Native like
no other

I guess you’ve heard “You need to adapt your content to fit TikTok!” or “Make TikToks not ads!” many times by now. But what does it really mean and why can’t we stop talking about it?

When it comes to social platforms, TikTok is the odd one out. It differs both in terms of content and as a platform. First and foremost, its aggressive algorithms make it a tiny bit more special than its siblings. By defining what your interests are based on the content you engage with rather than your relations with other users (which for example is a big part in Facebook’s and Instagram’s algorithms) you’ll quickly realize that TikTok gets you boxed in on certain topics. In a way, TikTok is that friend that will always tell you how it is and hold you accountable, regardless. Tough love basically.

Something else that sets TikTok aside from the rest of the platforms is its user’s behaviour. The expectations on, or heck – demand for entertainment is high as per usual, but there’s also a lack of tolerance for boring content. Boring equals scroll and potential valuable interactions to waste.

For some perspective let’s rewind «

In the beginning of time (we’re talking internet time now, okay?) when Facebook was THE modern time platform as we know them today, people wanted to use it to connect – to talk to friends and eventually play Hayfarm or Wordfeud together. When Instagram came along it was all about showing up that lifestyle and commenting on each other’s amazingly filtered photos. But still, it was all about direct-interaction between friends and socializing. In contrast, TikTok is only about being entertained. Not so much about exchanging messages or playing games together, more me less we.

These are all things from a user perspective, but what about us who work on the platform? As distribution specialists, we are relying on good content, but quality content is different depending on the platform which becomes painfully obvious when it comes to TikTok. Please listen (read) carefully when we say that there are many ways to do good content for the Tik to the Tok. There is no one-size-fits-all, and researching about your audience’s behaviour is always key, nothing new there. But to summarize, here are a few things to keep in mind when planning content for TikTok:

• Keep it short. The general TikTokers are all about micro-learning and micro-storytelling.
• Keep👏up👏the👏pace👏: as we said, there is no mercy for boring content.
• Be nerdy! The algorithm being aggressive is a pure feature in this case, giving you the opportunity to connect with your audience on a very specific level.
• Lo-Fi is the new Hi-Fi. Forget fancy equipment – it’s all about authenticity. Sprinkle it with some of the app’s own effects or stickers and you’re good to go.

We’d love to help you out with anything distribution associated, TikTok included. Connect with us on LinkedIn or shoot us an email. And who knows, maybe we’re entertaining you on TikTok in the near future? They who live shall see.