Shivani Dave, TikTok host at Openly, on growing an LGBTQ+ brand on the platform

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Openly is a social and digital-first news publication focusing on LGBTQ+ issues around the world. One big area of growth for them is TikTok, where they have amassed 100k subscribers in the space of a year.

There, the channel's hosts Shivani Dave and Enrique Anarte post a variety of different videos every day.

For instance, with a World Cup in Qatar fast approaching later this month - a country where it is illegal and unsafe to have same-sex relations - hard news topics like these can attract huge interest and millions of views. But there is also a steady flow of LGBTQ+ relevant content, like language trivia, history and explainer videos, and yes, trend videos, too.

In this week's podcast, we speak to Dave about the channel's growth. Tune in for tips on how to make the most of the platform's trends and features, and lean into what your audience expects from you. And let us know what you learned from the episode.

@openlynews

Dr. Nas Mohamed, a gay Qatari doctor who gained asylum in the US and is thought to be the only openly LGBTQ+ Qatari, is speaking out against FIFA and the 2022 World Cup’s host country’s over Qatar’s record on LGBTQ+ rights. Same-sex relations are illegal in the country, yet both the football governing body and the Qatari government have repeatedly said LGBTQ+ fans will be welcome. #worldcup202 #qatar2022

♬ original sound - Openly | LGBTQ+ news

We made it: @Openly has just reached 100K followers on TikTok!

I know it’s been a wild week so far, but let me take a moment to share with y’all how proud I am of our baby unicorn - and how grateful I am to every single person who made it happen.

But first, a few thoughts. 🧵 pic.twitter.com/kL1Nuy3GHa

— Enrique Anarte (he/him) (@enriqueanarte) November 10, 2022

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