Hacks for TikTok: 150 Tips and Tricks for Editing and Posting Videos, Getting Likes, Keeping Your Fans Happy, and Making Money

CHAPTER 1

SIGNING UP

Ready to sign up? Here are the steps to take. Every now and then TikTok updates the interface; however, the steps for signing up for an account don’t usually change.

Once you’ve downloaded the app, the first screen will ask you to Choose Your Interests. You can tap on specific interests you have or skip this screen altogether. If you know you are interested in a few different categories of videos you want to shoot at some point, go ahead and tap on those categories. Otherwise, skip this step.

1. Choose as many as you want or skip this step altogether. (It doesn’t seem to matter, because TikTok has got you covered as it bases what videos you see on what you watch.)

2. The very next screen tells you what to do next! Pretty simple!

READY TO SIGN UP?

Tap on the Me icon in the lower right-hand corner of the screen. Tap the red Sign up box.

1. You can sign up using your phone number or email or through Facebook, Google, an Apple device, Twitter, Instagram, or Android device. Tap on the small arrow indicated below to see all of your options. Choose any method you want, but remember which you choose in case you want to create more than one account (see Tip #105 on page 122).

2. Give them your birthday … or a birthday. You have to be over thirteen to open a TikTok account, and TikTok regularly deletes accounts if the user is under that age. Just know that once you enter a birthday, you can’t change it. Tap Continue when you’re done.

3. Enter your valid phone number or email in order to receive a verification code to continue.

4. Type in the code. You will be directed to a simple Captcha to confirm you are a human.

5. Create your password.

It has to be at least eight characters (and up to twenty). You must include two of the following: letters, numbers, and/or special characters.

6. Create your username (see Tip #115 on page 134). Your username has to be unique—meaning no one else on TikTok can share the same username as you. If the username you choose is already taken, you will get a note saying, This username has been taken. Please try a different one.

That’s it. You’re signed up and ready to make some magic.

FILL IN THE BLANKS

Well, before the magic, there is still a little more housekeeping to take care of. You can change your assigned TikTok name, add a short bio, add a profile pic or video, and more!

This is your Profile screen. You get to it by tapping on the Me icon at the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. Tap on Edit profile in order to change your TikTok assigned name, add biography info, add Instagram, and/or YouTube. This is also where you can add a profile photo or video. This is what your followers will see when they go to check you out, so you want it to look awesome.

A. Tap here to access photos on your phone. Choose one for your profile pic. Or better yet, take a new one, but take a shower first—you want to look your best!

B. You can decide to use a six-second video clip instead of a photo. Start by tapping here. (More on creating videos on page 52.)

C. TikTok auto-generates a name for you. Change it by tapping here. The Name appears at the top of your page. Don’t skip this step. Nothing looks worse than your name, user7032150724291 showing up instead of the cool one that’s still in your head.

D. This is your TikTok username that you created already. This is your handle. Click on the 2-square icon to copy a link that will take anyone right to your Profile screen.

E. Add your bio here. (See page 137 for more on bios.)

F. Tapping either of these will take you to their signins. Type in your username and password to link your accounts.

TIP #1

Save Your Work

Whenever you are changing anything in your profile, make sure to find and tap Save. It’s easy to miss (even though it is red!), and if you do, you have to start over.

TIP #2

Complete Your Profile

Your profile is your first impression. It is who you are on TikTok—your personality or brand, so to speak—so think about what you want to say about yourself as you fill in the blanks as precisely as possible. You want your visitors to get who you are quickly. So, decide what category or niche you are going to own and be consistent about it throughout your profile creation. Are you a lip-syncer, a dancer, a comedian, a prankster, or an observer of life? It helps if you know what you’re going to do on TikTok before you fill in the blanks. As you’ll find out later, being on TikTok isn’t so much about being original as it is about bringing a new voice to everything that’s already out there. So, don’t reinvent the wheel, but instead, polish the wheel with your own particular glow.

YOUR PROFILE SCREEN (A.K.A. ME PAGE)

A. Leads to three options: inviting friends, finding contacts, and finding Facebook friends. (See Tip #86 on page 103 for more.)

B. Your name. Tapping on this takes you to where you can add an account. (See Tip #105 on page 122 for