Now that it's clear that TikTok is a major player that's here to stay, it's crucial to be aware of the best practices that make your content stand out. It's a great place to show off your creativity and engage with a massive audience. While the combination of luck and algorithms play the biggest role in videos going viral, there are still some staple elements to pay attention to. Here are five TikTok tips to help you create the most engaging content:
1. Use Trending Audio
TikTok is a platform that's all about sound, so the audio you use in your videos is just as important as the video itself. A lot of original content on TikTok is inspired by both obscure and trending sounds. To find inspiration for your own videos, check out the Creative Center, where you'll find a collection of popular sounds that you can use in your videos. It’s also wise to make a habit of keeping track of popular hashtags that would work well for your content.
2. Try the Green Screen Effect
The green screen effect is a popular tool on TikTok that allows you to add images or videos behind you in your videos. This creates a ton of creative opportunities, such as adding reactions, explainers, or just adding some comedic flair to your videos. Best of all, to use the green screen effect, you won’t need a traditional green screen or a solid green background. You simply need to use TikTok's built-in editing tools to add the effect to your videos.
3. People Love Niche "How To" TikToks
While everyone loves a good laugh, TikTok is also full of useful accounts that provide interesting how-to's on a wide range of topics. If you have a particular skill or knowledge that you can share with others, consider creating a series of "How To" TikToks that focus on a specific topic. This can help you build a dedicated audience of viewers who are interested in learning new things. Who knows, maybe one day your own video of helpful TikTok tips will also go viral!
4. Stitch or Duet Popular/Relevant Videos
These two effects are popular on TikTok because they allow you to use user-generated content in your own videos. The Duet effect split-screens another video, allowing you to sing or react alongside it. The Stitch effect lets you use up to 5 seconds of a video as part of yours. Both effects can be a great way to engage with other users on the platform and create interesting and unique content.
5. Add Subtitles to Your Videos
Adding subtitles to your videos is a great way to make them more accessible to a wider audience. It also gives viewers a quick idea of what your content is about, which can increase the likelihood that they'll watch your videos even if they're scrolling through the app with the sound off. To add subtitles to your videos, you can use TikTok's built-in editing tools, or you can use a separate video editing app to add them before uploading your video to TikTok.
Try incorporating these TikTok tips into your content to create engaging and creative videos that your audience will love.