How To Post On TikTok

New TikTok users are more likely to spend time scrolling their feeds and enjoying other peoples’ posts than creating their own. That’s understandable, even if they’re experienced users on other social media platforms.

TikTok has its own culture, language, trends, and vibes, and it makes sense to get a feel for the landscape before creating TikTok posts that don’t fit in. The process of recording and editing content is also different — sometimes very different — than it is when posting on other social apps.

There’s undoubtedly a learning curve when figuring out the app’s features and functions. However, the fastest way to start growing engagement with your account and a large follower count is to begin posting, so every day that you wait is another day lost.

We can’t help you get acclimated to TikTok trends and vibes, but we do have a cheat sheet for you to use when you’re comfortable enough to create your first TikTok video.

Getting Ready to Post

Perhaps the most important first step in posting on TikTok is deciding what to post.

Just as on other platforms, a stream of videos showing your dog, your kids, and your lunch won’t win you much exposure or many fans. People who don’t know you want to see content that they’re interested in, not content that you’re interested in — and only close friends and family will want to watch snippets of someone’s personal life.

Once you understand what videos work on the app, you’ll have a much better feel for to create. Audiences are primarily attracted to funny or interesting creative content, vids that add a personal spin to a TikTok trend, or informative videos posted by people who are knowledgeable in a specific topic, whether it’s fashion, current events, or a favorite hobby.

Now, choose the subject you feel most comfortable with and focus most of your attention on creating great content on that topic. Your posts will be welcomed by a group of users who share your interests and will be likely to help you find new followers.

Plan your videos carefully before you start, too. Compelling, high-quality content will grab peoples’ attention and make them want to see more from you. Disjointed, amateurish vids will have them scrolling past your posts in no time.

Feeling ready to post? Here’s how to do it.

Posting A Video to Your TikTok Account

The first thing to do, of course, is open the TikTok “Create” screen. You do it by tapping the big “+” at the bottom of your home screen. After that:

1. Use the menu above the big white button to choose whether you want to create a video that lasts 15 seconds or less, 60 seconds or less, 10 minutes or less, or use a picture or text.
2. The row below the button lets you import a video or photo from your camera reel (the option on the far right) or add an effect to your recording (the options to the left of the button). Don’t worry, you can add effects after you’ve recorded, too.
3. The vertical icons on the right side of the screen control functions like flipping between the front and back camera on your phone, changing the lighting, setting a countdown timer, retouching the video automatically, or changing its display size.
4. You can add a TikTok sound, or song, from the button at the top. You can also do that later.
5. The white button starts your recording; it turns red when the record function is on. You can pause your recording by tapping it again, and restart it with another tap. When the video is done, you can erase it and start again by clicking the “x.” If you’re satisfied, click the red checkmark.
6. You’ll see a preview of your video, along with a full suite of editing tools on the right of the screen which let you choose effects, filters, stickers, text, and much more. To see descriptions of each tool and not just an icon, tap the down arrow at the bottom. Experiment with them until you’re satisfied with what you’ve created, and then click “Next.”
7. You’re now on the “Post” screen, where you can add a title and caption, hashtags and mentions of other users, your location, and links. You can also determine who can see your post, decide whether people can add comments, share to linked social accounts, and edit the “cover” photo for your post.
8. Once you’re satisfied, tap “Drafts” to save the video for later work, or tap “Post” to make your TikTok post live.

There’s much more to learn, naturally. You can read other iDigic blog posts on creating and editing your TikTok content — or just play around with all of the many options available on the app for creating compelling videos.

Enjoy!