TikTok allows its users to create captivating, creative and authentic short videos. With over 14 million daily users, it has become a rapidly growing space for patient leaders hoping to share their chronic conditions or terminal illness journey. On TikTok, patient leaders can create content about their experience, connect with others, and have their voices heard.
TikTok is a new form of social media and can feel overwhelming to start with. In the workshop below, social health network patient leader Ariana Covarrubias shares her expertise on getting started as a patient leader on TikTok.
Key points to remember:
- TikTok can be a great tool to raise awareness about your condition.
- Raising awareness can lead to more research funding, build community, provide support and shine a light on people with disabilities.
- You can create and edit on the TikTok app itself or use other apps like CapCut, iMovie, or InShot.
- Put your email in your bio so people can contact you with media requests.
- Always respond to comments as it helps boost the video.
- Follow other content creators and encourage open discussion through your posts.
About Ariana
Ariana Covarrubias is a 21-year-old from Los Angeles. She is a model, lawyer and content creator. For the past 2 years, she has used modeling and her social media platforms to raise awareness about her rare and life-threatening skin condition called Epidermolysis Bullosa (also known as EB).
EB is extremely rare and impacts Ariana’s life in every aspect imaginable. She has created TikTok videos that have over 20 million total views, raising awareness about EB. She started advocating as a way to show others in her community that it’s okay to look different and to encourage self-love. Showing the cruelty of her chronic illness has allowed her to educate people in more ways than one and help people with EB not feel isolated, as she once did.
Follow Ariana on TikTok @Fragileskinariana.
