Today, we’re reporting our findings from the TikTok Challenge we kicked off in mid-July!
Our goals were simple: We wanted to test the platform for businesses, see what we could learn, and – we wanted to have some fun!
We made a total of 8 different (very silly) videos on TikTok, using inspiration from different TikTok trends that include using playful background music, dance and captions, voiceover audios, or trending video styles, like “#passthevideochallenge,” “#dayinalife,” or “#buffering.”
We learned a lot about the process of creating, editing, and posting videos on TikTok, as well as reposting videos on other social media platforms, and we accomplished our goal of pushing our creative edges and having fun!
Here are some takeaways that we learned from the challenge, which can be applied to your social media strategy:
Both Viewers and Algorithms Love Videos!
Currently, the algorithm on most social media platforms favors video content. This isn’t just limited to TikTok, which is purely a video platform. Instagram also is favoring video content over photos, most likely following TikTok’s popular lead. Because Instagram’s algorithm currently favors video content, you’ll get more viewers, which can lead to more engagement.
Our data points:
- On Tiktok (with no pre-established audience), our videos receive an average of 278 views.
- On Instagram, our “reels” (which are Instagram’s version of TikTok videos) receive an average of 1,271 views. Our posts receive an average of 155 impressions, meaning our videos increased our reach by 720%!
- Our highest-performing video received 4,530 views on Instagram and 603 views on Tiktok. Click below to watch it!
Audio Impacts the Algorithm
The audio you use for TikTok videos (such as music or voiceover clips) impacts the TikTok algorithm and how many views you get. While original audio may be more relevant to your audience and potential audience, it may also result in fewer views. If you’d like to aim for more views, you may prefer audio from the TikTok library.
Be aware that some of the audio that’s available in the TikTok library is not available on Instagram. In that case, Instagram may report your video. So when repurposing videos, you might need to come up with something different for your audio.
For example, in our video above, we used the original track, “It’s Tricky” by Run-D.M.C., on TikTok. But on Instagram, the song was sung by one of our teammates (who will go UNNAMED) due to licensing issues.
Sharing TikTok Videos to Multiple Platforms Can Be Tricky (But Worthwhile!)
We discovered that TikTok videos are NOT easy to share on Facebook, and they’re also not very easy to upload to Instagram reels through the share feature on TikTok. Most platforms want you to upload videos directly to their platform versus sharing videos from other platforms.
However, with a bit of patience, there are many ways to share your TikTok videos to Instagram, between Instagram reels, IGTV, regular posts, and the stories feature. Make sure you’re using this best option based on what you want to share. If your video is over 60 seconds, it will post as an IGTV video. If it’s under 60 seconds, it can be shared as a reel. IGTV videos can automatically be shared to your feed, but not to Instagram stories. (Tip: Make sure to double-check after posting to ensure captions or text aren’t cut off when shared!)
Next week, we’ll share 3 more takeaways from our TikTok challenge!
Leave a comment below to share… Did you watch any of our videos on TikTok? Which was your favorite? 🙂
‘Til next time,
Sandy
