By: Morgan Rizzo | Staff Writer
When the world shut down because of the pandemic, there was little for people to do beside a quick trip to the grocery store for essentials. With no vacations, silly friends, or fan-filled concert photos to post, active social media users turned to a new platform to post videos on while stuck in quarantine.
TikTok became the prime social media outlet to scroll through aimlessly for hours while stuck inside. Celebrities and average users alike posted funny dance videos from their homes as entertainment to pass time for themselves and for others to watch. The app that was little heard of before March of 2020 is now popular in all age groups with sounds, dances, and users going viral daily.
So, how does one navigate the world of TikTok? What makes a video unique to followers? How can someone’s video go viral?
Whether you want to go viral, want to branch out your university or company to this app, or are just posting videos for fun, these tips can help you find success.
- Trends are Important
Look at what sounds, hashtags, memes and dances are on your For You Page. These elements are often viewed by many users and can catch their attention. If you use a trending song, other users may end up scrolling through other TikToks with that same song, and come across your post!
- Create Niches
What kind of content do you want to post on your account? Establish what theme or audience you are looking to attract and gear your videos in that direction. For example, if all of your videos are related to dancing, a dancer would be more likely to keep scrolling and interacting on your profile.
- Immerse Yourself in Your Feed
Scroll through your FYP page to see what is being used frequently. Look at what gains a lot of attention and what doesn’t. Browse different profiles to see which videos work and don’t work. Pay attention to different transition effects that can enhance your video: a transition will catch the eye of a viewer more than a plain video.
- Tell a Story
Use video along with text overlay to convey a story to the audience. If a viewer begins to read captivating text, they will want to watch the entire video to see what happens and where the story goes. Having an interesting story in multiple parts is a good way to bring viewers to your profile.
The list of helpful tips to help boost followers, likes, or just navigating TikTok goes beyond this brief list. Sometimes users get lucky and one of their videos goes viral without them even intending it. However you want to use your TikTok, have fun with it and explore the endless creative, funny, and inspirational opportunities right at your fingertips!
Cover Image: “Tiktok” by TheBetterDay is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0
