Buffer - How long should your TikToks be?

Hey folks👋🏽

Did you notice that something's different? We got the newsletter equivalent of a haircut — updated graphics! We haven’t changed much about the newsletter’s look since 2020, so we thought we were overdue. While our mullet was cool, we’re loving the new bangs 💇🏾‍♀️

💌 In today’s email:

• 🎥 If you’ve ever wondered how long to make your short videos — so has Umber! And she’s put together a great guide to figuring out what might work for you.
• 📱 Mitra recommends scheduling your Twitter Threads in Buffer 
• 📣 What’s happening in social: TikTok adds a bunch of eye-catching new features, Instagram adds a monetization option for creators, and YouTube’s push for Shorts adoption grows with an engagement feature
• +All the best content from the blog

Have a great weekend, and we’ll see you next Friday!

Warmly, 

Tami & the Buffer team

P.S. A subscriber was curious about how Twitter's API changes might affect our service. We put together a blog post to share more — the quick summary is that Buffer will not be impacted on February 13th.

🏊🏼 Deep dive: Determining how long to make your TikToks

To figure out the best length for your TikTok, you need to consider a few things, including the app’s algorithm, understanding user preferences, and factoring in the type of content you’re creating.

Although shorter videos do perform well on TikTok – that doesn’t mean that longer videos don’t have a place on the app. The length of your TikTok will depend on the message you want to convey.

This TikTok by Jess Hunt, founder of makeup brand Refy, lasted for over six minutes. Jess tells the story of how she founded her company. The TikTok received over a million views, over 100,000 likes, and 342 comments.

So what can you do to determine when to go long or short?

• Add a hook to your video. This means you want to start your TikTok off strong and quickly introduce the topic or thesis. Research directly from TikTok says, “over 63% of all videos with the highest click-through rate (CTR) highlight their key message or product within the first three seconds.”
• Focus on delivering value in your video. If that value can be translated in five seconds, then by all means, make your TikTok five seconds long. But if you’re sharing a story or tutorial, then make sure you’re striking a balance between communicating and engaging viewers.
• Create quality content. Above all, your content should be of the quality that your target audience expects from you. It doesn’t have to be James Cameron’s Avatar-quality, but it should educate, entertain and engage the viewer.

🚀 Skyrocket your engagement with Buffer

Stand out from the sea of sameness online with visuals that catch the eye published at the perfect time. With Buffer by your side, organize content in one place, easily import your existing work, learn what works with analytics, and get more eyes on your content. 

👇🏽 The latest from the blog

• Spotlighting Culture in Ghana From a Buffer Teammate: At Buffer, we regularly share cultural spotlights to connect our global team and help us understand one another at a deeper level. In this article, Cheryl, one of our customer advocates, presents a deep dive into Ghana.
• How to Monetize Your Content: In this article, I explore how creators can monetize their content online and the best practices to make their efforts successful.
• How This Founder Turned Sudden Layoffs Into a $20 Million Business: Michelle Penczak never planned to be a founder, but when she found herself laid off suddenly, she slowly started building a business to support herself and other military spouses like her. Here’s how she’s grown steadily and sustainably since.

🎙️For your podcast queue

The Science of Social Media is a weekly podcast exploring hot topics, best practices, and insights into social media from the Buffer team and top social media marketing experts.

📱 Social Tip of The Week from Mitra, Buffer’s Social Media Manager 

Have a lot to say and can’t fit it all in one tweet? Schedule your Twitter threads with Buffer! Check out this quick tutorial from Customer Advocate, Lexi! ✨

And then check out our Twitter thread of unmissable marketing threads from 2022 for some inspiration 😊

🤳 What's Happening in Social

• 🤯 Matt Navarra previews new TikTok features, including a caption edit button and the option to save videos without a watermark
• 🪙 Instagram announced that all eligible Reels creators in the US will now be able to accept virtual gifts from their fans via a button on their clips
• 👀 YouTube is rolling out 'Reply to comment with Shorts' feature on iOS (soon on Android)

Thanks for reading! 💟

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