What is TikTok?
TikTok is a popular social media app that allows users to create, watch, and share 15-second videos shot on mobile devices or webcams (Investopedia, 2022). The app is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese company founded in 2012. On TikTok, people can upload short videos of themselves which typically involve lip-syncing, comedy, talent videos, and more.
Since launching in 2016, TikTok has grown rapidly in popularity and now has over 1 billion monthly active users worldwide. It provides a platform for everyday users to express themselves through creative short videos as well as watch entertaining content. Key features of TikTok include short video clips, fun filters and effects, and an algorithmic “For You” feed that personalizes video recommendations for each user.
Ways to Share TikTok Videos
There are several ways to share TikTok videos with others:
Copy Link and Paste Elsewhere
The easiest way to share a TikTok video is to copy the link and paste it somewhere else. To get the link, tap the “Share” button on the video and select “Copy Link.” You can then paste this link in a text, email, social media post, etc. This will allow the recipient to simply click the link and watch the video in the TikTok app or on the web (TikTok Help Center).
Share to Other Social Media
You can also use the “Share” button to share a TikTok video directly to other social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. Just tap “Share” and select the platform you want. A pre-populated post with the video link will be created that you can tweak and post (WikiHow).
Embed Video
If you want to embed a TikTok video in a website or blog, you can get the embed code by tapping “Share” then “Embed.” Copy the iframe code and paste it into your site’s HTML. The video will then be playable directly on that page.
Download and Repost
You can also download a TikTok video to your device using a third-party website or app, then upload and post the downloaded video file to other platforms. Just be mindful of copyright and giving proper credit.
Copy and paste the TikTok link
One easy way to share a TikTok video is to copy and paste the link. To do this:
- Open the TikTok app and find the video you want to share
- Tap the ‘Share’ icon below the video
- Select ‘Copy Link’ from the share options
- The link will be copied to your clipboard
- Paste the link in an email, text message, social media post or anywhere else you want to share it
Sharing the link this way allows you to directly share the video with friends or followers. When they click the link, it will take them directly to that video in the TikTok app or on the TikTok website if they don’t have the app installed.
This is the quickest and easiest way to get a TikTok video in front of other people. Just make sure you’re only sharing videos that you have permission to share, and not violating anyone’s privacy.
Share to social media
One popular way to share TikTok videos is by posting them directly to other social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. To do this on the mobile app:
- Tap the ‘Share’ icon on the TikTok video you want to share. This icon looks like an arrow pointing outward from a box and is located in the bottom right corner of the video.
- Select the social media platform you want to share it to, such as Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
- Follow any additional prompts to post the video on the platform.
Sharing videos directly to social media allows you to showcase TikTok videos to your friends and followers on those platforms. It saves you the extra steps of copying the link, leaving TikTok, opening the other app, and pasting the link. This direct sharing makes it quick and convenient to share viral or entertaining TikTok videos to other popular social networks.
Embed TikTok Video
One easy way to share a TikTok video is by embedding it. To embed a TikTok video on a website or blog:
- Open the TikTok video you want to embed and tap the ‘Share’ icon (the arrow pointing to the right).
- Select the ‘Embed’ option from the share menu.
- This will open a popup with the embed code. Copy the entire embed code.
- Paste the embed code into your website or blog where you want the video to appear. Make sure to paste it into the HTML view.
The video will now be embedded on your site and playable. When viewed, it will look and function like a normal TikTok video that people can watch directly on your website.
For more details on embedding TikTok videos, visit the TikTok Embed documentation.
Download and repost video
One way to share a TikTok video is by downloading the video file and then uploading or posting it on another platform. There are several third party apps and websites that allow you to download TikTok videos without a watermark:
According to this article, some options for downloading TikTok videos include:
- Using the TikSave website – This allows you to download public TikTok videos by entering the video URL.
- The SnapTik app – Available for iOS and Android, this app lets you save videos without a watermark.
- MusicallyDown – This website lets you download public TikTok videos as MP4 files.
Once the video is downloaded, you can then upload or post it on other platforms like Instagram, Facebook, YouTube etc. However, it’s important to check the terms of service of the platform you want to repost to, as some may not allow reposted TikTok videos.
According to influencer @sociallensmedia, sites like musicaldown.com are her favorite for downloading TikTok videos without a watermark before reposting them.
Things to know before sharing
When deciding whether to share a TikTok video, there are a few important things to keep in mind:
Respect copyright and give proper credit. If you did not create the original video, be sure to credit the creator in your post or caption. As the article on reposting etiquette recommends, it’s best to ask permission before reposting someone else’s content.
Consider privacy settings. Some users may have limited settings on who can view or share their videos. Be mindful of restricting access if they did not intend their content to be widely reshared.
Check for appropriate content. Review the video to ensure it does not violate community guidelines around mature, dangerous, or harmful content. What is fine for your personal viewing may not be appropriate to broadcast to others.
Overall, being thoughtful about sharing TikTok videos can help spread great content while respecting other users. A bit of care goes a long way.
Sharing trends and statistics
TikTok videos that tend to get shared the most often fall into categories like comedy, dance, talent, and pets. According to the TikTok Creative Center, some of the most popular types of TikTok videos include dance challenges, reaction videos, pranks, life hacks, and cute animal videos (Source). Using relevant hashtags that are trending on TikTok can help increase visibility and shares for your videos.
Some of the top hashtags on TikTok currently include #comedy, #dance, and #fyp (for you page), according to Later’s analysis of trending TikTok hashtags (Source). Paying attention to what is trending on TikTok and using those topical hashtags can be a good strategy to get more eyes on your video. The TikTok Discover and Trend Discovery tools allow you to stay up-to-date on the latest trending content. Ultimately, creating engaging, high-quality videos with strategic hashtags gives your TikTok videos the best chance of being widely shared.
Best practices for sharing
When sharing TikTok videos, it’s best to share natively within the TikTok app to retain full functionality. This allows viewers to easily like, comment, follow, and more. To share a video in-app, simply tap the share button on the video page and select the sharing option you prefer.
It’s also good practice to credit the original creator of any TikTok content you share. This shows respect for their work and helps drive traffic back to their profile. You can mention their @username in your captions or include it directly on the video/image.
Adding your own commentary or reaction when resharing TikTok videos helps make it unique. Give your perspective, respond to specific moments, or explain why you think it’s worth watching. This provides value above just reposting content as-is.
As the TikTok guidelines state: “Re-sharing content you find entertaining or meaningful can spark conversation, inspiration, and creativity. Make sure you’re adding value by sharing content in your own voice and style.”
For more best practices, refer to: https://support.tiktok.com/en/using-tiktok/exploring-videos/sharing
Sharing safely and responsibly
When sharing TikTok videos, it’s important to do so in a safe and responsible way. Here are some tips:
Respect privacy and consent. Don’t share videos containing other people without their permission. Some content is meant to be private.
Avoid sharing harmful challenges or dangerous trends, as these can encourage unsafe behavior. Be mindful of the impact your shares may have.
If you come across inappropriate, disturbing, or dangerous content, don’t further circulate it. You can report it directly to TikTok through their reporting system. TikTok states, “We do not allow content depicting, promoting, normalizing or glorifying non-consensual sexual acts” (source).
Set your account and privacy settings appropriately, limiting your audience. Don’t share personal information publicly.
Overall, use good judgement and share content that entertains without harming others. As TikTok reminds, safety starts with us. “It takes a village to foster a positive environment” (source).
