How To Use TikTok for Beginners
TikTok has had a steady growth since the app came out. If you are not on TikTok yet, you have at least heard about it. Downloading yet another app can be daunting, especially with all the new features and trends. Here is a broken-down TikTok tutorial for beginners.
It’s time to jump into the TikTok world and feel looped in when your friends start speaking in TikTok slang.
After pressing download at the app store, let us walk you through everything you need to know.
What is TikTok?
TikTok is home to short videos for just about every topic. It is a social media platform for creating, sharing, and discovering videos. The app is used as an outlet to express yourself through singing, dancing, comedy, education, influence, adovation, etc. and allows users to create videos and share them with their community.
TikTok’s Mission is:
“TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. Our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy.”
While consuming and interacting with media on TikTok , the TikTok Algorithm goes to work. This is where the ‘For You Page’ comes into play. The For You Page is exactly what it sounds like, the page you land on when opening the app here carefully curates a feed of videos you might like based on creators you follow, interests, and past videos you have interacted with in the past.
This fast-growing platform has quickly become a great place for marketing as well. Influencers and TikTok Shop have now soared to new heights. If you are a business owner and interested in participating in some influencer marketing via TikTok, the time to do it is now!
Just like many popular apps, there has been some controversy regarding privacy and security concerns. TikTok is owned by a company known as ByteDance, a Chinese-owned company. Lawmakers and regulators have concerns that TikTok may put sensitive user data, like location information, into the hands of the Chinese government. This controversy and concern did not go too far, being that there are still 1 billion users on the app.
How to Set Up Your TikTok Account
Step-by-step tutorial on how to set up your account:
Step 1. Head on over to the App Store or Google Play and download the TikTok app.
Step 2. Open up the app and hit the “Profile” button.
Step 3. Choose the best way to sign up. You can sign up using your phone or email or use your existing accounts with Facebook, Google, Apple (for iPhone users), Instagram, or Twitter.
Step 4. Next, you will choose and enter a password for your account.
Step 5. This step is very important. You will now choose a username. This is the name that will show up on your profile and be used as your TikTok name or handle. So select a name that represents your business or brand well.
Step 6. Now hit “Sign Up”.
Step 7. You can also choose if you want your account to be a private or business account. You will just need to go to your profile and locate privacy. If you select a business account you will choose a category that fits your brand best.
How To Make a TikTok Video:
- Tap + at the bottom of the screen.
- Upload content from your device library or use the native TikTok camera.
- Add sounds, effects, filters, and music to your video.
- Start your video by pressing the Record button.
- Record or upload your content.
- Tap the checkmark.
- Make additional edits to your video, include a caption, add hashtags, tag users, add a location, etc.
- Press Post and BOOM, your first TikTok video is done!
How to Upload Content to TikTok
Upload Videos
Don’t want to record your video in the app? Or have pre-recorded content you want to use in your TikTok? Easy! Just upload your content.
- Click Upload and choose the video you want to upload from your camera roll.
- After choosing your video you will have the option to customize it just as you would if you recorded the video in the app.
- Once you have chosen all your edits, you can now hit post!
Upload Photos
To upload photos, you will have 3 options to do so:
Option 1: You can upload photos exactly the same way as you would video, but instead just hit photos instead of videos.
Option 2: You can insert your photo directly from the “effects”.
Option 3: You can give “Templates” a try. Just swipe from camera to templates and then select the photos you’d like to use.
How to Record a TikTok Video
- Tap + at bottom of the screen.
- Add Sounds, Effects, Filters, or other camera tools.
- Start your video by pressing the Record button.
- Record your content.
- Tap the check mark.
- Make any needed edits on the post page.
- Post your video!
How To Use TikTok Filters/Effects
TikTok effects are there to enhance your photos or videos by reaching the height of creativity. You will be able to change your face, background, colors, etc.
- Click on the + sign at the bottom middle of your screen, as you would when recording a new video.
- Now locate the winking emoji that says “Effects” and click on that.
- Here you will be able to try out a bunch of them and choose which one.
- Now record with the effect!
TikTok FAQ’s
How do you block someone on TikTok?
If you want to block a user on TikTok, all you have to do is follow these simple steps:
- Go to the person’s profile.
- Tap the 3-dot icon in the top right.
- Tap Block and follow the steps in the app.
How do you unblock someone on TikTok?
If you choose to unblock a user on TikTok the steps are just as easy, all you have to do is:
- Go to the person’s profile.
- Tap the 3-dot icon in the top right.
- Tap Unblock and follow the steps in the app.
Does TikTok notify of screenshots?
TikTok does not notify the user when you screenshot or screen record on the app. This also means that if you yourself upload a TikTok you will not be notified if someone screenshots or records your video.
What kind of content can you make on TikTok?
TikTok was made for people to show off their skills and creativity. Many people post humorous videos, educational or informational, day-in-the-life videos, and so much more!
You can also choose between video content, photo content and now carousels or multiple photo content!
This is the basics of the very intricate app we know and love, TikTok. This gives you the very fundamental idea of how to start your “TikTok”. After you familiarize yourself with this app you will learn that there is so much more to utilize!
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