“OMG, did you just see that trending video on the FYP of Karen blowing up in the Costco warehouse?”
Umm what?
If you’re wondering what the heck that means, you’re not alone.
When most people think of TikTok, they think it’s “just another social media platform..” only this time it’s, “just for little kids who love dancing.”
Sure, 41% of the users are between the ages 16-24. But the truth is, TikTok is one of the fastest growing social media apps that can be seriously leveraged to grow your following.
With over 800 million active users worldwide, the app has been downloaded over 1.5 billion times on the App store and Google Play. It also ranked as the top most downloaded app in Apple’s iOS apple store for Q1 in 2019 with over 33 million downloads.
Basically, TikTok isn’t just any old social media platform. It’s a full on BEAST.
So, how do you get a piece of the TikTok pie?
As social media influencers on IG, it can be a daunting task to want to start over again on a new platform
We’re going to share with you how some of our clients received over 10,000 followers in the first 30-Days of creating their TikTok account using our strategies and tips. Remember to bookmark this tab, because this is going to be the best TikTok Quick Start Guide to jumpstarting your business or brand on TikTok.
The 3 Types of TikTok Users. Which one are you?
Now that you understand how powerful TikTok is in terms of capturing an audience, you have to ask yourself, “How is this app going to serve me?”
First, let’s break down the 3 Types of TikTok Users:
Content Consumer
Content creator or influencer
Brand or Business
As a social media influencer, you probably have an idea of what type of creator you want to be, but it’s important to understand all the users on the app and how they interact with it. That way you know exactly how to create content that resonates with your audience.
Content Consumer
Content consumers are exactly what they sound like -- they watch and consume videos. This is going to be the bulk of people that will be supporting, engaging, and following your content.
Consumers themselves aren’t really creators per-say. They’re the types that browse TikTok for informational content, interesting or inspiring videos, or just a good laugh. Those hardcore browsers are the types of people that will be hardcore fans, so make sure you pay close attention to content consumers.
However, this can also change depending on what type of niche or content it is that you’re creating. Say, you’re an awesome Premiere Pro video editor and you want to create video editing hacks and tips on your TikTok account for other video creators.
Content Creators
If you’re already an IG influencer or an active YouTuber or got those Twitter hot-fingers, you’re definitely going to know what a content creator is. These are the people who are responsible for creating content for consumers and other creators. Even though it may seem like there are a TON of creators out there, this isn’t the majority of users (since most of the content that you see on TikTok FYP is created by content creators).
The top 50 TikTok influencers have a following comparable to 16% of the global population. TikTok’s top creators have more followers combined than the 1.2 billion population of the African continent. (https://mediakix.com/blog/top-tik-tok-statistics-demographics/)
Brand or Business
There are tons of brands and businesses that are jumping on TikTok quickly because of it’s rising popularity and user base. You’ll notice a few ads while scrolling in the For You page or even a couple of your favorite clothing brands.
TikTok is an excellent way for brands to creatively engage with their audience on a whole new level. It can be extremely effective in generating revenue. One influencer was able to generate over 15,000 sales of a product from one video! https://www.instyle.com/beauty/beauty-products-tools/peace-out-pore-strips-tiktok
For those of you who are almost full-time influencers, you may want to consider the following as an option. Ultimately, as an influencer, you want to leverage your social media accounts to grow your brand or business.
Even if you don’t have a business yet, don’t worry. This is something we’ll be discussing later in the course to help you catapult your brand and business to the next level.
So, there you have it! You know all the types of users and how they engage with the app. Now it’s time to start thinking about where you might fall in. This can obviously change over time, but make sure that you know where you stand and how you want TikTok to serve YOU.
Create a Pro Account (DO NOT SKIP THIS!)
Now that you have your account set up or if you’ve already had it set up before, we’re going to get you set up with a “Pro Account.”
Now I know what you’re thinking. “I just spent all this money and now I have to spend more?”
Nope!
The great part about having a pro account is it’s free, and REALLY useful. You definitely don’t want to skip this step.
Here’s how to create it:
Click on the “...” in the top right of your profile to open your “settings and privacy”.
On the top of the menu hit “Manage my account”
Hit the last option in red that says “Switch to Pro Account”
Click continue twice
Now it’s going to prompt you to choose a category. This is very important since this will help TikTok better understand what type of content you are posting. You will only be able to change this once, but don’t worry! It won’t affect your views
If you have a private account, it will automatically be set to public so just take note of that!
You’re all set! Analytics will take a little over 24 hours after your videos are posted for them to register. Also note that only analytics data wi be taken for videos made AFTER you create a pro account. Anything posted before won’t have any analytic data.
So, why is a pro account important?
It allows you to see your analytics!
This is going to be crucial when testing your content to see what works down the line. We will be going over this in detail later in the course.
Now that you’re all set with your pro account, let get into the details of choosing a username the RIGHT way!
Name vs. Username: What's the difference?
While you were creating your account, I’m guessing you probably just put your first name and last name in the “Name” section. Yes, intuitively this is absolutely correct. However, your “name” in TikTok is actually extremely powerful, more than just what yo mama gave you!
There are two different ways people can know who you are:
Name
Username
Though they may seem like the same thing, they’re actually different in functionality and are both equally effective in getting people to search you and understand who you are.
Name
Let’s take a look at the name section. If you’ve already created an account, you can edit your Name section at any time. Here’s how:
Go to your profile
Click on “edit profile”
Click Name
Your name actually allows for up to 30 characters! If you’re a Twitter guru, I know you’re screaming for joy. Having these extra characters allow you to use searchable keywords in your name that make it easier for people to find you.
Searchable keywords can range from things that are relevant to your niche, your name, or any category you think people would search to find your content. For example, if you’re a travel blogger and you put in your name “Kiki: Travel and Fashion Blogger” anybody who searched “travel” or “fashion” can find you! This is called SEO or “Search Engine Optimization” which can be done on any type of searchable platform like Google, Pinterest, etc.
Be sure to use as many characters and you can and make sure your “name” makes sense. Avoid putting a bunch of random keywords just to get searches. If you do want to make yours more keyword focused, you can use a format like “Travel | Fashion | Beauty” with line separators.
Username
Your username is what your TikTok URL will be and what people will know your account as. This is the main “branding” name of your account. We’ll go more into depth on how to choose your username the right way in the next section.
Choosing the Right Username
It’s time to get that username that people will remember forever!
For those of you who are already influencers, this part is actually going to be easy breezy. One of the most important parts about branding as an influencer is to keep your content consistent across your platforms. So, the best thing is to stick with what’s already working. Plus it will make things much easier for your followers to find you on TikTok.
There are three reasons why you’re going to want to strategically choose a new screen name:
You’re new to social media
You’re rebranding yourself on TikTok
Your current screen name is already taken
One of the worst feelings is going to a site and realizing someone stole your beloved username. This happens a TON especially since the social media world is becoming more saturated and new influencers are popping up regularly.
Here’s what you can do to choose a solid username:
Straightforward and to the Point
Most people want to get super creative with their username since, let’s be real, creators are people of many descriptive words! However, you want to make a username that’s short and easy for people to search. If you have complicated words and names, it will be difficult for people to search or type your name.
Avoid using Numbers and Characters
Oftentimes, people will tend to add a string of numbers or special characters to their usernames until they finally get a version of what they want. This is a HUGE no-no. If someone wants to find you and they search the username without the string of letters, then they might mistake their profile as yours. Also, people get easily confused when three are too many repeated letters or special characters/numbers.
Tips for a Snatched Username
If you’ve already built an empire around a username, we get you. It’s important to stay on brand and consistent. Here are a few ways you can stay on brand creatively:
Add “official” to the end of the username “BeautyBossOfficial”
Add “iam” to the beginning of the username “iamLauraJ’
Add “The” to the beginning of your username “TheChristyTaylor”
Add your industry to your name “SarahBMakeup”
Note: if you are a well known celebrity or brand and someone has your username and is posting on your behalf, you can report this account and request for TikTok to remove it since it may infringe on copyright laws.
Crafting a Bio that Gets Follows
Oh the dreaded bio!
If you’ve already built a decent social media empire, you might be tempted just to copy and paste what you have going on your IG. Sure, it gets the job done quickly, but this might not be the best way to go about it.
When creating a solid bio, you want to keep in mind that you are only limited to only 80 characters. This is far less characters than you get from 150 characters in your IG bio. Copying a pasting is going to be a bit tricky, so consider switching things up.
There are several ways to create a bio that either drives traffic or gains followers. The biggest goal of your bio is that you want to CLEARLY, CONCISELY, and CREATIVELY explain what it is you do so you don’t leave your potentially followers or other brands guessing.
One way to quickly do this is to use a one line sentence that clearly explains what you do in your videos especially if you have a solid niche.
Example: “Travel tips and tricks” or “Beauty Tutorials Daily”
Also, a trending way to describe your account is adding “CEO” to your profile. Essentially what this means is you are the ultimate boss of something. Bear in mind the more targeted the niche, the more interesting it will be
Example: “CEO of Eyelash Extension Tutorials” or “CEO of What to Wear”
You also have the option to link your Instagram and YouTube accounts in the bio, which is an ingenious move on TikTok’s part. This allows you to cross promote your platforms and drive traffic to your other social accounts.
Be sure to create a clear call to action to “follow” your other social platforms so people remember to check them out. I added this in my bio and now I get around 60 new followers on IG a day!
Depending on how many followers you have, you can add a link in your bio, which we will cover in the later section of this course.
The Perfect Profile Picture
A picture speaks a thousand words.
This is absolutely true when it comes to creating a solid profile that your fans and viewers will remember.
But with the growing popularity of the app and other influencers popping out of nowhere on the reg, choosing any old selfie or photo really isn’t going to cut it.
Your profile picture is one of the first things that your followers will check when coming to your profile. Best to make that first impression count.
Here are 4 things you need to remember to make a great profile picture for your TIkTok Account:
Bright and easy to see
Professional high-quality images
Clearly depicts who you are
*Optional: if you are a business or brand, have a SIMPLE logo
Bright and Easy To See
When your audience is being inundated with content regularly, you need to make sure you choose an image that stands out. Bright and light colors attract the eye the most, so consider using a colorful backdrop that’s light and bright if you’re shooting a picture of your face.
Avoid using darker colors or dimly lit images because it will get lost in the background of most videos.
Professional High-Quality Images
Because your profile picture is one of the first things people will look at to better understand who you are, you want to make sure the picture is high quality and shot as professionally as possible.
Now, I’m not saying you need to go hire a photographer for professional headshots, but don’t use a selfie you shot with your girlfriends at margarita night.
Also, try and edit your profile picture so it’s very clear if the lighting wasn’t perfect when you shot it.
You can use a smartphone to shoot your profile picture, but be sure the lighting is absolutely TOP quality and your image isn’t pixelated. Shooting during the day helps drastically with this.
Clearly Depicts Who You are
Your profile picture needs to truly captivate as close as possible the type of content it is that you’re posting. If you are a baker, be sure to try and shoot a picture of you baking or holding some cookies. If you’re a comedian, shoot an image that shows your personality.
Also, if you're shooting your face, try to shoot close enough where your face can be seen. I see a lot of influencers who shoot full body shots. You have to remember that your image is going to be the size of your thumbnail (literally), so it needs to be legible and clear from far away. A good way to check is to shrink your image on your computer super small to double check.
Businesses or Brands: Have a SIMPLE Logo
If you already have a brand logo, you’re ahead of the game. However, some brand logos don’t really translate perfectly into a small social thumbnail. If you’re trying to develop a logo that works, here are a few things to keep in mind:
Use no more than 3 colors
Keep the images and words at a bare minimum
If you can’t fit the name, use just your logo image
If you’re looking to create your own logo, I highly recommend using Canva. It’s an easy-to-use drag and drop designer that’s all online and totally free to start out.
Check it out here: https://canva.7eqqol.net/c/2334192/653599/10068
You can also use fiver.com to hire a logo designer for pretty cheap. Many of the freelancers on there are fast and effective.
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