What is TikTok? Here’s everything you need to know, including what TikTok is, how it works, and how to use it.
Recently, you’ve come across short videos of people doing lip synchronization, dancing, stunts, or short skits on social media. These small videos come from the rapidly growing TikTok application. What is TikTok?
Since these videos are spreading like wildfire on the internet, you are probably wondering what TikTok is, how to make your own videos, and how to make the best use of the app. So, in this article you will learn what TikTok is, how it works and how to use it.
What is TikTok?
You can remember the six-second Vine videos that pushed dozens of Viners to the internet star. These Vines started a short video trend (and at the same time reduced the world’s attention span).
After the emergence of Vine in 2012, Musical.ly was created in 2014. Like Vine, Musical.ly has been at the center of short videos, especially on lip synchronization with music. As of 2017, Musical.ly had hundreds of millions of users who created fast music videos from 15 seconds to a minute.
What has this got to do with TikTok? In fact, it has a lot to do with it.
TikTok was originally launched as an application called Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok. This Chinese version is still available today, as you have to follow special Chinese censorship laws. In other words, the world has access to TikTok, while China can only use Douyin.
ByteDance developed Douyin in 2016 and launched TikTok worldwide in 2017. The application immediately became an instant hit, gaining millions of users in a short time. Since then, others have copied TikTok as an Instagram and its Reels feature .
Now we can talk about Musical.ly. TikTok grew even more when ByteDance decided to merge with Musical.ly in August 2018. Musical.ly users had to save their accounts for a general link to TikTok. TikTok also combined the Musical.ly logo with its own logos, and even adopted the same “musers” nickname that Musical.ly gave to its audience. Since then, TikTok has grown in popularity and is now considered one of the top social media apps .
However, TikTok is a controversial application. Because in fact TikTok can be considered a major security risk.
How Does TikTok Work?
Now that you know a little bit about TikTok’s background, it’s time to learn more about the app itself. With TikTok, you can post attractive 15-second videos for the entire muser community to see . You also have the option to combine these videos into your story, which can last up to 60 seconds .
In either case, you have a very short time for your videos, but still not as limited as Vine’s six-second maximum. Unlike Vine, you can download videos from your phone instead of shooting them directly in the app.
How to Use TikTok
You do not need to register an account on TikTok to use it. However, signing up for an account allows you to watch other users and take videos. When you open the application for the first time, you will probably feel somehow loaded when you see the continuous video stream appearing on your homepage.
TikTok shows recommended videos and videos of musers you watch. Scroll through the suggested videos and click on the username on the ones you like. If you enjoy the rest of their content, follow them and stay informed of all new posts.
Try not to watch too many TikToks. If you spend more than 90 minutes in the application, you will receive a notification to pause. The application exploded due to its addictive qualities, highlighting some of the negative effects of social media .
The application works a bit like Snapchat in terms of preparing videos. You capture videos by pressing and holding the big red button, and (unlike Snapchat) you can edit them later. The editing options are certainly not comparable to Adobe Premiere Pro, but you can crop your videos and adjust the speed.
Some effects allow you to draw on your screen, while others allow you to try filters and even use augmented reality to change the environment. If you know how to use filters on Snapchat, you should get TikTok quickly. You can also create a short photo sequence from your phone and use it as a video.
The main attraction of TikTok is the use of music. Each muser inserts a song into their videos using TikTok’s giant song list , which has almost every type. If you are not a music lover, you can also use the dialogue pieces in funny videos.
What Videos Can You Upload on TikTok?
While TikTok only allows a short record for your videos , that shouldn’t limit you to creativity. In fact, time constraints generally lead to more creative and entertaining videos.
You can post any video on TikTok, but the most popular ones are the musical ones. You don’t even have to be able to sing or play any musical instrument. Just staying on top of trends and using the latest songs can help keep your videos viral.
When it comes to the type of content you have to share, the possibilities are almost endless. Think of TikToks as an abbreviated version of YouTube videos . So you can share anything from textbooks to entertaining technology videos.
If you tap on the magnifying glass in TikTok’s submenu bar , you will see some of the latest and most popular videos. You will see that TikTok divides some videos into different playlists. Some of these lists include games, art, comedy, dance, fitness, cars, beauty, memes, and more. associated with.
At TikTok, there are also a variety of challenges that many musers have tried. These competitions are not created by TikTok itself; they start with a muser and spread from there.
For example, a mixed stair dance competition involves performing a kind of mixed dance on the stairs. Many users turn to TikTok to do this race in several creative versions. TikTok users come up with different trends, memes and contests every week. When one trend ends, another begins.
Need to download TikTok?
Now that you know what TikTok is, you know if it’s worth downloading.
TikTok may seem like an exclusive domain for teenagers, but it’s fun for all ages. You just have to find the right ones to watch, and once you do that, you will be exposed to a daily stream of entertaining content.
Millions of videos have been posted on TikTok since its inception, so you’ll find at least one type of video you’re watching. You can further enhance your experience with these TikTok applications and websites . However, keep in mind that TikTok also has several security risks.
