From which country is Tik Tok?
Ever heard of tik tok? No? Then you must either be living under a rock or you are probably not within the age of 8-25. TikTok is a social media platform where users use music to make and remix short videos. It is a video-sharing platform that is mostly used by teenagers and amateur content producers;
In 2014, Alex Zhu and Luyu Yang, founders of a startup with its headquarters in Shanghai, China, and an overseas office in Santa Monica, California, US created an app named Musical.ly. This app was a music-related app that allowed users to post 15 seconds lip syncs videos. This app became very popular and in 2016, even reached over 70 million downloads.
In 2016, Bytedance, a huge Chinese internet technology company created an app named Douyin, which is a video sharing app. With the need to go global, Bytedance launched an app named TikTok in 2017 and in November of that same year, purchased musical.ly for $1 billion; On 2nd August 2018, TikTok was then merged with musical.ly, consolidating existing accounts, data, and video community into one app. The title TikTok was kept. It can be said that TikTok is an international edition/version of Douyin, which remained a separate app in China.
How Many Users on Tik Tok?
Due to the situation of the world today with the coronavirus and the uncertainty caused by the pandemic, people are spending more time at home and are keen on keeping in touch with their friends, family, and the outside world. This has increased the popularity of TikTok as users are flocking to the platform to stay connected with others whom they can no longer see physically. Users are further attracted to the app because of its easy usage and catchy videos that effectively catch and keep the interest of their audience.
As of January 2021, TikTok has about 1 billion monthly active users worldwide with 100 million users only in the US and over 10 million users in the United Kingdom;
Statistics show that the app has been downloaded more than 2.6 billion times worldwide and that usage of the app will exceed 10% of the United Kingdom (UK) population this year;
What is the Purpose Of Tik Tok?
It is no secret that tik tok is one of the hottest social platforms at the moment. Part of TikTok’s growing popularity can be attributed to its simple, user-friendly interface and fun content. A major thing that sets TikTok apart from the other social platforms is how it is less reliant on the social graph and focuses more on content discovery and driving engagement. The interface pushes and leads users to find new and recent videos based on the posts and contents they have seen and liked before, making them begin to swipe through instead of seeking out their preferred and best content makers and creators. The fact that it has been accepted globally makes it a perfect and ideal place for influencer marketing. Tik Tok has been a major and strong force of popular and current culture, making unknown content makers and creators become stars while turning young teenagers to celebrities. Tik Tok is an avenue for people to express their creativity and sell their business ideas.
How to Make a Tik Tok Account?
The first thing you have to do when you want to create an account on TikTok is to download the TikTok app. You don’t have to worry about the language barrier since Tik Tok offers a variety of languages though you need little or no language to navigate it. This app is available to both Android and Apple users. It can also be used on some tabs, iPad, and even computers though it does not function as well on PCs.
You can simply go to Google Play or the App Store to download TikTok. Once you download and open the app you can instantly see the videos that other users have posted on the app but you won’t be able to share or post anything until your account has been set up. To set up your account all you need is a standard username and password. The option to instantly sign up with Gmail, Twitter, and Facebook is also available but use a standard username and password if you don’t want to connect your other social media accounts to your TikTok account. When signing up with a username and password you also need a phone number or an email address. You also have an option to add a profile picture or video.
How to Make Tik Tok Videos?
First of all, you have to tap the middle tab on the app to enter camera mode. Once you’re in camera mode then you can choose what direction you want the camera to face by tapping the flip icon in the top right of the app; The angle is very important when making a video so you should do is find the right place to set up your device.
If you look at the top right side of your screen you will see different features that you can use in creating the video. These features are Speed which has slow-motion and speed-up effects; Beautify which uses an AR filter to make your skin look smooth and to hide any blemish you may have; Filters which allow you to choose different colours; Timer which lets you set a countdown; and Flash. You will find the ‘Sounds’ icon at the top centre of your camera screen. Tap this icon if you want to add sound effects or music. The upload button is on the left bottom of the camera and the Effects icon is on the right. The effects icon has special effects that can change your face or surroundings;
Press and hold the red record button once you’re done and you can either record your video piece by piece or all at once. If you don’t want to hold your record button then you can just set the timer and it will automatically start recording. When you’re done recording, you can still add music, effects, filters, and even stickers and texts. Press Next when you’re done and you will be directed to a page where you can add hashtags, other people’s account handles, captions, etc. You can also turn comments off you want privacy. You can allow reactions or duets too. You can download the finished product by taping the “Save to Album” icon. You can save to drafts by pressing the Drafts button if you don’t want to post it yet.
If you want to create a photo slide show instead of a video then you can tap the Photo Template which is located in the black bar under the camera.
How to Go Live?
Unfortunately, you have to have at least 1000 followers to be able to go Live. Though this may not be true for long as the app is constantly being updated with new features and functions being added.
For now, you need to be 16 years or older and you have 1000 followers or more. If you have up to 1000 followers then good for you. You just have to open the app on your iOS or Android. When you open the app then click on the plus sign at the bottom of your screen. You will see a ‘Live’ button that you should press. Simply title your live stream and select the Go live button to go live.
How to Get Views And Likes on Tik Tok
If you want to get more views and likes on your videos then you need to do these things:
- Upload daily/regularly.
There are so many creators and content scattered in the TikTok app so if you want your videos to get noticed then you should post regularly. Your chances to be seen increase when you put out videos daily and you will be surprised to see as your followers increase with every video you put out. Having a lot of followers does not always guarantee views and likes but it makes it easier for you to get them.
- Interact/collaborate with other creators
Interacting with other creators is probably one of the easiest things you can do to get followers, likes and views. You can engage with these creators by commenting on their videos and this will make other people want to check out your profile and content.
- Upload original/ high-quality content
People love originality and you have a higher chance of getting noticed if you make high-quality original contents that are almost cinematic masterpieces. If you’re lucky enough your video might even trend and other creators will make similar videos to your video.
- Duet with other users
- You can add trending music.
TikTok is all about following trends and trending music will make the chances of your video going viral higher.
- Use hashtags
Using the right hashtag is essential. With the taught hashtag you can connect with people that are interested in your type of content.
- Buy professional equipment
Buy a good camera, lighting, and stand.
- Link your social profile to other social media platforms
- Share your videos on other social media platforms
You can share your videos to your Instagram, Twitter, etc. to get more engagement.
How to Do a Tik Tok Duet?
Duets are very popular on TikTok. You can join in with a video you like by replying with a duet video. To use this feature, press the share button on the video you want to duet, if the creator enabled duet function then you will see the duet option at the centre of the bottom row. Press the button and you’re good to go. You can disable the duet/reaction button before posting any video if you don’t want anybody to duet your video. Enabling this button is advised.
How to Use Your Own Sound on Tik Tok
TikTok recently removed the ability to add your own sounds directly within the application. You can, however, use third-party applications like Inshot, Beecut, etc. to add your own sounds or you can use the voiceover feature to do your narration.
How to Make/Get Money From Being a Tiktoker
There are different ways you can make money on TikTok and they are:
- Through donations
You can earn money on TikTok by going Live and collecting donations from your audience. This feature is similar to that of the Twitch app. TikTok users can buy coins from their profiles. 100 coins cost $1.39. They then send coins to their favorite creators who will then turn the coins into diamonds. Using PayPal, you can convert these diamonds into cash. If this isn’t an easy way to make cool cash then I don’t know what is.
- Managing influencer campaigns
You can make money from TikTok by managing influencers/creators on the app. This entails being the middleman between an influencer/creator and brands that are interested in working with that creator/influencer.
- Using TikTok ads platform
You can make money from TikTok by using their ads platform. All you have to do is sign up for access to their ads platform and you’re good to go.
- Selling accounts you grew
This is a basic way you can use to make money from TikTok. You can grow accounts up to a certain following and then sell them to interested parties.
- Consultation
You can make money by offering consultation services to new creators. Of course, you have to know how to app works so make sure you know the app inside out before you offer your services to anybody.
How Much Money Do You Get Being a Tiktoker?
The amount of money you can make on TikTok depends on many factors like influencer deals with brands, donations from fans, etc. You can make from $100,000 to millions in a year.
Charli D’Amelio who is officially TikTok’s famous creator has a total of 106.7 million followers. She became famous for dancing to trending music. She has many endorsements from different brands and her family might get their Tv show documentary on Hulu this year. There are reports that she estimates 5.5 million dollars yearly.
Addison Rae with 74.9 million followers is a famous TikToker. She also has endorsements from different brands and hosts “Mama knows Best”, a Spotify-exclusive podcast with her mother.
Spencer X over 51 million followers and is a beatboxer who became professional thanks to endorsements and sponsorship from Monster Energy, an energy drink brand.
What to Do When Tik Tok ss Not Working?
There are many reasons why your app isn’t working properly. You might be experiencing Network error, hanging and crashing error, etc.
You can solve these errors by either updating the App, Deleting and reinstalling the app, restarting your phone, checking tik tok servers to see whether it’s their fault, checking your connection to cellular data or wifi, and changing location if the problem is from your location and closing and reopening the app.
How to Deactivate Tik Tok?
Deactivating your account is very easy. All you have to do is to log into your account; tap the three-dot icon to the top right of your screen; click on ‘Manage Account’ and select ‘Delete Account’. Enter the confirmation code sent to your phone number or email address and then click on ‘Delete Account’ again. Voila! You’re out of TikTok.
When Will Tik Tok End?
For some months now, there have been some reports about the former US president, Donald Trump banning TikTok but with the swearing-in of a new president, nobody is sure of the fate of the app in the United States. India has banned the app and ByteDance withdrew the app from Hong Kong due to security risk issues. There has been no talk of the app being banned in the UK but the idea is still plausible. As for the rest of the world, there has also been no talk of the TikTok ban. There might be an end to TikTok in the far future, but as of right now there is no end in sight.
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