So you’ve created an awesome TikTok and you’re almost ready to share it with the world. But wait! There are several things you need to check before you hit the big red ‘Post’ button. Reviewing these items is essential for optimizing your content so the algorithm knows who to serve it to. I’ll walk you through all the fields to check before hitting post so that your content can perform its very best.
Read MoreIn an effort to understand TikTok’s mysterious algorithm, I regularly conduct experiments to learn which tactics help videos gain traction. I’ve experimented with 3 minute videos, CapCut templates, an SEO hack, and more. In September, I experimented with a core component of TikTok videos: trending sounds. I don’t use trending sounds often; they’re not usually conducive to the kind of content I make. But trending sounds are supposed to be important in getting your videos seen, so for one week, I used trending sounds on every video I shared. To be frank, the results were surprising.
Read MoreThis is the 16th post in the “A Conversation With” series, where I interview smart humans about their experiences in marketing and social media. You can read past features here.
This month, I interviewed Megan Prather, a certified coach who shares vulnerably about difficult parent relationships on her TikTok, where she has a following of 21,000. In this blog post, we dive into her approach to TikTok, why it’s worth getting vulnerable online, and how to balance content creation with caring for your mental health.
Read MoreThroughout 2023, I’ve been experimenting on TikTok with the goal of better understanding their mysterious algorithm. I’m hoping to determine which commonly-promoted tactics are worthwhile and which are overhyped. In June, I experimented with an SEO trick that I’ve seen circulating the platform: hiding keywords in your video so the TikTok algorithm knows what your video is about and who to serve it. The results of this experiment were mixed. Today I’m sharing exactly how to do this SEO trick for TikTok and what I learned from the experiment.
Read MoreThis year, I’ve been running a series of TikTok experiments in an effort to learn more about the enigmatic TikTok algorithm. My goal is to assess which tactics help you reach and engage more viewers. I’ve learned a lot from my past experiments! In May, I decided to experiment with sharing only CapCut templates for a week to see how that would impact my content’s performance. If you’re not familiar with CapCut templates, here’s my handy explainer. The results of this experiment surprised me: CapCut templates were even more effective than I anticipated! Here’s what I learned from this experiment.
Read MoreCapCut templates are taking TikTok by storm! Even if you’ve never heard of CapCut, if you spend time on TikTok, I’m sure you’ve seen a CapCut template before. Videos using CapCut templates are supposedly prioritized by TikTok’s algorithm, so they tend to spread like wildfire. CapCut templates are a low-effort and fun way to produce more relevant content and potentially increase your reach on TikTok. I’ll walk you through what exactly CapCut templates are, the value of using them, and how to actually use a CapCut template on TikTok.
Read MoreI’m on a roll conducting TikTok experiments and recently completed my fifth. I’m hoping to learn a few tips and tricks for what the algorithm prioritizes so that I can share my knowledge with others. Is a higher posting frequency truly necessary? Do shorter videos perform better than longer videos? Those are just a few of the questions I’ve been trying to answer. In my latest experiment, I posted videos that were only 15 seconds or less to see what would happen.
Read MoreDigital, Social, & Creative by Emily Hessney Lynch.
