In 30 seconds:
- TikTok is a hugely popular social media platform amongst Generation Z, which makes it a dream for marketers.
- That is – if you know how to go about using it. Understanding the trends is one thing, actually posting on the TikTok app is another.
- Ready to get started? Here’s our easy, beginner’s guide on how to make your first tiktok video.
TikTok makes headlines with social marketers all the time for its incredible reach amongst Gen Z.
It’s still their favourite social media platform, and you can find the average users spending 24 hours watching content there each month. Not only that, but it’s the platform where you’re most likely to see Gen Z users engaging with brands.
That’s significant, because Gen Z is notoriously hard to please. They dislike traditional ads, and you have a relatively short time to capture their attention before they scroll away from your content (only 8 seconds!).
TikTok’s video-first nature makes it perfect for cutting through the noise and actually grabbing Gen Z’s interest. More and more brands are recognising the power of the platform, and you’ll find campaigns from companies as varied as Burger King to the ACCA.
So, how do you get involved? Never fear, we’re on hand to talk you through posting your first TikTok video, and taking your first step to internet stardom.
Why use TikTok?
This is all worth the effort, we promise you.
As Gen Z grows into their huge buying power, they’re dictating the way marketing works. For brands, that means aligning their advertising output to match Gen Z’s expectations. TikTok is the perfect platform for that, because it provides everything Gen Z is looking for.
TikTok is geared towards short, snappy posts – and Gen Z likes these best. Gen Z are also more likely to buy something after seeing a post from an influencer, and TikTok is full of content creators establishing micro-communities that cater to Gen Z’s specific identities and interests.
(Another bonus, by the way, is that 58% of Gen Z would pay more for a product targeted towards their personalities, and these micro-communities are direct lines to that kind of hyper-specific marketing.)
Of course, there’s also the fact that TikTok is your surest bet for a social media platform that will continue to grow. It landed its billionth user in 2021 – making the leap in half the time since launch that it took competitors Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.
How to make a TikTok video (with pictures)
TikTok has been around, in its current guise, since 2018. That’s a lot of time for people to have been posting and perfecting their output – but don’t be put off by a lack of experience when creating your own videos. You’ll find the process relatively easy to follow.
Here’s how to post your very first TikTok video:
1. Tap the + at the bottom of the screen
You’ll find this button between the “friends” and “inbox”.
2. Decide whether you want to upload pre-recorded video clips from your device or use the TikTok camera in-app to record a new video.
If you’re using the app, you need to hit the red button (the “record button” ) to record new content. You can record multiple clips by pressing and releasing the button as often as you need.
At the right side of the screen, you’ll find options you can use when recording your video. “Flip” will switch the camera front/back, “speed” will alter whether you’re recording in slow- or fast-motion, and “timer” will allow you to set up a self-timer so you can record hands off.
3. Edit your video with effects, text and stickers
TikTok provides a number of editing tools. You can add effects with the options under the option of the bottom left side of the screen before you start recording, or to the right hand side if you’re editing your video afterwards. Options like green screen-style backdrops, or effects that change your appearance will be found under this button.
At the right hand side, you’ll also find other options that allow you to edit the visuals of your created video. With text, you can type an overlay that will appear as the video plays – and stickers are images that will do the same. Simply drag and drop to place them.
Play around with the options, get comfortable with the different ways to edit, and you’ll soon be able to envision all matter of different styles of content.
NB, TikTok does provide a number of templates to help you create your content. However, for swifter transitions or effects that need a more advanced video editor tool, you may need to use another app to create your video.
4. Add sound, music, and voiceovers
The sounds button at the top of the screen will enable you to add music or sound effects to your creation.
At the right side, you’ll also see how to make a TikTok video with voice over. You have the option to add a voiceover via the labelled button there – particularly useful in content like recipe walkthroughs, where the audio of the original isn’t as important. “Caption” will add TikTok-generated captions to your video, and make them more accessible.
5. Tap “Next”
When you’re done with your footage, hit the “next” button at the bottom of the screen to move onto the edit step. (The other option, “post to story” will add the video to your profile, but only for 24 hours.)
6. Add a caption
After you hit “next”, you’ll be brought to the final screen. Here, you need to add a description, including any hashtags you want to include (more on that below), and select your privacy options: who you want to be able to watch it, whether you want to allow comments, duets and stitches.
7. Tap “Post”!
You’ve just created your first video, congratulations!
From here, you can experiment. Soon, you’ll be posting with the ease of a full-time content creator.
Other tips for your TikTok debut
When learning how to make a tiktok video, there are a few other things to bear in mind before you hit that final “post” button.
These tips will help you to make sure that your first video is a success:
1. You don’t have to be polished
In fact, it’s probably better that you’re not.
While you’ll undoubtedly find a good amount of highly polished and directed content on TikTok, you don’t have to start with a perfectly edited and smooth debut. Gen Z’s love of authenticity means they love a candid vid as much as any other kind.
2. Don’t forget about the hashtags
Hashtags are a crucial element to any tiktok video’s success. They expand the potential reach of your audience, and help let the algorithm know what kind of video it is you’re posting – which means you’ll be targeting more relevant audiences.
And if your content reaches the right audience, that means better engagement and more views for you.
We’ve written before about how to make sure your hashtags are working for you – read the ultimate hashtag cheat sheet here.
3. Engage with your audience
Speaking of engagement – make sure you’re not just searching for it, but participating too.
TikTok is collaborative. It says it’s “building a global community”, and Gen Z agree: 59% of them feel that sense of community when they use the platform. By replying to commenters, or allowing and posting duets with other users, you’ll show you’re an active member of the TikTok community, not just a witness to it.
4. Use your expertise
Since you’re only just starting, it’s unlikely this’ll be in filmmaking. But TikTok is a platform for you to showcase what makes you unique – whatever makes your content different to anyone else’s.
So whether you’re posting about brand expertise or a dance you’ve created, take confidence in your own knowledge. That is what will make your videos stand out.
How to make a successful TikTok video
Now this is a slightly different question.
Once you know how to make a TikTok video, chances are you’ll be thinking ahead: how do you make a TikTok that gets lots of views? Or that lands on the For You Page? Or even one that goes Viral?
The good news is you don’t have to have an account slowly built up over a long period in order to hit the TikTok big time. Any size account, with any number of videos, can achieve massive amounts of views and audience engagement – as long as it hits the right notes with TikTok’s audience. We wrote in detail about how you can make your TikTok go viral here.
It’s not just about getting one viral video though. To build a community on TikTok, you need to continue to deliver. That means paying attention to the trends, participating in challenges, and actively engaging with the users you’re hoping to attract to your brand. That way, you can start to more effectively plan your content around what works with your audience.
So if you want to use your newfound TikTok video-posting skills to take your online brand presence to the next level, get in touch. We can teach you how to supercharge your TikTok campaign and capture Gen Z users’ attention.
For more easy explainers on navigating Gen Z’s favourite social media platform, read on:
