Salem does not optimize her TikTok account around platform payouts because she has observed lower views after enabling direct monetization features. Instead, she uses TikTok for reach and relies on listeners to discover her music elsewhere, while a larger audience also strengthens future brand-deal economics.

Direct monetization appeared to coincide with lower views for her
TikTok virality can produce streams on other platforms without explicit calls to action
Follower counts and recent video performance influence brand-deal rates
She treats TikTok primarily as an audience-building channel

“I found every time I do that, I actually get less views.”
Salem Ilese · 13:00

“So for TikTok, I really just try and focus on getting as many eyes onto the content as possible.”
Salem Ilese · 13:00

#monetization#tiktok#brand-awareness#cross-platform

Explainer· 3

Explainer04:00

Why TikTok Can Match Niche Creators With the Right Audience

Salem argues that TikTok’s central advantage is its ability to connect creators with people predisposed to appreciate their work. Creators do not need universal approval; consistent, authentic publishing gives the algorithm more opportunities to locate their particular audience.

TikTok personalizes its For You page around individual interests
Every kind of art can have a viable target audience
Creators should publish work that genuinely represents them
Negative reactions matter less because uninterested viewers can scroll past

“I think that TikTok is really good at taking an artist and matching them up with their audience.”
Salem Ilese · 04:30

“But I do really think that there's an audience for everybody.”
Salem Ilese · 05:00

#tiktok-algorithm#audience#authenticity#creators

Explainer05:30

How TikTok’s Algorithm Builds Momentum Around a Hit

When a song-related post takes off, Salem observes that subsequent posts about the same song often receive stronger distribution. That favorable period may last two or three months, after which the algorithm appears to demand a fresh idea.

A viral post can lift later content about the same subject
Repeated references and hashtags may benefit from established momentum
The favorable cycle can last roughly two to three months
Creators eventually need to discover the next concept that resonates

“The algorithm kind of latches onto something.”
Salem Ilese · 05:30

“So it'll probably last I don't know like two to three months and you can kind of like milk that one thing that's doing really…”
Salem Ilese · 06:00

#tiktok-algorithm#content-momentum#viral-hits#distribution

Explainer24:00

What State Farm and Duolingo Get Right on TikTok

State Farm uses the Jake character and participatory challenges to give creators a reason to engage while still expanding brand visibility. Duolingo takes a different route by leaving memorable comments on viral videos, building recognition and personality without depending entirely on its own posts.

A recurring character can give a brand a recognizable social identity
Challenges let creators market themselves while indirectly distributing the brand
Viral comments can attract profile visits and followers
Frequent, relevant participation makes a brand feel more relatable
Brands can own a narrow behavior instead of attempting every content format

“It's one of the best tools on TikTok for anyone, actually, brand or otherwise, is just commenting on videos.”
Salem Ilese · 25:00

“So I would say just trying to kind of be involved in conversations as much as possible, even if it has nothing to do with…”
Salem Ilese · 26:00

#brand-marketing#duolingo#state-farm#tiktok-comments

Story· 4

Story02:00

How Salem Ilese’s First TikTok Reached 30 Million Views

Salem Ilese initially resisted TikTok because she associated it with younger users. After her label encouraged her to post a bedroom performance of “Mad at Disney,” the video received one million views on its first day and eventually reached roughly 30 million.

Her label recognized that “Mad at Disney” could thrive on TikTok
A simple bedroom performance became her breakthrough video
The video received one million views on its first day
The success established TikTok as a central part of her career

“So I posted a video of me singing it in my bedroom and it kind of went crazy viral, which was the coolest thing that's…”
Salem Ilese · 02:00

“Well it got a million in the first day which was just mind-boggling.”
Salem Ilese · 02:30

#tiktok#viral-content#music-marketing#creator-story

Story09:30

The Open-Verse Challenge That Turned a Roast Into a Remix

Salem opened part of “PS5” for users to respond to the ultimatum “it’s me or the PS5,” deliberately inviting humorous criticism. Abdul Sise’s “Fortnite Battle Pass” response went viral, drove further attention to the original song, and ultimately became an official remix collaboration.

The prompt was intentionally designed to spark controversy
Participants were invited to roast Salem in their responses
One response gained roughly 30 million plays in its first few days
The viral participant was featured on an official remix
Community participation benefited both the song and another creator

“And that's exactly what I had intended.”
Salem Ilese · 10:30

“But that was just a great example of how you know the open first challenge not only helped me and my song, but it also…”
Salem Ilese · 11:30

#open-verse#community-content#music-marketing#collaboration

Story18:00

How a Crypto Research Session Produced a Viral Song

Salem and her collaborators wrote “Crypto Boy” despite initially knowing little about cryptocurrency. They treated the writing session as a research project, learning enough terminology to create coherent references, and the resulting song later found its breakout audience on Twitter rather than TikTok.

The song grew from frustration with people constantly discussing crypto
The writers spent one or two hours researching the subject
Research helped them use terminology in references that made sense
Twitter demonstrated that songs can break outside TikTok

“I was kind of just tired of people talking about it all the time and trying to impress me with their wallets and you know…”
Salem Ilese · 18:30

“So I remember we took like an hour or two to kind of just like deep dive on crypto and try and learn all the…”
Salem Ilese · 19:00

#crypto-boy#songwriting#research#twitter

Story20:00

Turning “Crypto Boy” Into a $169,000 Rights Fundraiser

After a fan-made mashup of “Crypto Boy” verses went viral on Twitter, Salem received demands to release it as an NFT. To avoid contradicting a song that mocked NFT culture, she partnered with Nadia from Pussy Riot and used the drop to raise money for the Center for Reproductive Rights.

Community-made videos and a mashup drove the song’s Twitter growth
Salem worried that an ordinary NFT release would be hypocritical
Nadia from Pussy Riot created the artwork
The NFT was available for 24 hours
The campaign raised about $169,000 for reproductive rights

“And I was like, that's what we need to do. We need to make this a fundraiser for reproductive rights.”
Salem Ilese · 21:30

“It was just available for 24 hours, and we raised about 169,000 for the Center for Reproductive Rights, which makes me so happy.”
Salem Ilese · 22:30

#nft#fundraising#reproductive-rights#community

Takeaway· 3

Takeaway07:00

Short-Form Video Forces Creators to Find the Best 10 Seconds

Moving from other social platforms to TikTok required Salem to adapt to extremely short videos. Early viral clips were commonly only 10 to 15 seconds long, forcing her to identify the strongest fragment of each song rather than presenting a full musical section.

TikTok demanded a different format from image-led Instagram content
Early viral videos were often only 10 to 15 seconds
A short clip may contain less than a complete chorus
Selecting the strongest moment is a core short-form creative decision

“Cause especially when I first started posting in 2020 on TikTok, everything that was going viral was only like 10 to 15 seconds.”
Salem Ilese · 07:30

“So trying to find like the best 10 seconds of a song was definitely a bit of a challenge.”
Salem Ilese · 07:30

#short-form-video#attention#content-editing#music

Takeaway16:00

Use Trends as Raw Material, Not as a Substitute for Authenticity

Salem incorporates pop-culture terms and trends when they genuinely inspire her, rather than forcing them into content solely for reach. Her “berries and cream” experiment illustrates how creators can reinterpret a viral reference through their established craft and audience expectations.

Create work you personally want to consume
Use trending subjects only when they fit your authentic interests
Translate trends through your existing field of expertise
Pop culture can provide creative prompts without dictating the final work

“Honestly, I think it all comes down to authenticity and making what you yourself want to see being created.”
Salem Ilese · 16:00

“And it's really about like taking something that's going viral and applying it to your field of expertise.”
Salem Ilese · 17:30

#trends#authenticity#pop-culture#content-creation

Takeaway27:30

Why Restrictive Brand Briefs Produce Weak Creator Campaigns

Salem says her strongest sponsored posts come from brands that specify what they need to market but allow her to express it through songwriting. Highly prescriptive briefs often disconnect the promotion from the skill and content style that attracted the creator’s audience in the first place.

Tell creators the marketing objective rather than scripting every detail
Let creators use the craft for which their audience follows them
Overly specific briefs can produce content that feels unlike the creator’s normal work
Creative freedom improves the likelihood that sponsored content will resonate
Creators generally understand their own audiences better than outside brand teams

“I would say the best performing posts that I've done for brands are ones where they'll give me a lot of freedom and basically say,…”
Salem Ilese · 27:30

“So if you're hiring someone to make a post featuring your brand, I would say give as much creative freedom as possible because no one…”
Salem Ilese · 28:30

#creator-marketing#brand-partnerships#creative-freedom#sponsored-content

Frameworks in this episode

Authentic Algorithm Feeding

Awareness-First Platform Monetization

Branded Character Challenge Loop

Creator-Led Brand Brief

Hit Franchise Window

Open Verse Community Challenge

Single-Purpose Social Presence

Trend-to-Expertise Translation

Values-Aligned Opportunity Filter

Viral Comment Participation

Insights & moments

◆Hot Take· 1

Why Salem Prioritizes Reach Over Direct TikTok Monetization

✶Explainer· 3