"FikFoks" Are Like the Finstas of TikTok — Except They Still Bring in Revenue for Creators

Social media frequently comes with this unwanted pressure to perform well, especially for the influencers who make their living on those apps. When you've got millions of users seeing your every post, the need to optimize your content becomes critical.

This is no different for TikTok influencers, who consider everything from the right hashtags to their time of posting.

To counter the pressure they face with every post, some of the app's top influencers have created "FikFoks."

FikFoks are inspired by Finstas, or "fake Instagrams." These "fake TikToks" are meant to be a place for influencers to let loose a little and post what they want instead of worrying about maintaining their brand. Usually, Finstas are set to private and only those close to the person can follow the account. FikFoks aren't awarded that same privacy, and instead are also public accounts. 

Instead, influencers treat them as a cross between a Finsta and the long-dead vlog channel of your favorite YouTubers, where they post short views into their everyday life. The format requires less editing than a vlog channel does, but still allows influencers to connect better with their audiences than they can on their main profiles.

“I want the people who would watch my content to be on my FikFok,” Sam Andrews told MEL Magazine. The personability of the account makes these followers feel more like "friends" of his, which adds to the success he has on the platform.

While FikFoks provide users with a low-key profile to post on, many also use it as an opportunity to drive traffic to their sponsored post and increase their already-thriving platforms. 

Sam revealed that he told all of his FikFok followers to comment on a sponsored post he made, which resulted in 10 times the number of comments he would usually receive on a post, which increased his revenue. He attributes his followers' willingness to do things for him to the fact they view him as a friend.

“It’s sort of manipulative, but it’s really fun," he said. “It’s the power of asking for what you want with people who care about you. That’s something the FikFok has.”

So while these FikFoks are meant to be a low-key profile for users, they're still using them as just another avenue to gain attention.

“It’s just for the fun of it,” TikToker Meg Garvoille told the outlet about her own FikFok account. “I still post TikTok [trends] on that account to try and get some sort of clout,” she says.

At the end of the day, everyone is still trying to get their videos on the coveted "For You" page. While many see their FikFoks as an opportunity to make videos without thinking about them too much, most creators won't miss the opportunity to use it as another way to market themselves.