Using TikTok
TikTok is a video sharing and social networking platform with an expanding user base worldwide. It allows users to create, watch and share short-form videos. TikTok is targeted at a younger age group but has users of all ages. The video content shared on the platform is primarily for entertainment and includes anything and everything from sporting tricks and challenges to training tips, dancing, and lip-syncing.
TikTok functions
Posting – Videos of under 60 seconds that include trending hashtags and sounds that are recognisable to users tend to do best. TikTok offer users different sound effects, music-clips and filters to use with their videos.
Stitch or Duet – Stitches and duets allow users to record themselves reacting to other’s videos. This offers a good way to vary content, collaborate and promote partnerships and community links.
Comment – Users can comment on videos and tag other users in the comments sections.
Hearts – Users engage with videos using hearts which are the same as likes.
Following – Users can follow each other.
Searching – TikTok has a Discover function which enables you to search for videos by keywords and hashtags.
Sharing – TikTok offers users the option of sharing content with others.
TikTok Ads – You can pay to use TikTok ads to drive the promotion of your organisation with the platform’s audience.
Personal and Business Accounts – TikTok personal accounts can be created by individuals. Business Accounts are designed for organisations and give access to insight and analysis and support tools.
Get set up
To set up your TikTok account and begin posting your content, follow the following steps:
- Go to the TikTok website or download the TikTok app on your mobile device.
- Sign up using your organisation’s number/email/username or other online accounts (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Apple or Google).
- Once you have created and verified your account, click the ‘+’ button. From here you can upload or take a video, edit and post the content you want. To find out more on how to do this, visit TikTok’s ‘Creating your first video’ page.
- To create a business account, sign in and go to settings and privacy, account and switch to business account or go to https://www.tiktok.com/business/en-GB and create an account.
Things to consider
- TikTok’s largest user groups are people aged 18-25 and people aged 25-34.
- TikTok gives users the ability to showcase their activities, participants and volunteers in a creative way, but the type of content used by the platform is limited to sort-videos.
- TikTok is newer to the market than other social media platforms.
- But be cautious of inappropriate content or language in comments or videos.
Currently, TikTok only lets businesses use music in their royalty-free library, other royalty-free sounds, or user-created sounds and song so beware that not all sounds are available to use.