TikTok: Engage Nationally, Find Allies, Be Funny!

What is TikTok?

TikTok is a short-form video sharing social media platform with nearly 700 million active users and growing. The app curates content for a user’s “For You” page based on an algorithm of the content the user previously “liked” and the videos on which the user has left comments. 

The app is generally known for lip-syncing and dance content, but has expanded to educational (e.g. DIY and politics), skits, and more. TikTok is best for trendy, short-looped videos and is geared to a younger (Gen Z and Millennial) audience.

How to Get Started on TikTok?

• Download TikTok from the App Store (iOS) or Google Playstore (Android).
• Open the app.
• Go to Me and choose a method to sign up.
• You’re all set!

Rules for Posting: The content has to meet TikTok’s community guidelines. 

Create: Creating a video is as simple as pressing the + button located on the bottom of the app and begin recording! This is a great way for you to advance your cause to a wider audience. For example, creators have used TikTok to speak up on school choice, election fraud, and other important issues, and encouraged others to share their thoughts in the comments.

“For You” Page: The “For You” Page is the feed that you will first see when opening the app. Users are presented with a stream of recommended videos based on what the app thinks the user will like. 

Captions: Captions are descriptions that accompany content and are located at the bottom of the video. They are a great way to draw users with witty, brief sentences followed by hashtags.

Trends: A trend is a topic that becomes popular and appears frequently when browsing through your feed. It can be expressed as a hashtag (e.g. #SchoolChoice). It is important to participate in trends (or even start a trend!) to effectively engage with the audience. Look for popular trends and hashtags by browsing through the “Discover” tab on the app.

Hashtags: Hashtags help you tag your content so that people who are interested in it are more likely to find your post.  You can add a hashtag symbol (#) followed by a word (e.g. #ForYouPage or #FYP or #ElectionFraud). Hashtags are inserted into captions so that they are searchable on the app and trigger TikTok’s algorithm to place the video on users’ “For You” page.

Tagging: Create further engagement on a TikTok by tagging people! To do this, simply insert the @ symbol and begin typing the username of the individual you want to tag.

Tips: It’s best to use TikTok for timely or “hot” issues. Try to use humor as much as possible. Don’t be too serious. Enjoy yourself while filming content!