintenance, plumbing and chemical balancing.” ‘No job is too big and the dirtier the pool, the better!’ he added she.
Her content has become so popular that she has landed several celebrity clients, including Stacey Solomon.
A few years ago, it was estimated that the social media cleanup star could earn up to £1.3million in the year from sponsorships, significantly more than the suggested figure of £17,560 per year for an apprentice.
Another popular trader who has started making money from trading videos is Paint Warrior, also known as Kevin Tingley, who features clips showing how to get the most out of house painting.
The Surrey-based painter has amassed more than one million followers and 29.4 million likes on his videos, showing users everything from how to properly wet a roller to how to get the cleanest paint job.
The earning rate of decorators can vary significantly, with the salary of a newly qualified worker reaching £16,682 per year, a figure that is undoubtedly reinforced by the merchant’s million followers.
Glyn Britton, customer service director, explained the new trend to Bionic: ‘Social media, particularly TikTok, can be an awesome tool for small businesses.
Ryan Davis is a London-based electrician with 343.4k followers and 10.3 million likes on his channel.
Ryan, pictured, shares videos of his electrical operation, vlogs from his time, and even the occasional ASMR video.
Jess Lorrio is an Only Fans model who recently turned her attention to the carpenter’s TikTok where he uploads videos of his craft.
‘It allows them to share genuine images of their daily processes and jobs, giving people a “behind the scenes” view.
‘Much of the video content we can see created now is filmed on smartphones by people with no formal social media experience.
“However, the authenticity, personality and craftsmanship on display is why audiences easily engage time and time again.”
No trade is left untouched, as electrician Ryan, from London, has demonstrated with his popular TikTok account that has amassed 343.4 thousand followers and 10.3 million likes.
He documents his work life, shares videos of his electrical operation, vlogs from his time and even the occasional ASMR video.
His 300,000 followers are likely to give him a cash top-up on his usual salary, which is £33,636 for the average UK electrician.
And it’s not just men who benefit from the satisfying videos: one woman, called Pink Plumbing, has 36.5k followers and 225.7k likes and describes herself as “just a plumber/gas engineer who loves Pink.”
Real name Helena Szmalec, the worker works for a plumber run by the same name which is based in Derby.
She regularly posts videos of her installing pipes in dirty, paint-splattered workman’s pants, along with a pink T-shirt with the company name on it.
Miles Laflin, pictured, from Bedfordshire, has 14 million followers on TikTok who love watching his cleaning transformation videos.
Paint Warrior, Kevin Tingley, has millions of followers on his account that shows him decorating houses.
The content creator’s videos tend to show more typical TikTok clips with a sound or dance attached, rather than explainer videos of the work being done.
However, the appeal of the trade has helped her gain a large following on the app, which certainly helps put money in her pocket.
The salary of a plumber in the UK would normally be around £1,000.28,974 for a working professional.
Jess Lorrio is another who has realized the potential of making money from work videos, although it is not her main source of income.
The American OnlyFans model describes herself as a ‘finishing carpenter model mom’ and regularly posts videos of herself cutting pallets and building decks to her 68.8k followers.
The blonde model appears scantily clad in videos shared on her TikTok account where she shows off her many talents, including installing a false ceiling, tiling her own shower, or redoing her own stairs.
The salary of a carpenter in the UK would be £.18,000 for an apprentice.
Whether it’s explainer videos about the tricks of the trade or simply the satisfying end result of a job, videos from professionals are popular and likely helping workers grow their wallets.
One explanation for why users enjoy content that shows before and after could be the popularity of videos in which a task is completed or accomplished. The ‘oddly satisfying videos’ on the app have garnered 3 million views.
