Posting on TikTok
How to Post on TikTok
1. Set up your shot and pick out special effects.
Tap the center tab to enter camera mode. To face the camera in the right direction, tap the Flip icon in the top right.
On the right side of the screen, you’ll also see icons for the following:
- Speed: Allows you to record your video in slow motion or speed up.
- Beauty: An AR filter that can hide blemishes and smooth out your skin.
- Filters: Lets you change the color filter of the camera.
- Timer: Allows you to set an auto-record countdown if you want to film hands-free.
Music and Effects
On the top center of the camera screen, you’ll also see music notes with “Add a Sound” next to them. Tap this to choose the musical overlay or sound effect that you want to work with.
On the bottom of the camera, you’ll also see an Effects icon to the right and an upload button to the left — in case you want to record your videos outside of the app.
When you tap the Effects button, you’ll see a giant lineup of AR filters and other special effects that can augment your face or your surroundings. You can also pick out a video overlay-styled filter here.
In the black bar under the camera, you can set the time limit for your video or tap Photo Template to create a photo slideshow instead of a video.
2. Record the video.
Once you’re ready, press and hold the red record button. You can either record your video all at once or in pieces.
If you want to fit different shots in each video or record it in pieces, simply hold the record button for each segment, then let go, then press and hold it again when you’re ready for your next shot.
Don’t want to hold your record button the whole time? Before you enter record mode, you can also use the timer to give yourself enough time to prop up your phone and pose in front of it before it starts automatically recording.
3. Make final edits and add a caption to the video.
When you’re done recording the video, you’ll still be able to add a musical overlay, filters, and other basic special effects. You can also add stickers and text overlays on top of the video.
When you’re done, press Next. You’ll be directed to a page similar to Instagram’s post page where you can add a caption, relevant hashtags, and account handles of others. You can also set the privacy of the video, turn comments on or off, allow duets or reactions, and tap “Save to Album” to download it to your smartphone’s photos.
If you aren’t ready to post yet, just press the Drafts button at the bottom left to save it for later.
4. Duet with other users.
See a musical post that you love? Want to join in with the person who made it? TikTok allows you to reply with a Duet video. To use this former Musical.ly feature, find a video you want to duet with, press the Share button to see sharing options, then press the “Duet” option on the bottom row in the center.
Your camera screen will appear next to the video. From there, you can press record and sing along, dance, or do whatever you want to the music.
If you make a post and don’t want anyone to duet with you, you can tap the “Duet/React Off” button on your Post page before publishing.
5. Participate in a challenge.
Like other social media platforms, you’ll occasionally see videos with hashtags for “challenges.” A challenge is when a video post, company, or person encourages users to film themselves doing something oddly specific. Participants then film themselves doing the action and hashtag the challenge name in their post captions.
There usually aren’t any winners in a TikTok challenge, but hashtagging it might help you get more followers or views as people find you when searching the hashtag.
A Few TikTok Takeaways
Yes, TikTok may seem like a pretty odd platform right now, but it might be a great tool for engaging and spreading awareness to your younger audiences later. Because it is only one year old, it is also a great place for early video experimentation.
As you’re brainstorming or filming your first videos, here are a few tips to help you create unique and engaging posts:
- Have fun with the special effects. There are a ton of ways to zest up your video, and audiences on TikTok expect it. So play around and experiment with them.
- Embrace the music. Most videos on the platform have some type of song or sound effect in the background.
- Film a few videos with multiple shots. This will make it feel more interesting and active.
- Don’t be afraid to show a lighter side or a sense of humor. People come to this platform to be entertained.
- Use trendy hashtags and try out a challenge video. Then, include relevant hashtags in your post caption so your video shows up when people search it.
- Look at what other brands are doing. While your company might not need to jump on TikTok just yet, videos posted by other brands could inspire some ideas for your own strategy.
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