Your Guide to TikTok Stories

If you use TikTok and Instagram, you’ve likely noticed some overlap between the two. For instance, Instagram recently unveiled Reels to compete with the video-sharing app. Not to be outdone, TikTok has started testing a new Stories feature. You might not have access to the pilot yet, but it could be coming to your account soon. Thus, take a minute to learn about TikTok Stories so you’ll be ready to access the feature when it’s available on your account.

Introducing TikTok Stories

TikTok Stories is similar to Instagram Stories. Just like on Instagram, TikTok’s version disappears after a mere 24 hours. This creates an instant sense of urgency when posting the content. Also, users will be guided to tap through the frames to see the full Story, just like they do on Instagram.

TikTok Stories also have some key differences that are worth noting. First, people can comment on your Stories, and you can see everyone that viewed the videos. Plus, others can see the viewers, creating additional social proof.

Also, you’ll notice a difference regarding where the Stories display. At first, TikTok planned to have Stories appear in a separate area on the app, much like Instagram. However, now, it’s looking at adding them to the “Following” and “For You feeds, increasing the potential exposure.

What’s in a Story?

You’ll also notice that Stories are similar regarding your content creation options. You can upload photos and videos for each frame. Plus, you can dress your stories up with stickers, text, effects, and other tools.

Get to Know Your Audience With Stories

Once you have access to Stories, you can use it to know your audience. First, reading the comments and engaging with people can help you build relationships and learn more about your followers, but that’s not all.

When you click on the people who have viewed your story, you’ll see if you’re already following them. If not, you can click the “Follow” button to follow their accounts as well. This will help you solidify your relationships with people on the app. Plus, it will provide insight into your follower’s likes and interests since their videos will show up in your feed.

How to Upload Stories

If you have access to the pilot program, you can begin posting Stories today. First, open the app and tap on the Stories camera. Then you’ll be prompted to upload photos and videos on your camera or to record a new video. Finally, you add some effects before publishing your Story.

Increasing Engagement on Stories

You can buy TikTok views when you publish Stories. Then you can quickly build engagement to help you reach even more people. If you do this, you’ll discover that your organic views increase quickly after your purchase. TikTok analyzes engagement levels and uses that when deciding which content to display, so you can beat the algorithm with this tip.

Content Ideas for TikTok Stories

You might not have the Stories feature yet, but it’s still a great time to consider your content strategy. Then you’ll be able to hit the ground running as soon as you have access to the feature.

Let’s go over some ideas you can use when creating Stories on TikTok.

• Tips and Tutorials

  

  Stories are a great way to provide tips and tutorials to your audience. From simple hacks to more tutorials, you can use the screens and frames to communicate information to the audience. Remember to add cool effects, too. Otherwise, your tutorial will look similar to something people can find on YouTube.

• Go Behind-the-scenes

  You’ve probably noticed that behind-the-scenes content is popular on Instagram Stories., and the same will be true for TikTok. You want to break down walls between your company and customers, and this will allow you to do just that. Use Stories to let people see how your products are made and so much more. You can even go behind the scenes to introduce your followers to your employees. The right behind-the-scenes content will help people connect with your brand.

• Make Announcements

  

  Do you have a big announcement to make? You can use Stories to let everyone know. Because Stories disappear in 24 hours, it helps build hype around announcements. Just make sure that you don’t have a “big announcement” each week, or you’ll lose that sense of urgency. Instead, you want your followers to know that when you post an announcement or reveal, it’s a big deal.

• Publish Question and Answer Sessions

  

  Do you find yourself answering the same questions over and over? That’s a sign that your customers need more information. You can provide that with TikTok stories. Use the slides to pose questions and then provide answers. You can even do this each week if you want. For instance, come up with a new topic and dive in with answers each week.

• Advertise Special Deals

  

  If you want to build a lot of excitement, use Stories to announce limited-time deals and promotions. For instance, you can provide promo codes that are only available until the Story disappears. You can expect people to take fast action to avoid missing out on something special.

• Show a Day in Your Life

  You can even use Stories to give people a look at a day in your life. This is similar to behind-the-scenes content, but you’ll show different aspects of your day. Again, this can help you knock down the walls between your brand and viewers, which can help you build a loyal following.

Get Ready for TikTok Stories

Check to see if you have this feature available yet. If not, hold tight because it should be available soon. In the meantime, keep these tips in mind and brainstorm for ideas you can use for Stories. Then, when the feature is released to the masses, you’ll be ahead of the pack. You’ll already have a strategy in place, so you can start creating and posting Stories while your competitors are still trying to figure out what the feature is and how they can use it.