TikTok is a popular social media app for creating and sharing short videos. The app has experienced rapid growth since launching in 2017, and now has over 1 billion monthly active users globally (https://www.ecwid.com/blog/what-is-tiktok.html, https://hybrid-digital.nl/tiktok-the-social-network/, https://blog.lenco.ng/guide-to-understanding-the-tiktok-algorithm-in-2023/). Like other social apps, TikTok has incorporated popular features like Stories that allow users to post ephemeral photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours.
What is TikTok Story
TikTok Story is a feature that allows users to share ephemeral photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours (TikTok Support). Similar to Stories on other platforms like Instagram and Snapchat, TikTok Stories provide a way to share more casual, in-the-moment content with your followers.
When you post to your TikTok Story, the content is only available for 24 hours before it automatically disappears. You can post multiple photos and videos to your daily Story to give followers a behind-the-scenes look at your day. The ephemeral nature of Stories allows creators to share content that’s meant to be viewed in the moment without worrying about it staying on their profile permanently.
Overall, TikTok Stories provide a more casual and temporary sharing experience compared to regular TikTok posts which live permanently on a user’s profile.
Difference Between Regular TikTok Posts and Stories
The key difference between regular TikTok posts and Stories is that regular posts are permanent, while Stories disappear after 24 hours. When you post a regular video on TikTok, it will remain on your profile unless you delete it. However, Stories automatically expire after 24 hours from the time they are posted (TikTok Help Center).
So while regular TikTok videos allow you to build up a permanent portfolio of content, Stories are ephemeral. They are designed to share temporary moments that your followers can view for just a day. This makes Stories ideal for behind-the-scenes looks, quick updates, and other casual, time-sensitive content.
How to Post to TikTok Story
Posting to your TikTok Story is easy. Simply follow these steps:
- Open the TikTok app and tap the “+” icon at the bottom of the screen.
- Select “Story” from the options that appear.
- This will open up the camera so you can record a new video clip for your Story just like creating a regular TikTok video.
- Edit the video how you want, adding effects, text, sounds, etc.
- When finished, tap “Next” in the upper right corner.
- On the posting screen, you can add a caption and configure sharing options.
- Finally, tap “Post” in the bottom right to publish your Story.
Once posted, your Story will be visible to your followers in the Story section at the top of their For You feed. Stories disappear after 24 hours.
Who Can View Your Story
By default, your TikTok Story is public, meaning anyone who views your profile can see your Story. However, you can change your Story settings to limit who can view it (1).
To modify your Story privacy settings on TikTok:
- Go to your profile and tap the three dot menu in the top right corner.
- Select “Story privacy” and choose from the options: Public, Friends, or Custom.
- If you select Custom, you can handpick specific followers who can view your Story.
TikTok also allows users under 18 to enable additional privacy restrictions, such as limiting messages and comments. This helps teens stay safe online (2).
So in summary, TikTok gives you full control over your Story’s visibility. While public by default, you can easily make it private and viewable only to your selected followers.
Viewing Other Users’ Stories
To view someone else’s TikTok Story, you first need to open their profile. If they have an active Story posted, you will see a light blue ring around their profile picture. Simply tap on their profile photo ring to open and view their Story.
TikTok Stories play automatically when opened. You can tap to skip forward or backward through the Story. Unlike regular TikTok videos, you cannot like, comment, or share someone else’s Story. You can, however, send a private message in response to a Story.
Stories are displayed in the order they were posted and disappear after 24 hours. You can only view a user’s Story once. After you have viewed it, the blue ring will disappear from their profile picture.
One important difference between Stories and regular TikTok posts is that Stories are not public. Only users that the original poster approves can view their Stories.
If you try to view a Story from a user who has restricted access, you will get a message saying “Couldn’t access this Story.” You can change your own Story privacy settings to control who can see your content.
Story Controls
TikTok gives you options to edit the privacy of your Stories and control who can view them. When posting a new Story, you can select the “Who Can View This Video” option and choose between “Public,” “Friends,” or “Private” to limit your audience. Choosing “Private” means only you can view the Story. You can also tap “Edit Viewer List” to customize exactly who can see your Story.
Additionally, TikTok lets you turn commenting off for each individual Story. The default setting allows anyone to comment, but you can limit commenting to just friends or turn it off completely. Disabling comments on Stories can be helpful if you want to share content but not interact with viewers.
Overall, TikTok’s audience controls give you granular options to edit privacy and alter the viewer list for each Story you share. You have the flexibility to share openly or limit your audience, helping you share comfortably on the platform.
Content Ideas for Stories
Stories allow creators to give their followers a behind-the-scenes look at their daily lives. Here are some content ideas to leverage the ephemeral nature of Stories:
- Behind-the-scenes footage – Give fans a sneak peek at your creative process, work life, or preparations for an event.
- Daily routines – Document your morning ritual, workout, meals, or wind-down at the end of the day.
- Q&As – Engage your audience by answering their burning questions in Stories.
- Polls – Survey your followers to get their quick takes on topics.
- React to comments – Show followers you care by reacting to their comments in your Stories.
The authenticity of Stories provides an opportunity to give fans a glimpse of the person behind the account. As Stories disappear after 24 hours, they incentivize followers to check in daily for fresh, exclusive content.
Pros of Using Stories
One of the biggest benefits of using TikTok Stories is the ability to make more intimate connections with your followers. Stories provide a behind-the-scenes look into your life that feels more personal than a typical TikTok video. Viewers get to see candid moments and a side of you that isn’t perfectly edited or scripted.
This sense of authenticity and vulnerability helps strengthen the bond between creators and their audience. Fans feel like they really know the person behind the account when they get to view everyday snippets via Stories.
Additionally, Stories have the potential for high engagement as followers can interact through likes, comments, and reshares. The interactive features allow fans to become part of the experience. Creators can also see who has viewed their Stories, further understanding their audience.
According to Sprout Social, Stories average 15% higher engagement rate than regular TikTok posts. The casual, raw nature of Stories lends itself to more comments and interaction. Leveraging TikTok Stories can be an effective tactic for increasing overall engagement.
Conclusion
In summary, TikTok Stories allow users to share ephemeral photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours. They offer a more casual and behind-the-scenes look into a user’s life compared to regular TikTok posts.
While Stories are still relatively new to TikTok, they provide a creative way for brands and creators to engage their audience. They can be used to create hype around new content, give sneak peeks, show extra footage, and more.
The key things to remember about TikTok Stories include:
- They can only be viewed by your followers, allowing for a more intimate connection.
- You can control who can view your Stories through settings.
- Stories open up new creative possibilities with things like polls, quizzes, music, and effects.
- They disappear after 24 hours, so create content you want fans to see right away.
Overall, TikTok Stories present an exciting new avenue for brands and users to express themselves and engage their community. As they continue to develop, Stories have the potential to become a core part of the TikTok experience.
