By Shelcy Joseph
Haven’t you heard? TikTok is where the cool kids hang. The short-form mobile video platform brings out the best of the internet’s creativity and humor for your entertainment. And you need to have it on your radar.
What is TikTok?
TikTok is currently the fastest growing social media platform with a reported 500 million active users (with 18 million subscribers from the US). The short-form video app combines a simple interface with an emphasis on lighthearted, silly and unpolished creative expression that resonates well among young users. The ease of consuming content and the variety of engaging filters and soundbites, not to mention the rejection of traditional ads, all make it addictive and binge-worthy. While there are metrics to evaluate how well content is performing, those feel less important than the genuine laughs you can get out of it.
This gives creators and brands a golden opportunity to storytell in a unique and engaging way, whilst growing their appeal to GenZ (66% of the platform’s users are under 30, according to data analytics firm Business of Apps.) Could TikTok work well for influencer marketing campaigns? You bet! See how other brands are starting to use it.
How Brands Are Using TikTok
Brands across various industries have already caught on to the hype. Burberry was one of the first brands to adapt to this platform and started by challenging users to post videos of themselves attempting to contort their hands to the shape of the letters TB, reflecting the updated Thomas Burberry monogram. Chipotle’s #GuacDance challenge was a hit on National Avocado Day, as was its first campaign on the platform: the #ChipotleLidFlip hashtag, which generated over 230 millions views. The beauty company Eos recently shifted its advertising spend to TikTok and kicked off a mini #MakeItAwesome campaign exclusively on the platform. The challenge encouraged users to integrate Eos lip balms into a creative video using a popular song for a chance to win some freebies, and the hashtag has so far gained over 23 millions views.
How To Get Started on TikTok
Did we sell you on it yet? Here’s how to get started, but first, make sure you keep your sound on.
1.Download and install the app on your phone
After you download TikTok, you can immediately start browsing videos, but you’ll need your own account to start posting and engaging with other users.
2. Create an account
Next, click the icon in the bottom right corner of the homepage. Using an email, phone number or Facebook account, you can easily make an account. But TikTok will assign you a username based on your signup method. No worries though, you’ll be able to change it. Just tap the profile icon again and hit Edit Profile. Here, you can personalize it as well as add a bio, picture and profile video.
After you successfully create your account and set up your profile, you can start creating.
3. Add content
Then, click the “+” button. From there, you can choose a clip from your album to upload, or shoot in real time.
4. Shoot a video
You can hold the red button to immediately start shooting or give yourselves more time with the countdown option (recording will start after 3 seconds).
5. Edit your video
Time to let your creativity run wild! Optimize your content using all the features available (speed, filter, effects and sounds). Have fun!
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