TikTok found its fame by being a one-of-a-kind short-form video sharing platform. As time went on, the app introduced several new ways of sharing content through various video formats, such as duets, reaction videos, stitch, live videos, and so on, soon becoming one of the places to be for content creators.

In a bid to expand its horizons and provide content creators with a new way for self-expression, TikTok has launched a new feature: texts-only posts. Let’s learn how it works and what this means for content creators. 

What is TikTok’s New Texts-Only Post Feature?

TikTok’s new texts-only posts allow users to create text posts using only words – similar to that of Meta (formerly FaceBook) and X (formerly Twitter). This is a huge jump from the video-only content that TikTok used to allow. 

Content creators will now be able to make posts containing up to 1000 words. This could include anything such as poems, short stories, one-liners, recipes, or even normal messages highlighting certain incidents. In short, this feature is meant to “expand the boundaries of content creation” on TikTok.

Source: TikTok.

Some things simply translate better via text than through other mediums such as videos and photos, and it seems like TikTok has caught on to that. Just like Instagram, others users will be able to comment on these text posts. However, unlike Twitter, people won’t be able to have full-blown conversations via comments.

How To Create Text Posts on TikTok?

Creating a text post is similar to uploading a video on TikTok. 

• Go to the TikTok Camera page. Here, you’ll see three options to upload either a photo, video, or text. 
• Click on the text option and you’ll be presented with a page where you can write out your text. 
• Enhance your text using several of the new features introduced by TikTok (more on this below).
• Hit publish and share it with the world!
• Alternatively, if you don’t want to publish it right away, you can save it to drafts and come back to it later. Or simply discard it if you no longer want to share something.

What Features Will TikTok Text Posts Have?

To stand out from other platforms offering similar features, TikTok has introduced a host of new features that will allow you to customize and enhance your text posts. No more boring walls of text! 

• Stickers. Want to add a particular sticker along with your text post to make it a little more fun? TikTok allows you to add expressive stickers, so go ahead!
• Hashtags. TikTok hashtags are one of the main ways for people to discover your content, so it’s no surprise that the app allows them on text posts. Add hashtags relevant to your post and up your engagement.
• Tags. Just like Twitter, you can tag other people on your text posts by using “@” followed by their TikTok username. This allows you to create new conversations, credit people easily for collaborations, or simply ensure that a particular person reads your post.
• Location tags. Writing a restaurant review and want to tag the place to appreciate them? Go right ahead, because TikTok allows location tags on your text posts. 
• Background colors. You can make your text posts pop by adding different background colors similar to what you can do on Instagram stories. 
• Sound. This is the most distinguishing feature between the text posts on TikTok and those from other platforms: you can add background music to your TikTok posts! Now your stories can have the perfect soundtrack. 
• Duets. Yes, that’s right. You can allow other users to post duets with your TikTok text posts and repost them as videos or photos.

With the above customizations, the platform has ensured that its text posts will be just as dynamic and unique as its videos. Moreover, the features are very attractive for influencers and brands because it allows an easy way to promote others. 

What is the Purpose of TikTok’s Text Posts?

TikTok announced that text posts are the platform’s way of expanding the horizons of content creation and giving users new avenues to share their creativity. It also mentioned that the inspiration for this feature came partially after seeing all the creativity by users on their captions, comments, and videos. In short, it makes TikTok more versatile like Instagram that allows for different types of posts. 

This update also comes hot on the heels of Elon Musk’s rebranding of Twitter to X and Instagram’s launch of Threads, a new app to rival Twitter. So, TikTok might be trying to stay in the game by marketing itself as a one-stop shop for social media users by providing a diverse array of content options. No matter the reason, there’s no denying that this new feature has tons of benefits for all.

Here’s how TikTok’s new text posts feature helps content creators and brands:

• It gives users a new way to express themselves. Not everyone likes taking videos or photos. Some prefer the good old text type of messages, so this feature might lead to an increase in a different type of content creation. For example, writers.
• Text posts also allow brands to tap into a new type of user base- those that don’t respond well to videos but connect more with text posts.
• It’s a more inclusive type of content for those hard of hearing who simply don’t enjoy watching videos.
• Some of its features such as being allowed to tag people and locations, as well as adding background sounds, make it ideal for influencer-brand collaborations.
• It’s great for authentic user-generated content (UGC). For example, people who enjoyed a particular stay at a resort can easily tag the resort and boost their engagement. On this note, brands can run UGC campaigns and allow multiple types of content entries. This will enable even those who don’t like creating videos to participate.
• With a maximum capacity of 1000 words, there’s also enough space for people to write detailed reviews or for brands to share stories that they were previously unable to share.
• It offers a way for people to have a conversation with their favorite content creators. 
• Bite-sized texts can be a great tool for increasing engagement and followers as it lets people digest information quickly.
• Creators can easily promote their original songs by simply adding them as background music to their text posts. 
• Brands can make announcements quickly without going through the entire song and dance of shooting and editing a video. 

New features like TikTok’s stories and the latest text posts feature has been rapidly expanding the platform from a video-sharing app to a versatile platform. Have you tried the new feature yet? What did you like most about it? Let us know in the comments below!