What Are TikTok Stories? And How To Use It (2022)

To stand out as a marketer, you must constantly keep one step ahead of the competition. This calls for consistently developing new and original marketing strategies.

It also entails using the most recent platforms and tools before your rivals can catch up. Now that TikTok is releasing Stories, you need also be aware of this to give yourself a competitive advantage.

So, what exactly are TikTok Stories, and why are they significant for your company? The solutions to such queries are right here. Let’s investigate.

What Are TikTok Stories?

On TikTok, the new Stories feature lets you share films that automatically vanish from your profile after 24 hours. Similar to Stories on other social media platforms like Snapchat and Instagram, these films have a maximum runtime of 15 seconds.

In that regard, the TikTok Stories feature is comparable to other platforms’ Stories capabilities. For example, you can view a list of users who have viewed or interacted with a Story you’ve uploaded. Additionally, it will show a blue ring around your profile photo to let followers know you have a Story they may see. To access the Story, anyone can tap on your profile photo.

Additionally, a “Stories” tag will show up in your TikTok video to let viewers know that you have a Story they may watch when they see it on their For You page. One area where TikTok Stories differ slightly from other platforms is in this.

Why Are TikTok Stories Important?

Why do you even need TikTok Stories, you ask? Why go through the trouble of posting 15-second videos that will vanish in 24 hours when TikTok movies are already so brief? Here are a few justifications for using TikTok Stories:

• Short-form videos are in style right now. Shorter videos are becoming more popular among users. Even still, Sprout Social discovered that customers are 2.5 times more engaged by short-form videos than by long-form ones. Unsurprisingly, short-form videos were the most exciting social media in-feed material. Because TikTok Stories are so brief, they can be an excellent method to keep your audience interested.
• Why Your Stories often have less pre-planned content, which gives you a more genuine opportunity to engage your audience. In reality, the TikTok team created Stories to allow users to share with their audience an authentic glimpse into their life, facilitating a greater level of engagement.
• TikTok has established itself as one of the top social media platforms. According to a previous Sprout Social analysis, it is one of the top four platforms that consumers anticipate using most over the next 12 months. Marketers must adjust by concentrating their efforts and resources on the platform as TikTok usage grows. This entails taking advantage of the platform’s most recent features to acquire a competitive edge.

How to Use TikTok Stories

Let’s talk about using the functionality now that that is decided.

What are the steps for using TikTok Stories?

To publish your first Story on TikTok, follow the instructions below.

Step 1:

Click the “+” symbol on your TikTok home screen to launch the creator window.

Step 2:

To choose “Stories,” swipe across the bottom bar. Check to determine if you’re running the most recent TikTok app version if you can’t see it. Alternatively, if TikTok Stories are still accessible in your area, you might not be able to view this choice.

Step 3: From the right-hand panel, tap the Timer icon.

You can do this to limit the length of your video. You can record for either 3 or 10 seconds by default. You can manually adjust the time restriction by dragging the bar below to a value between 1 and 15 seconds.

Step 4: TikTok allows you to record Stories natively. Thus you are not required to make videos in advance. Clicking the Quick camera button will start a new video recording. A recorded video can still be uploaded as an Instagram Story if you so choose. Tap the “Upload” option on the right to do this, then select a video from your camera roll.

Step 5:

Once the video is ready, you can post it immediately as a Story. Or you can have some fun with filters, stickers, effects, voiceovers, and transitions just like you would with a regular in-feed post.

Step 6: Tap the “Post to Story” button to immediately publish the Story when it has been created.

Or click the “Next” button if you wish to make further changes. You can edit your privacy settings, add hashtags and links, write captions, tag people and places, and mention other accounts here.

Even the Story’s cover image is your choice. Once everything is prepared, click “Post” to share your first TikTok Story. Your TikTok Stories will be automatically deleted 24 hours after they are uploaded.

You can take the Story down before the 24-hour timeframe expires, though. Choose the Story and hit the “…” button on the sidebar. To eliminate the swipe, pick the “Delete” icon to remove the Story.

How to Use TikTok Stories as a Marketing Tool

Want to test out TikTok Stories but are unsure of where to begin? Here are some suggestions for using TikTok Stories for your brand.

     1. Send out time-limited offers

Share deals that are only valid for a limited time to take advantage of TikTok Stories’ transient nature. This is an excellent method to use the urgency principle, which could cause a fear of losing out and motivate your followers to act immediately.

As a result, the TikTok Stories format works particularly well for time-sensitive offers like flash sales, one-day promotions, and limited-time offers. Use TikTok Stories, for instance, to alert users when tickets are getting close to being sold out or to remind them to sign up before the deadline.

These are but a few examples, but the point is made. You have the ideal opportunity to convey the urgency of a particular offer using TikTok Stories. Your audience needs to be made aware of the necessity of a given request for them to act immediately. This is a fantastic approach to increase conversions for your campaign because it encourages consumers to act quickly.

     2. Make only available opportunities

In keeping with the concept above, TikTok Stories are ideal for fostering a sense of exclusivity. Offering people exclusive opportunities will help you engage them more effectively since people love to feel special. Using your stories, you can share deals and experiences that are only accessible on TikTok.

For instance, you may publish items that are only available on TikTok Stories. Customers won’t be able to find those things anywhere, not even on your website, because of this. Additionally, you might hold sales just for the Story’s duration. This will increase the effect by fusing the ideas of exclusivity and urgency.

Similarly, you can continue looking for chances to offer a unique experience through your TikTok Stories. By doing this, you can draw in a group of devoted fans who frequently interact with your Stories because they want to be sure to partake in those special events.

     3. Send out announcements

Have a story to tell your audience that is exciting? Why not distribute it via TikTok Stories? Even though formal announcements are fantastic, some reports are better delivered through stories since they allow you to communicate your joy with your audience.

Through TikTok Stories, you may express your joy upon reaching 100,000 followers or one million views, for instance. Small enterprises could use TikTok Stories to share news about reaching a sales milestone.

TikTok Stories is an excellent medium for publicizing contest winners as well. You might document the entire selection process to give it more validity. Showing that the method you’re employing chooses winners randomly will help reduce the possibility of outcomes being contested.

     4. Show your audience behind-the-scenes

TikTok Stories may also be a fantastic method to show your audience what goes on behind the scenes at your company. Would you like to demonstrate how your items are made? You might also explain to them how you make your TikTok videos. You might even use them to discuss how you’re preparing for an upcoming occasion.

By doing so, you may “let in on the secret” to your audience and give them a sense of ownership over your brand. They are no longer only bystanders, strangers, or clients. They now have access to inside information about your company and are a part of your community.

TikTok Stories offer authenticity to the engagement and help to show the natural person behind your brand because they are often shot directly with few modifications. It demonstrates to your followers that you are open and honest with them and are not just creating the event for the sake of views and likes.

     5. Respond to commonly requested questions

You must provide something worthwhile if you want people to interact with your Stories. This might take the shape of necessary knowledge. Use Stories to occasionally host Q&A sessions so that your followers can get answers to their most pressing queries.

Please take advantage of the chance, to be honest, and answer their inquiries honestly. This is a fantastic method to boost audience involvement and provide more options for participation. Additionally, you get to give your audience valuable something by responding to their question.

You may publish a notice (also via Stories) before the session asking people to submit their queries. Then you may compile a list of pertinent and well-liked questions and respond to them via a series of videos. Make these sessions routine to get the best benefits. To assist your audience in solving their difficulties more successfully, you may have regular Q&A sessions once a week or monthly.

     6. Open up to your audience.

You can be frank with your audience because of TikTok Stories’ openness. As you go about your day, please take advantage of the chance to interact with them by dropping tidbits of knowledge. You might also share “day in the life of” Stories, in which you show people through a series of little films what you do on an average day.

You could even turn this into a whole series in which different staff members take control of your TikTok and guide your viewers on a journey as they carry out their duties. For instance, a designer at a garment company could describe the typical responsibilities and tasks associated with their position. This provides an inside peek at your audience while fostering genuine human connections with your brand.

Conclusion

Because TikTok Stories is still a relatively new feature, you might still be hesitant to use it. Will it become as popular as Instagram Stories? Or will it disappear as Twitter Fleets did?

Even though it’s unclear what TikTok Stories will look like, marketers should be the first to utilize the newest features and tools available to them to get a competitive advantage. By implementing TikTok Stories early on, you gain nothing (other than a bit of time and resources). If this new feature turns out to be a huge success, you will benefit much in the interim.

Good luck to you!