Meet Sydney Kaplan, A Former PR Pro Who Leveraged Her Skills To Build A TikTok Business

Her path exemplifies the value of persistence, adaptability, and a genuine voice in the creator economy. “You always have to be willing to reroute, try something new, and not get comfortable,” Sydney explains, highlighting the constant reinvention required to thrive as a content creator.

While working in tech PR – where she handled media outreach for Facebook monetization algorithm updates, for example, he realized her passion lay elsewhere.

“I moved to New York, and people were talking about influencers. I remember the scandal with Arielle Charnas and Amanda Seyfried. I looked Arielle Charnas up and thought, ‘Her job is to share her life? That’s so cool.’”

This newfound awareness sparked a curiosity, but Sydney’s full transition to content creation occurred during the pandemic, when her multiple jobs – including freelance writing, makeup artistry, and food delivery – all disappeared overnight. “The pandemic hit, TikTok came out, and that’s how I started posting about reality TV,” Sydney recalls.

Early Content and Building Momentum

Sydney’s first viral moment came unexpectedly with a TikTok about “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.” 

“My first TikTok that blew up was about a husband rumored to be cheating,” she says. The success caught her off guard and prompted her to reflect on her ethics. “When people said, ‘Her daughter’s gonna see this,’ I thought, ‘Wait, this feels icky.’”

That experience helped Sydney refine her approach to reality TV coverage. “You can share your opinion, but you can also just report the pop culture news without being so savage,” she notes.

Despite early success with reality TV content, Sydney initially struggled to see a viable career path. “When I first got views, I thought, ‘Pop culture won’t go anywhere,’” she says. “I compared myself to people like Tinx [Christina Najjar], who was getting really big. She talked about pop culture, but was mostly known for being funny.”

This comparison led Sydney to temporarily step back from content creation when she took a full-time copywriting position with lifestyle retailer Abercrombie during the pandemic. “I thought, ‘I’m going to slow down on TikTok because I don’t see where it’s going,’” she recalls. “But if I could go back, I’d tell myself, ‘Keep going, you’re blowing up.’”

Leveraging PR Skills in Content Creation

Sydney’s structured strategy for pitching and communication, which she developed while working with companies like Facebook and Figma, became valuable when approaching brands and growing her audience.

“When I was picking up as an influencer, I used my PR skills to pitch brand deals,” she says. “I learned how to pitch press to get my clients coverage during my time in tech PR in San Francisco. I knew how to find emails, write thoughtful notes, and be timely.”

This thinking led to her first major brand partnership. “My first big brand deal was with Kiehl’s. I had made a video complaining that Equinox got rid of Kiehl’s, and it was getting traction. My PR brain thought, ‘I should reach out to Kiehl’s to make this a brand deal.’”

Sydney’s quick thinking extended beyond the initial pitch. “When I saw articles about Equinox dropping Kiehl’s, I emailed reporters saying, ‘Hey, I made a TikTok video about this and did a partnership with Kiehl’s if you want to include it.’”

How Sydney Creates Content

It wasn’t until last year that Sydney decided to fully commit to content creation as a career. “You can’t be halfway in. You just have to be all in,” she says. “I’m posting everywhere – Instagram, TikTok, all of it. I’m trying to make this work.”

Sydney’s approach to building an audience centers on providing clear value, whether through entertainment or education. “My advice is to be cringe,” Sydney says. “Do something super educational so people say, ‘I needed that tip or piece of advice,’ or super cringe and hilarious so they send it to friends.”

She notes that new creators often make the mistake of focusing on lifestyle content too early. “Some people try to post like their favorite influencers, but if you post a day in your life, for example, no one cares yet. First, you need to provide value through entertainment or education, so people invest in you.”

Her reality TV recaps fall into the educational category. Even her apartment tour video, which garnered two million views, offered concrete value by sharing the cost of her SoHo apartment.

Strong hooks are central to Sydney’s content strategy. “You need a strong hook,” she explains. “If I’m doing a vlog, I’ll start with, ‘My #1 tip if you want to move to New York…’ Even if it’s just a joke about doing laundry in my basement, people will be more likely to click it if it relates back to them.”

Building Audience Loyalty

For Sydney, building audience loyalty goes beyond creating compelling content; it requires active engagement with viewers. “People underestimate replying in the comments,” Sydney says. “Sometimes it feels ‘losery’ to reply and like every comment, but people are engaging. Engage back!”

Sydney follows advice she heard from fellow influencer, Hannah Bronfman: “She liked every single comment, even the mean ones.”

This engagement extends to direct messages, though Sydney has learned to be selective. “I answer any DM from a woman, not from men,” she says, noting she “learned that the hard way.” She also recommends going the extra mile: “Go to their profile, like a few posts, engage.”

Adapting to Algorithm Changes

One of Sydney’s most significant challenges has been adapting to the unpredictable nature of social media algorithms. “You can’t get comfortable,” she admits. “My apartment video did great, and I thought, ‘I’m free from the pop culture jail.’ But now my pop culture videos aren’t doing well!”

According to her, this constant need to adjust requires resilience and flexibility. “You always have to be willing to reroute and try something new,” she says.

When branching out from her pop culture niche, Sydney found success by reusing familiar formats. “People know me for green screen videos, so I tried the same style, but about the online fashion brand ASOS pop-up in SoHo, for example, instead of a pop culture update.”

She describes her ongoing work with the algorithm: “It’s constant. Now I feel stuck in a niche about my apartment. I don’t understand the TikTok algorithm. It freaks out when you do anything different.”

How Sydney Handles Brand Partnerships

Sydney’s strategy for brand partnerships reflects her PR background, adopting a long-term perspective that begins before any deals are signed.

“Before you get a brand deal, ask yourself, ‘Is my content set up for brand deals?’” Sydney advises. “If your audience never saw you with a canned drink, then suddenly you post an ad with one, that’s not good.”

She recommends incorporating potential branded content naturally. “Bloom sent me canned cocktails, so I use them in videos. If I ever do a deal, it feels authentic.” She suggests embedding sponsorship categories into everyday content: “If you’re talking to the camera, do your skincare at the same time. Then, when you land a skincare deal, it makes sense.”

For negotiating brand deals, Sydney advises balance. “Be professional and nice. As women, it’s hard to know whether to be tough or nice.”

She recommends trusting instincts: “If you’re going to take the deal anyway, and it’s close to your number, go for it. Don’t push too hard and lose it.”

But Sydney also knows when to hold firm. “If the company wants too much for too little, negotiate. One tech app didn’t reveal the full scope until after I agreed. At that point, I pushed back. It would take too much time.”

As a real-life example of her approach, she singles out her partnership with Kiehl’s. “It was exciting because it was all my idea. I pitched it myself, it was authentic, and I loved the brand,” Sydney shares. 

“At the time, I didn’t have a manager. I was proud of myself.” Today, Sydney is managed by Greenlight Group.

Pursuing a Writing Career

Beyond TikTok, Sydney has pursued her passion for writing. “I always wanted to be a freelance writer,” she says. “I started a blog to pitch myself, and that led to writing for [digital media company] Betches, which fit my voice perfectly.”

Her portfolio expanded to include StyleCaster and her Substack, where she published personal essays.

“I think my writing and content are similar styles,” Sydney explains. “People say my writing feels like being on FaceTime with me. My content is the same in that I’m energetic and fast-paced because it grabs people’s attention. In my writing, I also have the opportunity to be more sarcastic, witty, and punchy.”

“I wrote a romance novel I’m editing now. Being published has always been a dream.” The publishing process represents her next challenge: “You need a literary agent, and they pitch to publishers. I don’t have one yet, but I’m working with an editor right now to help polish it and hopefully land me an agent. If not, I’ll self-publish.”

Her novel draws from her experiences in Los Angeles. “It’s about a woman who reconnects with her middle school crush in LA. He’s a Beverly Hills hotshot; they fall in love… until he ghosts her. It’s about what happens next and how not everything is what it seems.”

What’s Next for Sydney?

As Sydney looks to the future, she aims to create content that represents who she is while resonating with her audience. “I’d love to get to a place where people care about my daily life so I can just have fun,” she reflects. “I laugh all day and want to share it.”

Her ideal content would merge writing with video. “I love making vlogs with voiceovers from essays I wrote. I’d love to get to a place where people look forward to that style of video from me.”

Sydney’s progress offers perspective for aspiring creators. “Things happen when they’re meant to,” she reflects. “I wanted to blow up earlier, but I wasn’t in the right place. Now, nasty comments don’t bother me. I think they’re funny. I know who I am.”

For those who want to follow her path, Sydney offers this advice: “Be cringe. If you want this as a career, you have to stand out. Do something super educational or super cringe and hilarious. Focus on content that helps others so you can build community, and over time, people will become interested in you!”