TechMag
If you spend enough time on social media, you may have already noticed that TikTok short videos have invaded other platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and even YouTube. If this, or the quarantine by COVID-19, has aroused your curiosity and you want to be part of the TikToker community, we will tell you all the TikTok tricks and steps to navigate this social network.
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I already have my profile, now what?
The first thing you should do is download TikTok from the App Store or Google Play Store and configure your account.
Just watch a couple of videos and follow a couple of TikTokers –– a term used to describe the popular creators of TikTok–– for the app to suggest personalized content. For example, my account is full of trending videos among Latino users and various dance choreographies.
If you like a video, double-click on the screen or the heart icon, if you want to comment, click on the conversation bubble and, if you want to share that clip on other social networks, click on the share icon to see all available options. Unlike other social networks, TikTok lets you share as a message, share the video in GIF format, post on other social networks and download the videos to your phone.
In the share icon, there is also the option to report a video, you can indicate that you did not like that publication so that it does not show you similar content, use the same effect that was used in the video, make a duet, react to the video, add it to your favorites and share it as GIF.
How do I join trends?
The simplest –– and obvious –– way is through the Trends section, which shows you the popular hashtags of the moment. It is worth mentioning that there are trends that are marked by a song, as is the case of the popular Renegade dance, and there are other trends that use a specific effect or simply follow a specific theme, such as the hashtag #onlineclass or #happyathome which shows what people do during the COVID-19 quarantine.
Another way to follow trends is through the audios used in other videos. To access them you have to click on the circular icon in the lower right corner of the videos –– the one that simulates a music disc in play–– to see all the videos that have been recorded with that audio track. Once there you will only have to click on the camera icon to record your own version of the video.
The third option to use the audio and effect of a video is to click on the share icon and select the option to Use this effect since in this way the used audio and effect track will be added automatically.
Duets and reactions
The option to do a kind of duet is ideal to respond to certain trends or simply to make your own version of a video that you liked. To use it you must be in the video you want, click on the share option and select the Duo icon. TikTok will automatically select the audio and effect that the other person used, so you can do an exact recreation. However, you can choose to use a totally different filter.
Like the option to do duets, the option to react is found in the share icon, but unlike answering or recreating a video, this option –as its name indicates– is made to show your response to a video.
Edit your video
Unlike other applications such as Instagram or Snapchat, editing on TikTok is much more complex due to the number of options available.
Initially, you have a fairly large number of effects, you can select the speed to record your video, deactivate or activate a beauty filter, set a timer and once you record you can add even more effects. Remember that you can record your video in parts and modify the effects.
Once you’ve finished recording, new editing options will appear on the screen. For example, you will be able to add new filters, change the song, add visual effects, add transitions, divide the screen and play with the speed of your video.
Another post-production option is to add texts. To do this, you must choose the style you want, color and by clicking on the text you can move it, and also choose when and for how long you want it to be visible. Finally, add a sticker, emoji or GIF to your video, and just like with texts, you can pin them or choose when you want them to appear.
If you think your video is ready to be published, click Next.
The next thing is to write a description, add hashtags and tag a friend if you want. Right there you can choose the cover for your video and configure privacy, activate or deactivate comments, the option for people to pair with your video or react, and decide if you want your video to be automatically saved on your phone.
Finally, if you think your video is ready to be published, click on Publish, and if you want to think about it a little more, click on Drafts.
