What TikTok video formats for what uses?

If the majority of brands have understood today that TikTok is a real marketing opportunity, it is not always easy to know what optimizations to put in place to perform on the platform.

However, there are simple rules that are easy to apply so that your content is favored byTikTok algorithm, that they match the “TikTok spirit” and generate engagement.

We share with you our tips for Choosing the right TikTok format according to your target audience and your goals.

Performing on TikTok using the right formats

1. The best TikTok format: vertical video

TikTok is a platform Mobile-only, which means that all of your videos should be at vertical format.

Respecting this standard also means making your videos while thinking about all the elements that make up your content : writing during editing, filming and the information that will be visible in the frame.

According to several studies, we hold our phone vertically more than 90% Some time. This is why this type of format is increasingly preferred.

Following this logic, TikTok was created so that the content be consumed vertically. For example, all buttons (like, share, comment) allowing you to interact with videos are used vertically.

The horizontal format is therefore almost absent from the platform. In fact, it represents a consumption constraint for the user who must change the position of his screen to watch this video format. And he then becomes more difficult for users to interact with your posts. Finally, you risk upsetting the algorithm.

However, the horizontal format nIt is not to be banned at all costs. (only to be avoided). The social network offers you an alternative for uploading or saving a video in horizontal format with a video mode button that appears during the download.

Some content creators have also taken the side ofexploit horizontality to hook their audience. This is the case of Thomas Golberg for example, who launched a video format”Turn your phone” where he precisely encourages his audience to switch to horizontal mode.

2. The duration of the video: the short formats to choose

On TikTok, you can create and produce videos that are one second to three minutes in length. The formats offered are 15 seconds, 60 seconds, and a longer format of 3 minutes.

If you selected 15 seconds, you will not be able to exceed this time. The recording will automatically end at the end of the scheduled 15 seconds.

However, The objective is to reach your target as much as possiblee, video formats of about fifteen seconds are preferred. Indeed, they allow you to get your message across in a short and concise way so that your audience can watch your entire video.

La viewing time And what is called the Rewatch are indeed essential to optimize your views on TikTok. We talk more about this in our article on How to get views on TikTok

Therefore, we recommend that you create video formats that last 15 to 60 seconds at most. This will encourage you to be effective and improve your WatchTime, since you will have to keep your audience's attention for less time.

It should also be borne in mind that, as on any social network, the Your audience's attention span is very volatile. Therefore, the longer your video is, the more difficult it will be to maintain. That's why short videos often make better performances. Not to mention that they are more likely to be watched several times (the famous Rewatch), which can increase your visibility on the application.

The 3-minute format is the most recent on TikTok and remains the least used. This is because it is difficult to maintain users' attention for such a long period of time (compared to the average video on the social network).

However, if you manage to capture and maintain attention on longer formats, chances are that the algorithm rewards this performance. But it is still more difficult to do and to anticipate. Maybe TikTok will move in this direction in the future. But for now, the platform remains very influenced by short formats which have been the hallmark of the social network since its inception.

3. Maximum TikTok video file size

On TikTok, the size of the file allowed to be downloaded varies according to the type of device you are using. Indeed, the application is available on IOS and Android, (and you can even upload your videos from a computer).

With an Android device, you can download videos up to 72MB in size. Conversely, on IOS devices, the download capacity is 4 times greater than that of Android, i.e. you can download videos larger than 287 MB maximum.

4. What types of ads are there on TikTok?

Since the creation of TikTok, advertising content has largely been democratized. If at the beginning, ads on networks were mainly accessible to large groups (who had a large budget) and mostly produced under the supervision of TikTok itself, today, you can advertise for all budgets and in different ways, directly via TikTok Ads.

For example, we can produce an advertisement in Splash Page : it appears as soon as the user opens the application and is launched directly before opening on the feed as native content.

This advertising format has the advantage of reaching the audience as soon as they open the application and of surprising them by their appearance.

There is also ads In-Feed, that appear as native content when the user scrolls through their #Pourtoi feed. This TikTok format therefore fits more naturally into the application, although a small label”Publicity” at the bottom of the video indicates that this is not native content.

These two types of ads have pros and cons. So everything depends on your objective and the challenges you are going to define when setting up your advertising campaign on TikTok.

5. Attracting the attention of TikTok users

In order to keep the attention of your audience, it is essential that The first 3 seconds of your video capture his attention. You must therefore stand out from the other videos offered on TikTok and above all indicate the added value of your content from the beginning.

For example, you can bet on a video with bright colors on the screen, add an image or a catchy message from the beginning, etc. Do not hesitate to indicate, in a written insert for example, the subject of the video and the added value that will be delivered.

More generally, the more innovative the content, while remaining close to TikTok's production logic, the more likely it is to capture and maintain attention!

6. Center your TikTok content

As mentioned earlier, the buttons that allow users to interact with your content are located on the right side of the screen. The video description is also displayed at the bottom. That is why it is necessary to Place written content well that you add on the video.

Indeed, these “buttons” will be superimposed on the written content if they are incorrectly positioned. All emojis, captions, and other written content that you add to your videos should therefore be positioned in a rectangle that excludes the bottom and right of the screen.

To put it simply, you need to center the inserts. Especially since the dimensions and formats of smartphones vary and can have an impact on them.

If you want to be sure that they are in a good position, you can watch your video. The application will in fact allow you to Preview it as it will be posted on the platform. When you write its description. Just click on the video thumbnail at the top right.

7. Use music

On TikTok, you don't have to Do not neglect the choice of music that you use. Sound is a key ingredient on the platform. It's a social network.”Sound On”, which is difficult to consume without activating the volume.

We advise you both to choose music that is related to your content AND that is already frequently used on the application.

8. Call to action: commitment

Finally, within your video, you can ask your TikTok community to interact with your content using Call To Action (CTA), or calls to action in French.

For example, you can invite users to Like, comment or share the video, or even at subscribe to your account. Thanks to this call to action, you will be able to both measure the engagement of your community with your content and allow it to be distributed on a larger scale (thanks to the users who share the video, and thanks to the platform's algorithm that will highlight your videos if they generate engagement and interactions).

In short, TikTok can be a vector of growth for your brand If you succeed to use the right formats.

However, keep in mind that your objective is to maintaining growth over the long term and not to share a single viral video. You need to be consistent in publishing your content. And for that, you need to design a good content strategy.

If you want to implement a content marketing strategy on TikTok, do not hesitate to contact our team via this form. 👇