A Beginner’s Guide to TikTok


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It’s been over three years since the application for lip-syncing Musical.ly, now called TikTok, was first popularized among teens and tweens. According to estimates from research company Sensor Tower, the platform has expanded its reach to the generation of Z: TikTok has been downloaded more than one billion times, including more than 96 million users within the United States. It’s also owned by Chinese company Bytedance which is now considered one of the most profitable companies globally. The application itself is centered around sharing video clips that last 15 seconds. These are set to music often licensed by artists and record labels.

TikTok is now adored not just by teens who lip-synch. However, it is also loved by performers, athletes, and brands. Large companies like Coca-Cola, Nike, ABC, and Google have had ads on TikTok. The app even has Khloe Kardashian was compensated by ABC, Coca-Cola, and Nike to post advertisements content via the site. The app isn’t just the home of ads: TikTok is also grounded in some of the web’s most well-known memes.

You’ll be forgiven for feeling like you do not understand TikTok. It’s fast-paced and chaotic, combining the best features that are a part of Spotify, Snapchat, and Vine along with Twitch into one social network. Here’s what you should learn to start in the game, beginning with TikTok “Challenges” to Coins and original music. You can also buy TikTok views with SubPals.

 

Getting Started: Set Up Your Account

 

One of the first things you’ll require is headphones. There’s no way to experience TikTok using the sound turned off. Once you have downloaded the application, you’ll be able to begin watching videos immediately. To post any of them, you’ll have to create an account.

You can create an account with your email address, telephone number, or another third-party platform like Facebook. The app will assign you an account number. If you sign up to TikTok using your phone number, it will create an anonymous username like user1234567. Using an email address will create an individual ID (although this could create an issue with the users’ privacy).

For changing your user name, click the icon on the bottom right corner of your screen that appears like the upper part of a human body. After that, click Edit Profile. You can edit the profile to be more distinctive or add a bio, photo, or Profile Video.

The default settings for TikTok profiles are open to the public, which means anyone can view your profile and the images you post. To alter your privacy settings, click three dots on the upper right-hand part of the profile.

 

Navigating TikTok

Once your profile is all set to be displayed, you’re now ready to check out some TikToks. The app is split into two feeds. The first feed is For You, an algorithmically-generated stream of videos similar to the Explore tab on Instagram. You can swipe left to reveal the second option, following that showcases uploads by people you select to follow. TikTok is like an ever-changing variety show; it’s pure entertainment. Follow creators who will make you smile, like @k.chh, who posts hilarious sketches, or go for cute profiles like cute_puppies12 @cute_puppies12, which publishes the cutest dogs I’ve seen.

There’s to the right of each TikTok video a sequence of icons. The first one will take visitors to the page of the person who uploaded the video. A heart also functions precisely like hearts or likes or likes on Instagram. The next step is commented, followed by an arrow that points right to share the individual TikToks on other platforms. Click the hand if you would like to copy the URL to a particular TikTok, such as to share it with iMessage. (One note for left-handed users If you’re left-handed, you might encounter TikTok challenging to use, at the very least initially, as it’s typically oriented towards the right.)

The last icon is a record that spins with musical notes emanating out of it. This is the music part that users are playing on their TikTok. Click to reveal the track’s name, the artist, and the feeds of other TikToks, which also have the track. For example, “Fake ID” by Riton and Kah-Lo, a very well-known track on TikTok, has been included in more than 1.4 million videos. These can be seen on the page of the song. These clips may not be the entire amount of “Fake ID” TikToks on the platform, but we’ll get more shortly.

Do you not want to see an unrelated type of TikTok on your feed? Do a hard press at the bottom of the screen to show an uninterested button.

Making and sharing TikTok videos

Are you ready to publish your TikTok? The first step is to tap the plus icon near the top of the page. The camera will pop up with the red record button, similar to Snapchat. You can include an audio track to ensure that your lip-syncs, dance, or skit syncs to the music when you begin recording. If you’re looking to record something happening, it is possible to go ahead and record without a music track and then add to the way later.

As with Snapchat, TikTok has an assortment of AR effects that can be applied to videos. These effects perform things like altering the hue of your hair or eyes. Click Effects on the left side to explore them. The World tab offers options to be used in the surrounding natural environment, for instance, the delicious-looking slice of augmented reality pizza. There are also special effects designed to be used with cats and dogs.

On the right-hand side of the screen, the recording is On the right-hand side of the recording screen is a Beauty button that subtly removes the dark shadows under your eyes. Below is the filter menu. In contrast to Instagram, which has filters with famous name tags like Mayfair andand Valencia, TikTok’s filters are identified. The most significant feature is the timer that allows users to record films without pressing the button. This is the reason TikTok’s famous video dancers are possible.

 

Hashtags, Music, and Challenges

Music is the mainstay of TikTok, and picking a famous track can be the main reason why a video becomes viral. This is how you can select one. To begin, click Add Sound on the left side of the screen for recording. A Spotify-style streaming menu with tracks and artists will be displayed. You can search for the most popular songs available on Spotify and lookup songs from Apple Music.

There aren’t many full-length tracks on TikTok. The platform is mainly made up of short clips that can’t be edited. So should you ever dream of performing your dance to a particular segment of your preferred track, you might be in a bind. However, there is a solution to this issue. Many TikTok users play music on other devices, such as the stereo or computer–while recording. TikTok will then mark the song as the “Original sound,” which others can apply to their videos. Beware using this loophole can cause copyright violation.

 

Views, Notifications, and other Metrics

When you share your TikTok videos, You can track how many people have viewed them by looking up the number of views in your account. You can tap the notification icon on the bottom of your home screen to check who has liked or commented on your videos. You can also check who has visited your profile or has followed your account. Important note: TikTok is notorious for sending a plethora of engagement lures through push notifications. If the kind of messages sent out seems uninteresting, you can turn off TikTok notifications on the settings menu on your phone.

TikTok will also notify users when famous creators will be “LIVE streaming” (the feature isn’t accessible to all users). Like Twitch, when you watch the live stream, you can make a trip to creators with virtual goods which can be bought with TikTok Coins. $1 equals 100 coins. Creators frequently thank their fans or respond to questions to receive these gifts, which, in turn, they can convert some parts from which could exchange into standard money.

You’re ready to go

You’re now able to participate in the most recent TikTok #Challenge. You’ve added a virtual piece of pepperoni to your lip-syncing art. You may have even danced. You’re now ready to explore TikTok. The app is loaded with extra features, and the most efficient way to explore the ones you want is to test them on your own. You can turn the volume up and get out there.

 

 

 


Kokou Adzo

Kokou Adzo is a seasoned professional with a strong background in growth strategies and editorial responsibilities. Kokou has been instrumental in driving companies' expansion and fortifying their market presence. His academic credentials underscore his expertise; having studied Communication at the Università degli Studi di Siena (Italy), he later honed his skills in growth hacking at the Growth Tribe Academy (Amsterdam).

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