What Are TikTok Stories?
TikTok Stories are a short ephemeral video and photo format that was popularized by apps like Snapchat and Instagram Stories. TikTok Stories allow users to post videos and images that disappear after 24 hours.
The Stories format gained huge popularity on apps like Snapchat and Instagram, which led TikTok to launch their own version of Stories in 2020. TikTok Stories have a similar 24 hour expiration and allow users to string multiple videos and images together into a story that their followers can view.
According to this source, TikTok Stories were designed to compete directly with the popular Stories formats on Instagram and Snapchat. The TikTok version gives users many of the same creative tools and options as these other platforms. Overall, TikTok Stories provide a way for users to share more casual, ephemeral content with their followers.
Who Can Post TikTok Stories?
TikTok Stories is still in the early stages of rollout and not yet available for all users. Currently, the ability to post TikTok Stories is only available for accounts with over 10,000 followers.
According to TikTok’s Creator Portal, “TikTok Stories is a creative format for creators with public accounts and 10K followers or more.” So regular users without a substantial following cannot post TikTok Stories yet.
TikTok has been slowly rolling out Stories to more creators. It started testing the feature in late 2020 and has expanded access over time. The 10,000 follower requirement ensures Stories reach a broader audience during the initial launch phases.
As TikTok Stories becomes more established, the platform will likely reduce the follower count required. But for now, it remains an exclusive feature for larger, influential accounts on TikTok.
How to Post a TikTok Story
Posting a TikTok Story is easy. Simply tap the + icon in the top right of the app to open the Stories camera.
You can then take photos and videos up to 10 seconds long to add to your Story. Tap the record button to capture new content through the in-app camera, or tap the upload button to add existing photos and videos from your camera roll.
After capturing or uploading your Story content, you can add effects, text, stickers, and more. Get creative with TikTok’s effects and editing tools!
According to TikTok’s own Creator Portal, “From there, record Stories content using the Quick camera to capture up to 15 seconds of content per Stories frame. Then you can click “Post to Story” to share it with your followers.” https://www.tiktok.com/creators/creator-portal/en-us/tiktok-content-strategy/tiktok-stories-what-it-is-and-how-to-use-it/
TikTok Story Features
TikTok Stories have a variety of creative tools and features to make your content stand out. Some of the key TikTok Story features include:
Text and Stickers – You can add stylized text and fun stickers to your TikTok Stories. This allows you to personalize your content.
Link Stickers – Link stickers allow you to embed URLs into your TikTok Stories. Viewers can tap these stickers to visit websites or other online content.
Green Screen Effects – TikTok offers a range of green screen effects that can be used in Stories. This allows you to place your videos in different backgrounds and environments.
Drawing Tools – You can use the drawing tools to creatively annotate your TikTok Stories. This gives you additional creative options.
Filters – TikTok provides filters designed specifically for Stories to alter the look and feel of your videos.
Text-to-Speech – The text-to-speech feature allows you to turn text into auto-generated speech. This can be used to creatively enhance Stories.
By leveraging these features, you can produce TikTok Stories that grab attention and stand out in viewers’ feeds. The creative possibilities are endless.
TikTok Story Settings
One of the key features of TikTok Stories is the ability to control who can view your stories. Under Story Settings, you can choose between “Everyone”, “Friends”, or “Private” for who can see your stories.
The “Everyone” option makes your stories public so anyone on TikTok can view them. The “Friends” option limits visibility to only people you follow or who follow you. The “Private” option is the most restrictive and means only you can view your stories.
TikTok also allows you to toggle message settings for stories. By default, messaging is enabled so people can send messages reacting to your stories. You can disable this if you don’t want to receive messages about your stories.
Additionally, TikTok gives you the option to save stories as drafts before posting them. This allows you to create stories in advance and post them at a later scheduled time. Any stories saved as drafts will not be visible to others.
These settings allow you to customize your TikTok Stories experience and control how stories are seen. Overall, TikTok provides granular options to manage story privacy and messaging.
Source: TikTok Help Center
Why Post TikTok Stories?
TikTok Stories allow creators to share more casual, behind-the-scenes content with followers in a fun and ephemeral format. Here are some of the key benefits of posting TikTok Stories:
Share casual behind the scenes content – The 24-hour limit gives creators more flexibility to post spur-of-the-moment content and give followers a peek into their daily lives. TikTok Stories have a more relaxed, raw feel than polished videos.
Engage followers with ephemeral content – The ephemeral nature encourages followers to check back frequently so they don’t miss anything. This can increase engagement and views. According to TikTok, Stories get 2x the views per viewer compared to regular posts.
Promote account growth – Posting daily Stories can help creators build a more personal connection with their audience. This authenticity can help attract new followers organically. TikTok says accounts that post Stories daily have seen follower growth increase on average.
TikTok Stories open up a valuable new channel for creators to engage their audience. The casual, temporary format allows for more fun, spontaneous content that gives followers a better sense of who they are off-camera. Creators should consider making Stories part of their daily content mix.
Tips for Posting TikTok Stories
Here are some tips to create engaging and effective TikTok Stories:
Post consistently but not excessively. Posting 1-2 Stories per day is a good cadence. Space out your Stories instead of flooding viewers. But do post frequently enough to build a Stories habit.
Use relevant effects and features like stickers, text, and sound to make your Stories visually appealing. Effects can enhance your Story and make it more fun.
Encourage engagement by asking questions, running polls, using prompts, etc. Engage your audience and make them feel included in the Story.
Check analytics to see which Stories resonate best with your audience. Pay attention to insights so you can refine future Stories.
Add captions to make your Story accessible and optimize it for sound off viewing.
Use high-quality videos and images that complement your brand. Low-resolution, blurry footage won’t convey a professional look.
Keep it short and concise. You only have seconds to get your point across before viewers swipe up.
Have a clear purpose and story arc. Make sure each frame adds value.
Link to your other social profiles so viewers can engage further. Make it easy for them to find you.
Save your best Stories as posts on your profile so they remain visible.
What Content Works Best?
Some of the most popular and engaging types of content for TikTok Stories include:
Behind the scenes looks – Give your followers a sneak peek at what goes on behind the scenes of your videos or business. These raw, unedited glimpses can help build a connection with your audience.
Replies to followers – Responding directly to your followers’ comments or questions via TikTok Stories is a great way to boost engagement. Show your followers you value them by posting video replies.
Polls and questions – Pose questions to get feedback and spark conversation with your followers. You can use poll stickers in Stories to survey your audience.
According to this Hootsuite article, behind the scenes, interactive, and personality-driven content tend to perform best on TikTok Stories. Focus on original, fun content that gives your followers a reason to tune in daily.
Analyzing TikTok Story Performance
After posting a TikTok Story, you can analyze how it performed in the Creator Analytics section. This allows you to view key metrics for each story, including total plays, replies, profile views, and more.
To access TikTok Story analytics, go to your profile page and tap the three dots icon. Select “Creator Tools” then choose “Analytics”. Here you’ll see data for your latest stories.
Key metrics to analyze include:
- Total plays – This shows how many times your story was viewed.
- Replies – The number of text/video replies from viewers.
- Profile views – How many clicked your profile after viewing the story.
You can also see a graph showing plays over time. Use this to determine when your audience is most active and the best times to post future stories. TikTok provides analytics for the last 7 days of stories.
Regularly checking TikTok Story analytics helps you create better content that resonates with your audience. See what types of stories get high engagement and plan similar stories that followers will love.
Future of TikTok Stories
TikTok Stories is expected to continue evolving in 2023 and beyond as TikTok looks to make it a more integral part of the platform’s experience. According to TikTok’s What’s Next 2024 Trend Report, TikTok plans to expand Stories availability and introduce new creative tools and formats to help brands connect with their community.
One key prediction is that TikTok will make Stories available to more users in an effort to compete with similar ephemeral content features on platforms like Instagram and Snapchat. As noted in Dash Hudson’s analysis, “Expanded access will transform TikTok Stories from an exclusive capability to a core part of the average user’s experience.”
TikTok is also expected to introduce new interactive features and creative tools for Stories. As NapoleonCat suggests, we may see additions like Q&As, quizzes, emoji reactions, and more camera effects in the future. These types of features could make TikTok Stories more engaging and differentiate the format from competitors.
Overall, TikTok seems to view Stories as an integral part of the platform’s future. Brands that want to succeed on TikTok in the long-term should focus on adopting Stories as a core part of their content strategy. Those who leverage the format early on will be well positioned as TikTok Stories evolves into a mainstream engaging experience.
