How to Add Text to Your TikTok Videos
TikTok has proven to be the social media sensation of 2020. And with 800 million active users worldwide, there’s no sign of the platform slowing down anytime soon in 2021 or beyond.
For TikTok newbies, there are a lot of new skills to learn – from knowing which hashtags to use, to choosing the right background music for your videos.
Adding text to your TikTok videos is a simple, yet effective way to bring your content to life. Here’s everything you need to know – plus, get inspired by brands who are leading the way with engaging content.
What is TikTok?
If you’re unfamiliar with the platform, take some time to get acquainted. TikTok is a chart-topping social media app that invites users to create and share short, engaging videos – often with music. From dance challenges to workout routines and lip-syncing videos, this interactive platform is rapidly gaining popularity with the masses – including celebrities and big brands. Check out our TikTok for Business guide to better understand the platform and to learn how to leverage it to grow your business.
With lots of competition to ‘go viral,’ it’s important to understand the TikTok basics so that you can make your video stand out.
Getting started with adding TikTok text
TikTok is very user-friendly. Once you’ve downloaded the app and signed up for an account, it’s time to get started on your first video and learn how to add text to it:
- On your profile page tap on the ‘+’ icon to create your first video.
- You’ll see that there are plenty of options to explore here, like filters and timer speeds. Adjust as you like, until you find the settings you’re ready to work with.
- Click on the red button to start rolling.
- Once finished, you can start to add all the extras, including music
- On the bottom of your screen you’ll see a ‘text’ option – click on this to add copy to your video
- There are various font styles, not too dissimilar to Instagram. This includes Classic and Handwriting fonts and more, along with a host of customizable colors.
- Go ahead and start writing the text for your videos and press ‘done’ once complete.
- Next, you can make words large or small and tilted to any angle by using two fingers (the same way you zoom in and out on an iPhone).
- Once you’re happy with your video, press ‘next’ and fill in the details. You’re all set!
Pro Tip: TikTok can be quite distracting – once you’re motivated create video content, try to stay focused on the video you’re currently working on, instead of spending all your time scrolling through your feed.
Brands killing it on TikTok in 2021
If you’re looking for content ideas for your next TikTok video, then look no further. Here are 5 brands/influencers that are taking TikTok by storm:
In recent weeks, the Washington Post has been bringing a more ‘human’ side of their brand to their audience with a stream of hilarious TikTok videos. They frequently use various fonts and texts in their videos.
Take their latest example here, which shows them spelling out the name of their newspaper on the video in sync with the reporter.
Much like the rest of the world, GymShark has been using their time in quarantine to show off the benefits of exercise in a fun and engaging way. Using fonts to express which day it is (‘Day 1 of quarantine’ for example) helps to anchor their videos, much like a caption would:
@gymshark Living alone during quarantine be like 🤷♀️ @patricia.kraft which one is you? 🤣#boredvibes #quarantine #gymshark
With a whopping 16 million followers on TikTok, Josh Richards is a verified TikTok influencer.
In addition to sharing popular tracks and split-screen videos, he’s a big fan of captioning his videos using simple black fonts with a white background. He also collaborates with friends for his videos, including fellow influencer Anfony.
Bringing their modern, sleek image to TikTok, Calvin Klein remains true to form with their brand identity on the platform. This includes neon white glossy fonts, and plenty of hashtags such as #stylemycalvins and text such as ‘CK Holiday:’
@calvinklein deck the #calvinklein halls 🎁 we celebrated the season in #mycalvins at our hq in nyc. make it a #ckholiday ❄️#foryou #fyp
Model, entrepreneur, influencer, and A-list superstar Kylie Jenner enthrals her 4.5 million followers with a savvy mix of personal videos and promotional content. She frequently posts videos of her own products, with cleverly crafted copy driving traffic to her website. Whether you’re a Kardashian fan or not, it’s clear that Kylie is perfecting the art of TikTok content.
Check out our additional TikTok guides:
- A Guide to Hashtags on TikTok
- TikTok Video Length & Video Formatting Guide
- When Is the Best Time to Publish Videos on TikTok?
- How to get verified on TikTok & get the blue check mark
