TIKTOK
5 epic tea bombs from TikTok that are total eye candy
Reuters
Powerful storm weakens slightly after landfall in western India
A powerful cyclone that slammed into India’s west coast was set to weaken on Tuesday, the weather office said, as tens of thousands of people were moved out of its path. Trees were uprooted and storm surges reported in coastal villages and towns of Gujarat state where cyclone Tauktae, the most powerful in more than two decades, made landfall late Monday packing gusts of up to 210 kph (130 mph). More than 200,000 people have been evacuated from their homes https://www.reuters.com/world/india/indias-gujarat-state-braces-most-severe-cyclone-over-two-decades-2021-05-17 in Gujarat as authorities shut ports and major airports.
Bloomberg
Japan’s Economy Shrinks in Emergency, Raising Double-Dip Fears
(Bloomberg) — Sign up for the New Economy Daily newsletter, follow us @economics and subscribe to our podcast.Japan’s economy shrank more than expected during the first three months of the year, raising the possibility of a double-dip recession as the country struggles to contain infections and speed up its vaccine rollout.Gross domestic product contracted an annualized 5.1% from the previous quarter, ending six months of double-digit growth, as businesses cut investment, shoppers held back spending and government outlays fell amid a suspension of a travel-promotion campaign to help the ailing tourism industry.Economists had forecast an overall contraction of 4.5%.The worse-than-expected result leaves the economy in a vulnerable position this quarter, as Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s administration struggles to find the right balance in a targeted approach to virus containment that attempts to limit damage to the economy and keep the staging of the Olympics on track.“If the state of emergency is extended, that will certainly raise the odds of a contraction,” said economist Yoshiki Shinke at Dai-Ichi Life Research Institute. “Consumer spending is the biggest missing piece for the economy and it’s hard to predict because it’s very much dependent on the virus situation.”Suga last week added three more prefectures to the latest emergency, putting about half of the economy under restrictions that are slightly tighter than the ones in winter, but still less draconian than Europe’s lockdowns. Restaurants and bars in the biggest cities are now being asked to refrain from serving alcohol in addition to closing early.Failure to end the restrictions at the end of May and to avoid a slip back into recession would pile pressure on Suga to take extra action to right the economy and maintain his hopes of surviving as premier as the country heads into a general election that must be held by the autumn.Inability to peg back infections could also fuel concern over the staging of the Tokyo Olympics. Canceling the Games would deal another blow to the economy.What Bloomberg’s Economist Says…“In the details of Japan’s deeper-than-expected GDP contraction in 1Q, there was even more bad news — a surprise drop in private investment and an unexpectedly steep buildup in inventories. These signal weakness in the manufacturing sector — a rare growth driver amid the virus emergency — and add to downside risks to the economy in 2Q.–Yuki Masujima, economistTo read the full report, click here.“The government may end up putting together an extra budget to change the situation,” said economist Hiroaki Muto at Sumitomo Life Insurance Co. “They may not be able to compile a big one, but they might pull together about 20 trillion yen ($183 billion) of measures.”Additional spending would add to extra budgets worth over 70 trillion yen to deal with the virus and support the economy last year.The first quarter drop in capital investment signals companies are more cautious about the outlook than earlier expected. Though the preliminary data is often heavily revised, a chorus of business executives have started to voice concern over what they see as an unacceptably slow vaccine rollout in one of the world’s richest countries.Still, strong exports and industrial production, supported by the global recovery, continue to provide a bedrock of support for Japan’s economy, even though a rise in imports caused the overall trade component of the GDP to go negative in the first quarter.Japan’s Exports Jump Most Since 2017 Amid Global Trade RecoveryConsumers also didn’t retrench as much as economists feared last quarter, a fact that may signal a reservoir of underlying demand that could help power the recovery once restrictions are removed.“Once the virus situation starts to be more contained and people’s activity becomes more normalized, pent-up demand is likely to emerge,” economy minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said. Japan isn’t heading toward a big contraction in the second quarter like last year and economic activity will broaden out as vaccinations proceed, he added.But rising infection numbers indicate the government still hasn’t got the balance of its measures right or hasn’t adjusted its restrictions quickly enough to account for new virus strains as infections rise and the logic of holding the Olympics is called into question. An Asahi Shimbun newspaper poll on Monday showed more than 80% of respondents were against staging the Games this year.Until earlier this year, Japan was seen a relatively successful example of virus control, having achieved low infection rates and deaths without full lockdown measures.But the positive optics have changed as the country’s lengthy vaccine approval process and its slow rollout have left the country well behind the U.S, the U.K. and other countries with more aggressive inoculation programs. So far, only about 3% Japan’s the population has received even a single dose.“The best economic measure is to accelerate vaccination,” said Dai-Ichi’s Shinke. “While many other countries consider loosening restrictions, Japan isn’t there yet.”(Updates with economist’s comments on possibility of more government stimulus.)More stories like this are available on bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2021 Bloomberg L.P.
Bloomberg
Gold Advances to Three-Month High on Virus Woes, Inflation
(Bloomberg) — Gold rose to the highest in more than three months as concerns over the pace of a global recovery crept back in following a flareup in coronavirus cases in parts of Asia.The pandemic is wiping out “entire families” in villages in India, where more people are saying the scale of the crisis is much bigger than official numbers reveal. The World Economic Forum is canceling the annual meeting it was planning to hold this August in Singapore, while cases in Thailand have surged.Investors will turn to the minutes from the Federal Reserve’s April meeting due Wednesday for potential clues to officials’ views on the recovery and how they define “transitory” when it comes to inflation. Fed Vice Chair Richard Clarida said Monday that the weaker-than-expected U.S. jobs report for April showed the economy had not yet reached the threshold to warrant scaling back the central bank’s massive bond purchases. Meanwhile, Fed Bank of Dallas President Robert Kaplan said supply and demand imbalances and base effects will contribute to elevated inflation this year, but he expects price pressures to ease in 2022.Gold’s rebound puts it close to erasing this year’s declines, with recent inflows into bullion-backed exchange-traded funds signaling a boost to investor sentiment. Expectations for further increases in consumer prices could start to bolster demand for gold as a hedge.“It seems inflation fears are finally translating into higher precious metals prices,” said John Feeney, business development manager at Sydney-based bullion dealer Guardian Gold Australia. “ETF investors are starting to swing into net-buyers again, after the recent consolidation, and it makes sense for the metals to play catch up to the recent moves higher in other commodities. We also have a lot of uncertainty with Covid-19 strains and mutations in the Asia-Pacific region that would be leading to safe haven buying.”Spot gold rose as much as 0.4% to $1,873.82 an ounce, the highest since Jan. 29, and was at $1,868.01 by 12:16 p.m. in Singapore. Silver and palladium gained, while platinum steadied. The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index fell 0.1%.More stories like this are available on bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2021 Bloomberg L.P.
Reuters
China to ensure ferrous market stability, sees factory-gate price growth easing in H2
China’s state planner said on Tuesday it would take measures to stabilise steel and iron ore market, and that it expects growth in the country’s factory gate prices to ease in the second half as commodity prices return to taking cues from fundamentals. Pandemic-driven stimulus measures have driven up commodity prices recently, boosting profitability for upstream companies but hurting downstream manufacturers’ performance, Jin Xiandong, spokesman for the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), said at an online briefing.
Reuters
Cricket-‘Sandpapergate’ returns to haunt Australia
Three years after the infamous ball-tampering scandal plunged Australian cricket into crisis, “Sandpapergate” has reared its head again following a suggestion that responsibility for the affair might run deeper than the three players punished for it. Cameron Bancroft, who was banned for scuffing the ball with a piece of sandpaper during the third test against South Africa in Cape Town in March 2018, lit the fuse last week with a cryptic comment in a newspaper interview. Cricket Australia (CA) have issued a request to Bancroft for any “new” information he might have but the idea that other players would have been aware what was going on at Newlands has found fertile ground in the Australian media.
Reuters
New HK bishop says will pray for Tiananmen victims, follow the law
Hong Kong’s incoming Catholic bishop said on Tuesday he will pray for the victims of China’s 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in and around Beijing’s Tiananmen square, but whether he could do that in a public venue depends on the city’s laws. Pope Francis on Monday named Stephen Chow, 61, head of Hong Kong’s Jesuit order, after a long delay. Chow will officially take the helm of the Diocese on Dec. 4.
Storyful
Clinic and Building Housing Palestinian Ministry of Health Damaged in Airstrike
A Palestinian Health Ministry building and the Al-Remal Martyrs Clinic next door were damaged in Israeli airstrikes on Monday, May 17, the ministry said.Local news reports said the strikes also hit the residential Al-Shawa building.Footage filmed by Mohammed Dahlan shows multiple severely damaged buildings. The roof of the building beside the Palestinian Health Ministry building has been destroyed.“Many of our colleagues were injured during the occupation’s bombing of the ministry building and the al-Remal clinic,” said Palestinian Health Minister Dr Mai al-Kaila as quoted in a post by the ministry on Facebook. The work in the only central laboratory for COVID-19 testing in the Gaza Strip was also stopped, the ministry said.The ministry said on Monday night that the total number of deaths in Gaza during the present conflict was 212, including 61 children.The Israel Defense Forces said at least 10 Israelis, including two children, have been killed in the conflict in the last week. Credit: @mohammed.dahlan86 via Storyful
Bloomberg
Asia Stocks, U.S. Futures Climb; Dollar Dips: Markets Wrap
(Bloomberg) — Asian stocks and U.S. futures rose Tuesday with investors weighing the pace of growth as economies reopen against a pick-up in virus cases in the region. The dollar dipped.Taiwan outperformed, jumping as much as 5.2%, as the financial stabilization fund said it was monitoring stocks after the worst rout in more than a year and data showed foreign investors had continued buying during the selloff. Japan and Hong Kong paced gains in a gauge of the region’s stocks. Earlier, technology and communication services stocks led U.S. stocks lower as volatility ticked up. Treasuries were stable after retreating.Oil was up marginally and near a two-year high amid optimism around a demand recovery in regions such as the U.S., even as coronavirus flares up in parts of Asia.Investors this week will parse the minutes from the Federal Open Market Committee’s latest meeting for any discussion about accelerating price pressures, and hints of a timeline for reducing asset purchases. Federal Reserve Vice Chair Richard Clarida said during a webinar that the weaker-than-expected April payroll report shows “we have not made substantial further progress” on the central bank’s goals for employment and inflation laid out as thresholds to begin scaling back the central bank’s massive monthly bond purchases.“Hotter inflation has materialized and market volatility is rising as the economic restart gathers pace,” according to BlackRock Investment Institute strategists lead by Jean Boivin. “This is playing out in line with our view that the economy is in a ‘restart.’ We prefer to look through any volatility and see a later ‘lift-off’ from zero rates than markets expect. This means higher-than-expected inflation in the medium term, and underpins our pro-risk stance.”Elsewhere, Bitcoin fluctuated following a volatile weekend that saw comments from Tesla Inc.’s Elon Musk whipsaw prices. Coinbase Global Inc. fell to a record low and below the reference price used in its April direct listing.Gold traded near its highest in almost four months. Asian copper miners advanced as they may benefit from tighter regulations and higher taxes that could hit top producer Chile.Here are some key events this week:The Fed publishes minutes from its April meeting Wednesday, which may provide clues to officials’ views on the recovery and how they define “transitory” when it comes to inflationThese are some of the main moves in markets:StocksS&P 500 futures rose 0.2% as of 1:18 p.m. in Tokyo. The S&P 500 fell 0.3%Nasdaq 100 futures gained 0.3%. The Nasdaq 100 fell 0.6%Topix index rose 1.6%Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 Index rose 0.6%Kospi index climbed 1.1%Hang Seng Index rose 1.3%Shanghai Composite Index was little changedEuro Stoxx 50 futures gained 0.7%CurrenciesThe yen traded at 109.22 per dollarThe offshore yuan was at 6.4287 per dollarThe Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index dipped 0.1%The euro was at $1.2166, up 0.1%BondsThe yield on 10-year Treasuries was at 1.65%Australia’s 10-year bond yield rose four basis points to 1.79%CommoditiesWest Texas Intermediate crude rose 0.3% to $66.49 a barrelGold rose 0.1% to $1,868.25More stories like this are available on bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2021 Bloomberg L.P.
Associated Press
Medical career beckons for Japan rugby star Kenki Fukuoka
The final of Japan’s Top League club competition on Sunday will mark the end of one of world rugby’s most distinguished and influential recent playing careers. Japan winger Kenki Fukuoka will retire after the final between his Panasonic Wild Knights and Suntory Sungoliath, ending his playing career at its zenith to pursue a career as a doctor. Fukuoka retired from international 15-a-side rugby after the 2019 World Cup in Japan and hoped to end his career by representing his country in sevens at the Tokyo Olympics.
Deadline
‘The Voice’ Coach Nick Jonas Reveals He Cracked A Rib In Recent On-Set Injury
On Monday’s episode of The Voice, coach Nick Jonas revealed that he cracked a rib over the weekend. Host Carson Daly gave the singer-songwriter and actor a chance to discuss what had happened to him at the start of the night’s show. “I’m feeling okay. I’ve been better, but I’m doing all right,” Jonas said. […]
Associated Press
Rugby uses eye-tracking technology to tackle concussion
A “shadow trial” of advanced eye-tracking technology will be conducted in the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman tournament in Australia and New Zealand as part of World Rugby’s bid to tackle head injuries by improving the detection of concussion. The virtual reality technology, known as NeuroFlex, is set to be used during matches as part of the head injury assessment (HIA) process under a partnership between Rugby Australia, Rugby New Zealand and World Rugby.
Storyful
Funnel Cloud Forms During Tornado-Warned Storm in Texas
A funnel cloud was captured on camera near Lubbock, Texas, on May 17, amid tornado warnings issued by the National Weather Service.Footage streamed live on Facebook by user Brian Rodriquez shows the cloud forming over the town of Wolfforth.The National Weather Service also issued a Thunderstorm Warning for the region, warning of damaging hail and wind gusts of up to 60 mph. Credit: Brian Rodriquez via Storyful
Business Wire
Tiga Acquisition Corp. Announces Extension to Business Combination Deadline
Tiga Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”), a blank check company formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses (a “Business Combination”), announced today that it has approved an extension of the time period to consummate a Business Combination, in accordance with Article 49.8 of the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, to and including November 27, 2021.
Bloomberg
Billionaire Family Offices Reveal Biggest Equity Picks
(Bloomberg) — Stanley Druckenmiller said last week that pretty much anyone could make money in the markets right now and that he was up 17% this year.The latest regulatory filing from his Duquesne Family Office shows some of the ways he’s done this and what he’s betting on going forward.The investor, worth $10.4 billion according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, took a new $154.6 million position in Citigroup Inc., and a smaller stake in JPMorgan Chase & Co., a bet that could benefit from rising rates.Duquesne also amassed a $69.7 million stake in online travel company Booking Holdings Inc. and boosted its holdings of Starbucks Corp. and Expedia Group Inc. — a nod to the rapidly vaccinated U.S. and a potential return to more travel and work from the office.Overall, the firm disclosed on Monday $3.9 billion of U.S. equity holdings in the 13F filing, a slight increase from the prior quarter.Druckenmiller made some sizable trades involving consumer businesses inordinately impacted by the pandemic. He liquidated stakes in Walt Disney Co. and cruise liner Carnival Corp. Duquesne also trimmed its holdings in used-car retailer Carvana Co. and miner Freeport-McMoRan Inc., which is up 70% this year.Extremely PrivateFamily offices, the closely held investment vehicles of the ultra-wealthy, are often impenetrably discreet. The 13F filings are required by the Securities and Exchange Commission of money managers overseeing more than $100 million in U.S. equities and must be filed within 45 days of the end of each quarter.Only a handful of family offices out of the thousands operating globally file the forms. Most are too small or farm their equity investments out to external money managers. Some, such as Bill Hwang’s Archegos Capital Management, buy securities through swap arrangements with banks, which keeps their holdings hidden. Hwang’s family office, which blew up at the end of March, never filed a 13F.For those required to file the forms, they offer a glimpse into the investment strategies of some of the world’s wealthiest people.Soros Fund Management, for instance, revealed on Friday it snapped up shares of ViacomCBS Inc., Baidu Inc., Vipshop Holdings Ltd. and Tencent Music Entertainment Group. The investment firm, which oversees $27 billion, didn’t hold the shares prior to Archegos’s implosion, said a person familiar with the fund’s trading.Iconiq, WildcatBlue Pool Capital, which manages part of the fortunes of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. co-founders Joe Tsai and Jack Ma, increased its investments in U.S. tech giants and trimmed exposure to health-care stocks in the first quarter, according to its latest filing.The Hong Kong-based firm took new positions in Uber Technologies Inc. and Twitter Inc. and added to its bets on Microsoft Corp. and Facebook Inc. In total the seven-year old firm disclosed it held 31 U.S. stocks worth a combined $446 million at the end of the quarter.Bluecrest Capital Management, the investment firm of billionaire trader Michael Platt, disclosed it held $3.8 billion of U.S. equities, a jump of more than $400 million from the prior period. The firm’s largest new positions were NRG Energy Inc., China Biologic Products Holdings and blank check firm Churchill Capital Corp VII.Iconiq Capital, the San Francisco-based multifamily office that has managed money for high-profile Silicon Valley billionaires like Sheryl Sandberg, Mark Zuckerberg and Reid Hoffman, reported that the value of its disclosed holdings surged 121% from the previous quarter, to $8.9 billion.Iconiq boosted its biggest position, in cloud-computing company Snowflake Inc., and revealed holdings of Roblox Corp. and Twilio Inc. Its Snowflake stake now makes up the vast majority of the total value of Iconiq’s disclosed portfolio.Another family office betting on Snowflake was David Bonderman’s Wildcat Capital Management, which disclosed $819 million of U.S. equities at the end of the quarter.The firm, which shares its name with the location of a home Bonderman owned near Aspen, Colorado, revealed a new position in South Korea’s Coupang Inc., which went public in March. Its largest holdings remain Skillz Inc. and Costar Group Inc.(Adds detail on Bluecrest Capital Management in 13th paragraph)More stories like this are available on bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2021 Bloomberg L.P.
TIKTOK
TikTok Expands Creator Tipping and Video Gifts, Providing More Monetization and Marketing Options
TikTok continues to expand its creator monetization tools with the addition of video tipping and virtual gifts for regular uploads, in addition to live-streams in the app.
To be clear, live tipping and digital gifts have been available for selected live-stream creators via its Creator Next program since last year. This new expansion brings the same functionality to regular TikTok videos, which will add another way for users to generate direct income from their TikTok videos.
As you can see in these screenshots, shared by social media expert Matt Navarra (via Dan Schenker), to be eligible for the new Creator Next program, users will need to have at least 1,000 followers, and will need to have generated more than 1,000 video views in the previous 30 days.
Though TikTok does note that these requirements vary by region – TechCrunch has reported that creators need to have at least 100k followers to qualify in some cases.
As explained by TikTok:
“The new Tips feature allows people to directly show gratitude to creators for their content, much like recognizing exceptional service or giving a standing ovation. As is standard for tipping in person, with Tips creators will receive 100% of the tip value.”
Tip payments will be processed by Stripe, with creators required to sign up to manage their earnings in the app.
“With Video Gifts, also available today, creators can now collect Diamonds not only by going LIVE but also by posting videos. This also gives people an all-new way to interact and engage with content they love.”
That will provide expanded capacity to generate real money from posting, without having to go live, which will open new doors to many TikTok creators.
In addition to this, TikTok’s also lowering the threshold for those who can list their profiles in its Creator Marketplace brand collaboration platform, which enables businesses to find TikTok influencers to partner with on in-app campaigns.
Up till now, creators have required 100k followers to qualify for these listings, but now, TikTok is reducing that number to 10k, which will further expand available opportunities for both users and brands.
That could make it much easier to find relevant creators to partner with, in a lot more niches, which will add more considerations into your TikTok posting and engagement process.
As noted, these are the latest in TikTok’s broader efforts to provide comparable monetization opportunities, in order to keep its top stars posting to the platform, as opposed to drifting off to YouTube or Instagram instead, which have more established monetization systems.
The advantage that other apps have in this respect is that longer videos can include pre-roll and mid-roll ads, facilitating direct monetization, which TikTok can’t utilize given the shorter nature of its clips. As such, it needs to look to alternate funding methods, which will also include eCommerce listings, with direct product displays now the primary source of income for the Chinese version of the app.
The platform’s continued growth facilitates even more opportunities in this respect, with more brands looking to tap into the various opportunities of the platform, and partner with creators to maximize their presence.
How popular, and valuable, direct tipping and gifting can be is more variable, as some dedicated fan bases will pay, while others will see no reason to donate for what they can already access for free.
But even so, it adds more opportunity, and the lower thresholds for monetization will see many more opportunities across the board in the app.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
With TikTok and Instagram Reels slowly conquering social media marketing, there’s no mistake: Short videos are in demand.
The average length for most, if not all, business videos is only six minutes long. And that number is set to decrease as consumers look for shorter videos.
With that in mind, why are short videos in demand? What platforms are implementing short-form videos the best? And most importantly, how can they benefit your business?
TikTok – Changing consumerism, one video at a time
Where shorter videos are concerned, TikTok has always led the industry. What started as a merger with Musical.ly quickly became one of the world’s most powerful social media platforms. And what made it so famous? The same concept that made Vine viral short videos.
TikTok has over 1 billion active users, twice as many as Snapchat and Pinterest. For reference, Twitter only has 397 million users. With such a massive user-base, the only thing keeping the platform alive are the 15-second-long videos.
But why are short videos so popular? Simple – people don’t have time on their hands. When they open apps like TikTok and Instagram, they’re more likely to spend time watching shorter videos. And businesses are already catching up.
The impact of Instagram Reels
With the invention of Stories by Snapchat, other platforms like Instagram caught up on short videos. Instagram Reels presents adults and young users with a more straightforward way to tell others about their day. It employs quick photos and videos that are only available for 24 hours instead of being permanently posted. Now engagement is encouraged, especially after Instagram included the “Swipe” option. This has allowed e-commerce sites to both advertise their products and make instant messaging easier.
Youtube has joined the bandwagon
While YouTube is more or less a platform for long-form videos, its recent update offers shorter vertical videos. Known as YouTube Shorts, the feature allows creators to engage with their audience in under 60 seconds.
But YouTube has another trick up its sleeve, and this one is mainly towards advertisers. It is “YouTube TrueView” and is the primary advertising technology for YouTube. Through this, advertisers can promote long or short videos, with some being skippable after five seconds.
However, since most people are unlikely to click on longer ads, YouTube now offers 6-second non-skippable ads. The clickthrough rate for shorter 15 and 30-second ads is around 70%, a whopping number for any business.
It’s time to say goodbye to IGTV
With Instagram’s IGTV coming off as less captivating than its Reels and video posts, it has decided to remove IGTV. Instead, it has a separate section for videos. These videos will appear on a person’s profile and can be viewed from the Instagram app.
The change they made here is that videos posted to the Instagram feed can be up to 60 minutes long. The exact reason for doing this is not confirmed. But it seems like Instagram wants a seamless platform where short and long videos co-exist.
This makes long videos more accessible to users using the Instagram app. And it helps promote video tutorials that people typically do not consume on social media apps.
Another significant change is that Instagram videos that are longer can be monetized, a feature not available on Reels. This significantly shifts the focus towards creators who don’t sell a service and want to gain cash through Instagram.
Does this mean long-form videos are out of the picture?
With short-form videos becoming more popular among consumers, will long-form videos die out? While it’s highly recommended for any business to create videos as short as possible, the answer isn’t that black and white.
While short-form videos will drive traffic from new users, long-form videos are better for brand loyalty. Shorter videos will get more engagement and show up on new users’ feeds. But longer videos will be the backbone of your business.
Of course, that depends on what service you’re offering. Ecommerce companies will want to direct their attention towards short-form videos and ads. However, long-form videos are better suited for when you want to go in-depth about product details. That is, of course, only after you’ve grabbed the user’s attention with a short-form video.
Companies that offer webinars will benefit from longer videos. And so will companies that post interviews. However, promos and how-to videos should remain under a minute or two, depending on how long the tutorial needs to be.
Essentially, ask yourself two questions:
- First, can the video content be summarized in a short-form video?
- Do you want to merely catch the attention of the consumer or develop brand loyalty?
The correct formula is neither short nor long, but a mix of both.
What this all means for an entrepreneur
Short-form videos hold substantial market value, especially for new businesses. Take the example of the Dollar Shave Club. What started as a viral video on YouTube grew to become a behemoth of a brand.
And that’s not where the examples end. There are countless success stories like this one that prove the value of short videos.
Short videos have a higher clickthrough rate, and for entrepreneurs, that’s all you need. Short videos are of particular interest to people with ecommerce businesses. For example, 84% of people say they are more compelled to buy a product by watching a video. And the statistics keep on showing a friendlier short-video market.
There is no doubt that short-form videos are gradually creeping up the graph. And while long-form videos are great for information and brand loyalty, shorter videos are better for PR.
This begs one last question: Are videos beneficial for you? The answer is – yes!
And with 1 billion monthly active users, it’s time to join the action and get your brand out there to a wider audience!
Want to learn how to make a TikTok Video but don’t know where to start? Don’t sweat it! We broke down all the steps and tools you’ll need to make a viral-worthy first video and make sure your debut is anything but cringe.
Download the full Social Trends report to get an in-depth analysis of the data you need to prioritize and plan your social strategy in 2022.
How to create a TikTok account
First things first, you’ll need to create a TikTok account.
There are different ways to sign up for one: you can use your phone number, email address or social media account. Here’s how to do it using your phone number.
1. Download TikTok from Google Play or the App Store.
2. Open the TikTok App on your iPhone or Android.
3. Click the “Me” or “Profile” icon at the bottom-right of your screen.
4. Choose a method to sign up (we’re choosing “use phone or email”)
5. Enter your birth date and phone number (make sure this is accurate because it’s how you’ll retrieve passwords and confirm your account).
6. Enter the 6-digit code sent to that phone number (see, told ya!)
7. You did it! Celebrate by scrolling TikTok for too many hours.
How to make a TikTok video
Here’s how to get started on your very first TikTok video. Luckily for you, it’s way easier than learning this TikTok Shuffle dance.
1. Hit the + sign at the bottom of your screen.
2. You can upload photos and videos from your phone’s library or make a video directly using the TikTok camera.
3. If recording directly, hit the Record button at the bottom of the screen. Hit it again when you’re done recording. The default video mode is “Quick” which is for 15 second videos but you can switch it to “Camera” for more editing options and longer videos (15s, 60s and 3 mins), or “Templates” to create a specific style of video.
4. Tap the check mark when you’re done shooting all your footage.
5. Make any edits or changes on the post page. All your edits are on the right sidebar of the screen. Also, add music or sounds by hitting “Add sound” at the top of the screen.
6. Post that video and share it everywhere! Make sure to include a description with some hashtags so it finds its way to your audience.
How to make a TikTok with multiple videos
Instead of taking one long video, why not capture shorter videos and edit them together to make your TikTok video? Here’s how to do that (and you don’t need a film degree).
1. Hit that “+” sign to start your video
2. You can either shoot multiple videos directly by hitting that record button after each clip, building up your video with different shots. Or, you can hit the “Upload” button next to the record button and add multiple videos and photos you have stored on your phone.
3. Select all your media and tap Next.
4. You can now sync sound across your videos and make adjustments (or try “Auto sync” which will do the syncing up for you.)
5. Hit Next when done. You’ll be brought to a preview screen where you can further add sounds, more effects, text, and stickers.
6. Tap Next when you’re done editing your video and proceed to the Post screen.
7. Remember to throw in a description and some hashtags and bingo-bango-bongo you’re the Steven Spielberg of TikTok!
5 things to know before creating your first TikTok
TikTok style is less polished than other types of video
Don’t worry about being too precious with your videos. On TikTok, videos are meant to be candid, and natural—and they should show off your personality. Things like perfect edits, smooth transitions or flawless lighting shouldn’t get in the way of your idea and your own charisma.
Sure, there are lots of editing options, effects and filters to choose from (what the heck is the difference between B3 and G4 filters anyways?) but the real star is you —or, at least all 6 of these friends belting out Lady Gaga for the #caughtinabadromance challenge at this bachelorette. If that’s not candid, I don’t know what is.
@ariellehartford That finger stole the show! 😂😂😂 #bachelorettetrip #gatlinburg #caughtinabadromamce
You don’t have to dance
Good news! You don’t have to spend 2 hours trying to perfect the LaLisa dance tutorial to make sure your video stands out (unless you want to, then no judgment over here!).
There are so many different ways to engage your followers that don’t involve you popping and locking in your living room in front of a ring light (but again, no judgement if you do, except maybe from your pet and their adorable judging eyes).
You also don’t have to attempt whatever this is.
@sdavidrodriguez
Hashtags can help more people see your post
It’s no secret a good hashtag can go a long way on TikTok. Strategic use of hashtags will help people find your videos who don’t already follow you, and maybe even see it on their For You Page (FYP).
Find the best hashtags to grow your views and help get your content recognized by the algorithm. You worked so hard on it, might as well show it off to as many people as possible.
The right song can go a long way
Attaching a trending song to your video or audio from a popular TikTok video can help it get seen by more people. This app has a big music following (lots of new songs are intentionally promoted through the app to help them climb the music charts) so lassoing your video to one of these shooting stars is only going to help you get on more FYP and in front of new audiences.
@suzyjonesmusic
Your greatest asset is you
Don’t overthink it, just come up with a simple idea and let your personality shine through. The sense of intimacy and community that TikTok brings is why people love this app—it feels personal.
Even if you’re doing a TikTok challenge or trend that’s popular, the thing that will make you stand out is your unique take on it. It’s not about gimmicks but about putting your best self out there. Nothing should feel too staged or self-aware (that’s cringe territory). Pretend your audience are your good friends and approach it with that energy!
@janikon_No, I can’t re-record this, I’m laughing too hard #fyp♬ original sound – Stu (he/him)
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