What is TikTok?
TikTok is a video-sharing social networking service owned by ByteDance, a Beijing-based technology company. It hosts short-form videos that are focused around things like trends, memes, challenges, lip-syncs, dances, comedy sketches and more. TikTok’s app allows users to create and share 15 second to 3 minute videos (Statista, 2024).
The app was launched in 2016 by ByteDance for the Chinese market under the name Douyin. In 2017, ByteDance launched TikTok, which is the international version of Douyin. TikTok became quickly popular globally and has been downloaded over 2 billion times worldwide on both iOS and Android (Backlinko, 2023).
As of 2022, TikTok hit over 1 billion monthly active users globally, cementing its place as one of the most popular social media platforms in the world (The Social Shepherd, 2024). It’s especially popular among teenagers and young adults under 30.
Why Make a TikTok Account?
There are several benefits to creating a TikTok account for yourself or your business. Some key reasons include:
Share short videos with friends and strangers. TikTok allows you to record and post short videos up to 3 minutes long. These can be shared with your followers or made discoverable to TikTok’s large audience. It’s a great way to showcase your creativity and connect with people.
Grow an audience and get discovered. TikTok’s algorithm is designed to quickly determine the types of videos you like and show you more of them from a wide range of creators. This makes it easier for new accounts to gain followers and go viral compared to other platforms.
Promote yourself or your business. Many brands use TikTok to engage with younger audiences, running targeted ads, sponsored content, or simply posting creative videos that highlight products. It can help grow brand awareness and sales.
Join a creative community. The platform fosters a community of creators and viewers who interact through duets, stitches, challenges, and more. You can collaborate with others and draw inspiration from trending content.
Signing Up for TikTok
The first step to making a TikTok account is to download the TikTok app on your mobile device from the App Store or Google Play. You can also sign up on the TikTok website using your desktop or mobile browser at https://www.tiktok.com/.
Once you have the TikTok app or website open, tap the profile icon in the bottom right corner to begin setting up your account. You’ll need to enter your email address or phone number, date of birth, username, password, and other basic information. TikTok allows users to sign up with an email address or phone number, so choose whichever method you prefer.
Make sure to read and agree to TikTok’s Terms of Service before tapping the button to create your account. That’s it! Signing up for a basic TikTok account is fast and easy either on mobile or desktop.
Setting a Username
Choosing the right username is an important part of setting up your TikTok account. Your username will be your unique identity on the platform that viewers will associate with your brand. According to TikTok experts, an ideal username is unique, memorable, and gives an indication of what your account is about (source).
Some tips for picking a good TikTok username include:
- Use a memorable variation of your real name, like “@selenagomez” or “@selena_gomez”. This makes it easy for fans to find you.
- Consider using a nickname or descriptive word that relates to your niche, like “@dancequeen” or “@bakingbros”.
- Try out TikTok’s username generator for creative ideas tailored to you.
- Check username availability to ensure it’s not taken.
- Keep it short, simple, and easy to spell.
The key is choosing a username that stands out on TikTok and represents your personal brand. Your goal is to make it easy for viewers who enjoy your content to find and remember your profile.
Customizing Your Profile
After creating your account, you’ll want to customize your TikTok profile to give viewers a sense of your personality and interests. This includes adding a profile photo, bio, and other details.
For your profile photo, you’ll want to choose an image that represents you. This could be a picture of your face, an avatar, or another creative visual that shows off your style. Some ideas for fun profile photos include using a picture with a transparent background, choosing a meme or aesthetic image, or even using one of the default TikTok profile pictures.
Your profile bio allows you to share a short description of yourself and your channel. You’re limited to 80 characters, so pick key details to highlight like your name, interests, location, or a clever tagline. This helps viewers quickly learn about you when visiting your profile.
You can also add links to other social media profiles like Instagram or YouTube so fans can follow you on other platforms. This makes it easy for viewers to connect with you across different sites.
Customizing these profile details is a great way to give viewers a window into your personality and brand (cite https://wave.video/blog/top-10-creative-tiktok-profile-picture-ideas/). Take some time to select profile options that represent you and will make your TikTok page stand out.
Following Other Accounts
One of the best parts of TikTok is being able to follow and discover new accounts to watch. You can search for friends, family, celebrities, brands, influencers and more. There are a few ways to find other accounts to follow on TikTok:
Use the search bar – Tap the magnifying glass icon at the top of the app and type in a username, hashtag or interest. You’ll be shown matching video results and accounts. Tap “Follow” on any accounts you want to follow (TikTok Help Center).
Check your contacts – TikTok will automatically search your phone contacts and suggest people you may know. You can follow your friends directly from these suggestions (TikTok Help Center).
From videos – When watching a video, you can tap on the account name to go to their profile and follow them there. You can also follow hashtag pages related to your interests.
Through recommendations – TikTok will suggest popular accounts, influencers and trending hashtags to follow based on the content you engage with (Mashable).
Creating Your First Video
When creating your first TikTok video, it’s recommended to keep things simple and just use your phone’s camera within the app. You don’t need any fancy equipment to get started! Here are some tips for creating your first TikTok video using just your smartphone:
Shoot vertically – TikTok videos are formatted vertically, so make sure to hold your phone in portrait orientation when filming. Landscape videos won’t look right on TikTok.
Use the in-app camera – Open up the TikTok app, tap the plus icon to access the camera. You can shoot directly in the app instead of using pre-recorded videos from your camera roll.
Keep it short – TikTok videos are usually between 15-60 seconds. Get straight to the point instead of making a long video.
Add effects – One of the best parts of TikTok is all the cool effects available. You can add filters, stickers, text overlays and more to enhance your video.
Use trending sounds – Browse TikTok’s sound library full of popular songs and audio clips. Adding a trending sound can help more people find your video.
Be creative – Don’t be afraid to try something new and show off your unique personality!
Preview before posting – Watch your video and make sure you like how it turned out before sharing it to your profile.
It’s easy to make your first TikTok just using your smartphone. Shoot vertically, use built-in effects and keep it short. Most importantly, have fun and be creative!
Editing/Posting Your Video
Once you’ve recorded your TikTok video, it’s important to edit and optimize it before posting. According to https://www.izae.com/resources/best-practices-for-posting-on-tiktok, TikTok videos should be kept under 34 seconds for maximum engagement. Use TikTok’s built-in editing tools to trim your video to the ideal length. Remove any boring or irrelevant portions and get right to the main point quickly.
You can also add text captions and subtitles to help convey your message. Captions make your video more accessible and can boost views and shares. According to https://www.tiktok.com/business/en-US/blog/creative-best-practices-top-performing-ads, captions should be short, simple and easy to read quickly.
Hashtags are very important when posting TikTok videos. Include relevant hashtags so your content surfaces in searches. The best performing hashtags are specific and niche rather than broad and oversaturated. Put the most important hashtags first, since TikTok cuts off tags after a certain number of characters.
With these edits and optimizations, your video will be polished, focused and discoverable – ready to engage the TikTok community!
Engaging With Your Followers
One of the best ways to gain a following on TikTok is to actively engage with other users’ content. When you like and comment on others’ videos, it increases the chances that they will check out your profile and follow you back. Set aside time each day to explore TikTok and engage with content created by accounts you find interesting or entertaining. Leave thoughtful comments beyond just emoji reactions – ask questions, share reactions, or comment on something specific you enjoyed about their video. This type of genuine engagement makes a lasting impression and leads to more followers.
You can also engage with your current followers by responding to any comments left on your own videos. Reply to questions or simply thank users for watching and interacting. Making the effort to maintain these interactions shows followers you appreciate them and makes them more likely to stick around. Just a few minutes a day spent engaging with your followers and other TikTok users can go a long way in helping your account grow organically.
TikTok Guidelines
TikTok has established Community Guidelines to help ensure the platform remains a safe and fun environment. When creating content, it’s important to follow these rules:
Some key guidelines to keep in mind: Don’t post illegal, dangerous or offensive content. Be respectful to other users. Don’t spam or mislead others. Follow copyright laws and give credit when using someone else’s work.
TikTok bans certain content like nudity, pornography, illegal activities, dangerous challenges, animal abuse, hate speech, harassment, and eating disorder content. Read the full guidelines to understand what is and isn’t allowed.
While it’s important to follow the rules, don’t let them limit your creativity. Express yourself freely while respecting others. If content is removed for violating guidelines, you can appeal the decision.
Staying informed on TikTok’s policies ensures your account stays active. But most importantly, by being considerate of others, you can help maintain TikTok’s fun, uplifting environment.
