TikTok Q&A: Frequently Asked Questions About TikTok and their Answers

Our Social Media Report 2025 shows that the number of companies active on TikTok is growing and growing. This is no surprise. After all, the short-video platform has established itself as the fifth largest social network worldwide and as a direct link to Generation Z.

However, many newcomers are confronted with a number of questions. Although TikTok is no longer new, it is still different from Facebook or Instagram. You can only be successful if you know the ins and outs of the platform and how to use it. Simply posting a few videos won’t get you far. In the worst case, you can embarrass yourself and/or your brand with the TikTok community.

To help you get off to a good start on your TikTok adventure, we’ve put together answers to common questions about the network. Many of these are audience questions from our webinar “TikTok at last: How to get started with TikTok in 2025”.

Questions about the potential and possible uses of TikTok

>> For which industries is TikTok suitable – and for which not?

You have a good chance of success if you are addressing a young target group. Most TikTok users are under 30. In addition, so-called fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) are very popular on the platform. These include fashion, music, lifestyle products and cosmetics, as well as food. Accordingly, particularly successful companies on TikTok include names such as Burger King, adidas and Red Bull, as well as Dr. Oetker and Gymshark.

TikTok is less suitable for B2B companies that primarily appeal to people over 30 and/or market products that require explanation. However, there is now a lot of evidence that insurance companies and lawyers can also build an audience on TikTok. The key is to target a young audience and for advertisers to understand TikTok.

>> Is TikTok suitable for public administration?

TikTok also offers public authorities great opportunities to reach young people. For example, they can give them a – preferably humorous – glimpse behind the scenes and get them interested in their work. The catch: when it comes to data protection, the platform regularly faces criticism. That’s why opinions also differ on whether public authorities should use TikTok and, if so, how. Public institutions can find inspiration from Deutsche Bahn, for example.

@deutschebahn Einfach HAMMER Angebot. 🚅 #deutschebahn #travel #culchacandela #geburtstag #18 #einladung ♬ delulu – NESYA

Tip: Even if you have decided to use TikTok as a communication channel, it makes sense to stay up to date on current debates regarding security and data protection.

>> What goals can companies achieve with TikTok?

TikTok is particularly good for achieving reach and promoting brand awareness. One major advantage over other platforms is that on TikTok, even as a newcomer without many followers, you have a chance of reaching a large number of people. With a creative idea, young brands can also get off to a flying start.

In addition, companies use TikTok successfully for employer branding and to attract young talent.

@polizeiberlin_karriere Wie groß muss man als Frau für die Polizei sein? #polizei #karriere #studium #bewerbung #berlin ♬ Originalton – Polizei Berlin Karriere

Questions about content planning and creation

>> How do I find trending content on TikTok?

In TikTok marketing, it is essential to stay up to date. There are several ways to keep up to date with the latest TikTok trends:

• The TikTok Creative Center gives you an overview of popular videos, hashtags, songs, and creators. You can use demographic data to find out whether a trend is relevant to your target group.
• The “For You” page is also a good place to discover new trends.
• Finally, it’s worth following popular influencers.

Most importantly, spend time on the platform regularly. This is the only way to get a feel for trends with potential.

>> Planning vs. spontaneity – how do I plan TikTok content?

We also recommend an editorial plan for TikTok marketing. This way, you can capture ideas and topics, as well as ensure that your content follows a common thread. However, make sure that your plan leaves room for spontaneous ideas. Keep an eye on current trends on the platform and react to them. For example, get into the habit of browsing the platform at fixed times of the day.

>> Which hashtags should I use?

You can find currently popular hashtags for various topics in the TikTok Creative Center. There are also many top lists with long-running favorites like #duet or #tiktokchallenge on the internet.

Tips for using hashtags:

• Use 3 to 5 hashtags per video
• Mix widespread hashtags with niche hashtags
• Make sure that the hashtag and video go together
• It’s best to put hashtags at the beginning and/or end of your caption, as in the following example:

@europapark Tight turns, high speeds, and wild side-to-side action – are you ready for the thrill? 🌊🔥 #TvåFall #Rulantica #waterworld #waterslide ♬ Originalton – Europa-Park Resort

>> How does TikTok SEO work?

For your content to be visible, it is crucial that it is relevant to your target audience and motivates them to interact. You can also strategically integrate relevant keywords into video titles, descriptions, hashtags, and even the spoken and displayed text in the video. Popular sounds can also boost your videos. We’ll explain how to find them below.

>> How often should I post on TikTok?

The optimal posting frequency on TikTok varies depending on your target group and individual goals. TikTok itself recommends posting one to four times a day to increase visibility. However, studies show that many brands post an average of about 16 times a month. This corresponds to about one post every two days.

Ultimately, your posting frequency should be aligned with your creative capacity, the type of content you create, and the expectations of your target audience. Quality comes before quantity. It’s more important to keep your content authentic and engaging than to maximize your posting frequency.

>> Does it make sense to upload Reels to TikTok and vice versa?

If you have good content, it makes sense to share it on multiple platforms to reach a larger audience. But make sure you don’t just recycle: TikTok and Instagram have their own formats and communities that sometimes respond to different types of content. This also means that you should take into account specifics such as hashtags, sounds or video lengths.

If your video does well on TikTok, it may still flop on Instagram because the algorithm prioritizes different things there or your followers have different preferences. Also keep in mind that many people are active on both platforms. If they only see the same content from you on both, they’ll quickly get bored.

>> How do I motivate colleagues to make TikTok videos?

Not everyone loves being on camera. That’s why it’s important to answer the question “Why are we creating TikTok videos?” well. Explain to your team what goals you want to achieve on TikTok. Offer training. Very important: Convey to reluctant colleagues that video creation is fun and perfection is not important.

Equipment and tools for content creation

>> What kind of equipment do I need to create content?

You don’t need high-end equipment to create TikTok content. A good smartphone is perfectly sufficient. A tripod ensures wobble-free shots and a ring light or video lights provide the right lighting. If you want to improve the sound quality, an external microphone is a good addition. A clip-on microphone is usually a smart choice. Opinions about gimbals differ. In our experience, they are not very helpful for creating good TikTok videos.

Tip: Think your smartphone camera is mediocre? With apps like Blackmagic Camera or Kino, you can still create professional-quality videos.

>> Which tools are well suited for TikTok?

TikTok itself offers many editing tools, but for more creative freedom, apps like CapCut, InShot or Adobe Premiere Rush are a good choice. For planning and analyzing your content, a social media management tool like Swat.io is useful. This way you can cover not only TikTok, but all your channels.

>> How does AI help with content creation?

AI can help you find trends, develop content ideas, and edit videos. You can even create entire videos using text input.

A few examples:

• Get ideas for videos or create scripts from ChatGPT.
• Use TikTok’s Symphony Creative Studios to turn text directly into videos or create digital avatars.
• Use CapCut’s AI to split a long video into several attention-grabbing TikTok clips.
• Edit videos with TikTok’s in-house AI tools or with Canva, for example.

But keep an eye on your branding when using AI tools for video creation. “Text to video” is still restricted for brands.

Questions about music and sounds

>> What music and sounds can companies use?

As a company on TikTok, you should only use the Commercial Music Library (CML) for your videos. This library contains over a million songs that have been released for commercial use. Using other pieces of music can lead to copyright infringement. If in doubt, it’s worth consulting a legal professional.

>> How do you find trending sounds?

Here, too, there are several ways to achieve your goal.

• Do research at the TikTok Creative Center: Here you can even filter for sounds that companies are allowed to use.
• Pay attention to which sounds appear in your feed more than once. Whatever comes back often is often a clear trend.
• Check out creators who appeal to a similar audience to you. You’re likely to discover sounds here that are currently booming in your shared “home turf”.
• Use TikTok itself to search for “viral sounds”, for example.
• Visit streaming platforms like Spotify. Here, too, you’ll find playlists with trending TikTok sounds.

Questions about analysis on TikTok

>> How do you measure your success on TikTok?

The following are important metrics on TikTok:

• Views: How many people have actually seen your video?
• Engagement (likes, comments, shares): Lots of likes, a lively exchange in the comments and numerous shares show that the video is really resonating. TikTok rewards this with more reach.
• Follower growth: If there is an increase after a new video, it’s a sign that you’re gaining new fans with your content.
• Watch time and average watch time: TikTok measures how long people actually watch your video. The longer, the better – this means your content is exciting and more likely to be recommended.
• Engagement rate: The engagement rate refers to the proportion of likes, comments and shares in relation to your views or followers. A high rate means that your content strikes a chord.

>> What are good average metrics?

The answer always depends on your niche, your target audience, and your content. Nevertheless, there are rough guidelines that can give you a starting point. A good engagement rate on TikTok starts at around 6 percent. Some accounts also achieve significantly more than 10.

Conclusion: TikTok is constantly changing

Our answers to frequently asked questions give you a good foundation for taking your first steps on TikTok or for realigning your course. But new ones will probably keep popping up. After all, TikTok is still a bit more fast-paced than many other social media platforms.

In this respect, practice makes perfect. The more you engage with TikTok, the easier it will be for you to recognize new trends and use new features in a meaningful way.