TikTok Outlines 6 Fundamental Principles for Creating Compelling Short-Form Video

iPhone with TikTok app logo on the screen. red-blue background

At the 2024 Meltwater Summit in New York City last month, Neil Cameron, Head of Canadian Agency Partnerships at TikTok, guided attendees through “six universal truths” for creating compelling, short-form video on the platform. “Effective content is the first step towards success,” he says, and “short-form, full-screen, sound-on, authentic video is incredibly engaging.” Regardless of budget or bandwidth constraints, PR and marketing pros can leverage these six fundamental principles when creating video content on TikTok.

1. Fit In to Stand Out

“One of the first things that a brand can do is look the part and talk the talk,” Cameron says. Rather than getting stuck in a state of “perfection paralysis,” brands are better off assessing their resources, working with the assets they have and using the native tools on the platform. “We encourage brands to start to play with lingo, through things like social listening tools, to identify language that is resonating. And if you do not have the resources, lean into creators—they really are the professors of our platform.”

Creator-led content drives a 27% higher recall rate versus non-creator content, according to TikTok research. However, he warned attendees not to obsess over creators’ follower counts. “We actually see no impact of an asset and its ability to connect and resonate with an audience based on the number of followers that a creator has… Good content trumps all on the platform.” He suggests playing around with transitions, edits, native tools and overlays to transform a more traditional asset into one that resonates.

2. Lean Into TikTok Trends

Cameron breaks down TikTok trends into three types, each varying in permanence: moments, signals and forces. He defines a moment as a creative prompt that quickly gains traction from buzz and then dissipates. A signal is a content pattern that shows emerging behaviors and interests. And forces are long-scale behavioral transformations.

But not all brands should leverage all three types of trends, he noted. “It's really important, especially for brands and marketers, to recognize and own your level of agility. Some brands just simply can't play within this place of ‘moments.’” For those organizations with less agility, he recommends focusing on signals and forces.

The next step forward is accessing the trend. “It starts by identifying that trend, but then isolating it and establishing your brand of product development, whether it be behavioral, cultural, psychological, emotional… And then you build the narrative.” (More on narrative structure below.)

3. Prioritize Quality Production

Quality production is critical—but it doesn’t have to be super polished, Cameron says. “It's important to understand that if you go low-fi with your content, low production does not denote low quality,” he says. However, whatever you're producing has to look good. “The previous rules I've talked about mean absolutely nothing if your content looks subpar,” he said. “Make sure it's vertical, in high-res and in the safe zone for users on the platform."

4. Identify a Structural Approach

Structure relates to story creation and the best approach for grabbing user attention and keeping engagement high. That content structure includes a hook, a body and a closing. “The hook is very important,” Cameron says. “If you're monitoring keywords across all channels, look at the words that are rising to the top. Think about leveraging that piece up front to grab the user's attention.”

Pro tip: One of the easiest ways to create anticipation is to simply break the fourth wall, Cameron says. Pose a question or make a provocative statement. “Asking the question is a great place to build that hook. Once you have that hook, you can start to build that body and go deeper [and] start to weave through your product stories and brand messaging heavily from that point on.” Once users are invested in the content, think about a strong closing. “Strong call-to-actions are critical in order to drive consideration and conversion,” Cameron says.

Examples of structures include the “aha moments,” which typically involve a light moment or situation that’s familiar to most people but then reveals something unique; the “problem-solution,” which introduces a relatable problem and presents the resolution; and the “journeys,” which are more complex stories, including guides, episodic content, news coverage and humor.

5. Stimulate the Senses

Admittedly, there’s a lot of stimulation happening on TikTok—and across social channels in general. Research performed by TikTok’s marketing science team found that certain video elements stimulate the senses more than others. And one of the highest performers is music. Other tools include transitions, which increase impact and memory; the use of text overlays, “a powerful trigger” that also provides visual guidance; emojis; and brand cues. Regarding the latter, Cameron recommends introducing those early to ensure high visibility.

6. Leverage Sound

Music on TikTok makes content more emotional, uplifting and energizing. “We also know that 70% of users would stop and actually look at sound-on content," Cameron says. "And 90% of our users say that sound is a vital part of the experience.” Pro tip: If licensing a music track isn't in the budget, explore what’s already out there on TikTok. Click on the video's sound button, which takes you to the originator of the sound and indicates whether or not the music is native to the platform.

Kaylee Hultgren is Content Director for PRNEWS.