A Step-by-Step Guide to Using TikTok

TikTok is no longer a mere name of a random social media platform. Instead, with more than 689 million monthly active users as of January 2021, the platform is the 7th most popular social media app on the web. And, going deeper, TikTok is also the wealthiest startup in the world. 

In 2020 alone, TikTok got more than 850 million downloads, making it one of the most downloaded apps in the year. But, what’s the catch? Well, with more than 1 billion users, TikTok can provide marketers a huge platform. Again, the popularity among Gen Z makes it even more lucrative. 

If you have been into social media marketing, understanding TikTok won’t be a big deal. But for someone stepping into the wilderness for the first time, TikTok can be a lot to take in. Therefore, today our topic of discussion is how to use TikTok – a step-by-step guide. So, if you are ready, let’s get started. 

How to Use TikTok

So, here’s the step-by-step guide on using TikTok for you. These steps are very easy to follow. So, make sure you understand each of them carefully before you start your TikTok journey. 

1. Download the App from the Playstore

So, the first step to get your TikTok journey started is downloading the app itself. Well, by now, you already know that TikTok is a social app. So, to use it, you need to download it from either of the app stores. If you are using an Android device, follow the following steps.

1. Open Google Playstore on your mobile phone. 
2. Search for TikTok on the search bar.
3. The app will be shown at the top of the list.
4. Click on the “Install” button.
5. Wait until the app gets installed. 

Now, if you are using it on your iPad or iPhone, follow these steps:

 

1. Open the App Store on your iPad or iPhone.
2. Search for the app on the search bar. 
3. Once it appears, click on the “Install” button, and the app will be installed. 

However, if you want to download it from the web, you can google TikTok download and download it from a trusted site. While installing, make sure you enable the “install from unknown sources” on your settings. 

We recommend downloading the app only from trusted sources like the App Store or Google Playstore. 

1. Open an Account on the Platform

Now, once the app is installed on your phone, you need to sign up for a new account. The signing-up process is pretty straightforward. On TikTok, you can sign up using social media accounts on Facebook, Google, or Instagram or use your phone number to do the same. 

Here’s how to sign up using your phone number:

• On the sign up page, click on the “Sign Up Using Phone Number” Button.
• Now, enter the phone number on which you want yourself signed up. 
• Once done, click on confirm, and you will receive an OTP on your registered number. 
• Input the OTP on the field. If correct, your account will be opened on the application. 

However, if you want to simplify this process, use the one-click social media sign-up options. On the signup page, you will see three signup options, as mentioned earlier. Click on any of these, and the app will grab details from there. It will be faster and smoother. 

1.  Set Up Your Profile

Once you are in, you need to set up your account on TikTok. So, you will find a profile section in the right corner below. Tap on that. Now, from there, you can pick your profile address, your name, set your DP, and put a bio. If you want to link your other social handles, you can do that too. 

If you are using TikTok for branding, make sure you put your brand logo as your DP and describe it well. 

Here’s a tip: Create a DP as attractive as possible. Also, put a description that matches all your other social handles of yours. That way, you will be more authentic, and people will easily find you. 

1. Go to the For You Page or FYP

The FYP page on TikTok is the very first page you will find on the app. It is more like Twitter, only filled with short videos. If you are new to TikTok and have not picked any specific choices, TikTok will most likely show you some random trending videos. As you interact with those, the app will keep suggesting more. 

Now, the FYP page will be your target in the future as you start creating your content. This page will be different for everyone since it solely depends on one’s interactions and engagements. On this page, to go to the following content, swipe up. And to move to the previous one, swipe down. 

1. Follow Other Creators and Engage with Their Videos

So, your next job after creating an account on TikTok would be watching videos. If you want to be a content creator, you have to observe how the app works. Also, watching others’ content will give you plenty of ideas about yours. So, on the FYP page, you will get random suggestions based on your engagement. 

So, how do you engage with other content creators on TikTok? Engagements on TikTok are like most other social sites – like, comment, share, and follow. So, on the right side, you will see a round-shaped button with the DP of the creator. There will be a plus sign on it, on tapping which you can follow the creator and get their further updates. 

Below that, there is a heart-shaped button. It is the like button on TikTok. If you like the content on the app, you can tap that button and like that easily. Below the like button, there is a speech bubble, which is the comment button. By tapping on that, you can comment your view on the video. 

And below that, you can see a paper airplane sign. It’s the share button. Using that, you can share the TikTok video on other social media platforms. 

1. Search Others’ Videos

Now, take it a little forward. Suppose you have found your inspiration. So, what are you going to do? Sometimes TikTok’s algorithm might not show you the specific videos to your liking. 

If you want to do some competitor research or find some of your close friends or inspirations, you can find their accounts or videos on the app. 

For that, you’ll have to use the search tool. On there, just put down their username, and you will have their account on your screen. You can now follow them and interact with their videos. 

1. Search Other TikTokers using the TikCode

You can also find other TikTokers on TikTok using their TikCode. TikCode is primarily used by brands or personalities to show that they are available on TikTok. They put it on their websites from where you can scan it and find them. Every person has their own unique TikCode. Similarly, you can also show your TikCode to someone who might want to follow you on the app. 

How to Create a TikTok Video

Now that you have a TikTok account and have observed how TikTok works, you can create content on the app. Here’s how to create TikTok videos. 

1. Pick Your Topic

Start with picking a topic. But before that, you need to set your niche. A niche is a category under which you will be making most of your videos. For example, it can be dancing, music, stunts, magic or fashion, etc. 

Once you have got your niche, do competitor research and find what your competitors are missing. Or, you can google some topics on your niche and create content on that. 

1. Record a Video

After you have a topic, tap on the “+” sign below on the screen. It is where you can shoot your video. There you will find some recording tools, such as:

 

• Flip: For flipping the camera
• Speed: Lets you control your video speed.
• Beauty: The AR filter smoothens your skin and hides blemishes.
• Filters: Here, you will find plenty of filters to put on your videos. 
• Timer: You can set a timer and put it on auto-record. 
• Flash: Turns the flashlight on/off.

1. Add Effects

TikTok has a lot of effects that you can use on your video. Starting with AR filters to many other things, these effects will add an edge to your content. 

You will also have to pick the music in the background. While doing so, make sure that you select such that matches the mood of your videos. The perfect amalgamation of effects and music will help in increasing the engagement of your content. 

1. Upload Your Video

Finally, once you are satisfied with what you have created, you can upload the content on TikTok. There are a few things to note before you upload the video. Well, on TikTok, you will need engagement. Whether you are looking for the unique money making methods for tiktok, or simply want to be famous, likes, comments, and shares are the things most needed on your journey. 

So, make sure you use proper hashtags and give an appropriate title to your content. Hashtags play a huge role when it comes to content creation on TikTok. This not only helps the algorithm to define the genre or the type but also takes your video a long way. 

So, once you are all set, click on upload, and your content will be uploaded on the platform. 

Conclusion

So, that was pretty much a step-by-step guide to using TikTok. If you are new to this platform, we hope that this guide will help you in almost every aspect. However, focus on your content more and try to make it more creative and original. 

Remember, you can always buy likes on TikTok. But the organic reach is something that would help you in the long run. That said, we hope you had fun in this discussion. We will meet you soon.