7 Types of Videos to Make on TikTok
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Examples of various video types
Though TikTok has been rising in popularity for years, a stubborn misconception sticks around: it’s just a platform for teens to make dance videos. I’m here to tell you that’s 100% false. Dancing is a small sliver of the abundance of content available on this innovative app that’s changed the way we share online and has Meta quaking in their boots.
The average TikTok user spends 89 minutes per day on the app. If you want to be part of those 89 minutes, then you’d better get creating! Here are 7 types of videos to make on TikTok.
1) Talking to the Camera
Some might think this is too simple to be a TikTok, but sitting down and talking to the camera is one of the most popular types of video on the platform! Brands often overthink this–it shouldn’t be overly polished. You can be laying down or sitting on a couch, it doesn’t have to be in an office chair with a fancy mic.
These can go in any number of directions–the main two categories I see are educational and storytelling. In an educational video, you’re sharing your knowledge about a specific topic. Niche down as much as possible–don’t share your 10 best tips for social media, share 3 ways to improve your Instagram bio. Be specific and concise! For storytelling videos, these can be a deeply personal story you’d share with a close friend or a funny story you’d tell at a party–as long as it’s an engaging story that people want to hear, this type of video can be a fantastic way to grow an audience.
Aim for about 60-90 seconds! The maximum length is 3 minutes (though TikTok talked about increasing it to 10, I’ve never seen a 10 minute TikTok). Most people rarely watch all the way through a 3 minute video unless they’re extremely interested in the topic, so strive for 90 seconds or less.
2) Trending Audios
Again, many people think dance trends when they think TikTok, but trending audios are about much more than dancing. Some are explosively popular and rack up hundreds of thousands of uses (think the ‘corn’ song that’s been everywhere lately); others are niche but still effective with only 12,000 uses. Try a little bit of both! While you may think using a massively viral song will make you go massively viral, it can be harder to be seen in the crowd that way. Often 20k-100k uses is a better sweet spot to aim for when looking for trending audios.
Trending audios can also be for lip syncing to a funny or relatable line. There’s the Kim K “no one wants to work anymore” (used sarcastically, not to agree with her) or the “not funny haha, funny WEIRD,” or “well! That’s my life, thank you so much for spending time with me, I hope you enjoyed it” from an old Hilary Duff interview. These take just a few minutes to make and are well worth your time since they’re so easy to participate in! It’s also a great way to show your personality.
Other trending audios are commonly used to introduce yourself. Videos like this can be done every month or so as your audience grows–not every follower will see every video, so don’t worry about oversaturating folks.
3) Recommendations
TikTok can be a great place to source and share recommendations! For example, if you’re a bookstore or library you can share book recommendations; a dietitian or chef can share recipe or restaurant recommendations; a travel agency or local blogger can share activity recommendations for a particular city.
These can be fun to make because you often don’t need to show your face in them! Just capture content when you’re out and about, whether it’s filming a scenic walk in a historic place, the decor in a new restaurant, or flipping through the stunning artwork of a graphic novel you loved. Videos like this can get lots of shares and saves, especially if they’re unique and informative, and shares and saves help your content succeed in TikTok’s algorithm.
4) Day in the Life
Day in the life videos can be fun to make and engaging for your audience! If your company is using TikTok as a recruitment tool to show off what a fun place it is to work, this could work well –for example ‘here’s a day in my life as a project manager at X startup.’
This type of video works well for small businesses and freelancers, too. You can share a day in your life as a full-time artist, coffee shop owner, freelance graphic designer, etc. People really do care about the mundane details and they can be both soothing and informative to watch!
5) Process & How To Videos
Process videos are great for artists and small businesses, too! You can do a timelapse of painting or drawing a new piece, share how you package orders, or show off how to use your product. This can work especially well with food products! For example, ‘here’s how to brew coffee with our new kettle’ or ‘here’s how to make a smoothie with the new oat milk we just launched.’
6) Text on the Screen
This is another one of my favorite types of videos to make! If you’re not in the mood to have your face on camera, you can use an aesthetically appealing clip of about 5-7 seconds in length. Pair it with text on top–this can be deep thoughts you’d like to share, a quote you like, or whatever is on your mind. Add a trending sound. Ideally, the text will take so long to read that the video will need to loop a few times for the viewer to read it in full, driving up your views and helping your video perform better in the algorithm.
7) Anything Weird & Playful
There are plenty of businesses out there who aren’t the risk-taking type, but if you’re down to get adventurous and quirky, then you might flourish on TikTok! Being playful and showing your personality is encouraged–even if it’s a little out there. Brands like Duolingo have grown a massive following by being absolutely unhinged! The Duolingo mascot is now known for being in love with musician Dua Lipa, and their brand has grown because of it. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there in all your delightful strangeness!
Final Reminders
TikTok is a humans-first platform, not brands-first. Show that there’s a human behind the account, share your personality, and be silly and playful. It’s welcome here! That being said, be sure to stay on brand. The videos you make should reflect your brand’s personality and values. You can try filming a trend, and if you watch it back and it doesn’t feel aligned with what your brand represents, don’t post it.
Lastly, it’s often the videos you put the least effort into that do the best. Don’t sweat it if a high-effort video flops a bit and a low-effort one takes off. That’s just the perplexing nature of the beast sometimes! Embrace imperfection, don’t overthink your content, and keep creating and sharing.
For more TikTok tips and insights, check out the following blog posts:
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