TikTok is a short-form video hosting service owned by ByteDance, a Beijing-based internet technology company founded in 2012 by Zhang Yiming. It hosts a variety of user-generated video content, from genres like dance, comedy, and education to cooking and travel. The app was originally launched in China in September 2016 as Douyin (抖音) but was released worldwide in 2018 as TikTok after merging with Musical.ly. It quickly became one of the most popular apps in the world.
According to Investopedia, TikTok allows users to watch, create and share short videos typically ranging from 15 seconds to 1 minute. Videos can be enhanced with filters, effects, and soundtracks pulled from an expansive catalog. It became popular in part due to its powerful algorithm that determines which videos users see without requiring them to follow other accounts.
TikTok content creation refers to the process of making and publishing videos on TikTok. This involves coming up with video ideas, scripting, filming, editing, optimizing, and promoting videos. Given TikTok’s short format, creators have to be concise and creative in presenting their content. Popular types of content include dance videos, comedy skits, point-of-view videos, stunts, and more. The app provides easy-to-use editing tools for adding effects, text, filters, and sound. Successful TikTok creators often try to establish a specific niche or style of content.
Come Up With Video Ideas
TikTok creators need to constantly brainstorm new video ideas to stay relevant on the fast-moving platform. Successful creators explore trending topics, niche interests, and find unique angles to stand out. As noted by influencermarketinghub.com, viral video ideas often come from trending TikTok challenges, popular hashtags, dance videos, and songs. Hootsuite also recommends trying short tutorials, recipes, viral hacks, and collaborations as proven ways to engage viewers. The key is tailoring content specifically for TikTok’s young audience, while also positioning videos to rank for relevant searches.
According to sproutsocial.com, over 60% of TikTok users say they discover new content creators entirely from the app’s algorithmic recommendations. This makes optimizing videos for discovery critical. Creators should frequently check trending sounds and hashtags for inspiration. Experimenting across niches also helps the algorithm identify viewer interests. While trends change quickly on TikTok, creators having a large library of premade video ideas allows them to pivot rapidly when new opportunities arise.
Script and Storyboard Videos
One of the most important parts of creating high-quality videos on TikTok is carefully planning out each video before filming. This includes scripting out videos to determine the overall narrative and flow, as well as storyboarding each shot. Thoughtful planning is key for creating compelling content.
Scripting involves writing out the full narration and dialogue for a TikTok video. This helps determine the overall tone, pacing, and message for the video. TikTok videos are very short, usually 15-60 seconds, so scripts need to be tight and concise. Creators often follow a basic story arc when scripting TikTok videos, including a beginning, middle, and end. Catchy openings grab attention, while impactful endings leave viewers satisfied.
After finishing a script, creators develop storyboards to plan out each shot. Storyboards are visual sequences that sketch out key scenes in a video. They help determine camera angles, character placement, props, and other visual elements. Storyboarding is essential for smooth editing and creating visually cohesive videos. TikTok creators may storyboard shots by hand drawing or using storyboard templates. Planning smooth transitions between shots is also an important part of storyboarding. As noted in this Clipchamp article, storyboards help creators translate their vision into a tangible plan for filming and editing.
In summary, scripting and storyboarding are vital planning steps in creating engaging, high-quality TikTok videos that connect with viewers.
Film and Edit Videos
Filming and editing engaging videos is a crucial part of the TikTok content creation process. To produce high-quality videos, TikTok creators first need to shoot interesting footage. This may involve filming themselves, finding relevant video clips online, or using stock footage. According to Descript, creators should film vertically and stabilize the camera to avoid shaky footage. Natural lighting and high-resolution filming can also enhance video quality.
After gathering footage, TikTok creators need to edit their clips together into a cohesive video. This involves cutting clips to align with any voiceover or background music. According to SaveMyLeads, utilizing professional editing software like Descript allows for more precise trimming and splicing. Creators may also add transitions, text, filters, and stickers to further stylize their videos. Clean audio is also key, so creators may need to reduce background noise. Finally, color correcting and image adjustments can make the visuals pop. Throughout the editing process, TikTok creators refine their video’s pacing, style, and message before exporting the final version to post.
Optimize Video SEO
Optimizing videos for search on TikTok is an important part of gaining more views and followers. According to this Hootsuite article, TikTok SEO involves choosing the right keywords, optimizing video titles and descriptions, and adding relevant tags so your content shows up in searches.
When choosing keywords, research popular and trending terms people are searching for on TikTok using tools like TikTok’s auto-suggest feature. Select keywords that are relevant to your niche and target audience. Include these keywords naturally in your video titles and descriptions.
Write compelling titles that grab attention and succinctly communicate what the video is about. Well-written descriptions can boost views and explain the video concept. Add a wide range of tags to maximize discoverability. Tags make it easier for the TikTok algorithm to categorize and recommend your content.
By taking the time to optimize SEO, TikTok creators can substantially increase their reach and viewership. This allows them to build their brand and better connect with their ideal audience.
Promote Videos
Once a video is published on TikTok, creators need to promote it to get more views. There are several ways TikTok creators can promote their videos:
Sharing to the For You feed – TikTok’s algorithm shows videos to viewers based on their interests and engagement. Creators can get their videos into more For You feeds by using relevant hashtags so the algorithm picks it up.
Using hashtags – Including relevant hashtags in the caption and comments helps get videos shown to viewers interested in those topics. Popular hashtags can help videos go viral.
Collaborating with others – Doing duets, stitches, or shoutouts with larger creators exposes videos to their followers. Having influencers share or react to a video brings their audience to it.
According to Page 2 – Rocket your sales and marketing. Offline and …, using the right promotion strategy and tactics is key for increasing TikTok views.
Engage with Viewers
Engaging with viewers is critical for TikTok creators to build a loyal following and increase viewership. Creators should make responding to comments a priority. According to Adobe, creators should “reply to comments and engage with followers. This helps build community and shows users you care” (Adobe). Replying to comments shows followers you value them.
Live streams are another great way to engage viewers in real time. As Keyhole notes, live streams “allow creators to interact with their audience. It brings that human connection” (Keyhole). Fans feel special when they can chat directly with creators.
Messaging fans directly via TikTok’s messaging feature is also an option. PlannThat suggests creators “go live and tell your followers to message you for a follow back. Follow anyone who messages you” (PlannThat). This taps into fans’ desire for individual connection.
By making engagement a priority through comments, live streams, and messaging, TikTok creators can build an invested audience that keeps coming back.
Analyze Performance
TikTok provides analytics within the app to track the performance of videos. According to the Hootsuite blog, key metrics TikTok creators analyze include:
- Views – the number of times a video has been watched.
- Likes – how many users have liked the video.
- Comments – the amount of engagement in the comments section.
- Shares – the number of times a video has been shared to other platforms.
- Follower Growth – tracking how many new followers have been gained.
Additionally, TikTok creators may use third-party analytics tools like Iconosquare to get a deeper look into performance metrics. These provide data on engagement rates, viewership sources, peak posting times, and more. Regularly analyzing TikTok analytics is key for creators to understand what content resonates most with their audience.
Find Sponsorships
Sponsorships provide a significant source of income for many popular TikTok creators. Reaching out to brands that align with your niche and content style is key to securing partnerships. Some strategies for obtaining sponsorships include:
Building an engaged audience and producing quality content to showcase your influence. Brands want to partner with creators who have an established following and consistently generate high engagement (likes, shares, comments). Having a clear niche and target demographic makes you more appealing to sponsors in that space.
Leveraging an influencer network or agency. Many creators join influencer networks like FameBit or Webfluential which connect them with paid partnership opportunities from brands. You can also use a traditional talent agency to handle outreach and negotiation.
Directly contacting brands via email, social media, or other channels. When reaching out, include audience stats, engagement metrics, and content samples. Emphasize how you can create custom branded content to help them achieve marketing goals.
Negotiating mutually beneficial agreements. Ensure fair compensation (often a set fee plus/or product perks) and maintain creative control over branded content that aligns with your audience. Spell out deliverables, usage rights, and timelines in a detailed contract.
Disclosing sponsorships clearly and transparently. Follow FTC guidelines and platform rules for disclosing paid partnerships using #ad hashtags, captions, etc. Content that doesn’t feel overly promotional tends to perform better.
Fulfilling obligations and nurturing sponsor relationships. Meet content creation, posting, and reporting requirements on time. Gather analytics to showcase the results you delivered for the brand.
Manage Multiple Accounts
Many popular TikTok creators have more than one account to manage different niches or genres of content. For example, a creator may have one account focused on comedy skits, another for dance tutorials, and a third for family vlogs. Managing multiple accounts allows creators to segment their audience and personalize content for each niche.
Operating multiple accounts requires organization and collaboration. Creators can use tools like Incogniton to easily switch between accounts and schedule content. It’s also common to outsource account management to a social media manager. This allows the main talent to focus on content creation while someone else handles optimization and engagement.
When managing multiple accounts, it’s important to cultivate a distinct brand and audience for each one. Keep the content niche-focused and interact consistently with each audience community. With strategic organization and collaboration, operating multiple accounts can help TikTok creators expand their reach and better serve different genres of content.