What Are TikTok Stories?
TikTok Stories is a feature that allows users to post short videos and photos that disappear after 24 hours (cited from https://www.tiktok.com/creators/creator-portal/en-us/tiktok-content-strategy/tiktok-stories-what-it-is-and-how-to-use-it/). Similar to Instagram Stories, TikTok Stories provide a way to share more authentic, behind-the-scenes moments with followers through ephemeral content.
With TikTok Stories, users can post videos up to 10 seconds long or static images. These posts appear in a bar at the top of followers’ For You feeds and profiles. Each individual piece of content added to a TikTok Story expires after 24 hours. However, users have the option to highlight Stories to their profiles, allowing followers to view them after 24 hours.
Overall, TikTok Stories offer a casual way for creators to give their followers quick glimpses into their lives. The temporary nature encourages sharing more raw, unedited content compared to curated posts.
Availability of TikTok Stories
TikTok Stories are currently only available in select countries and regions where TikTok is available. As of January 2023, TikTok Stories are available in the following countries:
- Brazil
- Germany
- France
- UK
- South Korea
- UAE
- United States
TikTok has been testing Stories in these markets since early 2022. There is no set timeline for when TikTok Stories may become available globally. The company appears to be taking a slow rollout approach to refine the feature before expanding more widely.
According to TikTok, “We’re always thinking about new ways to bring value to our community and enrich the TikTok experience.” The limited availability allows them to gather feedback and optimize TikTok Stories before potentially releasing it to all users.
Posting TikTok Stories
Posting stories on TikTok is a straightforward process. To create and post a new TikTok Story:
1. Tap the ‘+’ button at the bottom of the screen in the TikTok app.
2. Use the TikTok camera to capture up to 15 seconds of video or a single photo. You can take multiple clips to add to your story.
3. Add any effects, sounds, filters or text you want. TikTok offers a range of creative tools to make your stories visually appealing.
4. Tap “Post to Story” when you are done creating your clip. Your story will now be visible to your followers for 24 hours.
5. View insights on your story’s performance by tapping on your profile picture and selecting “Story”. This shows you stats like views and screenshots.
Stories do not have to be posted individually. You can create an entire story and post it all at once. TikTok allows linking multiple clips together before posting.
Overall, TikTok makes it fast and simple to craft engaging video stories. With creative tools at your fingertips, you can easily post stories that capture viewers’ attention. See TikTok’s support article for more tips.
TikTok Stories Format
TikTok Stories follow a vertical full-screen format ideal for smartphone viewing. Each story clip can be up to 10 seconds long. The vertical 9:16 aspect ratio fills the entire screen on mobile devices. TikTok recommends using the highest resolution possible when filming Stories, such as 1080 x 1920 pixels.
According to 2023 TikTok Video Dimensions Guide (Best Length, File Size & Aspect Ratio), the 9:16 vertical size is one of the standard portrait dimensions on most smartphones and is optimized for the TikTok Stories experience.
Stories on TikTok must be recorded and uploaded directly within the app. You cannot upload pre-recorded videos from your camera roll. The mandatory vertical full-screen format keeps the Stories immersive.
Adding Effects to Stories
One of the best parts of creating TikTok stories is being able to add fun effects to make your content more engaging. TikTok offers a variety of options for customizing your stories including stickers, text overlays, emojis, and more.
To add effects to your TikTok story:
- After recording a video or taking a photo, tap the stickers icon on the bottom left.
- This will open up the effects tray where you can browse through different stickers, emojis, text options, and filters.
- Simply tap on an effect to add it to your TikTok story. You can resize, reposition, or delete effects at any time.
- Some of the most popular effects for TikTok stories include time stamps, location tags, #hashtags, @mentions, interactive stickers, and emoji sliders.
- You can also add text captions overlaid directly on your photos or videos. Customize the text font, color, and placement.
Get creative and try out different combinations of effects to make your TikTok stories visually engaging. The right mix of effects can grab viewers’ attention and encourage engagement.
Viewing TikTok Stories
TikTok Stories are public, which means anyone who follows you can view your stories. When you post a story, it will appear at the top of your followers’ For You feeds with your profile picture circled in blue. Tapping on your profile picture will open the story. Followers can also see your stories by going to your profile. According to TikTok, stories are seen by “your followers and anyone else who visits your profile” (Hootsuite).
Unlike Instagram Stories, TikTok does not notify you who has viewed your story. There is no view counter or list of viewers. The only way to get an estimate is by the number of likes and comments. TikTok Stories are designed to be public, so all followers can view them without it being tracked. However, you can see who has liked or commented on your story publicly.
Story Highlights
TikTok allows users to create highlights from their stories that are featured prominently on their profile. Highlights appear as circles below your profile photo and username on your TikTok profile. To create a highlight from your stories:
1. Tap on your profile icon in the bottom right corner to access your profile page.
2. Tap on the “+” icon next to the “Story Highlights” header.
3. Select the stories you want to include in the highlight. You can select multiple stories.
4. Tap “Next” and give your highlight a name and optional description.
5. Tap “Create” and your new highlight will now appear on your profile.1
Highlights remain pinned to your profile until you delete them. Viewers can tap on a highlight icon to watch the stories within it. Making highlights from your best stories is a great way to showcase content you’re proud of.2
Deleting Stories
TikTok allows users to delete stories after they have been posted. This can be useful if you change your mind about a story or post one by mistake. Deleting a TikTok story is easy to do through the TikTok app.
To delete a story, open the TikTok app and tap on your profile icon in the bottom right. Then tap on the “Story” icon in the top right. Here you will see small preview images of all your current stories. Tap and hold on the story you want to delete. A pop-up will appear asking if you want to delete the story. Tap “Delete” to confirm and permanently remove the story.
According to Dexerto, deleted TikTok stories cannot be recovered. So make sure you really want to delete a story before removing it.
Once a story is deleted, it will no longer be visible to your followers. Deleting a TikTok story does not delete the original video from your camera roll or gallery. The video will still be available in your phone’s storage if you want to repost it later as a new story.
TikTok vs Instagram Stories
There are a few key differences between TikTok Stories and Instagram Stories that are worth comparing (Source):
- Length: Instagram Stories have a maximum length of one minute, while TikTok Stories can be up to three minutes long.
- Viewing: On Instagram, you can see who has viewed your story. On TikTok, viewing your story is anonymous unless someone comments.
- Comments: You can comment on TikTok Stories and see public comments. Instagram Stories only allow replies through DM.
- Effects: Both apps offer filters and AR effects, but TikTok tends to have more options and creativity.
- Highlights: Instagram has Story Highlights while TikTok does not currently have this feature.
Overall, TikTok offers a more interactive and community-focused Stories experience compared to the private nature of Instagram.
Tips for Posting TikTok Stories
Here are some best practices for creating compelling TikTok Stories:
Be authentic and natural – Stories allow you to give viewers a behind-the-scenes look into your life. Capture spontaneous moments that feel unfiltered and genuine.
Post consistently – Add new Stories frequently to keep your profile fresh and encourage viewers to check back often.
Use captions and stickers – Include captions to provide context and use stickers, emojis, effects, and text to make your Stories visually engaging.
Interact with viewers – Ask questions, run polls, and respond to comments to create an interactive, community feel.
Promote your best content – Share previews or clips from your latest videos to drive traffic to your main feed.
Keep it short – Individual clips can only be 15 seconds long so keep Stories concise and fast-paced.
Check analytics – Pay attention to viewing stats to see which Stories resonate most with your audience.
Follow trends – Stay on top of popular audios, challenges, and effects to leverage trending topics.
Be strategic with highlights – Curate your best Stories into highlights that capture specific themes and events.
Cross-promote Stories – Mention your Stories in captions and comments to increase visibility.