How to get started on TikTok

With more than a biillion monthly active users, TikTok has taken the world by the scruff of the neck, giving many of us some light relief during what has been a difficult couple of years!

As with all major apps, they do tend to get used initially by the younger generation, before their parents and then grandparents jump on board (by which time the kids have run off and find somewhere else to hang out away from prying eyes!!

With the growth of the app being so ferocious, for businesses it’s imperative to at least give TikTok a go and see if you feel is going to work for you.

The best way to learn more about the app, its user base, and the type of content that engages audiences is to start producing your own posts on a personal or business account.

To help you conquer the app, I’ve put together a quick guide to show you how to use it.

Here’s a list of instructions — with pictures — that will walk you through setting up your profile, filming your first video, adding special effects, and using challenges or duets to engage with other users.

Setting Up Your Account

1. Download the app and sign up.

Go to the App Store or Google Play and download TikTok. When you open it, TikTok makes it pretty easy to sign up. You can do an instant sign-up with Facebook, Gmail, or Twitter, or add a standard username and password if you don’t want any of those accounts connected.

2. Set up your profile.

Once you’re logged in, you’ll instantly be brought to the feed of videos. Tap the icon in the lower right that looks like a person’s outline to see and edit your profile.

Once you enter your profile, tap the Edit Profile button, then select a profile photo or video. You should also add your username and bio information. If you want to show off your other social media profiles, you can link up your Youtube and Instagram pages. If you’re a business, this could be a helpful way to advertise your other visual platforms.

Finding Videos and Engaging with Users

3. View the video feed,

Now that you’ve set up your profile, tap back to the first tab which shows you the video feed.

Think of this feed like Twitter’s, but where video is the primary content. If you don’t have any followers yet, the app will send you random trending videos. As you begin following and interacting with more people, your feed will become more personalised to your interests.

4. Like, comment, or share videos you enjoy.

When you find a video you like, you can tap the heart to like it or the speech bubble to comment on it. To share the video, press the forward sign underneath the comment symbol to see your sharing options. These symbols are all located on the right side of the video.

If you really like a video and want to see if the user has more posts you’ll enjoy, swipe left to toggle to their profile

5. Search for videos.

Tap on the second tab, or magnifying glass, to enter the app’s search area. On this tab, you can either search out accounts or videos, or you can look below the search bar to see videos by trending topic.

6. Follow users via videos & search.

If you want to keep up with a great video creator, you can follow them by pressing the icon that includes their profile picture and a plus sign above the heart button on their video.

If you already know of a TikTok account or person that you want to follow, you can search for them in the search bar and then press the “Users” filter. You can also find them by scanning their TikCode. This can be helpful for brands or people that want to promote their TikTok channel on other websites or in the physical world. It can also be great if you run into a friend in-person who wants to add you.

To find your own TikCode, go to your profile and tap the icon with four squares in the top right.

To see how to post on TikTok take a look at my other post here