TikTok is a popular short-form video app that allows users to create and share 15 to 60 second videos. One of the key features of TikTok is its extensive library of augmented reality filters and effects that users can apply to their videos.
TikTok filters alter the appearance of faces in videos using facial tracking technology. Some add fun visual effects like animal ears or emojis, while others smooth skin, change hair color, modify facial features, and more. TikTok has partnerships with major brands and franchises to offer sponsored branded filters tied to marketing campaigns or pop culture trends.
Filters help TikTok creators express creativity, transform their look, and enhance their content. Their popularity has exploded, with certain viral filters gaining billions of views. But some also raise concerns about promoting unrealistic beauty standards.
What are TikTok filters?
TikTok filters are augmented reality effects that alter your appearance or environment in videos recorded through the app. They use advanced image processing technology to apply visual effects and modifications in real-time as you record video (Source).
Some examples of popular TikTok filters include ones that add makeup, change hair color, insert graphics and text, modify facial features, swap gender, and more. The filters use techniques like facial mapping, 3D modeling, and object tracking to integrate the effects onto you and your surroundings.
TikTok filters allow users to enhance their videos in creative and entertaining ways. The wide selection gives you options to match your video concept or alter your look. While some filters are for fun, others can make amateur videos appear more polished and professional.
Why make your own filter?
There are several key reasons brands and creators may want to make their own custom TikTok filter:
Creative expression – Filters provide a fun, interactive way for brands to showcase their personality. Rather than just posting static images or videos, a branded filter allows the brand to be part of the content creation process.1
Branding – Well-designed filters incorporate a brand’s visual identity, logo, colors, etc. This creates a powerful branded experience and makes the brand top of mind for users.2
Viral marketing – Popular filters can spread widely on TikTok, exposing the brand to a huge potential audience. Users essentially promote the brand for free via their own TikTok videos.3
Requirements for creating filters
To create your own custom TikTok filter, you’ll need a few key requirements:
First, you’ll need camera access on your mobile device. TikTok filters use your device’s camera to apply effects in real-time, so you’ll need to enable camera permissions. This allows the filter to access your camera and face to augment it.
You’ll also need filter development software. The most common platform for building TikTok filters is Spark AR, which is owned by Meta. Spark AR provides the tools to design interactive filters and effects. Some coding knowledge can be helpful in Spark AR, but beginners can start with filter templates.
Additionally, coding skills allow for more advanced filter creation. Knowing JavaScript and OpenCV can help you program complex facial tracking and graphics. But Spark AR has drag-and-drop tools so you can create filters without needing to code.
So in summary, access to a mobile camera, filter design software like Spark AR, and optionally some coding skills are the core requirements for making your own TikTok filter.
Design considerations
When creating a TikTok filter, it’s important to consider visual appeal, usability, and current trends. According to Effect House, filters should transform the visual input in an appealing way through color changes, effects, overlays, etc. However, usability is also key – the filter should be easy to apply and control. As recommended by Effect House’s best practices, try to avoid filters that are too aggressive or distracting. It’s ideal to enhance the user’s appearance rather than drastically altering it.
Designing for current trends can help your filter gain more users. Study what types of filters are popular on TikTok right now and aim to create something unique but aligned to user interests. Consider trends in music, pop culture, aesthetics, and more that you can incorporate. As noted by Minter, you want a filter that users will want to engage with and share.
Developing the Filter
To develop a custom TikTok filter from scratch, you’ll need to use TikTok’s Effect House platform (https://effecthouse.tiktok.com). This is a robust editor that allows you to build filter effects using different components like face tracking, masks, backgrounds, and more.
The technical process involves creating a “filter” component and then layering other elements on top. According to TikTok’s guide, you’ll start by going to the Inspector panel, clicking “+ Add Component”, selecting “Post Effect”, and then clicking “Filter” (https://effecthouse.tiktok.com/learn/guides/technical-guides/components/post-effect/filter).
This will insert the base filter component that you can start customizing. TikTok provides a range of tools for adding animations, transitions, stickers, text, and more. Each element can be tweaked through the Inspector panel on the right side. Essentially, you build up the filter in layers, adding each component and adjusting settings until you achieve the desired effect.
It’s important to thoroughly test your filter and view it on actual TikTok videos. The Effect House provides options to try it out on sample content. Refining and iterating is key before submitting your effect for review.
Testing and iterating
Once your TikTok filter is fully built, the next step is to thoroughly test it and fix any issues before submitting it. This testing and iteration process is crucial for ensuring your filter works as intended across different devices and for a wide range of users.
You’ll want to conduct both alpha and beta testing. Alpha testing is done internally by yourself or a small group of others. At this stage, you’re checking for functionality, usability, bugs, and other basic issues. Beta testing involves releasing your filter to a larger group of users and collecting their feedback. Beta testing helps reveal how well your filter works “in the wild” for real-world users.
As you gather feedback during alpha and beta testing, make sure to log any issues that come up. Track the specific problem, how to reproduce it, which devices it occurred on, etc. Then methodically work through these issues and fix them one by one. You may need to tweak aspects of the filter design, optimize performance, or add missing features.
Iterating based on tester feedback is key to smoothing out all the rough edges. You want the filter to work seamlessly for end users, without crashes, lag, or confusion. Take the time to refine the filter until testers don’t uncover any major problems and users find it fun and engaging.
Thorough testing and iteration is time well spent. It’s better to identify and resolve issues beforehand rather than have unhappy users and bad reviews after launch. Testing builds confidence that your TikTok filter will delight users when you submit it for approval.
Submitting for approval
Once you’ve finished developing your TikTok filter, you’ll need to submit it for review before it can be officially published and made available to users. According to the Effect House, all effects go through a review process to ensure they comply with TikTok’s guidelines.
When submitting your effect, you’ll need to provide details like a name, category, thumbnail image, description, and tags. TikTok’s reviewers will assess factors like:
- Compliance with community guidelines and local laws
- Technical performance and stability
- Creativity and innovation
- Visual quality
- Ease of use
Effects that don’t meet the guidelines may be rejected or need revision before approval. According to the Effect Guidelines, TikTok prohibits effects that enable illegal activities, hate speech, bullying, nudity, dangerous stunts, and more. Your effect should bring value to the TikTok community.
With a thoughtful, high-quality submission that adheres to the review criteria, you’ll have a good chance of getting your custom TikTok filter approved and shared with millions of users.
Promoting your filter
Once your filter is approved, it’s time to get the word out. Some strategies for promoting your TikTok filter include:
– Marketing: Create an announcement post and videos showcasing your new filter. Share the news across your other social channels. Consider paying to promote TikTok posts with your filter to reach new audiences.[Source 1]
– Influencer partnerships: Identify relevant TikTok influencers to collaborate with. Send them a message explaining your new filter and offering to co-create content. Paying influencers to use your filter and create their own videos can drive awareness. [Source 1]
– Contests: Launch a branded hashtag challenge asking users to create videos with your filter. Offer prizes for top videos to incentivize participation. Contests drive user generated content and engagement. [Source 2]
Monetization Opportunities
There are several ways creators can monetize custom TikTok filters and effects. Two of the main methods are through brand sponsorships and in-app purchases.
Brand sponsorships allow companies to pay creators to develop branded filters and effects that promote their products or services. According to The Verge, sponsored effects accounted for the majority of earnings in the early days of Snapchat’s creator fund. As TikTok’s creator fund grows, branded filters and effects are expected to be a significant source of revenue.
In-app purchases allow users to pay a small fee to access premium filters and effects. TikTok launched this feature for creators in late 2021. Filters and effects that creators make available for purchase appear with a coin icon. When users tap the coin icon, they can pay to unlock the effect. Creators earn a commission on each purchase. This provides another way for innovative creators to monetize their designs through TikTok’s platform.
