How To Make Compelling TikTok Videos
TikTok is one of those platforms where all of us wish that we would’ve gotten in on the ground floor because it exploded in popularity almost overnight and made stars out of those that were there first. Many of us are now left to play catch up and attempt to build a following, but that’s much easier said than done. There are millions of users on TikTok, so it can be hard to stand out in such a massive crowd.
If you’re dead set on finding TikTok fame but aren’t sure where to start, don’t worry. We’ve got some tips and tricks that are sure to get you plenty of viewers and even develop a new following on one of the world’s most popular apps. Here are five ways to make compelling TikTok videos that stand out.
Get Trendy
There’s no better way to get noticed on TikTok than to jump in on something that has just started trending. Check the hashtags that are starting to get traction on TikTok, and try to make a video when there aren’t too many videos just yet. There’s a bit of a parabola that happens for each trend as it comes out of nowhere, quickly reaches a peak, then fades into obscurity quickly.
If you’re able to stay on top of trends and get a video posted before that trend has hit its peak, you’re going to be getting a ton of shares and views. There will be plenty of opportunities every day to find a new trend, whether it’s a lip sync video, dance challenge or anything else in between.
Find a Gimmick
Almost all of the biggest names on TikTok have a certain gimmick that they stick to that helps them to stand out. Some of them interject themselves into other videos for comedic effect, some simply respond using only facial features to others’ content, and some have completely original ideas that have never been seen on the platform before.
At the end of the day, the people that have a formula and a gimmick are going to be the ones that are the most successful. Try to think about what it is that you’re best at, whether it’s dancing or being funny. There’s no doubt that people will keep coming back to your videos to see what you come up with next in that genre.
Get The Right Setup
Out of all of the TikTok accounts that end up getting a lot of followers, very few of them have grainy videos and poor lighting. If you’re serious about getting people to follow you on TikTok, you have to make sure that you’re spending money on a good setup. While it’s your personality that’s going to take you to the top, the professionalism of your videos will get you noticed.
With that in mind, you’ll want to invest in some good lighting more than anything. Make sure that you also have a phone that’s capable of recording high-definition video and audio. These key factors alone are more attractive to people that are scrolling through and only clicking on the thumbnails that look the most appealing.
Work on a Script
There are plenty of videos that are completely ad-libbed and the candidness can make them insanely hilarious. However, many of the videos that you see from some of the biggest names on TikTok are 100 percent scripted. It’s true, even the ones that tend to be “x reacts to y” are scripted far in advance.
While it takes away from some of the authenticity of what makes a TikTok fun, a script is what gets more views. Make sure that you’re coming up with something funny that people are going to want to watch, or some commentary that hits hard with people.
Keep It Short
Every once in a while, a TikTok video that’s several minutes in length will end up going viral, but most of the ones that get millions of views are only a few seconds, and hardly ever longer than 25-30 seconds. People don’t have a lot of time, and they want to watch a bunch of videos all in one sitting rather than a couple of long ones.
You can also mix it up a little bit on your profile. Not every video has to be short, but try to focus on those more often than the long ones. Once your following is large enough, it won’t matter how long your videos are as people will still want to watch them from beginning to end.