While TikTok’s “for you” page might be filled with countless content creators making things the algorithm knows you love, the popular social media app is making it even easier for you to branch out and find users and types of content you never even knew existed. Earlier today, TikTok revealed its new “creator discover list,” a feature spotlighting the app’s various “icons, innovators, foodies, change-makers, and originators.” For those wondering just how the content creators who made the cut were rounded up, the list was reportedly compiled by examining metrics such as a creator’s “engagement, views, video creations, account growth, likes,” and “interactions with followers” as well as by evaluation which “creators and content have sparked conversations both on and off the app,” according to a TikTok spokesperson (via The Hollywood Reporter).
While using metrics in order to promote certain creators has always been a hot issue on the internet — namely over on YouTube, where the metrics used have been criticized for shifting frequently or being a bit, well, arbitrary — if we’re to trust TikTok’s process, the new feature also helps fix a glaring issue TikTok’s had for quite some time: giving credit where credit is due. While stars like Addison Rae, Tabitha Brown, Bella Poarch, and countless others have notably helped the app rise in popularity and created some of the internet’s most popular trends, many have questioned whether TikTok has been giving the stars their due credit for their work on the site. Thanks to their new “creator discover list,” it seems like the app is finally drawing attention to the biggest names drawing people over to the app.
As of the new feature’s debut, there are five potential categories highlighted creators can fall into: icons, innovators, originators, foodies, and change-makers. Over on their official site, TikTok broke down what each category means, explaining that icons are creators who are “well-known up and down the [for you page] and outside of TikTok” (such as the aforementioned Brown and Poarch), innovators are “pioneers in their fields” that are “constantly pushing boundaries,” and originators are creator’s who have “started viral dances, sounds, aesthetics, and more.” Lastly, the foodie category shows off chefs adding a “creative spin” to food-related content, while change-makers are advocates and educators who aren’t afraid to “speak up and speak out.”
While TikTok has yet to announce how frequently (or if) the list will be updated, there’s no denying it’s a big step for the platform and could help their creators find greater success. If you’re looking for new folks to follow, the complete creator discover list is below:
Icon Creators
Boman Martinez-Reid, @Bomanizer
Leo Gonzalez, @LeoGonzall
Christina Najjar, @tinx
Challan Trishann, @challxn
Mark Gaetano, @snarkymarky
Christopher Olsen & Ian Paget, @chris & @Ianpaget_
Juliana Olaleye, @flossybaby
Brittany Broski, @Brittany_Broski
Tabitha Brown, @iamtabithabrown
Bella Poarch, @bellapoarch
Innovator Creators
Billy Yue, @8illy
Kyne Santos, @onlinekyne
Devon Rodriguez, @devonrodriguezart
Jasmine Chiswell, @jasminechiswell
Shaquille Edwards, @PiffMarti
Mikayla Nogueira, @mikaylanogueira
Science Akbar, @king.science
Parker Locke, @parkerlocke
Maddi Winter, @maddiwinter
Wisdom Kaye, @Wisdm8
Foodie Creators
Jonathan Kung, @Chefjonkung
Violet Witchel, @Violet.cooks
Ahmad Alzahabi, @Thegoldenbalance
Hajar Larbah, @moribyan
Joanne Molinaro, @thekoreanvegan
Newton Nguyen, @newt
Ana M Regalado, @saltycocina
Gabrielle Williams, @gabby.jaye
Sulhee Jessica Woo, @sulheejessica
Robert Lucas, @thesweetimpact
Changemaker Creators
Jesús Morales, @juixxe
Taylor Jones, @taylorcassidyj
Alexis Nelson, @alexisnikole
Joel Bervell, @joelbervell
Zachary & Patrick Valentine, @valentinebrothers
Ebony & Denise Nunez, @Team2Moms
Shirley Raines, @Beauty2thestreetz
Scarlet May, @Scarlet_may.1
Remi Bader, @remibader
James Jones, @notoriouscree
Originator Creators
Jalaiah Harmon, @jalaiahharmon
Joseph Davidson, @supvano
Antonio Neville, @HeyTonyTV
Tracy Joseph, @Tracy.oj
Ronald Michel, @Rony_boyy
Katherine Florence, @katieflorence
Keara Wilson, @keke.janajah
Wayne Mears, @natures_food
Makayla Did, @makayladid
Antoni Bumba, @antonibumba