Not because he’s the most followed person on TikTok with 162 Million followers.
Because he cracked the code of Gen Z attention (it’s so simple, you’ll laugh):
In March 2020, Khaby Lame was just another factory worker in Italy laid off due to the pandemic.
His TikTok career started with gaming & dancing vids.
Fast-forward to today? He’s a global sensation.
But the craziest bit:
How did he do it without saying a single word?
It all started with a simple video mocking overly complicated life hacks.
No fancy equipment. No scripted jokes. Just Khaby, his phone, and his signature deadpan expression.
Little did he know, this would be the start of something huge.
Within months, Khaby’s followers skyrocketed.
April 2021: 10 million followers.
July: 50 million.
And today? A staggering 162 million.
But his meteoric rise wasn’t luck.
Intentionally or not, he’s mastered 5 key elements of Gen Z attention:
1. Simplicity
In a world of complex content, Khaby’s videos are refreshingly simple.
His format is reliable:
He takes convoluted “life hacks” and shows the obvious, easier solution – without saying a word.
The universal language of gesture taps into a core Gen Z value:
Efficient content.
In an attention economy, Khaby delivers maximum humor in minimum time.
Khaby doesn’t waste a moment – every second of his videos has a purpose.
It’s the perfect dopamine injection for Gen-Z attention spans.
But that alone isn’t enough.
2. Authenticity
Khaby’s just a normal guy reacting to the absurdities of the internet.
He never tries to be someone he’s not — just genuine reactions that resonate with millions.
This authenticity builds trust. But there’s a twist:
Unlike many influencers who claim authenticity, Khaby’s is unquestionable.
His rise from a factory worker to global star is well-documented.
This rags-to-riches story adds depth to his content, making him relatable to a vast audience.
There’s a reason this is so important:
Countless Gen Z surveys will tell you relatable influencers always come out on top.
And Khaby? He:
• Still records in the same social housing complex
• Doesn’t do any fancy editing
• Wears casual clothes
You can’t be someone else forever. Authenticity always wins.
3. Consistency
Khaby used to post multiple times daily — sometimes up to 3-4 videos.
This frequency keeps him on top of TikTok’s algorithm, ensuring constant visibility.
But it’s not just quantity. His quality remains consistently high.
How does he maintain this pace?
By reacting to existing videos, Khaby has an endless supply of material.
It’s genius. To anyone creating content:
How could you scale your work so it’s easy to replicate, but still equally entertaining?
While his formula seems simple, Khaby’s tapping into something bigger:
4. Cultural Commentary
Beneath the humor, Khaby’s content is a subtle critique of internet culture.
He pokes fun at the often ridiculous “life hacks” that proliferate online.
It resonates with Gen Z’s skepticism towards online trends — but there’s an even deeper layer:
Khaby’s success challenges the notion that you need to speak English to go viral.
His wordless videos have become a form of universal communication.
In a divided world, Khaby’s content unites people through shared laughter.
But even universal appeal needs the right platform.
5. Cross-platform strategy
While TikTok is his main platform, Khaby doesn’t put all his eggs in one basket.
He has:
• 80M Instagram followers
• 10M YouTube subscribers
But he understood that TikTok views don’t pay the bills.
6. Monetization
Khaby’s diversified his income:
• Brand deals with Xbox, Netflix, and Amazon
• Cryptocurrency partnerships
• NFT collections
Once you have eyeballs on your content, start turning followers into customers.
A final takeaway:
Never dismiss “influencers” as talentless/lucky.
The best ones (like Khaby) are master psychologists & marketers.
His success teaches us:
Your ideas don’t need to be revolutionary to go viral. They just have to be yours.
— This article is written by Nels Ibson
