TikTok is a popular short-form video app that allows users to create, share, and discover short videos. The app has over 1 billion monthly active users globally as of September 2022 (Source). On TikTok, each user has a personal account that includes a profile page with their videos, likes, followers, and other information. In order to engage with content and creators on TikTok, you need to create your own TikTok account or find the account of another user. This guide will walk through how to set up your own TikTok account as well as search for and view the profile of any public TikTok account.
Create a TikTok Account
Creating an account on TikTok is easy and only takes a few minutes. Here are the steps to get started:
1. Download the TikTok app from the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play Store (Android). You can also visit TikTok.com on your mobile browser to sign up.
2. Once downloaded, open the TikTok app. On the launch page, tap “Sign up” to create a new account.
3. You’ll be prompted to enter your email address, phone number, username, password, and date of birth. Make sure your username is unique – TikTok will let you know if the one you choose is taken.
4. After entering your information, tap “Next.” TikTok will send a verification code to the phone number or email you provided.
5. Enter the 6-digit verification code and tap “Next” again.
6. Review TikTok’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, then tap “Create Account.”
And that’s it! Once your account is created, you can start exploring TikTok – viewing videos, following other users, and more.
Search for a User
The easiest way to find a specific TikTok user is to use the search bar at the top of the TikTok app or website. Simply type the exact username into the search bar and tap enter or click the search icon. TikTok will display results for accounts with matching usernames.
If you don’t know the exact username, you can search by keyword or hashtag. Type a name, word, or phrase associated with the account into the search bar. TikTok will display accounts, videos, sounds, and hashtags related to the search term. You can scroll through the results to try to find the account you’re looking for.
The search functionality works the same way in both the TikTok mobile app and the TikTok website. You can download the app for free on your iOS or Android device and set up an account if you don’t already have one.
Once you locate the account through search, you can click on the profile picture or username to be directed to the account’s profile page. From there, you have the option to follow the account, interact with videos, and more.
Go to a Profile Page
To go to a user’s profile page on TikTok, tap the search icon at the bottom and type in their username. You can also tap on a user’s profile picture or username anywhere in the app to be taken directly to their profile.
A TikTok profile page shows a user’s username, profile photo, bio, follower count, video view count, and posted videos. There are also icons along the top showing if the account is verified, and whether the profile view history setting is on or off.
The profile tabs below the header photo allow you to view the user’s posts, likes, followers, and following. An activity tab shows recent interactions with that user’s content. There is also a Suggested accounts section showing other users you may want to follow.
If you tap on a video from their profile grid, it will open on your screen while staying within the profile page UI. This allows you to quickly scroll through and view someone’s uploaded content without fully navigating away.
You have the options on a profile page to follow or unfollow an account, share their profile, report them, and direct message them. Their bio and some account stats are visible in the About section as well.
Overall, a TikTok profile condenses someone’s presence on the platform into a single, scrollable page with access to their content, activity, and interactions. It serves as a public-facing homepage for each user.
(Source)
Follow a User
Following a user on TikTok allows you to see their content in your Following feed. When you follow someone, their videos will show up in your Following feed chronologically as they post new content.
There are several benefits to following users on TikTok:
- See more content from creators you like. Following lets you easily watch more videos from users you enjoy.
- Get updated on new videos. Following means you’ll be notified when new videos are posted so you don’t miss content.
- Customize your feed. Tailor your Following feed by choosing to follow users that post about topics you’re interested in.
- Support creators. Following shows appreciation for creators and helps them grow their audience and reach.
- Discover new accounts. The Following feed surfaces new and relevant accounts you may want to follow based on your interests.
Following on TikTok is the main way to keep up with your favorite creators, topics, and trends on the platform. It allows you to engage further with accounts you like by being notified of their latest content.
View Videos
Once you have found the TikTok profile of the user you want to view, you can scroll through and watch their videos. Here are some tips for viewing someone’s videos on TikTok:
To start viewing their videos, simply scroll down on their profile page past their bio and follower/following count. This will take you to their videos in chronological order from newest to oldest.
You can tap on any video to watch it. The video will open in full screen mode. Tap once anywhere on the screen to bring up the overlay with options like liking, commenting, sharing, etc. Tap again to hide the overlay.
To move to the next video, you can swipe up from the bottom of the screen. This will take you seamlessly to their next video. Keep swiping up to continue watching all of their videos in order.
If you want to only watch videos of a certain type, like their “Liked” videos or duets, you can tap on the Filter Videos button and select the category you want to view.
You can also tap on the Follow button on their profile to get notified whenever they post new videos. This makes it easy to keep up with their latest content.
Spend some time browsing through their videos to get a sense of their style, content interests, and production quality. This will give you a better understanding of the user and what engages their audience.
Interact with Videos
One of the best ways to engage with content on TikTok is by interacting with videos through likes, comments, and sharing. Liking videos is the easiest way to show appreciation and support for creators. According to Keyhole, simply liking videos can boost engagement as the algorithm surfaces content with higher engagement. To like a video, tap the heart icon below the video. The heart will turn red to indicate you’ve liked it.
Commenting is another great engagement tactic. Leave thoughtful comments on videos to start conversations with creators and other viewers. Ask engaging questions or share your reactions to prompt discussion. Tag creators or other users with @ in your comments to notify them. Commenting builds community on TikTok.
Sharing viral videos is also impactful. Tap the share arrow icon to repost videos to your own feed or send to friends. Sharing extends the reach of content you enjoy. Tag creators if you share their videos to credit them. Reposting trending content, especially with popular hashtags, helps increase visibility.
According to Adobe, regular interaction through liking, commenting and sharing is key for boosting your own engagement and building an active audience on TikTok.[1]
Direct Message a User
TikTok allows you to privately message other users through its direct messaging feature. Here’s how to send a direct message on TikTok:
First, open the TikTok app and go to the profile of the user you want to message. Tap the three-dot menu icon in the upper-right corner and select “Message” from the menu. This will open up a messaging window where you can type out your message.
Keep in mind that you can only message someone if they follow you back. If you try to message a user who doesn’t follow you, TikTok will prompt them to follow you before receiving your message. You also cannot message users under 16 years old.
Once you’ve typed out your message, hit the send button. The user will receive a notification that they have a new message. They can then open it and respond directly to you within TikTok’s messaging interface. This allows you to have private conversations separate from commenting publicly on videos.
Direct messaging on TikTok is a great way to make connections and have more personal interactions with other users. It allows you to develop relationships beyond just watching each other’s public videos. However, always keep TikTok’s community guidelines in mind when sending direct messages.
Report a User
TikTok allows you to report accounts that violate community guidelines or infringe on copyright. It’s important to only report accounts that genuinely deserve it, rather than abusing the system. Here’s how and when to properly report a problematic TikTok account:
To report a user, go to their profile page and tap the three dots in the top-right corner. Choose “Report” and select the reason for reporting. Options include nudity, harassment, scams, dangerous acts, violence, illegal activities, suicide/self-harm, eating disorders, and false information that may cause harm.
Only report an account if their content clearly violates TikTok’s Community Guidelines. For copyright infringement, first ask them nicely to credit or remove your content. If they don’t comply, file a copyright report, citing the exact videos stolen.
Avoid abusing the report system just because you personally dislike an account. False reporting can get your own account banned. Only report accounts that legitimately harm others or break established rules.
Conclusion
In summary, there are a few easy ways to look up a TikTok user’s account and content. You can search for their username directly in the TikTok search bar. Or, if you know their profile name, you can type that into the search bar as well. Their profile page will come up where you can view all their posted videos, follow them, and interact with their content. You can also find other users in the comments of videos they’ve commented on. Once you locate a user, you can watch their videos, like, comment, share, and direct message them if you want to connect further. Looking up a TikTok account is simple and helps you discover new content creators to follow.
TikTok makes it straightforward to find and connect with other users. Whether you want to watch funny videos, discover creators in your niche, or see what your friends have been posting, you can easily search out and follow accounts that interest you. TikTok brings everyone closer together through shared videos, trends, and entertainment.
