TikTok Top Tips

As PA Media Social Media Editor Edd Dracott noted in our latest webinar (‘7 top tips to increase your reach on TikTok’), 'TikTok Top Tips' is a bit of tongue twister.

Publishers’ interest in, and perhaps lack of familiarity with, TikTok probably explains why the Q&A that followed Edd’s presentation was particularly busy.

You can watch a recording of Edd’s presentation and the Q&A that followed, by registering here.

In the meantime, here are some of my takeaways from the webinar:

• TikTok videos don’t have to be sub-30 seconds. PA Media’s best performing ones are between 45-75 seconds. TikTok is now promoting longer videos, but whatever the length, the key is to keep people engaged throughout.
• Start with a punchy moment. You need to grab their attention early, to stop them scrolling away. A good way to do this is to kick your video off with a question.
• Avoid wasted space. Every second counts. Once you’ve got their attention, you have to hold it. TikTok algorithms reward videos with high engagement rates.
• Keep it casual. Your videos should not look overly polished. You don’t need professional lighting or a tripod, you just need your phone.
• Jump on trends. If something is trending (Taylor Swift tour, Olympics, election, winter fuel payments) and you have suitable content, then seize the moment and get it out there, peppered with lots of hashtags. In fact, the more hashtags the better.
• Have a play! If you’re not sure whether TikTok is right for you, or the best way of using it, then start of play with it. You will soon get a feel for what works and what doesn’t.

As Edd says, part of the beauty of TikTok is that any video could go viral, even if you have zero followers...

Finally, quick spoiler alert, if you don’t know who won this year’s ‘The Traitors’ and are planning to watch it on catch-up, don’t watch Edd’s presentation..., or at least, don’t watch it yet.