If you’re here, chances are you already have a TikTok idea in mind. Now, you’re looking to skip the frustration and confusion that being a beginner brings. Learning new apps to stay on top of the game can be a challenging process, but you’re not alone.

Tik Tok hasn’t been around for too long and if you’re coming from Instagram you might be wondering why TikTok is even relevant. TikTok isn’t just about showing your best dance moves; many people are going viral on the app and landing acting gigs, creating top hit songs, and generating clients for their businesses.

It’s natural to assume only younger generations are using the app. However, a lot has changed in a year as other generations and businesses caught on to the new trend.

Check out the updated stats from March 2021 by Statista.

So if you’re starting to think that you don’t need to be on TikTok because your audience isn’t there, you are dead wrong. Taking the time now to learn the ins and outs of how to TikTok won’t be a waste of your time. 

To help you out, I’ve created a list of the 5 most important steps to get started on the app. This guide breaks down every step so you won’t have any questions about how to get started. 

Why it’s important to be present over being perfect.

Don’t let the fear of not creating the perfect content be the reason you don’t post on TikTok. 

Once upon a time, before everyone was an IG expert, people used to focus heavily on the way their feed looked. It came to a point where people would pause on posting if the next photo on their social media planner didn’t match the color theme on the previous photo. 

Thankfully, those days are gone, and creating content on social media has become a lot more chillaxed…in a way.  Don’t get me wrong, there is still A LOT of work to do. Yet, the focus has shifted from beautifully curated feeds to more entertaining and educational content.

People love TikTok because they are free to be themselves, as silly and imperfect as we are. With Tiktok, the strategy is to show up as much as you can and in the most authentic way possible. While you’re busy showing up and being present, provide as much value as you can.

Thus, being present over perfect.

So if you’re getting started on TikTok, try not to think too much about the aesthetics of your video. Focus on having fun and being your authentic self.

5 Easy Steps to Get
Started on TikTok

Step One: CREATE YOUR ACCOUNT

As I said, we are getting down to the fine details here. That means the basics of opening your free account on TikTok.

Create An Account Name

Try to keep your name the same or similar to your other social media accounts. This will make it easier for your followers to find you across platforms. It also helps keep your brand identity cohesive. 

TikTok Bio

If someone were to come across your account, what are some things they’d want to know about you? You don’t have many characters to play with so make it short, sweet, and memorable. Remember people use TikTok because it gets to the point and quick.

Profile Photo/Video

Try to use a high resolution image or video that makes your profile image pop when engaging with other viewers.

Step Two: STRATEGY

Don’t just create content on the fly. It’s important to be intentional about what you post.

Your audience is looking for entertainment and to gain value from watching your videos. Again, this doesn’t mean your videos have to be perfect, you just need to have a plan.

A few questions to ask yourself before developing content:

• What is the goal of your page? 
  • Are you trying to sell more products or services? 
  • Show your authority in the market? 
    
• Do you have a niche? 
  • What do you want to be known for? 
  • How are you going to solve a person’s problem?
• Do you have a Call to Action? 
  • What do you want your viewers to do after watching your video. 
  • Are there other social media pages or a website you’d like your viewers to visit? 

Plan your videos in advance

My highest recommendation is to use a planner to keep all your ideas, video scripts, and song choices in one place. There are plenty of apps out there, but my choice is Trello. Not only is it free to use, but you can save links to your favorite sounds right off the TikTok app.

Here is an example of how I plan my video ideas on Trello.

Here is a quick TikTok Video on how I organize my Trello Board for TikTok

Pro Tip: Batch create your videos

Plan a day to create all your videos at the same time. You can change into several outfits to make it look like they were recorded on different days. This way, you can get the hassle of bringing out everything you need to record out of the way all at once. Then all you have to do is edit and publish!

Step Three: RESEARCH & BRAINSTORMING

Now, it’s time to put your thinking caps on. If you’re not a creative person I know how hard this part of the process can be. If you don’t know what to research or how to capture your thoughts visually, this is how you can start.

Find Out What’s Trending

As I mentioned before, TikTok runs on viral trends. So stay on top of them and research the songs. sounds, dance moves, and filters that are popular at the time you’re making and posting.When reviewing a trending sound, think about how you can utilize that sound for your niche.

Here is an example of how I took a trending sound and made it fit my branding & social media niche.

Use Content Pillars

Using trending sounds to gain visibility is a great strategy. A better strategy is to use those trends to create your own unique videos that relate to your niche. Use your content pillars to help you come up with video ideas, related to your niche, that your audience would find interesting.

If you”re unfamiliar with how Content Pillars work, here is our blog post explaining what they are and how to use them.

Here are some video ideas to get started. 

• Demonstrate a How-To
• Teach your audience something. 
• Act out a relatable skit
• Showcase your product
• Show a before and after
• Client Testimonials
• Share a review of a recent purchase
• Share something you learned

Where to look for inspiration

Here are some of my favorite accounts that announce new TikTok trends & Tips. These are great places to keep a lookout for inspiration and discover trends.

• @Jera.bean
• @Brock11johnson
• @Wavewyld
• @Socialtypro
• @jtbarnett

Pro Tip: Save Trending Songs

Save the trending songs that you like in your favorites to reference for your own video later. Then you can use our Trello Freebie to sort out your favorite audio and plan a video around it.

Step Four: CREATE YOUR TIKTOK

Now that you’ve got a plan, script, and inspiration pumping, it’s time to start filming. I know many people get a bit shy about this process and don’t know how to let their freak flag fly. But don’t worry, I’m going to break it down for you.

TikTok Content Creation Tools

Before you get down and dirty, here is a list of tools I use and recommend grabbing to create your next TikTok.

• iPhone or Professional Camera 
  • If you’re a beginner, there is no need to buy a top of the line camera, an iPhone will do just fine. 
  • If you’re using a professional camera, make sure to shoot the video vertically.
• Ring Light with tripod
  • Tall Tripod for standing videos
    • Neewer Advanced 16-inch LED Ring Light
  • Travel Tripod for Videos on the go
    • Neewer Portable Desktop Mini Tripod
• Audio
  • This option is more for the professionals out there. You don’t need audio in order to start, but if you’re looking to make your videos sound better, here is a starter kit. 
    • Rode Video Micro Compact On-Camera Microphone

Editing Apps

• InShot or Splice Video Editing Apps
  • Free video editing applications that work on iPhone and the iPad. With it, you can easily add titles or transitions, crop, delete, resize, change the start and end points, or even adjust the speed of your video clips.
• Adobe Rush
  • Adobe Premiere Rush is the free mobile and desktop video editing app for creativity on the go. Wherever you are, from your phone to your computer, you can shoot, edit, and share high-quality videos.
• Adobe Premiere
  • Unlike Adobe Rush, this desktop application requires a lot of training. If you are serious about becoming a content creator
• Mix Captions App
  • Automatically transcribe your videos and get accurate, elegant video captions. It’s the secret to getting more views, more followers, and higher engagement for content creators and influencers — because chances are, most of your viewers will see your videos on mute.

Trello

This is what I use to keep a running list of ideas, Trello is a web-based, Kanban-style, list making application. Check out my Trello Template Freebie at the end of the blog.

Reels Cover Photo Templates

If you want to keep your feed looking cohesive, create branded cover photo templates to customize on every reel. I recommend using Canva to create your templates so you can save time and quickly drag & drop your photos & video titles.

Planning your video

You can start planning your video one of two ways.

Way 1: You find a sound that sparks an idea for your niche. For this option, I recommend recording directly in the app.

Way 2: You can start with a concept, create a script and add music at the end.

Write a script or an outline

This way, on film day, you will not only know what to film and say next, but you can also save time by having a plan of action.

3 things your script must have

1. Hook:
   People have shorter attention spans than ever before, use a hook to capture your viewer’s attention within the first couple of seconds.
2. Answer to a problem:
   People don’t want their time wasted, make sure you answer their question as quickly and concisely as possible.
3. Call to Action:
   What action do you want your viewer to take after watching your video? 
   1. Head to your website.
   2. Buy your product or service.
   3. Subscribe to your email list. 

Visualize the final product

Create a storyboard for each section of your video. Think about all the angles of your video, what props will be utilized, and the location of your video.

Now it’s time to film

I like to create my videos using Instagram stories (mostly to get some help with the filters for no makeup days, amirite ladies? 😜), then save my favorite clips to my iPhone to then edit later using Adobe Rush. That way I have more control of the final edit and I can cut out any extra fat.

Take #2

Plan to have a few takes, It’s common to not get the video right the first time around. Give yourself time to get used to being in front of a camera. After a few TikTok’s you will have your filming rhythm down.

Pro Tip: Draft your videos

Save your videos as a draft ever so often. Just in case the app crashes, at least you will have saved your progress. (Trust me, you’ll thank me later.)

Step Five: EDIT YOUR TIKTOK

Use external apps to make final edits

• Apps to edit your videos: 
  • Adobe Rush
  • Inshot
  • Splice
  • Captions App
  • MixCaptions

Note this: If you’re using a sound on your videos outside of the Instagram or TikTok library, make sure you are licensed to use that sound. Otherwise, there is a high possibility your video will be taken down for copyright purposes.

Editing your video

• Add a hook at the beginning of your video
• Just because you have 60 seconds, doesn’t mean you should use all 60. 
  • Make your video as concise as possible, meaning.. Get to the point.
• Cut out any fluff.
  • Make sure to edit any likes, ands, and umms…
• Add captions
  • Chances are, most people watch their videos on mute, make sure to add captions before posting. 
• Add titles for points your trying to make
• Add an end card with your contact information and call to action

Select Cover Photo

Choose an image or short clip to display your video on your feed. Choose an image or clip that draws attention and add a title so a viewer will know what a video is about.

Description

You get 150 characters for your post. Keep in mind that includes your hashtags. This is just enough to tell a quick story to add more detail to your video.

3 Tips When Using Hashtags

• Use relevant tags and mix it up between popular and less used hashtags.
• Use location tags to find people in your community.
• Change the hashtags that you use daily. 

Post

Your video is filmed, edited, has a well crafted description, and now you’re all set to go. Congratulations! It’s time to post and make it live.

If you want to share the video or post it anywhere else, you will need to make that choice now because you won’t be able to after you hit post.

• You can opt to have TikTok do the grunt work and share directly from there, or you can save the video onto your device and share when and how you want to. 

When you’re ready, hit that Big Red POST Button on the bottom right.

ARE YOU READY FOR YOUR FREEBIE?

That’s That! Your Beginner’s Guide to TikTok in 4 Easy Steps.

Tik Tok is a fun way to bring engagement to your business, to collaborate and meet like minded people, and to try something new. 

Having a plan can help beat back the fear that bubbles up right before you hit the record button.

Here is a Trello planner for developing your next Tik Tok! 

On the Trello Planner you will find:

• Step by step lists growing through the content creation process
• A place to save Sound Ideas
• Individual Card Templates
  • Place to add your video Script
  • Checklists for completing videos
• Labels to help you prioritize video ideas