TikTok

One of the fasting growing social media platforms, TikTok allows you to share short videos with access to many different video sounds and visual effects. This is the place 16-25 year olds are spending most of their time online, so it’s definitely a platform you’ll want to consider posting on in order to reach more people. Check out this comprehensive beginners guide to using TikTok which gives tips on creating your profile and uploading content.

Here is some advice for CUs using TikTok:

• Audience: It’s harder to be specific about your audience reach on TikTok as it doesn’t have things like location tagging, and your university or SU is unlikely to have an account. Make sure you use enough relevant hashtags so that the right people are seeing your videos.
• Reusing: You’re already making videos for your Facebook and Instagram; make less work for yourself and just repost these videos on TikTok! You’ll need to make sure the formatting is correct – TikTok videos are all in portrait mode, same as IGTV. Videos in landscape won’t look as good on these platforms. Instagram has a similar format as TikTok called Reels, so anything you create for one can be shared on the other.
• Use trends to your advantage: Use trending video sounds/music or effects so more people will see your video (just make sure what you use is appropriate!) The more views and interactions on your video the more likely it will be shown to other people on their For You page (the equivalent of a home page).
• Purpose: Keep the videos light and fun. It’s not a great place to advertise events as it can take a while for videos to take off, so use it for building a following through fun friendly videos that make new students want to be part of your community.
• Enjoyable: Don’t be too cheesy or cliché! If our content features too many Christian clichés, as well as alienating those who aren’t Christians, we run the risk of alienating other Christians. Think intentionally about the people who make up our audience: Christians, those who aren’t Christians, international students, new students, graduating students, etc.
• Links: Make sure you use the link in bio like you would for your Instagram account. Use a website like LinkTree or Unfold to have multiple links within one link so people have a clear ‘next step’ if they’d like to know more or get in touch with the CU.