May 12, 2020

Top 10 TikTok Tips for Beginners

TikTok is one of the most download apps. A ’15 seconds’ video can lead to fame. Since The For You page (FYP) puts your video in front of 30 million people. But most importantly, it is fun and creative. More and more, millennials are joining TikTok, which was dominated by Gen Z up until now. To help beginners aka over ’30 club’ navigate through this app, here are the Top 10 TikTok Tips for Beginners.

These Top 10 TikTok Tips Are Not Tips on How to Go Viral on TikTok

This blog post is a guide for new users on the app. Its aim is to teach the basics of TikTok so you don’t make the same mistakes that I did when I first joined TikTok. This blog post is NOT for you if you are looking for tips how to go viral on TikTok. However, I will say the more you get to know the basic features, the more you will be successful at going viral on Tiktok. The more you pay attention to trending concepts and make them in your own style, the more you will have a chance of becoming TikTok famous.

Before We Get Into the TikTok Tips, My Thoughts on Having a Niche

One of the first TikTok tips, most marketing experts advise is to have a niche. But I don’t believe having a niche is necessary. For one thing, TikTok followers are not the most loyal follower since they live on the FYP and not necessary checking the content of the people they follow. Most likely, you are going to create content about things you are an expert at (fashion, recipe, dance choreography, makeup, financial advice, etc). So you don’t need to be told to have a niche. But if you don’t have a niche, don’t worry! Your niche will follow you. After posting for a while, you will notice which posts do better and you’re going to keep posting that type of content.

Top 10 TikTok Tips for Beginners

TikTok Tip 01: Timer

This is one of the best TikTok tips, I can give a beginner. Tap the Timer button on the right of the Camera screen to give yourself a 3-second or 10-second delay before TikTok starts recording. This way, the audience doesn’t see you click to record. I made this mistake when I first joined TikTok (see below).

This is the feature to use when you are transitioning between outfits in question with a song or a voiceover.

@lizinlosangeles
Fashion Check ##favoritefit ##tiktokfashion ##notapro ##styletip ##fyp ##whattowear ##myoutfit
♬ Fashion check – whatverowears

Before the best transitions, check out Johny Blue Eyes profile.

TikTok Tip 02: Speed, Beauty & Filters

When creating a TikTok, you can record at .3x, .5x, 1x, 2x, or 3x speed. Also, on the Preview screen, you can go to Effects > Time > Slow Motion if you’d like to slow it down.

Tap the Beauty button on the right of the Camera screen to beautify your selfies in real-time. Honestly, if you have good lighting you don’t need this feature.

Tap the Filter button on the right of the Camera screen to add a filter that changes the look of your video. The most popular filter right now is G6.

TikTok Tip 03: Effects

You can go to Effects either when creating a TikTok or on the Preview screen. You can find popular Effects like the green screen (use any image as your background), Shake (earthquake effect), or Bling when creating a TikTok.

@lizinlosangeles
3 Apps to Reduce Anxiety ##mentalhealthawareness ##anxieyrelief
♬ Hotel Room Service – Pitbull

One the Preview screen you can find Effects alike Visual (adding hearts, rainbow, rain), Effects (time warp, color contacts, long face), Split (split the screen), or Time (Reverse, Repeat, Slow-mo). I barely use these anymore.

The best way to discover a particular effect is to add the effects of a video that watched to favorites. Tap the effect’s name (the wand above the video creator’s handle) and add it to your favorites, or start recording a video with that effect from there.

TikTok Tip 04: Adjust Clips

This is one of the best TikTok ungrades, which makes it one of the best TikTok tips. It allows you to take different video clips and move them around. You can also re-record a clip instead of starting all over.

TikTok Tip 05: Adding Text Box

The best way to place a text box is in the middle of the video. If it’s placed close to the bottom, it will be covered by the caption and hashtags when the video is published. And you don’t want to go too close to the right of the screen since the profile and share buttons.

After you type out the text, you can click on it to edit the style and duration of its placement.

TikTok Tip 06: Voiceover

This is one of the TikTok tips, which is a new feature in TikTok. To add a voiceover, you can record your video and then continue to the Preview page. Tapping the microphone icon, you can record a voiceover during any part of the video.

TikTok Tip 07: Sounds

After you create a video, TikTok will suggest songs. I would recommend selecting the “Trending” sounds.

The best way to discover sounds is by watching videos on FYP and saving the ones you like (tap the Share button on the right of the video and hit the Save button).

TikTok Tip 08: Length of The Video

If you are choosing a trending song or a voiceover, make sure you pay attention to how long the song or voiceover is (15 seconds or 60 seconds) then choose that length when creating the TikTok so you don’t make a mistake like below!

@lizinlosangeles
TikTok fail – watch to the end to see why! ##quarantineinhome ##distancedance ##tiktokfail ##ThisIsQuitting ##forupage ##happyathome
♬ Dripeesha Todrick Hall – kristarobertso

TikTok Tip 09: Hashtags

If you are coming over from Instagram to TikTok, you will be suing targeted hashtags instead of trending hashtags like #albumcover. For TikTok, you will want to use 1-2 trending hashtags by creating trending content. You can use 1-2 targets hashtags. I normally use 2-5 hashtags.

@lizinlosangeles
Late to this party but here it is 💄 ##albumcover ##may4th ##jcrew ##ladodgers
♬ original sound – kellameier

TikTok Tip 10: Duet Video

Open the video from which you want to create a duet, tap on the Share icon, and select Duet. It’s that simple.

Other useful tips:

engagement goes a long way on TikTok and it’s a great growth strategy,
but the best growth strategy tip is Pinterest. Ask me for details if interested.
Follow these accounts for more TikTok tips: Giselle Ugarte and Mady Dewey.