TikTok has become an unavoidable powerhouse in the social media world. Whether you're finally taking the plunge into uncharted waters with your own content, looking to improve your current videos, or need fresh ideas on content for TikTok videos, we've got some tips to help you along the way.
Identify Your Audience
Your first step is to know your audience. Who are they? Where are they? What do they like? How old are they? These questions can help you create content that speaks specifically to your target demographic.
Your target audience could be as broad or narrow as you'd like, but remember that the narrower your niche, the higher chance of success. To be able to create content for TikTok videos, you first need to understand the demographic that you want to target.
For instance, if you're a trainer who wants to promote fitness products and services, then your target audience will be people who are interested in fitness.
Your niche audience may be 18-25 year old women who enjoy working out and are also active on social media platforms such as Instagram and Pinterest.
The more specific you can get with this information, the better off you'll be when creating content that's geared towards that demographic.
Use Trending Sounds for Videos
TikTok sounds are any audio behind a video. These sounds can be used by any user, often taking on a life of its own as others add their creative spin. Making a clip with the right trending sound can potentially go viral.
Some of the most notable sounds that you probably know even if you don’t use TikTok are “Into the Thick of It” from the children’s show The Backyardigans, and “Running Away” from the Adult Swim challenge.
These sounds however, are way past their trending phase and have transitioned to mass use. This means the chances that a video you make will be seen or go viral are slim.
Identifying sounds that can potentially go viral will take a combination of:
- Keeping an eye on sounds that have a healthy growth of new videos over a 24hr - week long period
- Being able to identify what is “trendy” in the first place, at least when it comes to the content you want to make
- A good helping of sheer luck
If you’d like to keep an eye on what songs are trending, there are user-made sites like Tokboard that track rising sounds.
Share Your Knowledge
While TikTok is known for its millions of viral entertaining videos, a large audience use the platform for gaining quick tips on DIY hacks, content strategies, and travel tips to name a few. Whether your strategy involves full blown tutorials, or quick 1-minute tidbits aimed to blow your viewers’ minds, being known as a source of useful information is an effective way to gain followers.
Identify Potential Viral Trends
This strategy closely follows the same logic as trending sounds. In addition to your original content, putting your own spin on upcoming trends (before they’re oversaturated) is an excellent way to garner potential views and new followers.
Unlike YouTube, whose algorithm favors consistent posting with videos of a certain length, and the right quirky thumbnail — content on TikTok is all about timing and luck. You don’t need to post consistently for a video to go viral, so you can take your time figuring out your own original content while occasionally trying your hand at a trend. There’s no real drawback to taking chances.
Be Original and Authentic
Whether you create solely original content, stick to viral trends, or a healthy mix of everything, the key to engaging content is to show your original authenticity. If viewers connect with you first and foremost, they’ll be along for the ride.
Users often distinguish between the content consumed while mindlessly scrolling and that of creators they’ve intentionally followed for their content. In all of our blog posts that give advice for content creation, the one constant factor no matter the platform, has been originality and authenticity. This (hopefully) leads potential followers and viewers to follow you beyond TikTok to support you through any of your endeavors.
