Are you ready for your business to catch the attention of a wider audience? Using TikTok and Instagram Reels can be a good place to start, but you may be unfamiliar with these platforms. No worries, we’re here to help! Getting started with TikTok and Instagram Reels isn’t as difficult as you might think. We’ll show you how to create an eye-catching profile and share insider tips to capture your client’s interest!
Make a Great First Impression with Your Bio
Like any other social media platform, filling out your profile helps you connect to your audience. Your bio is one of the first things your viewer will see when clicking on your page. Make sure to link your other social channels in your bio, so your TikTok or Reels followers can find you on other platforms. This is also a great place to add a call to action with a link to your website.
Pro Tip: If possible, keep the same username across platforms. That way when someone researches your username, they can easily find all your social channels.
Hop on an Algorithm to Boost Views!
TikTok and Reels use algorithms that determine which clips are featured on the Discover (TikTok) and Explore (Reels) pages. Content recommendations are based on what you’ve watched, clips you’ve interacted with by liking, commenting, or sharing, and creators you follow. So, if you’re trying to hop on a certain algorithm, make sure you use the same hashtags, sound clips, and video length as other users.
When Creating a Video Remember – Short Is Sweet
TikTok and Reels are designed for leisure viewing—and short attention spans! Most viral videos clock in at or around 15 seconds. Your content has less than 5 seconds to capture a viewer’s attention before they move on, so make sure that your clips have a good “hook” and that it’s immediately interesting to someone scrolling.
Pro Tip: Want viewers to stop scrolling and watch your clip? Use the voice over tool to tell a story! Begin your voice over with “Stop, before you keep scrolling you have to hear this.”
Follow & Participate in Trends & Challenges
Things move fast on TikTok and Reels! Staying updated on trends lets you deliver the kind of content your audience craves. And don’t worry, not all trends are dances! Trending clips are usually familiar formats that are easy to replicate and add your own style or twist to.
Pro Tip: Stay on top of what’s trending by using the Discover and Explore pages. Make sure to participate in trend challenges! Putting your own spin on memes, try out the latest dances and use trending hashtags to increase your chance of getting discovered!
Post Regularly – And Often
The more content you put out, the more you’ll be able to learn what works and what doesn’t work. Posting frequently and regularly helps your page stay in the algorithm and attract more followers. You don’t have to post daily but posting a few times a week can boost your views.
Pro Tip: TikTok is a bit different when it comes to posting times. Rather than posting for your followers during high engagement hours, you will want to post trends to appear on the “For You” page. Posting regularly with the correct hashtags will have you appear more often! You can even try the adding the classic #fyp (For You Page.)
Follow Top Creators & Creators Who Inspire You – And Engage with Them
You know the saying, “To get a friend, be a friend”? That’s one of the best ways to create a successful TikTok or Reels account. Find influencers and creators whose clips inspire you. Engage with their pages – like, comment, and share. Chances are, you’ll get more follow backs, and your comments may even attract their viewers to give your page a look.
Pro Tip: Don’t follow multiple accounts and then immediately unfollow to get more followers. Not only is it bad TikTok and Instagram etiquette, it can cause the platform to flag your account for spammy behavior!
Create Original Content
It may sound contradictory to both “be original” and “follow trends.” The key is to add your own unique spin to trending challenges and viral memes or tell a story the way that only you can.
Pro Tip: Simple as is sounds – just be yourself. Authenticity is more important than airbrushed perfection on TikTok and Reels. Let the qualities that make you unique shine through, and viewers will take notice!
What Kind of TikToks & Reels Do Viewers Want to See?
Here’s a quick rundown of the content people are loving and what you should showcase on your own page!
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Show Your Skills. From pen twirling and ear wiggling to lightning fast haircuts, TikTok and Reels are made to show off that one cool trick that everyone’s got.
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Lip Syncs. Serious or silly, lip syncs are perfect for memes, skits, jokes, and more.
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Trending challenges. When everyone’s joining in on the fun, you should, too!
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Duets. Twice is nice when you team up with a pal – plus, some of their followers may follow your page!
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Memes. Because when someone says “Hit or miss,” you don’t want to be the only one who doesn’t know the next line!
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Candid Clips. Especially in the time of quarantine and COVID, sometimes people just want to see you hanging out and living your life.
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Pets & Animals. Because there’s no such thing as “too many cats” on the internet!
Are you ready to show the world what you’ve got with a TikTok or Reel? We make it easy for you to let customers know about your page and share new clips with user-friendly email marketing and text marketing! You bring the magic – we’ll bring the tools. Get started with email and text marketing today!
Images: Giorgio Trovato via Vagaro and Mia Montemayor via Vagaro
Icons: Mia Montemayor via Vagaro