BUILDING A COMMUNITY OF HISTORY ENTHUSIASTS ON TIKTOK.
400,000 VIEWS PER VIDEO ON AVERAGE
15,000-150,000 NEW FOLLOWERS EACH MONTH
5 MILLION VIEWS MONTHLY IN 2023
In July 2021, Absolute History, one of our top performing channel brands out of a suite of over 80, set out to create the largest engaged history fanbase on TikTok. With a mission to deliver high-quality, educational content, Little Dot aimed to bring history to life in a playful and relevant way.
Defining and Exceeding Key Objectives
With a brand-new account, we set ambitious goals for the 2022 campaign:
VIRAL REACH
Achieve at least one video with over 1 million views.
CONSISTENT ENGAGEMENT
Post five videos monthly that garner over 50,000 views each.
FOLLOWER GROWTH
Reach 400,000 followers within the first year.
Our TikTok strategy delivered these results and more: by March 2022, videos were reaching up to 15 million views, and as of May 2023, we have amassed over 780,000 followers, with monthly views ranging from 4-20 million—all organically, with no paid media.
Targeting History Enthusiasts with Playful and Accessible Content
Our core audience is primarily aged 18–24, a demographic known for their love of quirky, offbeat content. Our strategy was clear: meet them where they are, with platform-native, relatable content. We focused on “everyday people through the ages,” producing hands-on demonstrations of historical artifacts and relatable stories to bring history alive. By blending reenactments, partnerships with institutions, and contemporary relevance, we achieved strong engagement with our audience.
In addition to on-location shoots, we produced animated shorts in-house, often using AI to create visuals where archives were unavailable. With continuous data insights and feedback loops, we identified trending themes that resonated with viewers, adjusting our content accordingly.
Creative Execution: Bringing History to Life
Using Asana to manage monthly shoots, our team draws inspiration from successful themes and styles. We create a long list of video ideas, locations, and story elements, often collaborating with reenactment groups or in-house presenters for an authentic feel. Our mobile rig, equipped with a gimbal and audio setup, ensures high-quality footage that remains native to TikTok’s style. We further enhance videos with animated archives and AI-generated visuals to capture the essence of historical characters.
Overcoming Challenges and Adapting for Success
While TikTok’s algorithm evolves frequently, we’ve stayed ahead by continuously adapting our content. Another challenge was revenue generation—TikTok’s monetization options are limited for publishers. However, repurposing content for YouTube Shorts has allowed us to capture additional revenue streams. Shifting viewers from TikTok’s free, short-form content to the long-form, paid content of History Hit was also challenging, so we now use TikTok as the top of the funnel to introduce viewers to History Hit through light-touch, non-intrusive promotions.
Why Absolute History Stands Out
Absolute History has become a unique voice on TikTok, combining well-researched, professionally produced history content with platform-native execution. The account is a testament to the power of authentic, quality content in an educational niche, achieving impressive organic reach and engagement. Our commitment to excellence in research, scripting, and production sets us apart in the history space, and our results reflect this dedication.
As we continue to grow, Absolute History demonstrates that TikTok can be a powerful platform for educational content, connecting people with history in a way that is both entertaining and impactful.
TEAM QUOTE.
"We’ve seen how people can connect with history when it’s not locked behind museum glass but is shared in a way that feels tangible and relatable. We try to speak to the audience as a peer. Every person can find an entry point into history and I think we are trying to give people a reason to get excited.”
McKenna, Digital Producer