Making TikTok videos is both simpler and harder than it looks. The platform's explosive growth means massive opportunity, but also means everyone's competing for those precious seconds of attention. The good news? You don't need fancy equipment or a marketing degree to create videos that actually connect.

This guide breaks down how to make TikTok videos that people actually want to watch—from planning and shooting to editing and publishing. We'll skip the fluff and focus on what really works, so you can start creating content that builds your audience instead of disappearing into the void. And who knows? You might even go viral in the process.

Popular TikTok Video Formats

Brainstorming TikTok video ideas can be challenging, especially if you're experiencing a creative block. To help spark inspiration, here are some evergreen TikTok video ideas that work well across various niches.

How to Create Lip-Sync or Dance TikToks

Lip-syncing played a major role in shaping TikTok's identity and remains one of the platform's signature content styles. Users film themselves lip-syncing or acting out comedy sketches, then share their creations with their audience.

Some users pair their videos with trending sounds or dance moves, though this isn't always necessary—especially if your brand style leans away from performative content. For example, you can create lip-sync TikToks using motivational quotes or audio tracks that don’t require dancing or singing, like this one by Nobo.

Lip-syncing isn't the only type of viral content on TikTok—dance videos have dominated the platform, often appearing frequently on the For You Page (FYP).

To create a dance video, choose a trendy, short routine set to a song’s catchiest snippet. Pair it with expressive gestures and a memorable music clip to increase your chances of being discovered and imitated by millions of TikTok users eager to learn a new dance.

There are countless fun and easy-to-learn dances that your audience will enjoy. You can also participate in trending dance challenges, like Jiggy’s #jubislidechallenge.

Making Educational and Tutorial TikTok Videos

TikTok creators do more than entertain—they also educate through how-to videos and informational content packed with actionable tips.

Educational and how-to videos provide valuable information in a quick, digestible format. Viewers feel like they've learned something useful in just a few seconds, making them more likely to engage and take action.

For example, Elise Dopson uses TikTok to share freelance tips and insights based on her personal experience.

There are many how-to TikTok ideas to explore, from demonstrating art techniques and showcasing recipes to explaining scientific concepts.

If you have multiple ideas, consider filming a series of how-to videos. This provides you with consistent content to post throughout the week or month.

Creating Product Review TikTok Videos

The #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt hashtag continues to trend because it drives engagement and influences purchasing decisions. TikTok has the power to make virtually any product—whether niche or mainstream—sell out quickly.

People love watching their favorite TikTokers review products, from budget-friendly kitchen gadgets to high-end luxury items. These videos inspire viewers to make purchases based on their interests and needs.

A great example of this trend is Summer Noel, who frequently reviews products that she and her audience find useful.

Behind-the-Scenes TikTok Content Ideas

Behind-the-scenes and day-in-the-life vlogs, once popular on YouTube, have made a major comeback on TikTok. Hashtags like #dailyvlog and #dayinmylife have collectively accumulated billions of views.

A day-in-the-life video offers viewers an authentic glimpse into a creator’s routine. These videos are perfect for lifestyle influencers and small business owners looking to build trust, grow their audience, and even drive sales—like Meredith Hayden.

Behind-the-scenes and day-in-the-life videos put the creator at the center of the story, offering audiences the relatable, candid content they crave.

Technical Specifications for TikTok Videos

To ensure a smooth upload process and optimal video quality on TikTok, creators should adhere to the platform's technical specifications. Videos should be in MP4 format with a maximum file size of 2GB. Although TikTok permits videos up to 10 minutes, shorter videos are often more engaging. Ensuring your content aligns with these specifications can enhance your video's performance on the platform. For more details, refer to TikTok's official guidelines.

Setting Up Your TikTok Account

Getting started on TikTok is simple. The first step is deciding between a personal account and a TikTok Business account.

Personal accounts are ideal for content creators, artists, and influencers, while business accounts offer features tailored to brands, retailers, and organizations of all sizes. Both account types provide access to LIVE Analytics, Creator Playlist, Branded Content toggle, Q&A, and more.

Once you've chosen an account type, follow these steps to create a TikTok account:

Step 1. Download the app. Download and install the TikTok app from Google Play Store for Android devices or the App Store for iOS devices.

Step 2. Sign up for an account. Tap the TikTok app on your device to launch it, then tap the Sign up link at the bottom to create a new account. You can either sign up with a phone number or email address, or use an existing Facebook, Google, or Twitter account.

Step 3. Customize your info and profile. Tap Profile in the bottom right corner of your screen. Then, tap Edit Profile and click the little camera icon to set a profile photo or video.

Step 4. Start creating. Tap Create (plus sign) to upload a video from your device or use the TikTok camera to record a video. Add enhancements, like filters, a trending sound (or your own original sound), text overlays or captions with fun font styles, and other effects. Then, tap Post to publish your video.

Viral Strategy Frameworks

Creating viral content on TikTok requires a strategic approach. Start with a strong hook to capture attention immediately. Build engagement with compelling content and provide a satisfying payoff that encourages sharing. This structured approach can increase the likelihood of your video going viral. Descript's editing features can help enhance your video's initial hook and overall polish. Learn more about successful strategies.

Step-by-Step TikTok Video Creation Guide

With your account set up, you're ready to create TikTok videos and tap into the power of TikTok. Below, we'll walk you through different tutorials from how to record your first TikTok video to five techniques for making engaging TikTok videos.

How to Record Your First TikTok Video

Here's how to record a TikTok using the app's native video recording tools.

Step 1: Open TikTok. Tap the TikTok app on your Android or iOS device to launch it.

Step 2: Tap Create (plus sign) at the bottom of your screen to create a new video.

Step 3: Create videos. Swipe to select a video recording length (15s, 60s, or 10m), then tap the red Record button to start filming.

Step 4: Add enhancements. Use the editing tools to trim the video length, switch between templates, and add trending sounds, filters, green screen stickers, emojis, voiceovers, or captions to improve accessibility. Note: TikTok will recommend soundtracks based on the content of your video. But you can use the search bar to find other suitable sound effects or songs.

Step 5: Publish your video. Tap Next to open the video publishing settings. Add hashtags, adjust settings like Allow Duet or Allow Stitch, so other users can create a split-screen TikTok using your video or edit clips of your video into their own. Then, tap Post to publish your video!

How to Make a TikTok Video Using Photos

In the same way you use creative effects, add sound or music, and apply transitions to make TikTok videos shine, you can also bring photos to life with special effects designed for still images. Here's how.

Step 1: Upload photos from your camera roll. Open the TikTok app and tap Create (+) to upload photos. Tap Upload. Select Photos, tap Select multiple, then choose up the images to include in the order they should appear. Note: Once you select photos for your TikTok video, you can't reorganize them when editing the clip.

Step 2: Add enhancements. Tap Next to upload the selected photos. Your photos will display in Video Mode and play in the order you selected them. Switching to Photo Mode allows you to toggle between images like a slideshow. Use the editing tools on the right sidebar to crop, add filters, stickers, a trending sound, and text.

Step 3. Adjust video settings. Pick a cover for your video, add hashtags, adjust Allow Duet, Allow Stitch, Allow stickers, or Allow comments preferences, and tag other users.

Step 4. Publish your video. Tap Post to share your TikTok video with your audience.

How to Combine Multiple Clips in TikTok

You can also create epic TikTok videos by stringing multiple videos together. Here's how.

Step 1: Upload videos. Tap Create (+), then Upload to access your camera roll. Select the videos you want and click Next to upload them.

Step 2: Reorder your videos. Tap Edit to reorder your videos, add music or sound effects, text, and more. Tap Next in the top right corner.

Step 3: Add captions and hashtags. Add a cover image, relevant hashtags and captions, tag other users, and change your settings to allow Duet, Stitches, or stickers, and enable/disable comments.

Step 4: Tap Post to share your video.

Uploading Pre-Recorded Videos to TikTok

While you can record a new video and post it to TikTok, there's the risk of on-air flubs and tech glitches, which can affect your video's quality. Pre-recorded videos sidestep such drawbacks. Plus, it's easy to upload and edit existing clips with a few taps.

Step 1: Tap the “Create” icon. Open the TikTok app and tap Create (plus symbol).

Step 2. Upload an existing video. Tap Upload to open your camera roll. Then, select Video and tap the thumbnail of the clip you want to upload. Tap Next.

Step 3: Edit videos. Tap Edit to trim or make other adjustments to your video. Add effects like sound, filters, stickers, and more.

Step 4: Adjust video posting settings. Select a cover for your video, add the relevant hashtags and/or captions, tag other users, and adjust settings to allow comments, stickers, Duets, or Stitches.

Step 5: Tap Post to share your video.

Adding Music to Your TikTok Videos

TikTok videos are more fun with sounds and music. Luckily, there's an extensive built-in library of sounds and music to search, discover, preview, and add to your video.

Here's how to make a TikTok video with music:

Step 1: Upload or record a video. Tap Create (plus sign). Then, tap Upload to select a pre-recorded video or swipe to select a video recording length.

Step 2: Tap Add Sound at the top of your screen. Select your desired audio sound or song.

Step 3: Trim the sound. TikTok's built-in sounds have different time lengths, so you may find a short 10-second clip or a track as long as one minute. Choose a track with the appropriate length for your video and matches the tone and vibe of your video. Tap the trimming tool (scissors icon) next to the song or audio you want to use. Trim the audio to fit your video's length and tap Done.

Step 4: Finalize and publish. Next, edit your TikTok video sharing settings, and add a cover image, hashtags, or captions. Then, tap Post to share your video.

Creating TikTok Videos with Descript

Making TikTok videos using the app's native features is easy to do. But if you want to upscale your content and create truly high-quality videos, you'll need an external, dedicated video recording and editing tool.

Descript lets you do everything from recording social media videos to editing to transcribing audio to exporting to publishing and more—all in one place.

Step 1: Download and install Descript on a Windows or Mac computer, or use the web version.

Step 2: Upload or record a video by going to Select New > Video project. Select Add file to upload a video or click Start a recording to start filming.

Step 3: Edit your video. Use Descript's editing tools to add effects, animations, or transitions and other special effects to your video. Convert its aspect ratio to a TikTok-friendly vertical format, then apply audio effects like Studio Sound to remove background noise and echo for quality audio.

Step 4: Export or publish your video: When you're finished editing, click Publish to export your video to your device and upload to TikTok or hit publish to share it to YouTube or Wistia.

⚡️PRO TIP: If you want an engaging description for your TikTok video, just use Descript's built-in Ask AI tool for suggestions. It'll generate different description suggestions in seconds, which you can edit, add relevant hashtags, and include with your video before publishing.

TikTok Video Creation Best Practices

4 Tips for Making Great TikTok Videos

TikTok video creation can be challenging, especially when you're new to the platform. Plus, there's no guarantee you'll be an overnight success on TikTok. But you can boost your chances of being seen by following these quick tips.

• Keep it short and sweet. On TikTok, simplicity and brevity reign supreme, so don't try to fit too much into one video. People scroll for tips or a quick giggle — not long, drawn-out, and complicated videos. Instead of posting an entire recipe, for example, post one or two tips about the key ingredient. TikTok's algorithm places serious weight on how users interact on the platform and whether they watch a video in its entirety.
• Engage with your audience. When making TikTok videos, keep in mind about 70% of TikTok users are under the age of 35. No matter your industry or the video ideas you come up with, make sure your content is relatable, engaging, and entertaining. And with attention spans reducing over time, your audience may only stick around for a few seconds. Ensure your videos grab their attention in the first few seconds, keep them hooked, and are worth their while.
• Use the right hashtags for maximum visibility. Hashtags expose your content to your audience and other audiences you might not expect. TikTok uses hashtags to categorize your content and know who to push it to. If, like Tineke Younger, you post a video about making Thanksgiving turkey and use the #turkey hashtag, TikTok will push your videos to people who are looking for that content.
• Master video effects and transitions. TikTok runs on creativity, but its native features aren't as robust if you're filming on a phone. If you're familiar with video editing, it's easy to make a TikTok video on a computer and add transitions and special effects to make your clips look more cinematic. Keep exploring how to use different effects and transitions in your videos, so they stand out in the FYPs.

4 Common TikTok Video Creation Mistakes

While TikTok is a platform that's difficult to get wrong, there are some mistakes that creators tend to make when creating content on the platform:

• Neglecting video quality. Poor quality videos are not only off-putting to viewers, but they can also reduce your reach, engagement, and follower count. Simple fixes like using a good microphone, natural light, and the right editing tools can significantly enhance your video quality.
• Copying other creators' content. While remixing can be a great way to build on other content, outright copying won't fly. Combining creative TikTok ideas with high-quality videos makes it easier to capture and retain viewers' attention, while boosting the perception they have of your content or brand.
• Rushing video production. You may be eager to start posting TikTok videos, but you'll need to plan them out before you begin. Get the right video recording equipment and editing software, like Descript, make a rough outline of what you're going to say, then take as much time as you need to generate quality TikToks.
• Disregarding the video description. When viewers come across your video, the description is the first thing they read. Use a concise, witty, and engaging description to pique their interest and compel them to watch the whole video.

Simplest Way to Make TikTok Videos

Descript is the perfect all-in-one audio and video editing solution for making great, scroll-stopping TikTok videos. The software is easy and fun to use, offering amateur and professional users intuitive tools and AI features for seamless friction-free editing.

Instead of creating directly from TikTok, Descript's video editor gives you the added advantage of creating videos without time limits and full control over all the ingredients of your video clips.

You can:

• Use AI-powered automatic transcription to edit your video like a document
• Improve audio quality with Studio Sound
• Add text, stickers, free GIFs, filters, animations, and subtitles to your TikTok videos
• Fix audio mistakes—without re-recording—using AI Voices
• Convert your video's aspect ratio for TikTok, then export and share it to the platform

Ready to go viral on TikTok? Join thousands of creators who edit their TikTok videos with Descript by taking a free trial today.

TikTok Video Creation FAQ

How easy is it to make TikTok videos?

Making TikTok videos is easy. All you need is a personal account, video ideas, and some creativity. You can record or upload a video directly on the TikTok app or use Descript to create great videos, then upload and share them on TikTok.

How do I upload my own video to TikTok?

1. Open the TikTok app on your Android or iOS device
2. Tap Create (plus sign) icon
3. Swipe to select a video recording length (15s, 60s, or 10m)
4. Tap Upload to use an existing video from your camera roll
5. Then, tap Next and edit your video, add cool effects, and choose a trending sound
6. Tap Next and adjust your sharing preferences
7. Finally, tap Post to share your video to TikTok

What's the best tool for creating TikTok videos?

Descript is the best tool for creating TikTok videos. You can record a video or upload one onto Descript's intuitive editor. Then, trim, crop, change the aspect ratio or edit to add background music, various effects, captions, and enhance the audio. When you're done, export your video for sharing on TikTok.

How can I improve my TikTok videos?

1. Remove background noise
2. Use subtitles and captions
3. Think of creative ideas
4. Use effects and transitions
5. Improve video quality
6. Use trending sounds
7. Reply to comments

How do I combine multiple clips in TikTok?

To combine multiple clips in TikTok, record or upload your segments, then use the 'Edit' feature to reorder and add music or effects. This allows you to create a cohesive video from multiple clips. For more detailed instructions, visit the TikTok support page.

How do I make a TikTok video from my camera roll?

To upload a video from your camera roll, tap the '+' icon, select 'Upload', choose your video, and then edit as needed before publishing. This feature allows you to utilize pre-recorded content on TikTok. Find more details in the TikTok guidelines.