Well, it's been a solid year since my last TikTok blog post, and safe to say this app has not lost its spark. I even had to implement a social limit on my phone so I couldn't spend more than two hours on it. (Safe to say I still ignore it). Even my partner has gotten in on the TikTok fun, despite my #fyp algorithm showing nothing he is interested in. He lays beside me and requests we watch "toks," which I happily indulge.
Are you on TikTok yet? Do you use Instagram Reels? Well, it might be time to get on it!
TikTok is Easier Than You Think
Here are some ideas to help you wrap your mind around TikTok / Reels / YouTube shorts.
Like any other content you are putting out there, first consider who your target community is and how you can provide value to this audience. What niche do you fall under? Booktok? Dancetok? Foodtok? Thrifttok? Claytok? Painttok? There is a niche 'tok' for ANY subject matter under the sun on this app. While creating consistent content under some niches requires more editing, the end result might very well be worth it!
Consider:
Can you set up a camera propped against something for a time lapse?
Will you have to stop and start the video a million times and edit these videos together?
Do you want to talk through your videos or simply give a glimpse into your life/work?
What kind of setup do you want? Do you have a ring light? (the one I own under $20 is linked)
Once you've figured out what kind of content you could create consistently, consider the 3 Es...
The 3 Es of Content Value
Value looks like emotion, entertainment, education. You can apply this formula to anything you post (anywhere!)
1. Emotion
Whether it's happy, sad, frustration, elation, disappointment, anger... anything that gives your audience a glimpse into what makes you tick (no pun intended!) will automatically forge a connection.
2. Entertainment
How can you make your audience laugh? What will make them stay on your video or post for longer than 3 seconds as they scroll through their feed?
3. Education
What hack or tips/tricks of the trade can you share with your audience?
The Top 5 Tips & Tricks for TikTok
So, now you've figured out what kind of content to create. Use these 'Top Tok Tips' to find success.
1. Take Advantage of Trends
Jump on a trend. There's no need to come up with original content 100% of the time. The entire purpose, and really, the start of the app began with dance trends.
So if you're not feeling confident about creating original videos, just pick a trend that works for you to replicate! Or do it just because it's fun! Experimentation is the name of the game when you are first starting.
Plus, the songs that are trending are trending for a reason! You can't help tap your toe or get super excited when the full-length songs come on the radio.
HOW?
Click on the "Discover" section on the bottom of the TikTok app. Scroll through until you find the music note and check out what songs are popular and if there is a trend attached to the song. Then, look and see what hashtags people are using right now and if there is a trend there.
Essentially, just spend a lot of time consuming short video content and you'll get a hang of what people in your niche are doing. The same trends usually pop up on Reels, but are typically delayed. I've almost always seen a trend on TikTok already when a friend sends me the same video on Reels a couple weeks later.
2. Add Trending Music
Add trending music to your videos for a greater chance it will end up on the For You Page (on TikTok) or be recognizable for people that are on TikTok when you upload Reels.
HOW?
Even if you are doing a voice-over or talking through your video, you can use the song! When you are editing your video, add a trending song, and turn the volume of it right down. You can add your voice-over or text-to-voice speech as part of the primary video. This way, it will still appear in the feed of that song on TikTok itself, but it won't detract from your content! This also works if a trending song has nothing to do with the content you are providing, but still want your videos to get views!
When you go to create your video, there is an option to "Add sound" right at the top of your screen in the TikTok app. There's even a playlist of "Trends" that has all the currently trending songs. These change pretty quickly, so be sure you are paying attention.
For Reels, click the music note icon and you can add music, do your voice over, or add sound effects.
3. Be Conscious of Time
Over this past year, TikTok added the ability to upload 3 minute videos versus only the previously existing 1 minute max videos. Reels has increased the time for video from 15 seconds originally, up to 1 minute. I imagine they will change the limit soon, however.
These longer videos are great for trying to get all of your content in one video instead of breaking it into parts. BUT you still need to be conscious of time. Just because you can talk for 3 minutes straight doesn't mean you should! Vary your content length. Try short and snappy and see if people like it. Or if you are revealing a thrift haul or taking us through a project, use a longer form video.
TOP TOK TIP: I've heard that 7 second videos can also end up on the #fyp. It's worth a try, right?
4. Always Use Captioning
You've got a WAY better chance for virility if you add captioning to your videos. Plus it promotes accessibility!
This is easy to do right in TikTok itself and there are a number of ways to do it. In Reels, click the sticker icon and choose the "Captions" sticker.
HOW?
1. If you don't feel comfortable talking in your video, film your content as usual. Create a little script and use the "text" option and you can then choose "text to speech" to read it out for you. There are a number of different voice styles you can choose. (From Chewbacca to a posh-sounding British man)
2. If you upload a video that you are speaking in, click "captions" and TikTok will automatically generate your caption based on what you are saying. You can easily edit the text if you choose, just make sure to save your edits after. Sometimes the captioning is completely wrong and will require a quick glance over. But, if your entire 3 minute video is talking, a lot of folks do not edit. It might not be 100% accurate, but can be hilarious - for example, one person I saw was trying to commiserate about the 'suds' in his washing machine and instead the text went on about the 'nuns' escaping from the machine.
3. Click "voiceover" to record a voiceover of yourself. This is nice if you have a video made up of multiple parts that has been edited in another app. You can also convert this to captions!
TOP TOK TIP: Be aware of where you are placing your captions. The lower left part of TikTok has your username, captions, and hashtags, and I have seen people put their captioning there, where it ends up being un-readable.
With that being said, assure your video caption is short and concise!! If you use 125 characters or less, your audience will not have to click 'more' to view the entire thing. This can be good for anyone quickly scrolling.
5. Use Replies & Stitches for Content Variation
You will need to monitor your activity once your video goes live. The best part is that you can use 'replies' to create new videos that answer questions or inspire further content. You can also 'stitch' other creators' content if you want to add to what someone is saying, disagree with it, or want to repeat it yourself.
TOP TOK TIP: You can pin your top 3 videos to the top of your feed. These are great if you see that people ask the same questions over and over and you've created a video that answers them. It is also good to pin videos that promote yourself and what you do.
Time to Get Tok-ing
These tips translate whether you will be posting to TikTok itself or just want to stick with Instagram Reels for now.
A final tip: The Instagram algorithm doesn't love when you post your TikTok video with the watermark straight to Reels, so try and save your video in raw form and upload to the two platforms separately. But if you are strapped on time and you've spent time making your TikTok, don't be afraid to just go ahead and post it on both apps.
Tag me @yegallyway on TikTok or Instagram so I can take a look at your videos and give them a like! And as always, if you have any questions, reach out for some individual support!
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