How to create a quality content strategy on TikTok

A few years ago, TikTok emerged onto the social media scene and quickly became a star. By 2024, the platform had skyrocketed to over 1.6 billion users, making it one of the most popular platforms in the world.?

Even though tons of people are creating content on TikTok, not everyone gets the recognition and reach they’re hoping for. One of the main reasons is that many brands—whether personal, product, or service-based—haven’t fully adapted to the platform’s unique dynamics.

Just like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have their own "rules" for boosting content through algorithms, TikTok plays by its own set of guidelines. So, if you plan to repost content from other platforms simply, you’re already off to a bad start.

What should your TikTok content look like?

TikTok isn’t a platform where polished, highly curated content works—users are all about a good story. Along those lines, you shouldn’t focus on selling either. The moment users feel like you’re trying to push something on them, they’ll lose interest.

However, it’s important to strike a balance between visually appealing and casual content. Just because “perfect” content isn’t necessary doesn’t mean you can post something sloppy or unappealing.

Keep in mind that TikTok is a place where people are looking for engaging, captivating content. So, along with having a good story to tell, you should enhance it with visuals and sound effects to make it more interesting.

What content pillars should you focus on?

Sure, immediacy, creativity, and brevity are essential on TikTok, but that doesn’t mean you can skip having a structured social media plan. Just like on other platforms, you need clearly defined content pillars to guide the message you want to share with your audience. Here are a few pillars you can start with:

• Business: What are your business lines? What products do you want to promote? This pillar should focus on showcasing your product or service emphasizing its benefits, features, and value proposition. Keep in mind, this isn’t about direct selling—it’s about building brand awareness and helping your audience see why you’re the solution to their needs.

• Product: The goal of this pillar is to provide some context for your product or service by showing it at a specific moment of the day. You can use formats like storytime to share what you were doing while using it, explain why it’s ideal for a certain time, and essentially give your product a “time slot” for when it’s most useful.

• Educational: TikTok audiences are all about learning, whether it’s tips for simplifying Excel or how to put together a great outfit. Show your audience how to use your product, explain why its components are helpful, or highlight how it can save them time or money.

• Professional: Content for this pillar should focus on sharing news, processes, or key people in your company. A fantastic idea is to give a behind-the-scenes look at what goes on at your company. Where do the ideas come from? How is a product launch executed? People on TikTok love seeing the behind-the-scenes action.

Create a content model for TikTok

Every content from your strategy should follow a specific model tailored for TikTok. This ensures that each video is “friendly” to the platform, boosting its chances of reaching a larger audience.

The first step in the model is to have a clear objective: Why do you want to post this video? Once you’ve figured that out, connect it to the hero narrative of your strategy—make this video a part of your “adventure.”

It’s important to keep your archetype, pillars, and tone of communication consistent across all your content. This consistency helps create a cohesive identity that ties everything together, making it easier for people to recognize your brand personality.

Finally, ensure that every piece of content includes a clear call to action—whether it’s encouraging followers to follow you, learn more about you, or become part of your community.

The structure of a winning TikTok

To create a standout TikTok, break your video script into three parts: hook, development, and close.

The hook is the first part of the video—those crucial first two seconds that decide whether viewers stick around or scroll away. If your hook is in the dialogue, it should ask a question or create enough curiosity to grab their attention.

You can use simple examples like, “Don’t do X if you don’t want Y,” or “I didn’t realize I needed X until I tried Y.” The hook is all about creating a need and offering a quick solution.

In the development phase, focus on a captivating, well-structured story that draws in your audience. This is your storytelling moment, so keep it straightforward, easy to follow, and entertaining.

For the closing, give your audience a clear call to action. Whether it’s, “Want to learn more about digital marketing? Follow me for daily tips,” or “Looking for the perfect product? Check the link in my bio.” Your CTA should both prompt action and explain why it’s worth it.

SEO: A key pillar for TikTok

Did you know Gen Z prefers searching on TikTok over Google? That's because Google gives you written content, while TikTok offers quick, easy-to-understand visual explanations for whatever you're searching.

That’s why it’s important to optimize every video to make sure it’s easy to find. How do you do that? If you have basic SEO knowledge, it’s pretty simple:

• Keywords: You should include relevant keywords in your content, and should appear in your script, supporting titles, and captions. For example, if your video is about Colombian fashion brands, make sure to weave that keyword throughout your post so the algorithm knows what your video is about.

A good way to check if you’re optimizing for SEO on TikTok is to look at the search bar above your video. If it says “find similar content,” that means your video isn’t well optimized. On the other hand, if it shows the search term you were trying to rank for, it means the algorithm understood your topic and will show it to people searching for that keyword.

• Hashtags: TikTok is a huge community, and while hashtags are losing their significance on other platforms, they still play an important role here, so make sure to use them. Include hashtags relevant to your video, your audience, and current trends.?

Use platform tools

TikTok, like any other platform, is a business that wants you to succeed, which is why it provides tools to help with your growth and content creation. Using these tools will not only give you fresh ideas but also help you understand the platform better.

The first tool is Creator Search Insights, which allows you to discover frequently searched topics in your area. You can filter these by categories such as travel, beauty, technology, and health. This tool also lets you refine topics based on popular searches related to your content type and your followers' interests. By following the recommendations from this tool, you can create relevant content for your audience, boosting its visibility and reach.

On the other hand, TikTok Studio is a video editor that lets you add audio, effects, captions, and other features to make your content more engaging. Plus, it allows you to publish your video directly from the editor and even schedule when you want it to go live.

In TikTok Studio, you can also analyze your metrics, including who your audience is and when they stopped watching or liked your video. The insights you gather here are crucial for figuring out which content resonates with your audience and what strategies may need tweaking.

Remember, before diving into a social media strategy, it’s crucial to understand the platform you’ll be using, as each has its dynamics and formats. When you’re familiar with the terrain, it becomes significantly easier to find your way to success.