Choosing The Right Song
Choosing the right song is crucial for making a viral TikTok video. Look at the TikTok Billboard Top 50 and Tokboard to see the most popular songs and trends each week. Songs that are currently going viral in dance challenges, remixes, or with certain audio clips tend to perform best. You can also browse TikTok’s Trend Discovery page for viral sounds.
Aim to capitalize on current viral songs and dance challenges popularized on the platform. Using trending audio will help your video be discovered by people looking for that sound. You can also try using popular acapellas or instrumental versions to put your own spin on a trending tune. The key is choosing a song that resonates with your audience and fits your brand.
Lighting
Lighting is crucial for producing high quality TikTok videos. The best lighting will showcase you clearly and make your videos stand out. When it comes to lighting, there are a few key tips to follow.
Natural lighting from a window often works well for TikTok videos according to Colborlight (https://www.colborlight.com/blogs/articles/lighting-for-tiktok-videos-tips). Position yourself facing the window so the light illuminates you directly. Avoid having the light behind you, as this will make you appear in shadow.
Ring lights are a popular choice for lighting TikTok videos, as noted by My Lamp Depot (https://mylampdepot.com/blogs/news/5-lighting-tips-tricks-to-make-your-tiktok-videos-stand-out). Position a ring light in front of you and angle it slightly up towards your face. This will provide a soft, flattering light that makes you “pop” on camera.
For studio-quality lighting, consider using a 3-point lighting setup with a key light, fill light, and back light. This professional setup brightly illuminates you from the front, while minimizing shadows behind you.
No matter the lighting source, be sure it is bright enough and positioned to fully light your face. Pay attention to catch lights in your eyes to add a sparkle on camera. Proper lighting showcases you clearly and sets the tone for an engaging, high quality TikTok video.
Camera Quality
High resolution video is key for a high-quality TikTok. According to TikTok Video Resolution: The 2023 Guide – MAIUS, TikTok supports up to 1080 x 1920 pixel resolution. Shoot video in landscape orientation at the highest resolution your camera allows for maximum quality.
Image stabilization is also important to prevent shaky footage. Use a tripod or smartphone gimbal whenever possible. If shooting handheld, enable image stabilization in your camera settings and move slowly and smoothly. Stabilization helps the video look more professional and polished.
Editing and Effects
Editing and visual effects are key to captivating viewers on TikTok. The editing tools allow you to be creative and add a professional polish to your videos. Some top effects and edits to use include:
Transitions between clips are hugely popular on TikTok. Some go-to transitions include the wipe, glitch, spin, zoom, and slide effects. Using smooth transitions between clips can give a seamless flow to your video. According to TikTok search trends, the glitch and spin transitions are particularly popular this year (1).
Text effects are a great way to emphasize certain words and phrases. You can get creative with fonts, colors, animations, and placements. Text on screen helps guide the viewer. Some examples are subtitles, labels, captions, and lyric videos (2).
Filters can completely transform the look and feel of your video. Some aesthetic filters include VHS, pixelated, Lo-Fi, and retro. Color filters like black and white, sepia, and boosted saturations can also give a specific vibe. Consider which filter conveys the mood you want for your video.
Stickers and emojis are an easy way to enhance your video. You can add these graphics on top of your clips to reinforce the content visually. Some popular stickers relate to moods, reactions, holidays, and pop culture. Use stickers sparingly so they don’t distract too much from the main action.
Green screens allow you to remove the background entirely and display custom backdrops. This effect enables creative freedom, but it requires good lighting and editing technique. Fun backdrops include exotic locations, cosmic space, cityscapes, and abstract patterns. Green screen takes some practice, but it can result in professional, eye-catching videos when done well.
Topic and Concept
When creating a TikTok video, it’s important to choose a topic or concept that aligns with current trends and niche interests on the platform. Some of the most popular current niches on TikTok include dances, comedy, food, arts and crafts, fashion, and couple/relationship videos (Source). You can also find success by participating in or creating TikTok challenges that are gaining traction. Stay up to date on the latest viral dances, memes, songs, and hashtag challenges, and put your own spin on them. Choosing the right niche and challenge gives your video the best chance of being discovered and going viral.
Character and Personality
To connect with viewers, focus on being authentic and showing emotion. Tell a story and let your personality shine through. According to TikTok influencer Sudania, “My biggest tip for beginner content creators is to just be yourself and not try to be like other creators.” She emphasizes the importance of authenticity in gaining a following on TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@sudania_/video/7322896961944767786).
Experts also recommend embracing raw, unfiltered content. Don’t be afraid to show real emotion and give viewers a glimpse into your personal experiences. This allows your audience to relate to you on a deeper level. As the article on Social Pilot states, “Be Authentic & Raw. Emote on camera, be vulnerable and embrace imperfection” (https://www.socialpilot.co/tiktok-marketing/expert-tips-from-tiktok-influencers).
Tell stories through your content to give viewers insight into your life and personality. Use captions creatively to enhance the narrative. Share meaningful moments and let your passion shine through. Ultimately, success on TikTok comes down to developing an authentic on-screen personality that resonates with your target audience.
Length
The ideal length for a TikTok video is typically between 15-60 seconds. Videos that are shorter tend to perform better, especially those under 30 seconds. According to Buffer, videos under 30 seconds have nearly double the completion rate compared to videos over 2 minutes.
TikTok videos are designed for short attention spans. You want to hook viewers right away and retain their attention throughout the entire video. Using quick cuts between scenes can help keep the pacing tight.
It’s best to keep videos concise, entertaining and easily digestible. Stick to the most compelling content that supports your main point or story. Anything dragging on too long may cause viewers to lose interest and scroll away.
Captions: Hook Viewers and Contextualize Your Video
Creating compelling captions is key to grabbing attention and providing context for your TikTok video. As this article notes, captions should be short, sweet, and descriptive to hook viewers.
Aim for captions with around 125 characters or less. Get straight to the point of your video while showing some personality. As this source recommends, “be a little more you, and a lot less them” with your captions.
Contextualize what viewers are about to see but leave them wanting more. Ask an intriguing question or use creative wordplay to inspire curiosity. Check out examples of popular TikTok captions that effectively hook audiences.
Hashtags
Hashtags are an important part of gaining visibility on TikTok. Choose relevant tags that describe your content to help get it in front of users who are interested in those topics. As Sprout Social notes, adding hashtags to your captions can increase the reach of your videos.
Be sure to include enough tags – around 5-10 per video – to maximize discoverability. But don’t go overboard, as too many tags can make your caption look cluttered. Do keyword research to find trending and popular tags related to your niche. You can check what content is being created under different hashtags to ensure they align with your videos, as recommended by Buffer.
Relevant hashtags will connect you to the right target audience and can help you gain more views and followers on TikTok.
Calls to Action
Effective calls to action are a key part of creating engaging TikTok videos that convert viewers into followers and promoters of your content. Some best practices for calls to action on TikTok include:
Ask viewers directly to follow your account. A clear and simple “Follow me for more videos like this!” both builds your audience and signals that you’ll provide consistent value.
Prompt viewers to like your video. This boosts the video’s reach on TikTok and encourages the algorithm to share it more widely. Say something like “If you enjoyed this video, please give it a like!”
Invite viewers to comment. Asking a simple question or encouraging discussion gets viewers engaged. Try saying “Let me know in the comments if you want to see more content like this.”
Request viewers to share your video. Suggesting “Feel free to share this with friends you think would like it!” makes it easy for viewers to spread your content.
Promote your other accounts. Mention your Instagram, YouTube, or other social media handles to cross-promote your presence. For example, “Follow me on Instagram @myhandle for more behind-the-scenes content.”
