Posting your Instagram content to your TikTok account can be a great way to cross-promote your content and expand your reach. Many social media users have accounts on both platforms, so sharing content between the two allows you to efficiently repurpose content and maximize its visibility. According to one analysis, cross-promoting content between TikTok and Instagram can yield remarkable results by extending the reach and enhancing brand visibility [1].
There are several benefits to posting your Instagram content on TikTok as well:
- You can reach new audiences that may not follow you on Instagram.
- It saves you time creating original content for both platforms.
- You can expand the visibility of your best Instagram content.
- It helps drive traffic between the platforms.
- You can analyze the performance of the same content on different platforms.
In this guide, we’ll walk through how to easily share your Instagram photos, videos, Reels, and Stories to your connected TikTok account.
[1] https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/tiktok-vs-instagram-content-strategies-maximizing-business-mondini
Linking Your Accounts
To link your Instagram and TikTok accounts, start by opening the TikTok app and tapping on your profile icon in the bottom right corner. Then tap on “Edit Profile” and select “Link Accounts.” Here you will see options to link your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and other accounts. Tap on “Link Instagram Account” and you will be prompted to log in to your Instagram account in order to link it.
According to TikTok’s support article, there are a few requirements for linking your Instagram account:
- Your Instagram account must be public in order to link it.
- You must have at least 1000 followers on Instagram to be eligible to link your account.
- Your Instagram and TikTok accounts should be owned by the same person and have matching contact info.
Once your accounts are successfully linked, your Instagram username will appear on your TikTok profile. Linking allows you to cross-promote content between the platforms and provide your followers on each platform with a more complete view of your content.
Posting Instagram Photos
Uploading and posting Instagram photos to TikTok is easy and a great way to repurpose your Instagram content. When posting an Instagram photo on TikTok, you’ll want to make sure to edit and customize it specifically for the TikTok audience and platform.
To upload an Instagram photo to TikTok, open the TikTok app and tap the plus (+) icon to create a new post. Tap ‘Upload’ and select the Instagram photo from your camera roll or photo albums. Once uploaded, you can edit the photo within the TikTok app.
Some tips for customizing an Instagram photo for TikTok include:
- Cropping the photo into a vertical 9:16 aspect ratio which is optimized for TikTok.
- Adding TikTok text overlays, stickers, effects or filters to make it more engaging.
- Trimming longer videos to under 15 seconds.
- Using trending audios or music that complement the post.
Additionally, you’ll want to adjust the caption to use relevant TikTok hashtags and tag other TikTok creators if featured in the photo. Keep captions concise and compelling. Check that the Instagram photo aligns with your TikTok brand and content style.
With some simple edits like cropping, adding effects, and tweaking the caption, you can easily repurpose Instagram photos to perform well on TikTok too.
Posting Instagram Videos
Instagram videos can be easily posted to TikTok by downloading and re-uploading them. Use Kapwing’s online video editor to download your Instagram videos then trim or resize them before posting to TikTok (https://www.kapwing.com/tools/repurpose/instagram-to-tiktok). TikTok has a 60 second maximum video length, so you may need to cut longer Instagram videos to fit.
You can customize your Instagram videos for TikTok by adding text, stickers, filters, or music. TikTok has its own library of songs and effects that can be added to videos before posting. Editing the videos with TikTok in mind can help them gain more engagement on that platform versus just repurposing the same clip.
Going Live
One great feature is the ability to go live on both TikTok and Instagram at the exact same time. This allows you to expand your reach and gain more views across both platforms simultaneously.
To go live on both apps at once, you’ll need to use a third-party broadcasting software or app like BeLive. BeLive allows you to go live on multiple platforms at the same time from a single stream (1).
Here’s how to set it up:
- Download the BeLive app on your mobile device or computer.
- Link your TikTok and Instagram accounts in BeLive.
- Set up your broadcast in BeLive, including adding overlays, guests, etc.
- When you’re ready, tap “Go Live” and select TikTok and Instagram as the destinations.
- You’ll then be live streaming on both platforms at the same time!
Going live simultaneously is a great way to increase your reach and views. Just make sure to engage with and monitor chat on both platforms while you’re live.
Instagram Effects
One popular feature is using Instagram effects and filters on your TikTok videos. Instagram has a variety of fun AR effects and filters you can add to your photos and videos. TikTok allows you to easily bring these over to enhance your TikTok content.
To use Instagram effects and filters on your TikTok videos:
- Open the TikTok app and start recording a new video.
- Tap ‘Effects’ at the bottom and select the ‘Instagram’ tab.
- Browse the available Instagram effects and filters. These will be the same options you have on Instagram.
- Tap the effect or filter you want to apply to your TikTok video.
- Record your video with the effect added.
- Post and share as usual!
Using Instagram’s vast library of effects is an easy way to step up your TikTok game and make more engaging videos. You have tons of filters, AR effects, and more at your fingertips without having to leave the TikTok app.
Instagram Audio
One popular feature on TikTok is using trending audio and music clips in your videos. You can easily import audio from Instagram to use in your TikTok videos. Here’s how:
Open the Instagram app and find a video that uses the audio you want. Tap the three dots in the upper right corner and select “Save Video.” This will save the video and its audio to your camera roll.
Next, open the TikTok app and start creating a new video. When you get to the part where you add audio, tap “Sounds” and select “Upload.” This allows you to upload the Instagram video you just saved.
Trim the clip to only include the portion with the audio you want. The audio will now be available to use in your TikTok video. You can mix and match it with other audio clips, voiceovers, etc.
This provides an easy way to reuse popular Instagram audio in your own TikTok videos. It helps you tap into viral sounds while putting your own spin on them. Just make sure to only use audio you have rights to use.
Sources:
https://simplified.com/blog/social-media/how-to-import-sounds-from-tiktok-to-instagram/
https://www.flexclip.com/learn/how-to-use-tiktok-sound-on-instagram.html
Cross-Promoting Content
Cross-promoting your content between TikTok and Instagram is an effective way to expand your reach and grow your following on both platforms. Some best practices for cross-promoting include:
Create content tailored for each platform – Craft content optimized for how users engage on each platform. For Instagram, use high-quality photos and videos. For TikTok, make short, entertaining videos with viral trends and challenges.
Use relevant hashtags – Include a mix of popular and niche hashtags on both platforms to increase discoverability. Identify hashtags that your target audience searches for.
Link your accounts in bios – Add your TikTok handle to your Instagram bio and vice versa. This allows followers on one platform to easily find you on the other.
Cross-post selectively – Avoid spamming all of your content across both platforms. Carefully select the best videos and clips to repost natively for each audience.
Stagger your posting – Post content first on the platform it is optimized for, then share to the other platform a few hours or days later.
Give value to followers – Provide incentive for your audience to follow you on multiple platforms, like behind-the-scenes content or platform-exclusive giveaways.
Track performance – Use analytics to see which cross-promoted content resonates best on TikTok vs. Instagram.
Engage with both communities – Respond to comments and interact with users on both TikTok and Instagram to build loyal followings.
Strategically cross-promoting content can expand your brand’s reach. Tailor content for each platform while linking accounts, using relevant hashtags, and incentivizing users to follow you on both TikTok and Instagram.
Analytics
Analyzing cross-platform metrics is key for understanding the performance of your TikTok and Instagram content. You can track engagement rates, views, clicks, and conversions to see what types of posts resonate most with your audience across each platform.
It’s recommended to use third-party analytics tools like Sprout Social or Hootsuite to get a full picture. These tools allow you to connect multiple social accounts and view comparative data on content performance. You can see which platform drove more traffic to your site for a specific campaign. Analytics provide insight into ideal posting times, top-performing content, user demographics, and more.
Pay attention to engagement metrics like comments, shares, likes, and video views. See which platform elicits more responses for similar content types. Check click-through-rates on links and track conversions from social posts back to your site. Use UTM campaign tracking parameters to differentiate traffic sources.
By regularly analyzing cross-platform analytics, you can refine your strategy. Double down on what converts and engages users across TikTok and Instagram. Adjust content and timing as needed based on performance data. Testing and optimization will lead to better results over time.
Conclusion
By linking your Instagram and TikTok accounts, you open up many possibilities for repurposing and cross-promoting your content. You can easily post your Instagram photos and videos directly to TikTok to reach a new audience. Going live on Instagram is another great option, as it will simultaneously stream to TikTok Live. You can also reuse Instagram effects, audio, and more to create fresh yet familiar content.
Cross-promoting your content is a win-win. It allows you to get more mileage out of your content without constantly creating from scratch. Your existing Instagram followers get exposed to your new TikTok account and may follow you there. Your new TikTok fans can discover your Instagram for even more content. This cross-pollination helps grow your brand and presence on both platforms.
By tapping into the strengths of both Instagram and TikTok, you give your content and personal brand the best chance of being discovered. Repurposing and cross-promoting will save you time while expanding your reach – important strategies for any social media user to maximize their impact.
